BAAINBw has approved and acquired five ASUL C-UAS platforms (pictured) from ESG to bolster camp protection. (Bundeswehr/Dirk Bannert)  The German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) has procured five counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UASs).  Known as ASUL, the C-UAS platform can detect, classify, identify, and neutralise small unmanned aircraft systems (sUASs), the German armed forces (Bundeswehr) announced on the 15 August.  sUASs are defined by the Bundeswehr as platforms that we...

SNC to demonstrate stratospheric ISR capability to UK MoD (Sierra Nevada Corporation)  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has selected Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) unmanned high-altitude balloon (HAB) as part of Project Aether, the company announced on 10 August.  Project Aether is a UK MoD programme that seeks an unmanned stratospheric ultra-persistent communication and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability.    An SNC spokesperson told   Janes   that the company intends to launch the platform in Sept...

The Indian Army has signed a deal to procure QNu Labs' Armos QKD system. The system includes a pair of ‘Armos boxes' (pictured above), placed at each end of the network, Gupta told   Janes  .  (QNu Labs)  The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has decided to procure quantum key distribution (QKD) systems from Bangalore-based QNu Labs to enhance secured communication for the Indian Army.    CEO and co-founder of QNu Labs, Sunil Gupta, confirmed to   Janes   that the company has secured a contract to pr...

Skynet 6A (pictured above), scheduled to be launched in 2025, will fill a capability gap while the MoD sets the requirements for the Skynet Enduring Capability. (Airbus)  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is seeking a Narrowband Satellite System (NSS) for the Skynet Enduring Capability (SKEC).  A Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ), published by the MoD on 10 August, outlined a requirement for a narrowband ultra-high frequency (UHF) geosynchronous (GEO) satellite and its control system for SKEC.  A deadline for expressions of interest has be...

IAI, Elta Systems, and Babcock to co-offer C-MMR radar for UK Serpens weapon-locating radar programme. (IAI Elta Systems)  Babcock is to collaborate with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and subsidiary Elta Systems to offer a deep-find radar solution for the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) Serpens programme.  According to a Babcock announcement on 11 August, the company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with IAI and Elta Systems to offer IAI-Elta's Compact Multi-Mission Radar (C-MMR) system for the Serpens programme.  A Babcock officia...

The Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) fleet representative pods were delivered to the US Navy in July 2022. The pods are part of a system that will eventually replace the Boeing EA-18G Growler's ALQ-99 system. (US Navy)  Raytheon Intelligence & Space recently delivered its first ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) pods to the US Navy. The jammer pods are part of a system that will eventually replace the Boeing EA-18G Growler's ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System.  Raytheon delivered the pods to the Naval Air Warfare Center Airc...

Taiwan said that the PLA flew 49aircraft into the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on 5 August whereas China has said that it is flying ‘hundreds' of aircraft into the ADIZ. (VCG via Getty Images)    China says it is dispatching hundreds of combat aircraft to the six live-fire zones around Taiwan. However, Taipei's daily air incursion reports show smaller figures.   Janes   assesses that this could partly be because of strains on the country's radar network.   China launched a four-day live-fire exercise around Taiwan...

The USMC's 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment showed off an LTATV equipped with Kymeta's u8 user terminal, which is able to acquire OneWeb low Earth orbit satellites to facilitate communications on the pause and on the move. (Andrew White )  The US Marine Corps (USMC) displayed a variety of emerging communications equipment during the amphibious warfare phase of the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise in Hawaii this week.  The display was hosted by the first Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR) to join the USMC's order of battle – 3rd MLR – which is in...

Cubic's artillery mission training system (AMTS) installed on a 105 mm L118 Light Gun at the Royal School of Artillery, Larkhill. The visible appliqué elements (to the left of the breech and under the barrel) are bright blue. (Giles Ebbutt)  The British Army has learnt a number of lessons from its use of Cubic's artillery mission training system (AMTS) and is introducing improvements to it.  The AMTS has been in use at the Royal School of Artillery at Larkhill and elsewhere as a concept capability demonstrator since late 2018. It consists of...

