The TruNet AR-1500 airborne communications system will be installed in the Polish Air Force's C-130H Hercules fleet. The system's dimensions are 250 (L) × 127 (W) × 142 mm (H). (Janes/Kelvin Wong)  Collins Aerospace has been awarded a contract to supply its TruNet AR-1500 networked communications airborne radio system to the Polish Air Force.  According to an announcement by the company on 14 May, the radios will be installed on the force's Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules fleet.  The AR-1500 is a single-channel export version of the ARC-210 ra...

A computer-generated imagery (CGI) shows Rafael's new X-Guard RT fitted to the wing of a C-130 transport with its towed decoy retracted. (Rafael Advanced Defense Systems)  Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems announced on 10 May its new X-Guard RT, the latest addition to its X-Guard family of airborne protection systems.  The original X-Guard is housed in a pod that attaches to a hardpoint and releases a towed decoy that protects the aircraft against radar-guided air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles. Janes understands that it does this...

The DOCK StreamCaster SC4210P is one of three DOCK StreamCaster variants deing developed by Silvus Technologies. (Silvus Technologies )  Networked radio manufacturer Silvus Technologies has unveiled a new family of end-user interface systems for its StreamCaster tactical radios, which will pair the company's mobile ad hoc networking (MANET) radio platforms with advanced edge computing capabilities and artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled systems and applications.  A joint venture between Silvus and Washington-based wireless networking company...

A model of the Saab GlobalEye AEW&C aircraft at Saab headquarters in Stockholm. (Janes/Jeremiah Cushman)  Saab has an extensive history in Canada, supplying the surveillance radar and fire-control system for Halifax-class frigates, Carl Gustaf anti-tank systems, and training and simulation systems to the Canadian Armed Forces. In February Canada chose Saab's RBS 70 NG (Next Generation) for its soldier-portable air-defence system (SPADS) programme, Simon Carroll, president of Saab Canada, told reporters at Saab headquarters in Stockholm on 13...

A still from a video shows an ELM-2084 radar being deployed during an Azerbaijani artillery exercise. (Azerbaijan Ministry of Defence)  The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed its land forces are using a smaller version of the Israeli-made ELM-2084 multimission radar to support artillery units.  An Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Elta ELM-2084 was seen clearly in a video released by the MoD on 16 May to show an artillery exercise involving 2S19 Msta-S self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) and 2A36 Giatsint-B towed guns.  Azerbaija...

Fujian  , China's third aircraft carrier, seen here as it departs for its maiden sea trial on 1 May 2024.  (VCG via Getty Images)    China has completed the maiden sea trials for its third aircraft carrier, which will be in service as CNS   Fujian  once it is commissioned. The vessel sailed off from the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai on 1 May and the trials were completed eight days later.   The trials focused on testing the “reliability and stability of the aircraft carrier's propulsion and electrical systems”...

Leonardo's SkyTender C-UAS software aims to optimise the deployment of C-UAS. (Leonardo)  Leonardo Canada – Electronics has debuted a new counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) planning and assessment tool designed to enable rapid site evaluation and optimisation prior to equipment deployment.  Known as SkyTender, the software toolset has been evolved from the outputs of a Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) contract awarded to Leonardo in March 2022 under the Innovative Solutions Canada programme. The company has subsequently ‘p...

The US Navy is trying to develop directed energy systems like HELIOS to counter low-end threats. (Lockheed Martin)  While underscoring effective US Navy (USN) surface-fleet operations in the Red Sea since October, Rear Admiral Fred Pyle, USN surface warfare director, acknowledged a need to not only replenish weapons stocks but also to find additional options to defend forces against low-end threats.  Speaking on 14 May during a Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) event on Red Sea surface warfare operations, Rear Adm Pyle sai...

Multichannel transmission systems operator-maintainers from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, assemble a Terrestrial Transmission Line Of Sight radio system at Fort Stewart in Georgia in August 2019. (US Army )  US Army officials are soliciting industry feedback on the service's technology development strategy to revamp its Terrestrial Transmission Line of Sight (TRILOS) communications equipment, with plans to acquire two to three new TRILOS variants beginning in fiscal year (FY) 2026.  Led by Program Manager Tactica...

The EDF is procuring and sustaining some of its L3Harris communications equipment. The force currently operates the Falcon III RF-7800M-MP multiband networking manpack radio (pictured). (L3Harris Technologies)  L3Harris Technologies has been contracted by the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (ECDI) to supply its radios to the Estonian and Moldovan defence forces.  The EUR30 million (USD32.3 million) deal involves the procurement of radios, supplies, and training for the Estonian Defence Forces (EDF) as well as maintenance and support f...

