April 2023 News Global Defence & Security Industry - Military |
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The Spanish Ministry of Defense will invest a further 420 million euros in the development of the new Army Combat Vehicle on Wheels (VCR) 8x8 Dragon, according to InfoDefensa. The department headed by Margarita Robles has received the go-ahead from the Council of Ministers this week for the expansion of the program's spending ceiling.
Citing information published by the "Asia Pacific Defense Journal", the Malaysian Ministry of Defence has reportedly reviewed its planned acquisition of Turkish-made Yavuz 155mm self-propelled howitzers manufactured by the Defense Company Makina ve Kimya Endustrisi (MKE). For several years now, the Malaysian armed forces have launched a modernization plan with the acquisition of patrol aircraft and self-propelled howitzers.
According to information released by the Colombian Ministry of Defense, through support document Agreement 027 / Commitment Number 14323, has confirmed the purchase of the ATMOS 6x6 155mm self-propelled howitzer produced and manufactured by the Israeli Company Elbit Systems.
On April 21, Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand participated in the 11th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, hosted by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III. At the meeting, Minister Anand announced that Canada is providing a new military aid package for Ukraine.
The VBMR Griffon MEPAC (Mortier Embarqué Pour l’Appui au Contact - Mounted Mortar for Fire Support) will equip artillery sections in support of combined arms battle groups. It will be the first artillery component of the Scorpion program able to fire beyond direct sight, Laurent Lagneau writes in Opex360. Its mobility, precision, and rate of fire will allow it to follow the maneuver and provide powerful fire support. It will be connected to the Atlas artillery weapons system.
According to information released on the Israeli Ministry of Defense Telegram account on April 20, 2023, the Israeli Defense Minister, German Defense Ministry, and the Aerospace Industry are advancing talks and pushing forward the process of finalizing the contract for the sale of the Israeli Arrow 3 air defense missile system.
On April 18, the Australian Government announced that the Australian and New Zealand armies will build on their history of cooperation with Plan ANZAC. The bilateral agreement is designed to increase their capacity to operate together with a framework for engagement, enabling the two armies to exchange views and share situational awareness, capability, training and readiness.
The Estonian Ministry of Defense on April 20 announced that, at their first cabinet meeting, members of the new Estonia cabinet supported Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur’s proposal to send Ukraine the artillery ammunition it so urgently needs, as part of the European Union agreement to send Ukraine one million rounds of artillery ammunition.
Rheinmetall Defence and Lockheed Martin have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on tailored solutions that will provide the German army (Bundeswehr) with a unique rocket artillery system that maximizes existing and combat-proven components, produced in Germany.
BAE Systems has signed a contract with Norwegian company Ritek AS to produce two new CV90 variants for the Swedish Armed Forces. The work will be carried out in cooperation with BAE Systems Hägglunds, the designer and producer of the CV90 family of vehicles.
For the first time, the British Royal Air Force conducted a test firing of a missile from a drone, and an LMM/MARTLET surface-to-air missile was fired from an unmanned helicopter drone named Jackal.
According to information published on the "お砂糖wsnbn" Twitter account on April 20, 2023, the United Arab Emirates has expressed interest in acquiring the new Chinese-made VN-20 tracked armored IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle). A picture of the UAE version of the VN-20 IFV appeared in a Chinese military magazine this month.
How can a commando hit a terrorist if he is protected by powerful body armor or is under cover? To this end, the High-Precision Complexes holding company has developed the ShAK-12 assault rifle system, designed specifically for close combat during anti-terrorist operations in urban areas. This is a unique submachine gun that can be used to automatically fire powerful 12.7 mm cartridges.
Paris, 18th April 2023 – Under the High Patronage of the Colombian Ministry of Defense, the ninth edition of the international trade show Expodefensa for Security and Defense in Latin America, will open to professionals from December 5 to 7, 2023, in Bogotá, Colombia.
The Dutch government on April 20 announced that, together with Denmark, the Netherlands is to purchase 14 Leopard 2A4 tanks for Ukraine. These tanks will be delivered after first undergoing an overhaul. Delivery of the tanks to the Ukrainian army is expected to take place in 2024.
The new Polish amphibious infantry fighting vehicle Borsuk is undergoing its most important tests on land and water, as shown by PGZ on its Twitter account. An integral part of this test is firing the anti-tank guided missile.
The Iranian Army on April 20 took delivery of more than 200 strategic drones manufactured by the Defense Ministry, Tasnim reports. In an event attended by Army Commander Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, the strategic unmanned aerial vehicles, designed and manufactured by the Defense Ministry in cooperation with the Army, were delivered to various units of the Army in several parts of the country.
Raytheon Technologies was awarded a $237 million U.S. Army contract for Ku-band Radio Frequency Sensors (KuRFS) and Coyote effectors to detect and defeat unmanned aircraft. As part of the U.S. Army’s Low, slow, small-unmanned aircraft Integrated Defeat System, called LIDS, KuRFS provides advanced 360-degree threat detection, while Coyote low-cost effectors defeat drones.
Two U.S. Army soldiers from the North Dakota National Guard visited African countries Togo and Benin on Feb. 6-17, 2023, to exchange best practices in countering improvised explosive devices with Togalese Armed Forces and Benin Armed Forces. Lt. Col. Mark McEvers, North Dakota Army Guard, reports.
On April 19, the U.S. Department of Defense announced critical new security assistance for Ukraine. This includes the authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance with more ammunition for U.S.-provided HIMARS, artillery rounds, and anti-armor capabilities essential to strengthening Ukraine's defenders on the battlefield valued at up to $325 million.
In the event of an invasion of Taiwan by Chinese amphibious forces, the Type 15 Light Tank would serve as the backbone of the People's Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps. This light tank would complement the Marine Corps' array of combat equipment, including the ZBD05 tracked amphibious infantry fighting vehicles, ZLT05 amphibious assault guns, and FHJ-02 rocket artillery systems.
In a move to enhance its defense capabilities, Mariusz Błaszczak, the Polish Minister of Defense, announced on April 18, 2023, via Twitter, that Poland has expressed its desire to establish an M142 HIMARS Academy in the country. This academy will serve as a training center for soldiers to learn how to use the M142 HIMARS artillery system effectively. Today, the European Rocket Artillery Summit conference is being held in Toruń, Poland, to discuss the details of this project.
Haifa, Israel, April 18, 2023 – Israeli Defense technology company Elbit Systems Ltd. revealed that it has secured a contract valued at around $102 million to provide ATMOS 155mm truck-mounted artillery systems to an unnamed international customer. The contract is set to be executed over the course of eight years.
Germany’s Federal Office for Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) has awarded Projekt System & Management GmbH (PSM), a joint venture of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall, an order to retrofit a further 143 Puma infantry fighting vehicles.
On April 18, 2023, the German government published an updated document detailing the list of military equipment provided to Ukraine. This release confirmed that the first German Patriot air defense missile system has been successfully delivered to Ukraine.
