A conceptual image that Grene Robotics says shows the layers of protection Indrajaal can offer to defend critical infrastructure from low RCS threats. (Grene Robotics)  Hyderabad-based Grene Robotics has developed a command-and-control (C2) system that it says leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to co-ordinate with military systems, supporting faster decision-making on the battlefield.  Several versions of the C2 system have been delivered to the Indian military, and have been used to support the development of a counter-unmanned aircraft...

The IAF has developed a low-cost C-UAS that can jam and spoof hostile UAVs. The C-UAS was unveiled at Aero India 2023 in Bangalore in February. (Janes/Oishee Majumdar)  The proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and the ways in which these platforms are leveraged by India's adversaries, has pushed the country to prioritise the development of counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UASs).  On the one hand, India is concerned about China and Pakistan's growing arsenal of military UAVs, which are often operated in an intelligence, surve...

HNLMS De Ruyter (F 804), 10.2013 (Michael Nitz - Naval Press Service)    The Royal Netherlands Navy's (RNLN's) third De Zeven Provinciën-class air defence and command frigate (luchtverdedigings en commandofregatten - LCF) HNLMS   De Ruyter  (F 804) is preparing to start its sea-acceptance tests (SATs) in late March, following the completion of a major maintenance and capability upgrade.     Under current timelines,   De Ruyter  is planned to be fully operational in the fourth quarter of 2023, a DMO spokespe...

Thales UK DSA offering on display at the 2023 Future Soldier Technology Conference. Synaps (left), AN/PRC-148E Spear (middle), and SquadNet radio (right). (Janes/Olivia Savage)  Thales intends to pitch its tactical radios for the UK Dismounted Situational Awareness (DSA) Tactical Radio Sub-Lot competition.  Depending on the UK Ministry of Defence's (MoD) requirements, the company will present its SquadNet, Javelin, AN/PRC-148E Spear, or Synaps handheld radio for the Tactical Radio Sub-Lot competition, Ciaran McCloskey, product line manager fo...

The 341st Missile Security Operations Squadron carry out security drills at a launch facility, near Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana. (US Air Force)  The US Air Force (USAF) has contracted US information technology company Persistent Systems to provide mobile ad hoc networking (MANET) capability to the service's security forces, tasked with protecting major intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) fields and installations in the continental United States (CONUS).  Officials from Air Force Global Strike Command inked a USD75.5 million deal...

A screenshot from footage released by BYPOL shows the UAV parked on the radome of the A-50 during a pre-strike reconnaissance sortie, according to the group. (BYPOL)  The loss of the airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) capability provided by the Beriev A-50 ‘Mainstay' is hampering joint Russian and Belarusian air activity, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has determined.  In its latest intelligence update posted on 9 March, the MoD said that the A-50U that was previously reported as attacked by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at Masch...

India's Nirbhay cruise missile, displayed above at Defexpo 2020 in Lucknow, will be equipped with small turbofan engines, enhanced radio frequency seekers, and other subsystems to transform it into the proposed Long-Range Land Attack Cruise Missile. (Janes/Rahul Udoshi )  India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) recently conducted a flight test of its Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur off the northeastern coast of Odisha.  The ITCM is a technology demonstrator pro...

Stratobus, developed by Thales Alenia Space, is a non-rigid stratospheric airship with fully autonomous electric propulsion. The concept has been optimised around a 140 m long airship that operates at altitudes of 18–20 km and has more than 1,000 m  2   of solar cells. The aim is for the system to carry 250 kg payloads.  (Thales Alenia Space)  Thales Alenia Space, along with a consortium of 21 partners, will develop high-altitude platform systems (HAPS) following investment from the European Commission.  Known as...

UK Royal Navy commandos conduct cold weather training in the Arctic. (UK Royal Navy/Crown Copyright)  The UK has set up a military base in Northern Norway that will act as a hub for Royal Marines commandos operating in the region.  The purpose-built site, called Camp Viking, is located in Øverbygd, about 40 mile south of Tromsø, and will be used to support the UK's commando-led Littoral Response Group (LRG) (North), which is designed to operate alongside NATO and UK Joint Expeditionary Force partners in the High North and Baltic Sea regions....

The French Navy's first new BRF logistic support ship,   Jacques Chevallier  (A 725), started sea acceptance trials on 25 January.  (Naval Group)    Chantiers de l'Atlantique has delivered the first of four new batiments ravitailleurs de forces (BRF) logistic support ships (LSSs),   Jacques Chevallier  (A 725), to the French Navy.   Announcing the formal handover, which took place at Chantiers de l'Atlantique's shipyard in Saint-Nazaire on 3 March, the French Navy said the ship would depart fo...

