Two companies – Rowden and IBM – have been announced as the preferred bidders for two separate contracts under the broader British Army Human Machine Teaming (HMT) programme.  Speaking at the 2022 Disruptive Technology for Defence Transformation Co...

French Boeing E-3F Sentry AWACS to get latest military tactical datalink. (Boeing)  The Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminal Block Upgrade 2 (MIDS-LVT BU2) has been qualified for use on all four of the French Air and Space Force Boeing E-3F Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.  Announced by the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) on 22 September, the new terminal will enable the operation of the latest-generation Link 16 military tactical data network on its aircraft in September−Novem...

French Boeing E-3F Sentry AWACS to get latest military tactical datalink. (Boeing)  The Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminal Block Upgrade 2 (MIDS-LVT BU2) has been qualified for use on all four of the French Air and Space Force Boeing E-3F Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.  Announced by the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) on 22 September, the new terminal will enable the operation of the latest-generation Link 16 military tactical data network on its aircraft in September−Novem...

RBSL selects Elbit Systems UK ELAWS protection system for Challenger 3. (RBSL)  Elbit Systems UK (ESUK) will deliver its laser protection system for Challenger 3 main battle tanks (MBTs).  ESUK has been selected by Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) to deliver 150 of its Laser Warning Systems (ELAWS) for the Challenger 3 (CR3) programme, ESUK announced on 22 September.  An ESUK spokesperson was unable to disclose further details regarding the subcontract.  ELAWS can detect, categorise, and accurately pinpoint laser sources such as from range...

Allen-Vanguard's workshop in Somalia. (Allen-Vanguard)  Allen-Vanguard will deliver electronic countermeasure (ECM) equipment to Somalia in a multimillion Canadian dollar deal, the company announced on 21 September.    An Allen-Vanguard spokesperson told   Janes   that the company has received USD5 million in funding from an undisclosed customer to deliver its ECM systems to protect individuals most at risk in Somalia.    Allen-Vanguard 3XXX ECM suite of systems (3140, 3230, & 3330) will be delivered to the country. The fa...

Computer render of NGDS Configuration D. (Safran)  Safran Electronics & Defense has revealed details of a new variant of its New Generation Dagaie System (NGDS) trainable decoy launcher engineered for compatibility with NATO standard 130 mm countermeasures rounds.  The system, known internally as NGDS Configuration D, is being bid for the UK Royal Navy's (RN's) Electronic Warfare Counter Measures (EWCM) Increment 1a requirement. EWCM forms part of the RN's overarching Maritime Electronic Warfare Programme (MEWP), which is intended to recapit...

The Philippine Navy (PN) marked the first deployment of its Maritime Unmanned Aerial Reconnaissance Squadron 71 (MUARS71) by organising a “send-off ceremony” of the ScanEagle unmanned aerial system (UAS) acquired from the United States for  the squadron in 2020.  The ceremony, highlighting MUARS71’s first deployment after the completion of the squadron’s “one year in-country training”, was conducted by the PN’s Naval Air Wing (NAW) at its headquarters in Naval Base Heracleo Alano,  located in Cavite City, PN tweeted on 19 September.  “T...

Elbit Systems ICAVS(D) training simulator is one of the pathfinder projects in the British Army's Collective Training Transformation Programme. (Elbit Systems UK)  Elbit Systems UK Interim Combined Arms Virtual Simulation (Deployable) (ICAVS(D)) solution has successfully achieved full operating capability (FOC), the company announced on 21 September.  In September, the British Army's Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers operated ICAVS(D) at Tidworth on Salisbury Plain, marking the capability's 25th training event and FOC milestone, the c...

The Indian Army plans to upgrade its BMP-2 ICVs with capabilities including see-through armour and anti-UAV systems. (Indian Ministry of Defence)  The Indian Army has initiated trials to upgrade its licence-built BMP-2/2K ‘Sarath' infantry combat vehicles (ICVs) with three local firms – Bangalore-based Tonbo Imaging, Chennai-based Big Bang Boom, and Thane-based Dimension NXG.  The Indian Army plans to upgrade its BMP-2 ICVs with see-through armour, anti-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capabilities, thermal imager-based gunner and panoramic comm...

A Patriot M903 launcher station assigned to 5th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, during Exercise ‘Arctic Edge 2022' at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. This defence capability could be included as part of a US homeland cruise missile defence architecture. (USAF)  Reports of Russian Tu-95 aircraft and submarines launching cruise missiles to strike targets in Kyiv, Dnipro, Vinnytsia, and Odesa filled US news reports throughout 2022, offering momentary insights to a conflict on another continent.  Accompanying images of smouldering...

