A soldier carrying the SlingShot manpack system. Spectra is supplying an undisclosed number of SlingShot manpack systems to the Indonesian Army. (Spectra Group)  The UK's Spectra Group will supply its SlingShot satellite communication (satcom) systems to the Indonesian Army.  Spectra announced on 7 September that it has partnered with Jakarta-based defence equipment provider, PT Mora Armamen Perkasa, to provide an undisclosed number of SlingShot manpack systems, SlingShot vehicle systems, and SlingShot Tactical Operations Centre Systems (STO...

Saab's ULCAS FSS technology gives armed forces the possibility of combining protection from the enemy with the possibility of communicating with friendly forces. (Saab Barracuda AB/Johan Lindqvist)  Saab announced in a press release on 5 September a new feature for its Barracuda Ultra-lightweight Camouflage Screen (ULCAS), giving operators the possibility of combining protection from the enemy with the possibility of communicating with friendly forces.  Previewing the announcement during an embargoed online press briefing on 4 September, Joha...

Topaz Tangaroa  is being converted into the first of two planned Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance ships for underwater surveillance and seabed warfare to be operated by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.  (Royal Navy)  Danish offshore engineering and survey company Eiva has been contracted to supply a containerised Remotely Operated Towed Vehicle (ROTV) system for operation from the UK's new Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance (MROS) Seabed Warfare platform.  A contract between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) – through Navy Command Commercial – an...

A European Space Agency rendering of the Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey deep-space telescope and spacecraft. (European Space Agency)  Anzen Engineering, a European aerospace engineering company, has officially launched a new Washington, DC-based headquarters with the goal of securing more US military and civilian contracting opportunities for the Spanish-based firm.  The creation of the new US-based headquarters adds to the company's current roster of international offices in Switzerland and the United Arab Emirate...

The Peregrine UAS, which comprises a Schiebel S-100 Camcopter and a Thales I-Master radar, will be deployed onboard an RN Type 23 frigate in the Gulf from 2024. (Schiebel)  Thales and Schiebel have successfully completed factory acceptance testing (FAT) of the UK Royal Navy's (RN's) Peregrine Camcopter S-100 rotary-wing unmanned aircraft system (UAS) integrated with Thales l-Master radar.  Announcing the milestone on 30 August, the two companies said the FAT approval marked an important step towards final delivery of the Camcopter S-100 UAS P...

The Indian Army is procuring 130 tethered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and 19 simulators for training tank drivers, industry sources have disclosed to Janes.  Bangalore-based NewSpace Research and Technologies Pvt Ltd (NRT) secured a contract wo...

A deployed Maverick M8 radar developed by Silentium Defence. Silentium will collaborate with Lockheed Martin to deliver undisclosed variants from its Maverick suite of radars for Australia's Joint Air Battle Management System. (Silentium Defence)  Adelaide-based Silentium Defence will supply its passive radar sensors for Australia's Joint Air Battle Management System (JABMS) being developed under Project Air 6500 Phase 1.  Silentium's chief technology officer Simon Palumbo told Janes on 30 August that the company will provide “multiple varia...

A Bombadier CRJ700, similar to the aircraft used during the DSaT demonstration during the US Army's EDGE 2023 technology experiments. (Bombardier)  Programme engineers at Northrop Grumman have completed live demonstrations of its new Deep-Sensing and Targeting (DSaT) system for US Army officials as part of the service's annual Experimental Demonstration Gateway Event (EDGE) exercises.  The DSaT system was mounted aboard a civilian Bombardier CRJ700 and conducted data collection, fusion, and dissemination of beyond-the-line-of-sight battlefiel...

A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) weapon system is a critical capability for US missile defence in Guam. Shyu said the US and Australia are working together to figure out how to integrate missile defence systems. (US Army)  The US is set to step up its technology partnerships with Australia in the coming months with an AUKUS-related announcement in the fall, the Department of Defense's (DoD's) chief technology officer announced on 29 August.  As part of the Australia, US, and United Kingdom subdevelopment agreement, US President J...

US Marines assigned to Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command at Fort Meade, Maryland. (US Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command)  Information technology (IT) and network security specialists with the US Navy (USN) are in the midst of developing and testing a new identity, credential, and access management (ICAM) system, as part of a service-wide effort to increasingly adopt zero-trust applications and capabilities into USN and US Marine Corps (USMC) combat networks.  The establishment of a viable and secure digital identity management capab...

