US Army pivoting to new design process for Abrams modernisation
08 September 2023
by Meredith Roaten
Soldiers fire the army's new M1A2 SEPv3 tank at Fort Cavazos, Texas, on 18 August 2020. (US Army)
After years of upgrading the Abrams M1A2, the US Army wants to try a newbuild for the main battle tank (MBT), officials announced on 6 September.
The effort to develop the M1E3 Abrams – designated with an ‘E' to represent the prototype phase – will replace the upgrade process for the M1A2 system enhancement package version 4 effort, Brigadier General Geoffrey Norman, director of the Next Generation Combat Vehicle Cross Functional Team, said in an announcement. A new tank is needed to meet the service's requirements for greater mobility and a reduced sustainment footprint, leaders said.
The Abrams M1E3 is headed for initial operating capability in 2030, before which the service will start buying Abrams SEPv4 at a “reduced rate”, the army said.
The new capability will be lighter and have a shorter logistics tail, according to the announcement. The current tank's challenging sustainment was cited as one reason the US would not provide the capability to Ukraine prior to officials making that determination to send them.
UK reopens Fleet Helicopter Support Unit tender
10 May 2024
by Gareth Jennings
A FOST Airbus AS365N2 Dauphin operated by British International Helicopters under the FHSU requirement. The MoD has put the tender out to requirement, hoping to secure a new service starting from 1 April 2026. (Janes/Patrick Allen)
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has reopened its requirement for a Fleet Helicopter Support Unit (FHSU) provider to deliver a crewed rotary-wing service to the Royal Navy (RN), having seemingly failed to do so on previous occasions.
A notification posted on the UK government's Contract Finder website on 8 May calls for bids for a contractor-owned service to deliver military and non-military personnel for the RN and to enable the conduct of operational sea training and supporting tasks, including the transportation of freight. The MoD requires the successful bidder to be ready to deliver an initial service to specified ships from 1 April 2026, with the contract expected to run for six years.
Estonia, Moldova to receive new L3Harris radios
10 May 2024
by Olivia Savage
The EDF is procuring and sustaining some of its L3Harris communications equipment. The force currently operates the Falcon III RF-7800M-MP multiband networking manpack radio (pictured). (L3Harris Technologies)
L3Harris Technologies has been contracted by the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (ECDI) to supply its radios to the Estonian and Moldovan defence forces.
The EUR30 million (USD32.3 million) deal involves the procurement of radios, supplies, and training for the Estonian Defence Forces (EDF) as well as maintenance and support for existing equipment along with the acquisition of communication equipment for Moldova, a European Union (EU) tendering notice detailed.
For Moldova, the ECDI is procuring “different types of handheld and vehicular radios along with accessories from the Falcon product family” as part of European Peace Facility (EPF) contracts EPF22 and EPF23, a spokesperson from the ECDI informed Janes on 9 May.
Deliveries to Moldova will begin in the fourth quarter of 2024, they added.
DSA 2024: DEFTECH completes development of Aludra EE UAV
10 May 2024
by Kapil Kajal
DEFTECH's Aludra EE UAV – pictured above displayed at the DSA 2024 exhibition – has a length of 3.28 m, a width of 4.86 m, and a maximum take-off weight of 120 kg. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)
Malaysia's DRB-HICOM Defence Technologies (DEFTECH) showcased its tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) – also known as Aludra EE – at the Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2024 exhibition held in Kuala Lumpur from 6 to 9 May.
A company representative from DEFTECH told Janes at the exhibition that the development of the UAV is completed.
“The company has been testing the UAV since it was first displayed in the DSA 2022 exhibition, and DEFTECH conducted its last test with the UAV in February 2024,” the representative said.
“We [DEFTECH] have written a letter to the Royal Malaysian Air Force to conduct the user trials of the UAV and we are now awaiting a response from the service,” the representative added.
According to the company specifications, the UAV has a length of 3.28 m, a width of 4.86 m, and a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 120 kg.
After years of upgrading the Abrams M1A2, the US Army wants to try a newbuild for the main battle ta...
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