April 2023 News Global Defence & Security Industry - Military |
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The U.S. Department of Defense has approved full Rate production for Northrop Grumman’s Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS). The decision scales the U.S. Army’s ability to field the paradigm-changing system. It also affirms IBCS’s role as the cornerstone of the U.S. Army’s air and missile defense modernization strategy.
According to information published by the Chinese Ministry of Defense, the 45th Brigade of the 73rd Army Group of the Chinese Army has received another batch of ZBL-09 armored vehicles. This unit is under the command of the Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army, which covers Guangdong Province in the southeastern part of the country and is responsible for possible operations in the Taiwan Strait.
Smarter Technologies, the leading British provider of Internet-of-Things (IoT) solutions, recently concluded a successful capability assessment trial of their asset tracking systems with the British MoD at HMNB Devonport, with follow-on demonstrations now also planned for HMNB Portsmouth and other military establishments. Their unique Orion IoT Data Network, and its associated tracking tags and sensors, is a persuasive capability, with a proven track record in other sectors: over the last 15 years, it has helped recover over £40 million of stolen assets (including cash), working directly with security firms and supporting regional police Serious Organised Crime Units.
Inkas introduces its new “Expedition Spec” armored Toyota Land Cruiser 76-series, a reliable off-road secure transport vehicle designed to provide exceptional performance on uneven terrains. This vehicle is expertly crafted to order, with both internal and external customizations available to suit the specific needs of the end user.
Following the call for tenders launched in May 2022 by AID and the DGA for the Colibri and Larinae projects, AID announced on March 23, 2023, the selection of two consortia, including the one formed by MBDA and Novadem, which defined for the Colibri project a “Minimum Viable Product” approach, oriented towards user needs, with the Sphynx concept.
According to a statement from the Spanish Ministry of Defense, Spain completed the training of Ukrainian Leopard 2A4 tank crew members and technical personnel in mid-March. The Toledo Training Coordination Centre (TTCC) in Zaragoza hosted the first group of Ukrainian trainees for these specific courses.
According to a statement published by the Norwegian Ministry of Defense on April 12, 2023, the eight Leopard 2 tanks donated by Norway arrived in Ukraine just before Easter. The Leopard 2 tanks delivered by Norway to Ukraine are of the 2A4 variant.
As reported by Waldemar Geiger in Soldat und Technik, the German company Armored Car Systems GmbH (ACS) has developed an anti-tank variant of the airborne vehicle Enok AB (AB stands for Airborne) called Tankhunter and is now starting series production, as Sebastian Schaubeck, Managing Director of ACS, has confirmed to S&T. Based on a request from a European customer, the vehicle variant was developed to series maturity in just twelve months, so that production of the 60 vehicles ordered could now begin.
Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, on April 11 met Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, and announced that Canada will provide additional military aid to Ukraine sourced from Colt Canada. The new military assistance package includes 21,000 5.56mm assault rifles, 38 7.62mm machine guns, and over 2.4 million rounds of ammunition to support these weapons as well as small arms already in use by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This donation comes from the remaining funds across the Government of Canada’s various funding envelopes for military assistance to Ukraine.
Ukraine's state concern "Ukroboronprom" and Poland's largest armored vehicle manufacturer "Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa" (PGZ) have agreed to jointly carry out major overhauls of the T-64 tanks. The agreement was signed between Ukroboronprom and Bumar-Łabędy, a leading industry plant within the PGZ group.
In a major announcement on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, Japan's Defense Ministry revealed that it has entered into agreements valued at approximately $3 billion with leading defense manufacturer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the development and large-scale production of advanced long-range missiles, with potential deployment as soon as 2026.
On April 4, armasuisse selected the model for a new anti-tank missile system with Spike LR2 from Eurospike. It is planned to propose procurement of the weapons systems to Parliament in the 2024 Armed Forces Dispatch.
Ukrainian officials are asking the Australian government to supply Hawkei armored vehicles made by Thales Australia and in service with the Australian army. Having previously sought additional Thales Bushmasters, they are now appealing for a fleet of Hawkeis.
Ukraine is set to receive Denmark's Leopard 1 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) before the summer season, as confirmed by Denmark's Acting Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen. The move, which could see up to 100 tanks being sent to Ukraine, is expected to bolster the nation's defense capabilities against the Russian invasion of the country.
The U.S Defense Security Cooperation Agency on April 11 announced that the State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Morocco of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $524.2 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale.
ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay - The Government of Paraguay has made a historic investment to strengthen its fight against organized crime, providing four Typhoon 4x4 armored vehicles to the Internal Defense Operations Command (CODI). Acquired from the Emirati firm Streit Group, this transaction marks a significant reinforcement of the nation's capabilities and a major milestone in military investment.
Otokar is a Turkish defense industry company that specializes in designing, developing, and manufacturing military vehicles for various purposes. The company was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in Istanbul, Turkiye. Otokar's product range includes armored personnel carriers, mine-protected vehicles, main battle tanks, tactical wheeled vehicles, and other special-purpose vehicles.
General Ali Kouhestani, head of the Research and Self-Sufficiency Jihad Organization of the IRGC Ground Force, told Tasnim that the new suicide UAV, dubbed “Me’raj-532”, has been tested successfully.
In a major boost for the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative of the Indian government, India has offered to supply a host of indigenously manufactured weapons to several African countries, Ajeyo Basu reports in FirstPost. According to the Defence Ministry, India has secured export orders for the first time for the indigenously developed Akash air defence missile systems but the purchasing country is not disclosed. However, it may be Sudan.
Russia on April 4 said that it had handed over Iskander-M missile systems to Belarus. That announcement was made the same day as the official integration of Finland into NATO, thus not a coincidence. “The Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system was handed over to the Armed Forces of Belarus. It is capable of launching both conventional and nuclear missiles,” Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu said during a conference call with the leadership of the country’s armed forces.
Following the Ramstein meeting that was held on January 20, 2022, the United States committed to supplying Ukraine with 31 M1A1 Abrams to boost the armor capabilities of the Ukrainian army against Russian forces. The M1A1 Abrams was initially developed for the U.S. military in the 1980s to counter the threat of Soviet-era T-72s.
According to information released by the Israeli Ministry of Defense on Monday, April 10, 2023, Greece has signed a $400 million contract with Israel to purchase Spike anti-tank guided missiles manufactured by the Israeli company Rafael.
According to a statement published by the German Government, the Budget Committee of the German Bundestag (Federal Parliament of Germany) confirms the purchase of 10 Panzerhaubitze 2000 (PzH 2000) 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzers for the German army. This is the first step in replacing the PzH 2000 howitzers handed over to Ukraine.
According to information published by the German Government, Germany approved the procurement of 227 All-Terrain tracked amphibious armored vehicles in the framework for the Collaborative All-Terrain Vehicle (CATV) program.
During a visit in Athens of the Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov on Thursday, April 6, 2023, the Greek Government promised more artillery and small arms ammunition shipments, as well as an additional delivery of Soviet-era BMP-1, tracked armored IFVs (Infantry Fighting Vehicles) coming from the Hellenic army inventory.