The Owl mobile surveillance system's UAV can be extended up to 100 m. (Janes/Huw Williams)  The National Aerocosmic Agency of the Ministry of Defence Industry for the Azerbaijan Republic (MODIAR) displayed the Owl mobile surveillance system for the first time at ADEX 2022 in Baku.  Developed in co-operation with DefTech, the Owl consists of a tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attached to a MODIAR Gyurza 4×4 patrol vehicle. The undisclosed UAV has a quadcopter design with a camera mounted to the side of the airframe.    The air vehic...

Iraq's first Thales GM403 air surveillance radar. (Iraqi Ministry of Defence)  The Iraqi Air Defence Command (IADC) had held an inauguration ceremony for its first Thales Ground Master 403 (GM403) long-range air surveillance radar, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 11 September.  The event was attended by Iraqi Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah and the French ambassador to Iraq, Éric Chevallier.  The MoD said the recently arrived GM403 was switched on during the event so it could begin to detec...

MARSS Group RADiRguard solar-powered capability enables 24/7 autonomous monitoring, suitable for perimeter and border surveillance. (MARSS Group)  MARSS Group, a company that develops surveillance systems, will deliver its RADiRguard solar-powered artificial intelligence (AI) surveillance solution to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).  According to a company announcement on 7 September, the KSA signed a multimillion Euro contract for 50 RADiRguard units.    The RADiRguard is a multisensor perimeter surveillance capability, which combines...

A rendition of Eutelsat 36D, a GEO satellite that will be integrated with Airbus' military satcom payload. (Airbus)  Airbus will provide military satellite communications (satcom) services to the Czech and Dutch armed forces.  The ministries of defence for the Czech Republic and the Netherlands signed an agreement with Airbus to access the company's ultra-high frequency (UHF) military satcom payload onboard the Eutelsat 36D telecommunications satellite, the company announced on 9 September.  According to the announcement, the countries will u...

Soldiers from the US Army's 82nd Airborne Division use IVAS prototypes during Solider Touchpoint 3 in October 2020 at Fort Pickett in Virginia. (US Army)  The US Army has begun accepting 5,000 Microsoft Integrated Augmentation System (IVAS) units and is finalising plans to field them. However, it is not yet clear how soldiers will use these early versions of the capability that will require software upgrades.  In March 2021, service leaders signed a contract valued up to USD21.88 billion for more than 10 years for the militarised HoloLens 2 h...

US Coast Guard icebreaker   Healy   is hosting a series of Arctic-related research and scientific experimentation off the Alaskan coast.  (Michael Fabey)  US Coast Guard medium icebreaker Healy (WAGB-20) recently completed operations in the Beaufort Sea in support of the Arctic Mobile Observing System (AMOS) programme being developed and tested by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), Healy'sCaptain Ken Boda told Janes.  AMOS is a collection of buoys designed for use in the Arctic, as well as unmanned underwater veh...

With the RAF set to receive the first of its Wedgetail aircraft in 2024, the service has embedded personnel with the RAAF so as to more quickly stand up the capability. (Commonwealth of Australia)  The UK is furthering preparations for the introduction into service of the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, with the announcement on 5 September that Royal Air Force (RAF) crews are supporting the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in its latest exercises.  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that RAF ‘see...

The US Coast Guard is experiencing    greater demand for operations in the higher latitudes.  (Janes/Michael Fabey)  Russian President Vladimir Putin authorised a new Russian naval doctrine on 31 July, which underscored the importance of the Arctic for Russia's geopolitical future and the growing tension between Moscow and Washington, including on the high seas and in the higher latitudes.    The Pentagon is looking for guidance on how to operate in the Arctic and higher latitudes, seeking advice from the one...

South Korea has planned to upgrade its Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopter fleet to the most modern Version 6 (V6) standard. This will enhance the helicopter's ability to deal with larger numbers of adversarial mechanised forces. (US Army/Sgt 1st Class Vincent Abril)  South Korea has announced a programme to upgrade its fleet of AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters to the latest Version 6 (V6) standard.  In an announcement, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said on 2 September that the Defense Project Prom...

A US Army soldier and a Polish army officer establish an expeditionary network during exercise ‘Saber Strike' at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland. (US Department of Defense)  The Pentagon's intelligence directorate is investing heavily in systems and programmes specifically designed to knock down barriers to collaboration between US armed forces, allies, and partner countries across all strata of command, senior Pentagon and military officials said.  Increasing capabilities to foster increased collaboration between the Pentagon and its...