Project Air 6500 will connect platforms and sensors across all warfighting domains into a single interface. LMA is selected to build the system of systems architecture for the Australian DoD's Project Air 6500 Joint Air Battle Management System requirement. (Lockheed Martin Australia)  The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has selected Lockheed Martin Australia (LMA) as its strategic partner to deliver the Joint Air Battle Management System (JABMS) as part of the second tranche of Project Air 6500 Phase 1.  The JABMS is the initial part...

Trinity aims to enhance front-line connectivity for military personnel, linking small reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles, combat vehicles, fighter jets, aircraft carriers, and military commands. (BAE Systems )  BAE Systems has won the contract to deliver the Trinity network communications system for the British Armed Forces under the wider Land Environment Tactical Communications and Information Systems (LE TacCIS) programme.  Awarded by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), the five-year contract will require BAE Systems to design and manuf...

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense has said the new IRST pods will be fitted onto its Lockheed Martin F-16V fighter aircraft. (Lockheed Martin)  The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sales (FMS) of F-16 infrared search and track (IRST) systems to Taiwan.  The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said on 23 August that the potential deal, which needs Congress approval, is worth USD500 million.  The deal involves an unspecified number of IRST systems and associated equipment and support services. Lockheed...

Elbit Systems ReDrone C-UAS solution has been acquired by the Netherlands Ministry of Defence. (Elbit Systems)  The Netherlands has acquired new counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UASs) from Elbit Systems for GBP43 million (USD55 million), the company announced on 21 August.  As part of the contract, the company will supply several mobile, stationary, and deployed configurations of its ‘ReDrone' integrated C-UAS solution. Logistics and training will also be provided.    A Netherlands Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesperson told   J...

Elbit Systems ReDrone C-UAS solution has been acquired by the Netherlands Ministry of Defence. (Elbit Systems)  The Netherlands has acquired new counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UASs) from Elbit Systems for GBP43 million (USD55 million), the company announced on 21 August.  As part of the contract, the company will supply several mobile, stationary, and deployed configurations of its ‘ReDrone' integrated C-UAS solution. Logistics and training will also be provided.  The Netherlands Ministry of Defence (MoD) did not respond to Janes regard...

Raytheon Technologies is building the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor for the US Army's integrated missile defence architecture in Guam. (Raytheon)  The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) transitioned its power to the US Army in June 2023 on the integrated missile defence of Guam effort, service leaders announced recently.  The memo – signed by Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks – establishing Army Sustainment Command as the lead service for Guam's defence, went out in June, Lieutenant General Robert Rasch, director of the Rapid C...

A computer-generated image of the final configuration of the Polish Navy's first Miecznik frigate. (PGZ)  A steel-cutting ceremony was held for the first Polish Project 106 Miecznik (Swordfish)-class frigate at the Polish Armaments Group (Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa: PGZ) Naval Shipyard in Gdynia, Poland, on 16 August.  Under the Miecznik programme, which is valued at around PLN8 billion (USD1.95 billion), PGZ Naval Shipyard is building three frigates for the Polish Navy in co-operation with strategic partners Babcock (as the platform design pro...

US Coast Guard   Healy  is providing support for Office of Naval Research studies in the Arctic.  (Michael Fabey)    The US Coast Guard (USCG) cutter   Healy   (WAGB 20), one of two USCG icebreakers and the only one specifically designed for Arctic research, in late July and early August offloaded Office of Naval Research (ONR) equipment onto a floe of multi-year ice for the first of three multi-instrument ice stations in the Arctic Ocean Basin, the USCG confirmed on 14 August.   Healy  o...

A US Army UH-60 Black Hawk flies in formation over Yamaguchi Bay during joint exercises with the US and Japan during ‘Orient Shield'. (US Army)  Officials with the US Army's cloud computing directorate are developing a series of technology initiatives geared towards integrating the Mission Partner Environment (MPE) into tactical formations in the Indo-Pacific region.  Service leaders within the army's Enterprise Cloud Management Agency (ECMA) are leveraging lessons learned from ongoing MPE integration efforts with European partners as a way t...

Kongsberg's Cortex Typhon C-UAS solution is being delivered to Ukraine. The collective solution integrates the company's RWS and surveillance systems from Teledyne FLIR Defense. (Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace)  Ukraine will receive new counter unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) from Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace to enhance the capabilities of its armed forces.  According to a Kongsberg announcement on 14 August, the company will deliver several Cortex Typhon systems for GBP56 million (USD71 million), funded by the International Fund for Ukrain...