Sponsored by Bertin Exensor
www.exensor.com
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
15 Oct 24. Dutch to buy tanks for more than $1bn, add Kongsberg air defense. The Netherlands plans to buy 46 Leopard 2A8 tanks for more than €1bn (US$1.1bn), rebuilding a heavy armor capacity just ten years after selling its last tanks to Finland, as it seeks to present a more credible military deterrent to an aggressive Russia.
The Dutch are also investing in missile defense, acquiring four short-range and six medium-range air-defense batteries from Norway’s Kongsberg, State Secretary for Defence Gijs Tuinman told parliament on Monday. The company expects the deal to be valued around 11bn Norwegian kroner ($1bn), it said in a separate statement.
Dutch defense officials and military brass have been showing up on TV shows and at public events in recent months to raise awareness of what they see as a threat of war posed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the need to bolster the country’s armed forces. The Netherlands last month announced plans to rebuild a tank battalion and buy additional F-35 fighter jets and anti-submarine frigates, backed by a rising defense budget.
“The war in Ukraine shows that battle tanks are of undiminished importance in modern conflict,” Tuinman told parliament in a letter detailing the planned purchase of Leopard tanks from French-German defense firm KNDS.
“With the reintroduction of a full-fledged tank battalion, the Netherlands is fulfilling the priority objectives assigned by NATO.”
The Netherlands will seek an option to buy six more tanks, on top of the 46 now penciled in. The Dutch are counting on unmanned systems to provide combat capacity equivalent to the six battle tanks, and will decide by 2027 whether that looks technologically feasible or whether they need to exercise the option to meet a goal of standing up a full tank battalion by 2030 at the latest.
Unmanned systems can make other systems less vulnerable by targeting enemy drones or armored vehicles, the state secretary said. The Ministry of Defence also expects systems for breaching obstacles and for sensing and reconnaissance to come to market.
Technology for unmanned capabilities equivalent to a modern battle tank is expected to emerge after 2035, in parallel with development of the French-German Main Ground Combat System, Tuinman said.
The Dutch aim to create their own unmanned capacity with the Leopard project to gain an edge over potential adversaries and build up a “significant” knowledge position in Europe, he said.
The Dutch MoD is working on the design of unmanned systems and expects to set out requirements by the end of next year, followed by validation with one or more manufacturers in the second half of 2026. Progress there will factor in the decision whether to order the six additional tanks, Tuinman told parliament.
The 46 planned Leopards are the minimum for a battalion with sufficient manned and unmanned operational capacity, Tuinman said. Staffing the tank battalion and its support capacities will require around 500 military personnel.
The Netherlands will tag along with a German-led joint procurement initiative that includes Lithuania and Czechia, which Tuinman said is the only way for the Dutch to have their own tank capacity in the short term. Allies are expected take delivery of the first new Leopard 2A8 battle tanks rolling off reactivated KNDS production lines end-2025, the state secretary said.
“The availability of slots on the recently reopened production lines is limited due to the greatly increased demand for heavy weapon systems,” Tuinman said. “This project therefore focuses on rapid materiel acquisition of the battle tanks by securing a favorable production slot.”
The Dutch government expects to conclude a deal with Germany by the end of the year, with first delivery three years later and the final tanks handed over in 2030. Any delay finalizing the contract could result in later delivery, as several countries are vying for a slot in the KNDS delivery schedule, according to Tuinman
The budget for the tank battalion is estimated at €1 bn to €2.5 bn, including spare parts, maintenance and operating costs. The MoD will further clarify support requirements, including trucks for transport, maintenance and supply, as well as recovery vehicles.
The Netherlands disbanded its tank battalions in 2011 amid budget cuts, selling its remaining 100 operational Leopard 2A6 tanks to Finland in 2014. The Dutch have been leasing 18 tanks from Germany since 2015, helping them retain knowledge around tank operations.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands also plans to order six medium-range and four short-range air-defense batteries from Kongsberg and additional multi-mission radar systems from Thales. Delivery of the systems is expected to start in 2028, with full operational capacity in 2030.
