A Pentagon report recommends the US Navy replace its Air and Missile Defense Radar testing model. (Raytheon)  The US Navy (USN) should replace the testing model of its Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR), designated the AN/SPY-6(V)1, according to the Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) FY 2023 Annual Report, released on 2 February.  The operational assessment (OA) being done on the AN/SPY-6(V)1 used for testing “was not intended to determine operational effectiveness and suitability of the delivered AMDR due to th...

The KC-390 was showcased at the WDS 2024 in Riyadh. Prior to arriving at the biennial event, the tanker-transport aircraft was demonstrated to the Nigerian Air Force. (Janes/Akshara Parakala)  Embraer has recorded strong interest in its KC-390 Millennium from Nigeria, demonstrating the tanker-transport aircraft to the West African country ahead of the World Defense Show (WDS) 2024 held in Riyadh from 4 to 8 February.    Speaking to   Janes  , Embraer instructor pilot Marco Aurélio Oliveira said that prior to arriving in Saudi A...

Tron Future Tech displays its C-UAS' new hard-kill component called T.Interceptor at the World Defense Show 2024 in Riyadh. (Janes/Akshara Parakala)    The Republic of China Army (RoCA) has deployed a modular counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) developed by Taiwan's Tron Future Tech, the company told  Janes  at the World Defense Show (WDS) 2024 held in Riyadh from 4 to 8 February.   The C-UAS, with a new hard-kill component named T.Interceptor, has been displayed at the show.    Tron Future Tech told   Jane...

This infographic shows Poongsan's 155 mm shells for the K9 howitzer. A photograph of a cutaway version of the extended-range 155 mm shell appears at the bottom. (Janes/Akhil Kadidal)  South Korean metal and munition manufacturer Poongsan will initiate the mass production of the extended-range 155 mm artillery shells for the Hanwha Land Systems K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) in 2024, a Poongsan official told Janes on 8 February.  Development and trials of the extended-range 155 mm shells were completed in 2023 and the company recei...

One of the NAF's two new T129 attack helicopters at Makurdi airbase. (Defence HQ Nigeria)  The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) held a ceremony to formally induct its new T129 attack helicopters and a King Air 360ER into service at NAF Base, Makurdi, on 6 February.  The order for six T129s was announced by Turkish Aerospace in July 2022 and satellite imagery shows two had been delivered to Makurdi by 16 November 2023.  One T129 was displayed during the induction ceremony alongside a 12-round pod for 70 mm air-to-surface rockets and a four-round pod u...

The Viking 6×6 multirole UGV was used in the AUKUS TORVICE trial, held in Australia in 2023. The vehicle can carry payloads weighing up to 750 kg and is suitable for a range of missions including last-mile logistics, surveillance, combat, and improvised explosive device detection. (Crown Copyright)  Australia hosted a robotics and autonomous systems trial under the AUKUS Pillar 2 initiative to evaluate the technologies' resilience and performance in contested environments, the UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) announced o...

An artist's impression of the Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules in Swedish markings. (Lockheed Martin)  Lockheed Martin is pushing its C-130J Hercules airlifter for Sweden, announcing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with national industry on 6 February.  With the Swedish Air Force (SwAF) scoping out a replacement for its ageing C-130H Hercules fleet, Lockheed Martin has launched its C-130J-30 offering with an MOU signed with MilDef, a Stockholm-based provider of ‘tactical IT solutions'.  “Lockheed Martin and MilDef announced a memorandum of...

An infographic showing the status of F-35 sales across Europe. (Janes)  Two recent announcements pertaining to the Czech Republic and Greece confirmed the seemingly relentless progress of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) in securing sales across Europe.  The US State Department approved the sale of up to 40 conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) F-35As to Greece on 26 January, and the Czech government signed a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) for 24 F-35As just days later on 29 January, setting the two on...

Bahrain's new Bell AH-1Zs and 505 helicopters lined up for their induction on 5 February. (Bahrain News Agency)  Bahrain's new AH-1Z attack helicopters were formally inducted into service during a ceremony attended by King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa on 5 February, the 56th anniversary of the Bahrain Defence Force.  Bahraini television showed nine AH-1Zs lined up for the event at a location that could be identified as Sakhir Air Base, along with the Royal Bahraini Air Force's (RBAF's) three new Bell 505 training helicopters, as well as several A...