Hungary has acquired new E-LynX software-defined radios from Elbit Systems in soldier and vehicular configurations. (Elbit Systems)  The Hungarian Defence Forces (HDF) will receive new soldier and vehicular radios under the Zrínyi programme.  The new radios are being supplied by Elbit Systems, Colonel János Pölöskei, branch leader for the Command and Control Systems Development Branch at HDF Command – Force Planning Directorate, announced at SAE Media Group's 2023 Future Soldier Technology conference on 6 March.  Col Pölöskei told Janes that...

The military version of ATAK has been selected as the BMA of choice for the DSA programme. (ATAK )  The Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) has been selected as the preferred battle management application (BMA) solution for the British Army's Dismounted Situational Awareness (DSA) programme.  Speaking at SAE Media Group's 2023 Future Soldier Technology Conference on 6 March, David Dalby, TacSys Delivery Team Soldier Systems Portfolio lead for the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), said that the solution was selected because it enables integration with inte...

IAI ARC 840 SDR-NCO airborne communication system is compliant with the latest SCA 4.1 standard, set by the US Joint Tactical Networking Centre. (IAI)  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) subsidiary Elta Systems has launched a new airborne software-defined radio (SDR).  Announced by IAI on 2 March, the ARC 840 SDR – Network Centric Operations (SDR-NCO) system is the latest in Elta's portfolio of military airborne communications that provides voice, video, and data communications.  Operating on very high frequency (VHF), ultra-high frequency (UH...

NFS U212 submarine. (OCCAR)  The Italian Navy's Type 212 Near Future Submarine (NFS) programme has successfully completed its critical design review (CDR).  In a statement issued on 21 February, the European defence procurement agency Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation (OCCAR) said the CDR had successfully demonstrated that the design is mature and fully compliant to mission performance requirements and can proceed with the manufacturing, system installation, integration, and trial test phase.  Under the Type 212 NFS programme, the...

The A-50 AEW&C aircraft is a key enabler for Russian air operations over Ukraine, and the loss of an airframe to a UAV strike in Belarus will be keenly felt by Russian forces. (United Aircraft Corporation)  A Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) Beriev A-50 ‘Mainstay' airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft has reportedly been put out of action by saboteurs in Belarus.  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) reported the claim made by the Belarusian ‘partisan' group BYPOL that an A-50 had been critically damaged during an unmanned aerial vehi...

BAE Systems Australia unveiled its strike-capable Strix UAS at Avalon 2023. The system is predominantly aimed at the land and maritime markets. (Julian Kerr)  A new multimission unmanned aircraft system (UAS) – combining the advantages of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) and fixed-wing flight – was launched by BAE Systems Australia at the Avalon 2023 international airshow on 28 February.  Named the Strix, the tiltable body and X-wing-configured UAS – which has four hybrid engines – combines the convenience of VTOL with the range and speed...

Australia's acquisition of three MQ-4C Triton HALE UAS is linked to the retirement of the RAAF's Lockheed AP-3C Orion fleet, which is scheduled to take place in 2023. (Northrop Grumman)  The first of the three Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) ordered by Australia is being prepared for its first test flight in mid-2023.  The Australian Tritons are progressing to schedule, Northrop Grumman officials told   Janes  . “The flight of the first Australian Triton, ‘AUS1,' is expected to happen in the summer of 2023,”...

The Royal Thai Air Force's upgraded F-5E/F TH ‘Super Tigris' force has improved combat capabilities. The RTAF expects the aircraft to provide another 10 to 15 years of operational service. (Royal Thai Air Force)  The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has completed upgrades to its active force of Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II fighter aircraft.  In a statement on 16 February, the RTAF said that 14 aircraft have been upgraded to the F-5E/F TH ‘Super Tigris' standard as part of the B.Khor.18 B/C Capability Improvement Project. The RTAF added that the “struc...

Yahsat has been mandated to launch Al Yah 4 and Al Yah 5 by 2026. Pictured is Al Yah 3, Orbital ATK's first satellite built on the GEOStar-3 platform. (Orbital ATK)  A decision on the preferred vendor for the UAE's satellite programme, which seeks two geostationary (GEO) satellites, is expected in 2023.  UAE-based company Yahsat is currently in the process of evaluating bids, with a decision expected, following government approval, in 2023 to determine which preferred supplier will manufacture the Al Yah 4 and Al Yah 5 satellites, Eisa Al Sha...

A general view of the Tekever AR5 surveillance UAV. (Tekever Systems)  Tekever has integrated a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) payload on its AR5 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the company announced at IDEX 2023 being held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.  Developed by the company's space division, GAMASAR can detect objects in challenging environments during the day and night, extending the operational capabilities of the platform.  It is intended to support both maritime and land-based surveillance missions.  Tekever's Paulo Ferro told...