Poly Technologies' UUV300CB LLUV was displayed at the DSA 2024 exhibition in Malaysia. (Janes/Vinod Kumar CV)  China's Poly Technologies has displayed a new multimission-capable large unmanned underwater vehicle (LUUV) at the Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2024 exhibition held in Kuala Lumpur.  According to the company, the LUUV – named UUV300CB – can undertake missions including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance and minelaying operations.    A Poly Technologies official told  Janes  that the UUV300CB is in developmen...

Anduril's Pulsar multimission EW solution is to be available in air (Pulsar-V) and ground (Pulsar-G) variants. (Andrew White)  US Special Operations Command's (USSOCOM's) electronic warfare (EW) Family of Systems (FoS) is the “newest” programme in the Program Executive Office (PEO) – SOF Warrior portfolio and was initially approved in November 2023 to focus on the “ground domain” operations, the command announced on 7 May.  SOF Warrior documents stated the EW FoS will include “dismounted/body-worn; mounted; unattended sensor; and small unmann...

The MoD is looking for a new partner to support the SSPAR at RAF Fylingdales, which has been operational since the early 1990s. (Crown copyright)  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is looking for a new partner to support the operation and maintenance of the Solid-State Phased-Array Radar (SSPAR) at Royal Air Force (RAF) Fylingdales.  RAF Fylingdales provides a continuous ballistic missile early warning service to the UK and the US. It also functions as a space surveillance and tracking (SST) system, capable of detecting objects the size of a c...

An image of the URAL radio relay system on display at DSA 2024. (Janes/Rakend P)  Turkish company Aselsan has unveiled its latest radio relay system at the Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2024 exhibition held in Kuala Lumpur from 6 to 9 May.  The system, known as URAL, is an airborne software-defined radio relay operating in the very/ultra-high frequency (V/UHF) band.  URAL is designed for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other airborne platforms for surveillance, reconnaissance, and mapping applications.  It utilises Aselsan's advanced netw...

An infographic of Aselsan's Marlin USV, which is on display at DSA 2024. (Janes)  Turkey's Aselsan has for the first time displayed its Marlin unmanned surface vessel (USV) in its full anti-submarine warfare (ASW) configuration.  In this configuration – on show at the Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2024 exhibition in Kuala Lumpur from 6 to 9 May – the USV is integrated with the Mini-Düfas low-frequency active towed array and passive towed sonar system. Aselsan aims to operationalise the mini version of its Düfas towed active sonar for USVs, call...

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, on 14 February 2024. (US Space Force)  The Pentagon's Space Development Agency (SDA) has awarded a USD414 million deal to build a series of new satellites, presumably capable of early warning and precision tracking of hypersonic missile systems.  Agency officials selected California-based Millennium Space Systems to construct the eight fire-control satellites as part of the SDA's Fire-control On Orbit-support-to-the-war Fighter (FOO...

An AFRL chart outlining the Battle Management of AI concept under development by the US Air Force. (US Air Force)  The US Air Force's (USAF's) main research and development (R&D) directorate is soliciting industry solutions to accelerate the air service's integration of artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities into its command-and-control (C2) and battle management systems.  Officials from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) issued a broad agency announcement (BAA) in March, seeking industry input on “development and application of AI t...

Poland has assigned the name ‘Barbara' to the Aerostat reconnaissance programme, which seeks to enable persistent air and ground surveillance. The US currently deploys Tethered Aerostat Radar Systems (pictured) to support airborne border surveillance along the US Mexico-border and select Caribbean areas. (US Department of Defense)    Poland's Armament Agency announced on 6 May that its    aerostat reconnaissance programme will be called Barbara, with four systems expected to be acquired to bolster surveillance.    In Febru...

An image of the SAR jamming system on display at QuanLian's booth at DSA 2024. (Janes/Rakend P)  Chinese manufacturer QuanLian T&E (Hainan) International Trade Co Ltd showcased a jamming system for synthetic aperture radars (SARs) at the Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2024 exhibition held in Kuala Lumpur from 6 to 9 May.    This is the first time the system is displayed outside the home country, the manufacturer informed   Janes  .   The system counters SARs and reduces the probability of detection. It provides warning of SAR...

It is possible that Malaysia will acquire the latest version of the Lockheed Martin AN/AAQ-33 Sniper airborne targeting pod, with the capability improvements as detailed in this 2021 Lockheed Martin infographic. (Lockheed Martin)  The US Department of State has approved a possible sale of Lockheed Martin AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATPs) for the Royal Malaysian Air Force's (RMAF's) Boeing F/A-18D fleet.  The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 7 May that 10 AN/AAQ-33 airborne targeting pods had been approv...