Damen Naval marked the official start of the construction phase of the Type 126 frigates programme with a steel-cutting ceremony on 5 December. Pictured (from left to right): Damen Shipyards Group's CEO Arnout Damen and Lürssen CEO Friedrich Lürssen. (Damen/Felix Matthies)  Damen Naval held a steel-cutting ceremony for the first Type 126 multi-purpose frigate on order for the German Navy at NVL Group's Peene-Werft shipyard in Wolgast, Germany, on 5 December.  Netherlands-based Damen Shipyards Group was awarded a EUR4.6 billion (USD5 billion)...

BISim is working to increase the AI capabilities of its VBS software, which is in widespread use. (Bohemia Interactive Simulations)    Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim) is continuing to expand its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and is seeking to develop a more visualisation-agnostic capability, Pete Morrison, BISim's chief commercial officer, told   Janes  at I/ITSEC 2023 in Orlando.   “We're focusing on AI and in particular how we can enable our customers to train for the next Ukraine,” Morrison said. He...

The UAE has requested to purchase SRC's tripod-mounted AN/TPQ-50 counter-fire radar, currently operated by the British Army and US Army. (Janes/Patrick Allen)    The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has requested to purchase 18 manportable AN/TPQ-50 Lightweight Counter Mortar Radars (LCMRs)    from the United States (US).   The proposed sale is estimated to be valued at USD85 million and will include, in addition to the AN/TPQ-50 radars, 107 mm high-explosive rockets (for contiguous US testing only); computer digital military lap...

Cubic has overcome the challenge of simulating the use of combustible charges and the recoil-assisted breech in its M777 155 mm howitzer simulator solution. An M777 is shown here in action with US forces. (US Army)  Cubic Defence is expecting a low rate initial production (LRIP) contract for its 81 mm mortar solution from the US Army, and has secured an interim 105 mm Light Gun simulator contract from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). The company has also made progress in developing its indirect fire simulation solutions, according to represe...

A C-GEM offboard active decoy is fired from an Israeli Sa'ar 6 corvette. Rafael has teamed with Hensoldt to offer the German Navy an ECM suite featuring both C-GEM and the Digital Shark onboard jammer. (Rafael)  German sensor house Hensoldt has teamed with Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to offer the German Navy a new electronic countermeasures (ECM) suite combining both onboard and offboard jamming components.  Announcing the co-operation agreement on 27 November, Hensoldt said the tie-up was initially aimed at providing the Deutsch...

Despite concerns over submarine-building capacity to meet AUKUS Pillar 1 needs, AUKUS countries are moving ahead with Pillar 2 efforts. (Janes/Michael Fabey)  While questions remain about the ability of Australia, the UK, and the US (AUKUS) to meet submarine requirement commitments for their AUKUS Pillar 1 agreement, the trio of defence partners detailed more specific Pillar 2 ambitions on 1 December.  Defence and government officials underscored plans aimed to better develop technology related to autonomous operations, electronic warfare (EW...

A file photo of the Shadow ISTAR aircraft taken at its home base in the UK. The UK Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the Shadow ISTAR aircraft is flying in the Gaza region in support of efforts to locate hostages taken by Hamas. (Crown Copyright)  The United Kingdom has deployed surveillance aircraft to the Gaza region to help in the search for British nationals taken hostage by Hamas, the UK defence minister announced on 3 December.  Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps said, “Unarmed UK aircraft will begin carrying out surveilla...

The Spanish Navy's first S-80 Plus submarine,   Isaac Peral,  was commissioned into service on 30 November 2023.   (Janes/Kate Tringham)  The Spanish Navy's first new S-80 Plus-class diesel-electric submarine (SSK) has been commissioned into service following the completion of sea acceptance trials.    First-of-class   Isaac Peral  (S-81) was formally commissioned during a ceremony held at the Spanish Navy's naval base in Cartagena on 30 November.   Isaac Peral  is the first of four S-80...

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket (pictured) launched South Korea's first military reconnaissance satellite on 1 December. The satellite is expected to strengthen the RoK Armed Forces' early warning capabilities against potential North Korean threats. (SpaceX)  South Korea has launched its first military reconnaissance satellite using SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.  The Falcon 9 rocket carrying the reconnaissance satellite was launched from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on 1 December, South Korea's Ministry of National Defense (MND) announc...

The BAAINBw has ordered 50 Dingo 2 A4.1 armoured vehicles from KNDS. (Bundeswehr)  The Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr (BAAINBw), Germany's Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support, and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann + Nexter Defense Systems (KNDS) announced on 30 November that they had signed a contract for 50 Dingo 2 A4.1 armoured vehicles the day before. KNDS said in a press release that the vehicles would replace Dingo 2s transferred by the Bundeswehr to Ukraine...

