The Australian Army has equipped some of its Bushmaster 4×4 protected mobility vehicles with satcom systems as part of an ongoing programme to enhance battlefield telecommunications. (Capt Annie Richardson, Commonwealth of Australia)  The Australian Army has integrated satellite communication (satcom) systems into some of its Thales Australia Bushmaster 4×4 protected mobility vehicles, the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) said on 3 August.  An undisclosed number of Bushmasters have been equipped with the satcom systems to enable “stable...

QinetiQ's and BAE Systems' ATD fitted with a fast jet radome. (QinetiQ)  QinetiQ's and BAE Systems' airborne technology demonstrator (ATD) has successfully completed its inaugural test flight with a combat aircraft nose system, QinetiQ announced on 8 August.  The ATD is a new airborne test facility that uses a British Aerospace Avro RJ100 airframe to de-risk the development of future sensors and technologies.  To demonstrate its potential utility, the two companies equipped a fast jet radome on the platform to enable the aircraft to accommod...

Poland received its first company of 14 M1A1 tanks that equip the 18th Mechanised Division at the port of Szczecin on 28 June. (Polish MND)  The Polish 18th Mechanised Division is based on the US model, Polish Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak said on 5 August during a visit to Siedlce, eastern Poland, where the formation is headquartered.  Błaszczak said the division already has M1A1 Abrams tanks and expects it to receive Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers (MRLs) with a range of up to 300 km “soon”. The 18th Mechanised Division's...

Australia's receipt of the first three Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawks from the United States will allow it to start training and familiarisation operations with the new aircraft. This photo is of a US Army UH-60M during Exercise ‘Talisman Sabre 2023' in Queensland, Australia, on 17 July 2023. (US Army/Sgt. Ashunteia' Smith)  Australia has received the first three of 40 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters ordered for the Australian Army.  An Australia Department of Defence (DoD) spokesperson told Janes that the first two UH-60Ms “arrived at [R...

The first of four AW101 Merlin ASW helicopters arrived in Poland on 7 August. (Polish Armament Agency)  Poland has begun receiving the Leonardo AW101 Merlin helicopters it ordered in 2019 to satisfy its anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and combat search-and-rescue (CSAR) requirements.  Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak announced the milestone on 7 August, saying the first of four helicopters was en route from the Leonardo production facility in Yeovil, UK. The Polish Armament Agency confirmed its arrival on the same day.  The Polish Minis...

The UK Royal Navy's HMS   Prince of Wales   aircraft carrier returned to its home port of Portsmouth on 4 August 2023 following preparations for deployment across the Atlantic.  (Crown Copyright)    The UK's HMS   Prince of Wales  aircraft carrier returned to its home port of Portsmouth on 4 August following post-repair trials and preparations for deployment across the Atlantic, the Royal Navy (RN) announced on its website later the same day. The carrier will participate in the ‘Westlant 23' deploy...

An RAF Typhoon alongside one of the 50 Russian military aircraft intercepted during the service's record-breaking stint on the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission. (Crown Copyright)  The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) has recorded the most intercepts of Russian aircraft of any NATO Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission it has been involved in to date.    The Ministry of Defence (MoD) told   Janes  on 7 August that the 50 Russian military aircraft intercepted by RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 combat aircraft operating across the Baltic region...

The Australian Department of Defence said the first firing of the MGM-140 ATACMS within the country – at Exercise ‘Talisman Sabre' 2023 – demonstrated logistical co-ordination between Australian and US forces to employ the missile over long distances. (Lockheed Martin Vought Systems)  The US fired an MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) for the first time in Australia as part of Exercise ‘Talisman Sabre' 2023, the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) said on 3 August.  According to the DoD, the Lockheed Martin ATACMS surface-to-sur...

The first of 34 conventional take-off and landing Block 4 F-35As for Belgium is now in the final stages of assembly at the Fort Worth production facility in Texas. (Lockheed Martin)  Lockheed Martin has begun final assembly of the first F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) for Belgium at its Fort Worth facility in Texas. The Belgian Air Component (BAC) announced the milestone on 2 August, saying aircraft AY-01 is on course for delivery before the end of 2023.  The BAC is to receive 34 conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) Block 4...

With 10 F-16Vs now delivered, the HAF is scheduled to receive all 84 of its upgraded aircraft back into service in 2027. (Lockheed Martin)  Lockheed Martin has progressed deliveries of the F-16V Fighting Falcon to Greece, with the 10th aircraft recently delivered to the Hellenic Air Force (HAF), the company announced on 4 August.  The company said the milestone had been achieved in conjunction with Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) about 11 months after the first two HAF F-16C/D Block 52+ Advanced aircraft to be upgraded to the latest F-16V s...

