Royal Norwegian Air Force Lockheed Martin F-35 (F-35A) Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters operating over the High North. The Nordic countries have opened a CAOC to protect NATO's northern flank. (Royal Norwegian Air Force)  The Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden have opened a combined air operations centre (CAOC) aimed at protecting NATO's northern flank.  The Danish Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on 6 March that the new CAOC at Bodø in northern Norway is made up of personnel drawn from the air forces of the four Nordic...

XSS-11 was designed to advance technologies and techniques to increase the level of autonomy, guidance, and safety for microsatellites. However, US officials say it could be used to carry out RPOs as part of an ASAT mission. (USAF research labatory)  The US Space Force (USSF) is looking to industry to provide inputs in support of its efforts to develop an operational architecture for a new slate of satellites and payloads operating at geosynchronous orbit (GEO), according to a 5 March USSF request for information (RFI).  USSF's Space Systems...

The first Saab 340 Erieye AEW&C aircraft for Poland was delivered on 6 March. (Polish Ministry of National Defense)  Poland has received the first of two Saab 340 Erieye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft contracted in 2023.  Secretary of State at the Ministry of National Defense (MND) Paweł Bejda made the announcement on 6 March, saying in-country acceptance testing will take place before the aircraft is handed over to the Polish Armed Forces.  The milestone came about five months after the first aircraft was officially pres...

A GQM-163 Coyote target overflies a mobile ship target. (Orbital Sciences)  The US Navy (USN) is looking to expand the kinematic envelope of the GQM-163A Coyote supersonic aerial target to enable more stressing and realistic threat representations.  US Naval Air Systems Command's (NAVAIR's) Aerial Targets program office (PMA-208) in February issued a pre-solicitation of its intent to contract Northrop Grumman for a 12-month study to increase the target's performance envelope. A contract award is anticipated in the first quarter of fiscal year...

Royal Norwegian Air Force Lockheed Martin F-35 (F-35A) Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters operating over the High North. The Nordic countries have opened a CAOC to protect NATO's northern flank. (Royal Norwegian Air Force)  The Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden have opened a combined air operations centre (CAOC) aimed at protecting NATO's northern flank.  The Danish Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on 6 March that the new CAOC at Bodø in northern Norway is made up of personnel drawn from the air forces of the four Nordic...

Savronik's latest high-speed SDR at the DIMDEX 2024 show in Doha. The system is designed to transmit real-time ISR information from aerial platforms to a dedicated ground station. (Janes/Ajay Shankar Pandey)  Turkish defence manufacturer Savronik unveiled the latest iteration of its High-speed Software-Defined Radio (SDR) at the DIMDEX 2024 show held in Doha from 4 to 6 March.  The latest SDR supports twice the data rate of its predecessor – from 137 Mbps to 274 Mbps – as well as the latest custom waveforms and encrypted solutions, depending...

The Ground Alerter 10 mortar detection radar and alerting system in-service with the French and German armed forces is receiving an MLU. (Thales)  France and Germany's Ground Alerter 10 (GA 10) anti-mortar radar will receive a mid-life upgrade (MLU) to bolster its capabilities and address obsolescence.  The Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) will manage the MLU, with a contract totalling EUR15 million (USD16.2 million) expected to be awarded in early 2024, the authority detailed in its 2024 business plan published on 5 March....

The Gaza UAV scale model displayed at DIMDEX 2024. (Janes/Ajay Shankar Pandey)  The Iranian defence industry displayed its multirole Gaza-armed intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at the DIMDEX 2024 exhibition held in Doha, Qatar, from 4 to 6 March.  The Gaza UAV is a turboprop-powered remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) designed for military and civilian missions. It has an endurance of over 24 hours at minimum payload, with a maximum speed of 350 km/h, a cruising speed of 215...

Norway has exercised a contract option for three additional TPY-4 early warning multimission radars. (Lockheed Martin)  The Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) is procuring three additional TPY-4 multimission ground-based radars from Lockheed Martin after exercising a contract option with the company.  According to an announcement by the NDMA on 3 March, the additional radars will be stationed in Senja, Målselv, and Nordkapp to enhance surveillance in the northern region of the country.  In November 2022 Norway contracted Lockheed Martin...

Images released by Babcock in February 2024 showing progress being made on the hullform and superstructure of the future HMS   Venturer   at its facilities in Rosyth, Scotland.  (Babcock International)  Thales has successfully completed factory acceptance tests (FATs) for the first Type 31 mission system, the company announced on 28 February.  UK shipbuilder Babcock, leading the ‘Team 31' consortium, is delivering five Type 31 Inspiration-class general-purpose frigates based on the Arrowhead 140 design for the Roy...