A Gurkha from 1 Royal Gurkha Rifles with an L85A3 5.56 mm assault rifle (right) next to a Japan Ground Self-Defense Force 1st Airborne Brigade paratrooper with a Howa Type 20 5.56 mm assault rifle (left) during Exercise ‘Vigilant Isles' in Somagahara Camp, Japan, on 15 November. (Crown copyright)  British Army soldiers embedded with the Japan Ground Self‐Defense Force (JGSDF) for the first time during Exercise ‘Vigilant Isles 23' in Japan from 15 to 26 November.  The Japanese embassy in London said on its website on 26 November that the exerc...

Displayed as a mock-up at the ILA Berlin Air Show in 2022, the Eurofighter EK has now been approved by the Bundestag. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)  The German Bundestag has approved development of the Eurofighter Elektronischer Kampf (EK) electronic warfare (EW) aircraft for the Luftwaffe.  The Luftwaffe and Airbus (Germany's lead contractor in the Eurofighter consortium) announced the budgetary committee approval on 29 November, saying 15 aircraft will be upgraded for electronic attack (EA) and suppression/destruction of enemy air defence (SEAD/D...

A soldier from the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (11th ACR) operates a Mounted Mission Command-Software (MMC-S)-based system during a training mission at Ft Irwin, California. (US Army)  The US Army is developing a new slate of advanced software designed to improve collection, dissemination, and exploitation of battlefield intelligence at the tactical level, according to a service solicitation.  The software development effort, known as the ‘Intel Apps' programme, is being spearheaded by Project Manager, Intelligence Systems & Analytics (IS&A...

Rohde & Schwarz unveiled a compact version of its Ardronis family of C-UASs. The system was seen operating at NATO's Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System Technical Interoperability Exercise (C-UAS TIE23). (Janes/Olivia Savage)  Germany-based Rohde & Schwarz (R&S) has unveiled a new counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) called Ardronis Locate Compact.    Ardronis Locate Compact is a small, ruggedised system designed for the detection and localisation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), especially over large areas such as military bases, a...

Up to 50 of the British Army's Foxhound LPPV vehicles will be converted into command variants. (Janes/Patrick Allen)  Up to 50 of the British Army's Foxhound vehicles will be converted into command variants under a GBP19.76 million (USD24.92 million) sole-source contract with General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS).  The contract, expected to be awarded in early 2024, will involve the conversion of up to 50 Foxhound Light Protected Patrol Vehicles (LPPVs) over a 15-month period, a UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) contract notice disclosed on 23 Nove...

The two agencies will task the optical telescope, developed by Spaceflux, from the Space Operations Centre at RAF High Wycombe. (Spaceflux)  The UK Space Agency and Space Command have contracted UK company Spaceflux to develop and operate a new space domain awareness (SDA) sensor to monitor objects in geostationary orbit (GEO).  Known as Project Nyx Alpha, the contract, announced by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) on 22 November, will involve building a ground-based camera-telescope to gather positional information on UK satellites in order...

Rheinmetall Electronics UK Trailblazer vehicle vision systems, designed to aid the driver with terrain negotiation, obstacle avoidance, and route selection, are being procured to fill a critical safety requirement with the UK's Warrior IFVs. (Rheinmetall Electronics UK)  The British Army's Warrior infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) will be equipped with rear view cameras as part of a contract with Rheinmetall Electronics UK.  Valued in the low double-digit million-euro range and announced on 21 November, the contract will involve the provision...

The German Navy's F126 frigates will be equipped with Systematic's SitaWare C2 suite. (Damen Naval)  Germany's F126 frigates will be equipped with Systematic's command-and-control (C2) software, the company announced on 20 November.  The project, called the National Maritime C2 Service Bundeswehr (NMC2S Bw), will involve adding SitaWare Maritime and Fusion to the Bundeswehr's SitaWare Headquarters (HQ) licences and installing this onboard the F126 frigates.    A Systematic spokesperson told   Janes   the licences are aimed to b...

L3Harris Technologies will supply its radios for the combat net radio requirement as part of the Foxtrot digitisation programme. The company is already supplying its AN/PRC-163 radios to meet the ‘Replacement of Ground-Air Radios' requirement under Foxtrot. (Janes/Olivia Savage)  L3Harris Technologies has been selected by the Netherlands Armed Forces to supply its radios for the Foxtrot tactical digitisation programme.  This will involve delivering radios for approximately 8,000 vehicles, 3,500 military personnel, 135 vessels, 170 aircraft, a...

The NDM   Bahia  LPD, formerly the Foudre-class FS   Siroco  LPD with the French Navy between 1998 and 2015, was acquired by Brazil in 2015.  (Victor Barreira )    The Brazilian Navy is acquiring a new satellite communications (satcom) system for NDM   Bahia   (G40) multi-purpose landing platform dock (LPD) to improve the satcom capability of the amphibious warfare ship.     A tender launched by the Brazilian Naval Commission in Washington, DC, on behalf of the Logistics Cen...