June 2023 News Global Defence & Security Industry - Military |
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According to a tweet posted by the Iranian news agency IRNA on June 12, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Ground Forces released video footage of a new multi-purpose quadcopter being tested. The new multi-purpose unmanned aerial vehicle called “Arbaeen” was seen in the video taking off vertically with a payload and then successfully hitting a target shortly after takeoff.
Paris, France, June 19, 2023 - At the Paris Air Show 2023, Raytheon, the American defense giant, displays its new GhostEye MR radar, a cutting-edge technology set to redefine the existing National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS). The NASAMS, currently deployed with the Ukrainian armed forces in response to Russian aggression, is set to reap the benefits of this significant advancement.
PARIS, France, June 19, 2023 — At Paris Air Show 2023, Airbus Helicopters showcases its comprehensive range of military helicopters, featuring the H145M, which has been recently selected by the Belgian army as the replacement for their retiring NH90 TTH and Agusta A109 armed helicopters.
According to a tweet posted by SP Shukla on June 17, Mahindra Defence Systems (MDS) started deliveries of Armado, India’s first Specialist Vehicle designed, developed and built in the country for te Indian armed forces that should receive 1,300 of these officially designated Light Specialist Vehicles (LSpVs) from Mahindra Defence.
David Vergun, from the U.S. Department of Defense, reported that NATO plans to invite Ukraine into a new NATO-Ukraine defense council as an equal member, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a press conference on June 16 in Brussels. Stoltenberg said the details of the council will be announced next month at NATO's summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.
On June 19, 2023, at the Paris Air Show, the French company Thales, along with PT Len Industri, an Indonesian defense company, announced a collaboration to reinforce Indonesia's protection of its airspace with 13 Ground Master 400 Aplha radars.
Ukraine's southern counteroffensive has received a significant boost with the introduction of advanced CV9040C infantry fighting vehicles operated by Ukrainian soldiers trained in Sweden. This development comes as the Ukrainian army faces losses of American M2A2 Bradley fighting vehicles during their assault on Russian defenses in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
For the past three years, Chinese and Indian forces have maintained a concentrated presence along the border, remaining on high alert due to ongoing tensions. In a development of profound importance, the Indian Defence Ministry has recently approved the acquisition of 31 MQ-9B SeaGuardian (Predator-B) drones from the United States, marking a $3 billion milestone in fortifying India's defence capabilities with cutting-edge technology.
TALOS (Tactical Advanced Laser Optical System), a major collaborative defence research project launched under the European Commission’s Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR), has successfully closed. The final event took place online on 23 May 2023, with the participation of the members of the consortium, representatives of the European Defence Agency, Ministries of Defence, industry and academia.
In a recent parliamentary response to inquiries from the Popular Group in the Congress of Deputies, the Spanish Ministry of Defense confirmed that it has already disbursed €148 million for the Army's VCR 8x8 Dragón program, for which a total budget of €2.5 billion has been foreseen. The response shed light on various aspects of the program, including the production of the initial batch of 348 vehicles, which began in 2022. However, negotiations between the Ministry of Defense and Tess Defence are currently underway to potentially reconfigure the delivery schedule for the first 34 units.
The aim of the LARINAE project is to test a medium-range remotely operated munition for the French army, capable of dealing with armoured targets. Nexter, a company of KNDS, and its partners are proposing a solution comprising a UAV system manufactured by EOS Technologie, a core-generating charge (CGN) produced by Nexter, and a GPS-denied navigation system from TRAAK that makes it immune to jamming.
During the recent NATO defense sector meeting in Brussels, Croatia's Djuro Djakovic company showcased its expertise in producing and repairing T-72 and M-84 tanks, which are extensively used by Ukraine, as reported by Vuk Tesija in Balkan Insight.
In recent defense news, Italy is said to be in advanced negotiations for the procurement of an undisclosed number of Leopard 2A7 or Leopard 2A8 tanks, as reported by the Italian Defense magazine RID (Rivista Italiana Difesa). The deal is being brokered with KNDS, a joint venture between the German firm Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Nexter Systems from France.
On the proposal of the Belgian Minister of Defense, Ludivine Dedonder, the Council of Ministers approved, on June 16, 2023, the 15th aid package for Ukraine. The Defense will provide M113 Armored Personnel Carriers (starting with a first batch of 40 to 50 units) decommissioned by an undisclosed (European) army that will be refurbished by the Belgian industry, more precisely John Cockerill company.
According to a recent statement released by Germany, two Wisent 1 MC Mine Clearing tanks have been delivered to Ukraine. With this recent delivery, Germany has now delivered a total of four Wisent 1 tanks to Ukraine. The purpose of this delivery is to support Ukraine in its ongoing efforts to clear mined territories. The information regarding this delivery was confirmed by a list posted on the website of the German Ministry of Defence on June 15, 2023.
A tweet published by Jedrzej Graf, chief editor of Defence24 Polish defense magazine, on June 15, 2023, reveals that the K2 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs), manufactured by the Polish-Korean consortium of Hyundai Rotem, PGZ, and WZM Poznań, will be produced in Poland for both domestic use and exportation. This news was shared by Jun Mo SEO, the Vice President of Hyundai Rotem Company, during an interview with Defence24 magazine.
On June 15, 2023, Ludivine Dedonder, Minister of Defense of Belgium, and François Bausch, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense of Luxembourg signed the cooperation agreement concerning the establishment and joint operation of the Binational Reconnaissance Battalion.
The Danish government on June 12 announces that Denmark and Norway agree to donate a further 9,000 artillery shells to Ukraine. Norway donates the grenade itself and Denmark supplies propellant charges, arrestor tubes and fire tubes.
IDV (Iveco Defence Vehicles) has signed a framework agreement with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) to provide up to 3,000 light vehicles to the Swedish Armed Forces. The initial order will be for 400 vehicles.
According to Emmanuel Fabian in The Times of Israel, Israel is discretely discussing the sale of its battle-proven Merkava tanks to not just one, but two undisclosed countries, one of which is located in Europe (can we assume it is Ukraine?). This potential export of the formidable armored vehicles marks a historic milestone for Israel, as it has never before allowed the transfer of such weaponry to foreign nations. Yair Kulas, the head of Israel's International Defense Cooperation Directorate, revealed this jaw-dropping revelation to the Calcalist financial paper.
According to a report by the Global Times on June 12, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has introduced new support equipment at the training ground located in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, situated in Xining, Qinghai Province, China. This high-altitude plateau, at an elevation of 4,700 meters, has received support modules designed for oil, medical services, camping, and supplies, which serve to provide crucial emergency assistance to mobile troops during their operations.
As reported by mil.in.ua, in view of bolstering Ukraine’s air defense, the Ministry of Defense of the Netherlands announces the purchase of four VERA-NG radars for an amount of 150 million euros. During the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group (UDCG), the Netherlands will announce it will allocate 40 million euros for the purchase of air defense equipment within the framework of a multilateral partnership.
The British Army has resumed training on its Ajax vehicles after a period of uncertainty caused by technical issues. This marks an important step in individual and crew training on these tracked vehicles.
The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency on June 14 announced that the State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Spain of M982A1 Excalibur tactical projectiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $48.2 million.
Northrop Grumman continues to enhance the functionality of AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) with new performance upgrades that will extend the range and add advanced capabilities following the completion of Full Rate Production lot one to the U.S. Marine Corps. While in production, G/ATOR has proven to be an agile expeditionary air defense capability suitable for air base defense. Based on the success of the fielded systems, new performance upgrades that will extend the range and capability are planned for next year for the Multifunction radar systems in production.