Denmark is replacing its coastal air-defence radars, including the fixed long-range 3D RAT-31DL radar acquired back in 1995. (Selex ES)  Denmark has launched a EUR220 million (USD238.4 million) competition to replace its coastal radars in Bornholm and Skagen as well as on the Faroe Islands.  Three new Fixed Air Defence Radar (FADR) systems will be procured, each comprising a 3D phased-array Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR), Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) with all civilian and military interrogation modes, and Monitor and Control Units for...

An artist's rendition of Sierra Space's T2TL low Earth orbit satellite prototype for the PWSA. (Sierra Space)  Arizona-based sensor payload company GEOST is betting big that improved focal plane fidelity, coupled with artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled imagery processing at the edge, will be the solution for the new fire-control payload being developed for the Pentagon's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA).  GEOST – a subsidiary of LightRidge Solutions – and the Space Development Agency (SDA) in February reached a deal for GEO...

Poland signs an agreement for IBCS air and missile defence C2 capability for phase two of the Wisła programme and the Narew short-range air-defence system. Pictured is the interior of the IBCS Engagement Operations Centre, which Poland will receive under phase two of Wisła. (Northrop Grumman)  Poland has signed a USD2.53 billion agreement with the US government for the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS).  Spanning from 2024 to 2031, the impending contract will involve integrating the IBCS with Poland's Narew and W...

Hessen  is pictured departing Wilhelmshaven naval base on 8 February to join the EU's new maritime security mission to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea.  (Bundeswehr/Julia Kelm)    The German Navy's Type 124 Sachsen-class air-defence frigate FGS   Hessen   (F 221) successfully repelled two one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the Red Sea launched by Yemen-based Ansar Allah (commonly known as the Houthis) militants on 27 February.   Briefing media at a German government press conference o...

L3Harris Technologies' AN/PRC-160 HF manpack, which enables forces to transmit video, voice, and data up to Top Secret Level, has been selected for the German armed forces. (L3 Harris Technologies)  The US Department of State has approved a possible Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Germany for Falcon III wideband software-defined radios.  As per an announcement by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on 27 February, the proposed sale comprises L3Harris Technologies Falcon III AN/PRC-117 and AN/PRC-160 radios as well as various spa...

The Indian MoD is procuring an undisclosed number of Jaga unmanned aerial vehicles (pictured) from Noida-based IG Drones to enhance the surveillance capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces. (IG Drones)  Noida-based IG Drones has secured a contract from the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) to provide its 5G-enabled Jaga unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to enhance the surveillance capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces.  A spokesperson for IG Drones told Janes on 28 February that the company plans to complete the supply of an undisclosed number...

The Santa María-class frigate   Canarias  with the now-removed Meroka CIWS above the hangar. The frigate has embarked a counter-UAV system for the first time.  (Spanish Ministry of Defence)  The Spanish Navy has deployed a counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system on the Santa María-class frigate Canarias (F 86) for the first time ahead of the frigate's deployment to European Union Naval Force's (EU NAVFOR's) Operation ‘Atalanta' in the Indian Ocean.  Announcing the frigate's departure from Rota on 15 February...

Jordan is to field four Grand Caravans upgraded in an ISR configuration in addition to the six already in service (pictured) with the Royal Jordanian Air Force. (Janes/Patrick Allen)  IOMAX is preparing to deliver to Jordan the first of four new Cessna C-208B Grand Caravan EX aircraft to be upgraded with an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) system, a company spokesperson told Janes on 27 February.  The first aircraft will be presented to the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) at a ceremony at the company's Mooresville facilit...

Malaysia has installed Lockheed Martin's AN/TPS-77 multirole radar (pictured) in Labuan to enhance maritime domain awareness. (Lockheed Martin)  The Malaysian Armed Forces has installed a long-range ground-based radar developed by Lockheed Martin in East Malaysia.  A spokesperson for the Malaysian Ministry of Defence (MoD) told Janes in mid-February that the Malaysian Armed Forces has installed Lockheed Martin's AN/TPS-77 multirole radar in Labuan island, located off the coast of the state of Sabah in East Malaysia.  According to Janes C4ISR...

APS SKYctrl skid C-UAS with FIELDctrl 3D MIMO radar, CyView C2, and the Mk 44 Bushmaster II single 30 mm cannon. (APS)    Polish company Advanced Protection Systems (APS) is delivering its SKYctrl skid counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) to a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) customer,   Janes   learnt.     A spokesperson from APS told   Janes  on 14 February that the GCC customer has ordered an undisclosed number of SKYctrl skidss, with deliveries ongoing since December 2023. They were unable to elaborate...