The Brazilian Army fields a total of eight HM-3 Cougar and four HM-2 Black Hawk helicopters, but intends to replace them soon. (Brazilian Army)  The Brazilian Army aims to replace the eight HM-3 Cougar and four HM-2 Black Hawk helicopters in service with Army Aviation Command (CAvEx), Army Commander General Tomás Miguel Miné Ribeiro Paiva said on 20 July. The two helicopter types are nearing the end of their operational lifespans.  The requirement documents, the guidelines for project implementation, and other procurement procedures have yet...

The Australian Army has equipped some of its Bushmaster 4×4 protected mobility vehicles with satcom systems as part of an ongoing programme to enhance battlefield telecommunications. (Capt Annie Richardson, Commonwealth of Australia)  The Australian Army has integrated satellite communication (satcom) systems into some of its Thales Australia Bushmaster 4×4 protected mobility vehicles, the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) said on 3 August.  An undisclosed number of Bushmasters have been equipped with the satcom systems to enable “stable...

Deseaver MK-4, Elbit Systems' latest EW dispensing system, successfully conducted sea trials with the Israeli Navy. (Elbit Systems)  The Israeli Navy and Elbit Systems have successfully completed sea trials with the company's new maritime electronic warfare (EW) countermeasures system.  According to the company on 1 August, the Deseaver MK-4 Countermeasure Dispensing System (CMDS) was involved in a series of sea trials onboard Israeli Navy vessels that tested its capability to respond effectively to complex missile attack scenarios. This invo...

WB Electronics exhibited the full Topaz ICMS hardware configuration for the FONET network at Eurosatory 2022. (Jakub Link-Lenczowski)    Poland has proven the interoperability of its army's    Topaz integrated combat management system (ICMS)    with US artillery command-and-control systems. During trials at Poland's War Studies University in Rembertów from 7 to 21 July, Topaz was successfully plugged into the Artillery Systems Cooperation Activities (ASCA) interface.   To join ASCA, Poland must prove the interoper...

North Korea unveiled two new unmanned aerial vehicles. The development of these aircraft represent a significant capability enhancement for Pyongyang. The aircraft were shown with the KPAF emblem and serial numbers that suggest the likelihood that they have been inducted into service. (Janes)  North Korea has unveiled two new unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which outwardly appear to resemble US-origin UAVs.  The aircraft were shown on 26 July during the visit of Russian Minister of Defence Sergei Shoigu and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to...

The Reconfigurable Virtual Collective Trainer (RVCT) should be in the hands of US Army soldiers in March–April 2024, officials said on 24 July.  Soldiers will participate in a final soldier touchpoint in August 2023 before an operational demonstrat...

Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS   Theodore Roosevelt  underwent maintenance in San Diego in 2016. The navy awarded a contract to NNS for maintenance work on Nimitz-class and Ford-class carriers in the region.  (Tony Roper)  The US Navy (USN) awarded Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ), cost-plus incentive and award contract with a potential total value of USD528.4 million over five years, if all options are exercised, for aircraft carrier maintenance in San Diego,...

FNSS Kaplan Hybrid powerpack at IDEF 2023. (Janes/Ben Burnett)  FNSS exhibited its Kaplan Hybrid vehicle powerpack for the first time at the 16th International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) held in Istanbul from 25 to 28 July.  Development of the powerpack commenced in 2021 through FNSS' Hybrid Power Group project, and although work continues, critical verification tests are scheduled to begin at the end of 2023. FNSS hopes to integrate a bespoke hybrid solution in its range of tracked vehicles and as an upgrade package to others through enhan...

USAF Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) specialists conduct reconnaissance training in August 2021 in preparation for JADC2 and precision deep strike (RaPDS) capabilities. (US Air Force)  US Department of Defense (DoD) officials are conducting a series of analyses, geared towards developing a new campaign plan for the Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) capability, which when complete will update the department's current CJADC2 implementation plan.  “When you look at the [CJADC2] implementation plan ... it is saying the enti...

The VAMPIRE remote weapon system. (L3Harris)  L3Harris has selected Alabama-based EOS Defense Systems to support the Vehicle-Agnostic Modular Palletized intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) Rocket Equipment (VAMPIRE) programme, which has been tagged by the US Department of Defense (DoD) as one of several weapon systems bound for Ukraine.  The Pentagon contracted L3Harris to integrate the VAMPIRE remote weapon system (RWS) into DoD-provided combat vehicles scheduled for delivery to Ukrainian defence forces. Under the terms of t...