March 2023 News Global Defence & Security Industry - Military |
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On March 21, the U.S. Defense Department published that, in January 2023, 31 M1A2 Abrams tanks would be delivered to Ukraine, but officials had speculated it would take about a year to make that happen. Now, they say, the U.S. will instead send M1A1 Abrams tanks from refurbished hulls already in U.S. inventory, and the delivery will be in the fall — faster than what was initially expected. C. Todd Lopez reports.
According to a video published on a social network on March 18, 2023, the United States will have delivered an undisclosed number of M-ATV 4x4 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles to Ukraine. There is no official information about the delivery of this type of combat vehicle by the United States.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday, 21 March 2023, launched his annual report for 2022, covering all aspects of the Alliance’s work over the past year.
According to a tweet posted on March 21 by the British Army, positive progress has continued on the next phase of Ajax trials, with the Ministry of Defence confirming the revised in-service dates and resuming payments to General Dynamics for delivery of the programme. With an initial payment of £480 million, withheld since December 2020 due to challenges with noise and vibration, the MOD will resume payments to General Dynamics as the vehicles are scheduled to enter initial operating capability between July and December 2025.
On March 20, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announces the authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance to meet Ukraine's critical security and defense needs. This authorization is the thirty-fourth drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021 and is valued at up to $350 million.
Citing information released by Stine Barclay Gaasland, spokeswoman for the Norwegian Armed Forces, Norway announced on Monday, March 20, 2023, that eight Leopard 2 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) were delivered to Ukraine. Poland and Canada have respectively already delivered 14 and 8 Leopard 2A4 tanks to Ukraine.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius revealed at an EU Foreign and Defense Ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday, March 20, 2023, that a shipment of Marder tracked armored IFVs Infantry Fighting Vehicles is on the way to Ukraine. In January of this year, Germany pledged to provide 40 of these vehicles to Ukraine and subsequently hosted Ukrainian soldiers for training on them.
Eighteen states signed on Monday 20 March the European Defence Agency (EDA) project arrangement for the collaborative procurement of ammunition to aid Ukraine and replenish Member States’ national stockpiles. The project opens the way for EU Member States and Norway to proceed along two paths: a two-year, fast-track procedure for 155mm artillery rounds and a seven-year project to acquire multiple ammunition types. Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden and Norway have signed. More Member States have already expressed their intent to join the initiative soon following national procedures.
According to information published on the "Visegrád 24" Twitter account on March 18, 2023, Poland donated to Ukraine 30 Oncilla 4x4 wheeled armored personnel carriers that will be used by the Ukrainian Special Forces to fight Russian forces deployed in the country.
According to information published on the Twitter account "A-129 Mangusta" on March 19, 2023, Ukrainian soldiers have been training on the SAMP/T air defense missile system in Italy since the beginning of March this year, specifically at Santa Barbara di Sabaudi, which houses the anti-air command of the Italian army. Once training is completed, the system will be delivered to Ukraine in collaboration with France.
According to the latest report of the SIPRI Arms Trade Database 2022, Pakistan signed a contract with China for the purchase of 679 VT4 MBTs (Main Battle Tanks) that will be assembled and produced under license in Pakistan under the brand name of Haider.
According to a video released on Twitter by the Canadian Ministry of Defense on March 18, 2023, Canada has sent a Leopard 2 ARV, an armored recovery vehicle to Ukraine, based on the chassis of the Leopard 2 MBT (Main Battle Tank).
According to The Independant, the Uganda Police Force has received improved anti-riot Control Vehicles (RCVs) for Public Order Management, and Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) to address the emerging security challenges. The tactical armored vehicles are to be used in ‘volatile areas’ like Karamoja and combat zones in Somalia to guarantee the safety of officers and protect communities.
Milanion NTGS (UK and Spain) and Global Ordnance (Sarasota, FL) have recently signed an agreement for Global Military Products, a business division under Global Ordnance, to lead sales and project management of the Scorpion Mobile Mortar System in the United States. The agreement was signed by Julio Estrella, CEO of Milanion NTGS, and Marc Morales, President of Global Ordnance at IDEX 2023, held at ADNEC, Abu Dhabi.
SIG SAUER on March 16 announced the acquisition of General Robotics, one of the world’s premier manufacturers of lightweight remote weapon stations and tactical robotics for manned and unmanned platforms and anti-drone applications.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on March 20 visited Rheinmetall as the company striked the arc on the first weld of materials for the first Australian-made Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle entering production at Rheinmetall’s Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence (MILVEHCOE) in Ipswich, Queensland. This vehicle will be the first to enter the production line together with initial vehicles from Germany currently being assembled at the site.
On March 17, 2023, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency released a statement to announce that the U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Greece of 63 Assault Amphibious Vehicles (AAVs) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $268 million.
According to a statement published by the Slovak Ministry of Defense on March 17, 2023, Slovakia will provide Ukraine with two launcher units of the 2K12 Kub, NATO reporting name SA-6 Gainful, missiles, spare parts, and associated equipment.
On March 16, members of the Estonian government backed the proposal by Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur to send another package of military assistance to Ukraine, this time consisting of, among other things, sniper rifles and special forces equipment.
The Philippine Army led by its Commanding General Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner was seen discussing a presentation made in the framework of the acquisition program of 105mm towed howitzers. Among those being considered are the M119A3 from the US, the MKEK Boran from Turkey, and the Nexter LG1 Mk. 3 from France.
According to information published by the Swedish financial newspaper "Dagens industri" on March 16, 2023, the Swedish government will give Ukraine eight Archer 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzers and 10 Leopard 2 Stridsvagn 122 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs), a Swedish version of the German-made Leopard 2A5 MBT.
In April 2022, the U.S. Army awarded a contract to Sig Sauer to produce the Next Generation Squad Weapon — or NGSW — XM7 Rifle, XM250 Automatic Rifle and a 6.8mm family of ammunition to replace the M4A1 Carbine, M249 Squad Automatic Weapon and 5.56mm family of ammunition within the close combat force. David Jordan, PEO Soldier Public Affairs, reports.
The Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Norwegian Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram, and Norwegian Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum confirm the purchase of 54 German Leopard 2A7 Main Battle Tanks for an amount of around €2.68 billion with an option for an additional order of 18 more tanks. The first delivery of Leopard 2A7 tanks is expected in 2026.
Belgium will deliver 230 military vehicles (Volvo N10 trucks and IVECO LMV Lynx 4x4 armored vehicles) to Ukraine in the coming weeks. This confirms information published by the newspaper 'De Standaard' the day after a meeting of the contact group on aid to Ukraine under the leadership of the United States. The Belgian government gave the green light to these deliveries on January 27, 2023..
According to a statement published by the British Ministry of Defense on March 16, 2023, the British Army will receive the modern wheeled artillery howitzer Archer to replace the AS-90 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzers supplied to Ukraine, as part of an agreement struck with Sweden.
