07 November 2023
by Jon Grevatt
The Spike NLOS missile has a range of 25 km. (Janes/Patrick Allen)
Thailand's Defence Technology Institute (DTI) has entered an agreement with Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to collaborate on producing the Spike family of lightweight multi-purpose electro-optical guided missile systems in the Southeast Asian country.
DTI and Rafael officials told Janes at the Defense & Security 2023 show in Bangkok on 7 November that the agreement, which was signed earlier in 2023, is initially focused on facilitating technology transfers to DTI and exploring local component manufacturing.
Under the agreement, two versions of Spike missiles could be produced in Thailand. These comprise the Spike Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) and Spike Extended Range (ER) weapons.
“If collaboration under the first phase is successful we would look to a second phase, in which we plan to expand technology transfers and production,” a DTI official said. However, he also stressed that such collaboration is also dependent on purchase contracts from the Royal Thai Armed Forces.
Should contracts be secured, DTI and Rafael plan to form a joint venture in Thailand through which larger-scale production could take place in collaboration with local industry, said the Rafael representative.
24 April 2024
by Jeremiah Cushman
Saab has developed an autonomy package for its CB 90 fast boat and demonstrated its ability to navigate the Swedish coast. Pictured above is a CB 90 that was delivered to Malaysia. (Dockstavarvet)
Saab has established a new business function to revamp how it develops and delivers products to meet changing customer requirements. Skapa, a Swedish word that means “to create, to make, or to shape”, will focus on solving customer and stakeholder problems at speed, Erik Smith, president and CEO of Saab in the United States, told reporters on 23 April. “Skapa will accelerate the development and deployment of cutting-edge solutions to our warfighters” at pace, he said.
24 April 2024
by Giles Ebbutt
The XR Training consortium's USMC Amphibious Combat Vehicle driver simulator in its seat configuration with two DoF motion platform. The Vive HTC Elite headset is on the seat. The Instructor station laptop is on the table behind. (XR Training)
A consortium led by XR Training has been awarded a contract by the US Marine Corps (USMC) under an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) to produce a driver training simulator for the new Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV). The value of the contract was not disclosed but Neil Levin, XR Training CEO, told Janes that it was “in the high seven-figure area”.
The consortium, which also includes Talon Simulations (hardware), 302 Interactive (software development), and Theory Studios (modelling and visuals), will deliver 81 simulators by the end of 2024, followed by a two-year training and sustainment period. Most simulators will be deployed to Camps Pendleton and Lejeune, with some for use for “schoolhouse” training and some for deploying units.
18 April 2024
by Jeremiah Cushman
Actual and planned Canadian defence spending by category from 2021–22 to 2026–27. (Janes)
The Canadian government released its fiscal year (FY) 2024 defence budget on 16 April. The document projects spending of CAD33.8 billion (USD24.6 billion) in 2024–25, including adjustments from the Budget 2023 Refocusing Government Spending Exercise and incremental funding in the 2024 budget, although it warns that forecast amounts may change as programmes move through implementation. This is an increase from the forecast CAD29.9 billion spending in 2023–24, according to the document.
The 2024–25 main estimates produced by the Treasury Board projected defence spending of CAD30.6 billion, a small increase from the latest spending estimate for 2023–24, which totalled CAD30.3 billion. This is a 14% increase over the initial 2023–24 main estimate of CAD26.5 billion, according to Treasury Board figures. Expenditures in 2022–23 totalled CAD26.9 billion.
Thailand's Defence Technology Institute (DTI) has entered an agreement with Israel's Rafael Advanced...
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