The budget for the air-defense project is €2.58 bn, including the cost of buying missiles, risk provision and operating costs, Tuinman said. That compares to Kongsberg’s estimate for a contract value of around 11 bn kroner.
The Dutch are ordering six fire units of the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS), which can defend against attacks by aircraft and cruise missiles up to a range of 50 kilometers, according to Tuinman. One fire unit consists of multiple launchers, fire control and command units, as well as radar capacity, the state secretary said.
The Netherlands will also buy four short-range systems from Kongsberg based on the National Maneuver Air Defence System (NOMADS) mounted on the tracked Armoured Combat Support Vehicle G5, for defense against aerial threats including drones up to a range of 15 kilometers. The Dutch government is signing a separate contact with Norway for the ACSV tracked vehicles.
The ministry plans to order an additional eight Thales multi-mission radars, bringing the total ordered to 26, of which 14 for air and missile defense.
The Dutch military will create two batteries dedicated to air defense for land forces, each including a medium-range fire unit and two short-range fire units, radar capacity and logistical support, Two additional medium-range fire units will support Patriot long-range air-defense batteries, while another two will join a unit focused on protecting national infrastructure.
The government intends to buy missiles from the U.S. through a Foreign Military Sales agreement, Tuinman said. The plan is to buy AIM-120 AMRAAM-ER and AIM-120C8 AMRAAM missiles for the medium-range systems and AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles for the short-range systems, all interoperable with the country’s F-35 fighter jets. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
17 Oct 24. Britain bolsters NATO’s eastern flank with new pact with Estonia and new cooperation on missile defence. The Defence Secretary will sign new defence roadmap with Estonia, underlining key NATO commitment and will begin cooperation with Allies on missile defence.
Britain will strengthen NATO’s eastern flank with a new defence roadmap signed with Estonia today and cooperation on missile defence.
The joint declaration, signed at a meeting of NATO Defence Ministers today will see thousands of troops from the Army’s 4th Brigade held at high readiness, ready to defend NATO’s eastern flank, in addition to those deployed in Estonia.
At today’s (Thursday 17 October) meeting in Brussels, Defence Secretary John Healey will also agree to step up cooperation on missile defence and developing long range missiles with NATO Allies. The UK will lead the new ‘DIAMOND’ initiative, to integrate NATO’s missile defences, while also pledging to develop new long-range, cutting-edge missiles, improving the Alliance’s collective air defence and offering opportunities to the UK defence industry.
The 4th Brigade is an agile force, specialising in operating in terrain found in Estonia. In future years the Army will deploy its most advanced tanks, Challenger 3 to NATO’s eastern border for the first time, along with armoured vehicles such as Boxer.
These announcements underline the UK’s ‘NATO-first’ policy and the Government’s unshakeable commitment to the alliance.
The 4th Brigade will also be bolstered with key equipment in times of crisis, including helicopters, short range-air defence and guided multiple rocket launchers. The announcement follows a visit by the Defence Secretary to Estonia in July to meet British troops stationed along the NATO eastern flank.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: “As global threats increase, the UK’s unshakeable commitment to NATO has never been more important. We are boosting our support for Estonia, with thousands of troops ready to deploy rapidly to the Russian border.
I recently visited our dedicated troops posted at the NATO front line in Estonia to thank them for their service in safeguarding Europe in the face of growing Russian aggression.
These announcements reinforce our contribution to the NATO alliance for decades to come. We are working closely with partners to develop advanced defensive and offensive capabilities to protect our citizens whilst boosting industry, jobs and growth in the UK.”
While at NATO, the Defence Secretary will meet his Estonian counterpart to sign the new roadmap, reaffirm NATO’s commitment to supporting Ukraine at a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, and conduct bilateral talks with several Allies, including Norway and Turkey and will hold an E3 Ministers’ meeting with France and Germany.
Estonia joint declaration
The UK and Estonia will deepen their already close defence partnership, standing united against Russian aggression. This joint declaration will see the UK’s 4th Brigade Combat Team held at high readiness from July 2025. This means that thousands of troops will be on standby to deploy to Estonia at short notice, reaffirming the UK’s ironclad commitment to protecting and defending our allies.