CASC's CH-7 ‘Rainbow 7' stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) has been designed to operate in hostile adversarial airspace and conduct strikes on strategic targets. (Janes/Chinese state-owned media)  China's Cai Hong 7 (Rainbow 7, or CH-7) stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) has completed testing and is on schedule to conclude development in 2024, according to Chinese state-owned media.    Developed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) and powered by an undetermined turbofan engine, the CH-7 is a...

Aircraft carrier USS   Gerald R Ford  has reported success with launching and recovery systems, but a Pentagon report says more testing is needed.  (Janes/Michael Fabey)  US Navy (USN) aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford (CVN 78) has proven the effectiveness of its flight operations and other vital systems during recent deployments and testing, but some of these systems still present reliability issues, according to the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) FY 2023 Annual Report released on 2 February....

The Netherlands is to provide Ukraine with 24 surplus F-16s. (Janes/Patrick Allen)  The Netherlands has cancelled a previously announced sale of Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft to private training contractor Draken International, freeing up additional airframes for Ukraine.  The Dutch Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the cancellation on 5 February, saying that negotiations had been suspended and that both parties had agreed to the move.  “The Netherlands had made agreements with [Draken International] in 2021 about the...

With 48 F-35Bs contracted and a further 27 being negotiated, the UK government has restated its commitment to buying 138 aircraft over the 30-plus-year life of the programme. (Crown Copyright)  The United Kingdom has reasserted its commitment to procuring 138 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning combat aircraft, having recently shied away from the full programme of record (PoR) number.  Answering questions in the House of Commons, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) James Cartlidge said on 5 February that “the UK remains committed to...

Finland is to send eight Hornet combat aircraft to NATO's Southern Air Policing mission from 3 June to 31 July. (Finnish Air Force)  Finland is to send combat aircraft to NATO's Southern Air Policing mission, marking the first out-of-area operational deployment for the Nordic country since joining the alliance.  The Finnish Ministry of Defence (MoD) made the announcement on 2 February, saying the deployment of eight Finnish Air Force (FinAF) Boeing F/A-18 Hornet combat aircraft to Romania is part of a wider raft of NATO tasking outlined for t...

Taiwan showcased the Sky Bow III surface-to-air missile system during a media event at Hualien Air Force Base in August 2022. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images)  Taiwan has initiated deployment of its Sky Bow III surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems – known locally as Tien Kung III – at existing MIM-23 Hawk and Sky Bow II air-defence system sites, a Republic of China Army (RoCA) officer told Janes on 29 January.  The move follows a budgetary report submitted by Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) to the Legislative Yuan in October 2023, w...

The US Department of Defense is working on a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with OpenAI that will be signed in the next few months, a top official in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering...

The AD Counter FPV C-UAS developed locally by Kvertus is in service with the Ukrainian military. The device disrupts FPV RF signals, rendering the threats uncontrollable. (Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine/Mykhailo Fedorov)  Ukraine is deploying a new locally developed, portable counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) that blocks first-person view (FPVs) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).  The system – AD Counter FPV – is manufactured by Ukraine company Kvertus and is designed to disrupt FPVs operating in the 850–940 MHz radio freq...

AIDC's T-5 Brave Eagle Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) and light combat aircraft is being produced and delivered with enhanced digital avionics and materials technologies. (AIDC)  Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) has delivered 27 out of 66 T-5A Brave Eagle Advanced Jet Trainers (AJTs) ordered by the Republic of China Air Force (RoCAF).  An AIDC spokesperson told Janes on 30 January that these delivery numbers are current as of December 2023. Janes understands that AIDC had achieved its annual delivery target of 17 T-5As...

Personnel from the Royal Australian Navy test an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) in Western Australia in 2021. Australia will collaborate with Japan to develop communication technologies that can enhance the interoperability of UUVs used by both countries. (Commonwealth of Australia)  Japan and Australia plan to initially focus on enhancing underwater communication technologies under a recently signed bilateral agreement to co-develop robotics and autonomous systems (RAS) for undersea warfare.  A spokesperson for Australia's Department of D...

Having previously reported that its Tiger attack helicopters would be retired in 2038, the Bundeswehr has now said this will happen in 2032. (German Army)  Germany is to retire its Airbus Helicopters Tiger attack fleet in 2032, six years earlier than the 2038 date previously reported.  The Bundeswehr confirmed the retirement date for the Tiger combat helicopter (Kampfhubschrauber: KH) in its Annual Armaments Report published on 31 January. In May 2023 Reuters cited a Bundeswehr spokesperson as saying this would happen in 2038.  “The Tiger KH...