March 2021 News Global Defence & Security Industry - Military |
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The Netherlands Minister of Defense Ank Bijleveld announced on March 24 during a press conference at the Army Prepositioned Stock-2 Eygelshoven site that the Dutch government has agreed to provide 38 million euros toward facility upgrades and new construction at the U.S. Army’s APS-2 site in the Netherlands. Cameron Porter, 405th AFSB Public Affairs Officer, reports.
To meet the next challenges in warfare, through the Future Soldier transformation plan, a new highly-trained Army unit will be formed to conduct special operations. The new Ranger Regiment will be part of the Army Special Operations Brigade and will be made up of forces trained and ready for unconventional action. The Regiment will initially be based on four Infantry Battalions but will also select personnel from across the Army.
Recently, the British Armed Forces announced that they have equipped regular Army units with Spectra Group’s SlingShot system, as they deploy on Operations and Exercises, to enable tactical satellite communications across the area of operations.
After its public unveiling in February 2021, the MILDEF 4×4 High Mobility Armoured Vehicle (HMAV) "Tarantula" has successfully organized its first round of testing at various training grounds throughout Malaysia, Asian Military Review reports.
Elbit Systems Deutschland was selected by the Procurement Office of the German Federal Ministry of the Interior, after a competitive tender procedure, to supply XACT nv33 Night Vision Goggles (NVGs) for the German Federal Police.
AeroVironment, a global leader in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), on March 25 announced that the U.S. Army exercised the second of three options under the sole source Flight Control Systems (FCS) domain of the Army’s multi-year small UAS contract on February 25, 2021. The value of the contract option is $20,979,905 and includes avionics and data link upgrade packages to modify radio frequencies employed by the Army’s existing fleet of Raven tactical UAS. The period of Performance ends June 30, 2022.
Unveiled for the first time, the new IWOO system combines an advanced optical system, including automated detection and targeting of traditional ground targets as well as small UAS hard-kill capability, all to make the force stronger, faster, more accurate and lethal.
Joint training sessions together with US marines from the 2nd Marine Division take place several times a year in both the U.S. and in the Dutch Caribbean, Aruba Today reports. Camp Lejeune in North Carolina offers Dutch marines posted to the various islands in the Caribbean a unique opportunity to train at an advanced level with scarce enablers in, among other things, urban areas. The Dutch marines were hosted by Marine Expeditionary Force II (MEF).
According to an announcement by the General Staff of the Greek Army, from Thursday 11 to Friday 19 March 2021, in the framework of international cooperation with friendly and allied countries planned by the HNDGS, the Live Exercise “Thracian Cooperation 21” took place in the Petrochori-Xanthi firing range, Defence ReDefined reports.
Northrop Grumman has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) for the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) program. The contract is for the rapid development and flight test of an interceptor designed to defend the nation against the most complex long-range threats.
On March 20, 2021, the Serbian Ministry of Defense has announced the signature of a contract with the Serbian defense company Yugoimport for the acquisition of Lazar 3 8x8 armored IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle).
The ship’s load, which covered more than 2,000 nautical miles between the ports of La Rochelle (France) and Paldiski (Estonia), included 12 of the iconic French Leclerc tanks as well as a range of armored vehicles such as the 8x8 VBCI (Véhicule Blindé de Combat d’Infanterie).
Indian Defence orders 1,300 light specialist vehicles (LSVs) from Mahindra Defence in a contract worth RS1056 crore. While Mahindra and Mahindra is a renowned passenger car manufacturer that offers well-sorted SUVs and MPVs, the company also builds products for use by India’s defence forces.
On March 23, Caesar on Twitter published pictures of a Type 96 armored personnel carrier adapted in a mine clearing version with Type 70 MiclicC system, which one may assume is dedicated to deployments in EOD and IED infested regions, namely for UN missions.
Russia’s artillery units have integrated Orlan-10 and Takhion tactical reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with 2A65 Msta-B 152 mm towed howitzers. The system has been recently tested during an exercise of the Eastern Military District (VVO) troops at the Tsugol range in Zabaykalsky Krai, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD).
COHEMO, a Spanish company based in Madrid, is specialized in supply, engineering and maintenance in the defense sector with more than 30 years of experience as a partner of the Spanish army. The company was awarded the contract for the acquisition of two folding shooting target modules and their integrated logistical support, to be operated at Uceda (Guadalajara) and Siero (Asturias).
For many months already, the French Gendarmerie needs to replace its aging fleet of Berliet VBX-170 VBRG. Arquus proposes its Sherpa fitted with a dozer blade for obstacle clearing.
The Indian Defence Ministry on March 19 signed a RS1,188 crore deal with state-run Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for the supply of 4,960 MILAN-2T Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs) for the Indian Army. This order is a repeat of the one signed with BDL in March 2016.
The Type 03 airborne infantry fighting vehicle, currently in service with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force, will soon get a newly developed fire control system that will enable the air-droppable armored vehicle to fire while moving, a capability that can greatly enhance the vehicle’s combat performance, analysts said on March 21. Liu Xuanzun reports on Global Times.
Kalyani M4 is a multi-purpose armored vehicle, built for transporting troops in high altitude regions and harsh terrains, Kshitij Rawat reports on WaadiGaadi.com. In February, the Indian Army had placed emergency orders for M4s. The vehicles will be built by Pune-based Bharat Forge (of the Kalyani Group), in partnership with Paramount Group (South Africa) whose Mbombe 4 has been adapted to Indian requirements.
On March 18, the British Army published that Defence Digital has announced the signing of a five-year, £150m Logistics Support Contract (LSC) with Babcock International Group. This contract considerably cuts costs for the Army, saving in the region of £50 million on the previous contract and will deliver essential replacement parts to soldiers in a fraction of the time they would have previously expected.
A tank brigade of Russia’s Western Military District (ZVO) tank army trains to operate Tor-M2 surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems as counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (C-UAV) assets, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD).
According to information published by the SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute ) arms trade database 2020, Algeria has ordered 300 BMPT-72 Terminator 2 tracked armored fire support vehicles from Russia.
According to a press release published on March 19, 2021, the contract for the development of the SAMP/T NG (New Generation) air defense missile system for France and Italy has been signed today at OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation) premises in France (Paris area) in the presence of the French Air and Space Force staff, the Italian Army staff, the OCCAR Director and National representatives of the French Armament General Directorate (DGA) and of the Italian Armament Directorate (SGD).
Pictures published by Sova on Twitter on March 19 show a BM-21-1 (2B17) 122mm MRL of the 9K51 Grad type with a roof-mounted RP-377VM1 jammer. The vehicle is organic to the 6th Ind. Tank Brigade (1GvTA). These pictures were taken at Mulino during joint drills with the Belarusian army that took place from 15-19 March.