The UK will maintain its permanently stationed battlegroup in-country, with Estonia being the first deployment of the UK’s cutting-edge Challenger 3 tanks – as well as armoured vehicles including Boxer infantry vehicles.
Missile defence
The UK-led DIAMOND initiative will improve NATO’s integrated air and missile defence by ensuring that the different air defence systems across the Alliance operate better and more jointly across Europe. In Ukraine, air defences have played a vital role in protecting towns, cities and strategic positions. DIAMOND will strengthen the way European NATO allies coordinate their air defence against missile attacks.
Long range missiles
The UK will also take part in the European Long-range Strike Approach programme. Working alongside international allies, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland, the UK will develop new cutting-edge long range missile capabilities, with the project expected to play a key role in Europe’s defence by the 2030s. The move underlines the Government’s desire to work closer with European allies on key areas of security.
Today’s meeting of NATO Defence Ministers is the first chaired by the new NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and is the first that the Defence Secretary has attended since taking up his post. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
15 Oct 24. France eyes aircraft carrier, frigate order in 2025 spending plan. France’s defense budget next year includes orders for a next-generation aircraft carrier to replace the Charles de Gaulle as well as a new frigate, Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu told a parliamentary hearing on Monday, sketching the outlines of the ministry’s plans in 2025.
The defense ministry plans to boost spending on ammunition, particularly “complex munitions,” lift the space budget and raise funding for intelligence gathering and cyber, Lecornu told the defense committee of the lower house. Other areas of investment will include research on directed-energy weapons, artificial intelligence and deep-sea capabilities.
The French government has proposed to lift the 2025 defense budget to €50.54bn (US$55bn) from €47.23bn this year, one of the few departments to see funding increase as Prime Minister Michel Barnier attempts to bring the country’s budget deficit under control.
The aircraft carrier order will mean the start of “a program with major impact,” Lecornu told lawmakers. The minister last year estimated the cost of the vessel that will replace the Charles de Gaulle nuclear-powered carrier in the €10 bn range. The country also plans to order another defense and intervention frigate, after Naval Group started sea trials of the first unit in the program earlier this month.
France plans to increase ammo buying by 27% to €1.9bn, with purchases including MBDA’s Meteor air-to-air missile, Mistral and Aster air-defense interceptors, Scalp cruise missiles and Exocet anti-ship missiles, as well as heavy torpedoes, according to Lecornu. The budget for the SAMP/T NG air-defense system developed together with Italy will double to €500m.
The minister took a swipe at European countries buying the Patriot air-defense system, saying the new generation SAMP/T with its 360-degree radar coverage outperforms its U.S. competitor. First tests with the Aster B1 NT missile to distinguish its target in a saturated airspace with multiple objects have been “very conclusive,” Lecornu said.
Lecornu said he is counting on Thales and MBDA to make the SAMP/T NG system an export success, where the previous generation failed to find many buyers outside France and Italy. “We can see that it’s going to sell,” and one key element will be MBDA moving towards “a war economy with production lines that hold up” to deal with attrition, the minister said.
France plans to allocate a third of its defense budget to acquisition and maintenance of equipment, with the budget for large armament programs other than nuclear rising 16% to €10.6bn. Salaries will account for 27% of the 2025 defense budget, with nuclear deterrence amounting to 14% of spending.
The budget for nuclear deterrence will climb 8% next year, which will pay for continued development of the M51 submarine-launched ballistic nuclear missile and work on the ASN4G hypersonic missile, expected to enter service in the 2030s, Lecornu said. He also mentioned this year’s start of construction of France’s third-generation ballistic-missile submarine.
The space budget will increase 15% to €870m. Lecornu said militarization of space is “unfortunately” continuing, with projects by the great powers that could endanger security. Spending on robots and drones will increase around 12% to €450m, while the Armed Forces Ministry plans to triple the budget for artificial intelligence to €300m, including investment in a supercomputer for defense AI.
Deliveries next year will include 14 Rafale fighter jets, an Airbus A400 transport aircraft, a defense and intervention frigate, 308 armored vehicles in the Scorpion program and 21 renovated Leclerc main battle tanks, according to Lecornu.