A UAS swarm comprising of Malloy Aeronautics TRV150 systems during a Royal Marines trial. (UK MOD Crown copyright 2021 - Barry Wheeler)  Malloy Aeronautics and Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) group have been awarded a contract as part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) Multi-Domain Integrated Swarm (MDIS) project, Brigadier Mark Totten, Deputy Director of Acquisition Commando Forces and MDIS told Janes on 27 July.  The project will involve a series of trials with SNC, integrating and teaming approximately 10–20 Malloy Aeronautics unmanned a...

China's Eastern Theatre Command says it is launching hundreds of aircraft to participate in live-fire drills around Taiwan. (VCG via Getty Images)    China says it is dispatching hundreds of combat aircraft to the six live-fire zones around Taiwan. However, Taipei's daily air incursion reports show smaller figures.   Janes   assesses that this could partly be because of strains on the country's radar network.   China launched a four-day live-fire exercise around Taiwan from 4 August, in response to a visit by US House Speak...

Taiwan says it has been subject to a series of intensified cyber attacks since US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island nation on 2 August.  The attacks come amid rising US and Taiwan tensions with China, which has voiced “strong opposition...

Rocket Lab launched NROL-199, co-developed by the US NRO and the Australian DoD, with the help of its Electron rocket from a spaceport in New Zealand's Māhia Peninsula on 4 August. (Rocket Lab )  The second of the two surveillance satellites co-developed by the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) of the United States and the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) was launched by the US-based Rocket Lab from its spaceport in New Zealand's Māhia Peninsula on 4 August.  The US NRO and Rocket Lab confirmed the launch of this second satellite, n...

A USAF B-1B Lancer flies over an MIM-104 Patriot missile launcher in support of ‘Valiant Shield 2022'. (USAF)  Since its inception in late 2020 as the Pentagon's main vehicle to usher in a new era of joint, technology-driven warfare, the Joint All-...

IAI's new STAR-X 3D multimission naval radar, designed for OPVs and other small vessels. (IAI)  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has expanded its naval radar portfolio with the introduction of a new compact shipborne surveillance and threat alert radar designed to fulfil the needs of operators of offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) and other small vessels.  The new radar, named STAR-X 3D, is a fully digital 3D short- to medium-range X-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar that can perform simultaneous surface and air surveillance....

A Microflown Avisa Castle acoustic subarray mounted on an unmanned ground vehicle, displayed at the Omega Future Indirect Fires conference. The acoustic master is located in the centre and the meteorological station is mounted on a short mast next to the front right acoustic sensor. (Giles Ebbutt)  Microflown Avisa and Leonardo have developed new acoustic artillery detection technologies, briefing on these at the 2022 Omega Future Indirect Fires conference in Bristol.  Microflown Avisa has developed a new concept based on detecting the 3D sh...

The US Coast Guard cutter   Healy  is testing a new satellite communications network in the Arctic during its upcoming Arctic deployment.  (Michael Fabey)  The US Coast Guard (USCG) cutter Healy (WAGB-20) will be testing prototype USCG communications capability using the recently launched low Earth orbit (LEO) Starlink satellites, according to Captain Ken Boda, Healycommanding officer.  “We're going to prototype Starlink [communications] in the Arctic this year,” Capt Boda told Janes on 23 July during a port call...

One of the G550 CAEW aircraft IAI-Elta delivered to the Italian Air Force. (Aeronautica Militare)  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced on 21 July that it signed a contract worth more than USD200 million to provide a European NATO member with an unspecified number of special-mission aircraft developed by its Elta subsidiary.    A company source told   Janes  that the contract is part of a larger deal, but declined to identify the country or provide details of the aircraft at the time of publication.   IAI-Elta offe...

The Hanwha Phasor 16-tile conformal airborne AESA satcom antenna displayed at FIA 2022. (Giles Ebbutt/Janes)  Hanwha Systems is developing a 5G-based tactical communications system incorporating the OneWeb low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications (satcom) system. It will include the new satcom antenna technology from Hanwha Phasor and a smartphone-based integrated versatile terminal (IVT).    Kevin Kim, vice-president for command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I), Hanwha systems, told   Janes...

CEA Technologies is building four new air-defence radars (pictured above) for the ADF. (Commonwealth of Australia)  Canberra-based CEA Technologies has secured a “multimillion-dollar” contract from the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) to build four new air-defence radars, Australia's Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy announced on 21 July.  “The new sensors will be able to detect aircraft and missile threats at greater ranges and with increased accuracy than our current systems, allowing for real-time critical information to be re...