France aims to be able to deploy two brigades in an expeditionary capacity in 2027, and have the ability to deploy an Army corps in 2030, either within a NATO framework or outside of it, Lecornu said.
(Source: Defense News)
17 Oct 24. NI minister says Navantia is ‘right type of company’ to buy H&W. The UK Ministry of Defence has confirmed that talks about the shipyard’s future are ongoing.
Northern Ireland Economy Minister Conor Murphy has said that Spanish shipbuilding company Navantia is the “type of company” to acquire Belfast-based shipyard Harland and Wolff (H&W), reported BBC.
He highlighted that, while he did not wish to anticipate a deal, having an experienced shipbuilder in charge would be a beneficial outcome.
Conor Murphy told the news broadcasting service: “It’s that type of company we would have been thinking about, one that is in that game, has the wherewithal to invest and retain the staff.”
Navantia is currently in exclusive discussions to acquire the Harland and Wolff shipyards. It follows after H&W entered administration last month, although the operational companies managing the yards remain active. The administration affects only the holding company, Harland & Wolff Group Holdings.
Insolvency company Teneo is expected to handle the administration process, with some non-core staff redundancies already taking place.
The Sunday Telegraph first reported the talks about the potential deal, which could encompass all four yards and may conclude by the end of November 2024.
Navantia’s existing partnership with H&W, where they serve as the main contractor for a Royal Navy project and Harland and Wolff as the subcontractor, underpins the negotiations.
The UK Ministry of Defence has further confirmed that talks about the shipyard’s future are ongoing.
UK politician Mark Francois inquired about the conversations between the Defence Ministry and the Chancellor of the Exchequer concerning the shipyard’s role in the contract for three Fleet Solid Support Ships.
In response, Defence Minister Luke Pollard said: “Ministry of Defence Ministers and officials have regular meetings with counterparts in other Government Departments, including with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on a range of matters, including the future of Harland & Wolff’s shipyards.
“The successful delivery of the Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ship programme remains a priority. There is extensive engagement with Navantia UK as the Prime Contractor to understand what steps the company is taking to ensure delivery of the FSS contract and management of its supply chain.”
Amid these talks, Harland and Wolff’s board has indicated a viable route for the shipyards to continue under new ownership.
As the firm streamlines its operations, it has closed its ancillary ventures, including a never-launched Scilly Isles ferry service.
Other non-core businesses, such as a small US enterprise and a marine services operation, are being divested to save 14 jobs.
(Source: naval-technology.com)
17 Oct 24. UK to support NATO space launch capabilities and artillery supplies. Defence Secretary agrees to range of initiatives from boosting ease of access to space and virtual training to developing cutting-edge drones.
NATO allies could be set to use Britain’s launch vehicles and space ports, following new work that will see the alliance start work to rapidly deploy assets to space.
With adversaries attempting to maximise their advantages in space, the Defence Secretary John Healey MP today signed a letter of intent, which will see NATO allies work closer on government and commercial space launch capabilities.
Attending his first NATO Defence Ministerial, the Defence Secretary also signed up to a range of multinational long-term projects, from virtual training to drone procurement.
Tomorrow and Saturday (Friday 18 October, Saturday 19 October) the Defence Secretary will attend the G7 Defence Ministers meeting.
The meeting, hosted by the Italian Presidency of the G7, in Naples, will see the Defence Secretary meet with his G7 opposite numbers.
On the margins of the G7, Mr Healey will also attend a meeting of the Global Combat Air Programme, with his Italian and Japanese counterparts.
Today’s space cooperation announcement will see the UK help develop NATO’s space capabilities.
Known as the STARLIFT programme, it will build space launch capabilities across the alliance and will see the UK, alongside our allies and commercial partners, create a network of space launch capabilities across the alliance.
Virtual training
The UK is today signing a letter of intent to share virtual simulator training across NATO, allowing Allies to train and work together without the need for a physical deployment, saving time, resources and money.
Artillery munitions
The UK has agreed today that NATO will create a single test network to enable allies to use different munition types, such as 155mm, on various artillery systems. This will ensure greater flexibility in joint operations.
Drones
The Defence Secretary also confirmed that the UK will take part in a project to develop cutting-edge drones.
The UK has played a key role in sending thousands of drones to Ukraine, where we have seen first-hand the vital role they have played in fighting back against Putin’s forces.
NATO allies will work together to develop these unmanned platforms which will gather intelligence, surveillance and deliver strike capabilities. UK participation also helps to integrate the MQ-9B/Protector uncrewed aircraft capability into the NATO Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Force and defence of the High North and Arctic region.
The UK’s participation in these ambitious projects underline our unshakeable commitment to NATO. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
15 Oct 24. Sweden’s armed forces to grow to 115,000 by 2030, government says. Sweden’s Defence Minister Pal Jonson attends a NATO defence ministers’ meeting at the Alliance’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
Sweden will bolster the size of its armed forces by some 27,000 men and women by 2030 to around 115,000 people, including professional soldiers and conscripts, as the country ramps up defence spending, the government said on Tuesday.
The centre-right coalition last month said it would spend an additional 170bn Swedish crowns ($16.41bn) on top the normal annual budget over the coming five years, taking defence spending to 2.6% of GDP in 2028, up from 2.2% this year.
Defence Minister Pal Jonson said the bill would help build better endurance, and that it needed to happen quickly for NATO’s newest member.
“We must be able to respond more strongly and effectively to the changes taking place in our surrounding world, above all Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine,” he told a news conference.
The government said in September it would hike defence spending by 10% to 138bn crowns next year, equal to 2.4% of GDP.
The Navy will have its five Visby class corvettes upgraded and fitted with air defence systems, and will also start the procurement of three bigger Lulea Class corvettes.
The Air Force will get three more Globaleye surveillance planes and newer version of the JAS Gripen fighter jets, as well as Black Hawk helicopters.
The Army will add more tanks and armoured vehicles, more drones and additional Archer air-defence systems, the government said. ($1 = 10.3623 Swedish crowns)
(Source: Reuters)
11 Oct. 24. Norway allocates $90m to increase defence production. The investment will address the growing demand for military equipment in Norway, Ukraine, and among allied nations. The Government of Norway has unveiled a comprehensive roadmap aimed at bolstering the defence industry’s production capacity, with a significant investment of Nkr967m ($89.9m).
This initiative is in response to meet the increasing demand for military equipment in Norway, Ukraine, and their allies.
The ministers of Defence and Trade and Industry have highlighted the urgency to scale up production in the wake of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Norwegian Defence Minister Bjørn Arild Gram said: “The security situation has created a significant and urgent need for defence materiel in Ukraine, among our allies, and domestically.
“The roadmap is a comprehensive plan to help increase production capacity in the Norwegian defence industry. With this, we are taking responsibility for contributing to meeting the needs of Ukraine, our nation, and our allies.”
The funding to support four new initiatives aimed at increasing production capacity.
The measures are part of the government’s Nansen programme, a Norwegian civilian and military support programme for the Ukraine with a budget of Nkr75bn for the period 2023-2027.
The first measure will support Norwegian small and medium-sized enterprises with Nkr342m to accelerate the industrial production of advanced products for Ukrainian forces. (Source: army-technology.com)
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
Founded in 1987, Exensor Technology is a world leading supplier of Networked Unattended Ground Sensor (UGS) Systems providing tailored sensor solutions to customers all over the world. From our Headquarters in Lund Sweden, our centre of expertise in Network Communications at Communications Research Lab in Kalmar Sweden and our Production site outside of Basingstoke UK, we design, develop and produce latest state of the art rugged UGS solutions at the highest quality to meet the most stringent demands of our customers. Our systems are in operation and used in a wide number of Military as well as Homeland Security applications worldwide. The modular nature of the system ensures any external sensor can be integrated, providing the user with a fully meshed “silent” network capable of self-healing. Exensor Technology will continue to lead the field in UGS technology, provide our customers with excellent customer service and a bespoke package able to meet every need.
A CNIM Group Company
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————