08 March 2022
by Nicholas Fiorenza
Zhytomyr products included the Strazh fire support vehicle, pictured at the 2017 Arms and Security Exhibition in Kyiv. (Janes/Samuel Cranny-Evans)
Ukroboronprom's Zhytomyr Armour Plant was destroyed and three people were killed, according to media reports on 6 March. CNN said it had authenticated a geolocated video posted on Telegram showing the levelled plant to support Russian claims of ‘demilitarising' Ukraine.
A Ukroboronprom spokesperson would not confirm to Janes on 7 March the destruction of the plant but said the conglomerate's enterprises “are currently operating in intensive mode. The information on the status of the enterprises is classified”.
The spokesperson referred to a statement posted on Ukroboronprom's website on 26 February: “We can't disclose the details of the situation at our defence enterprises to avoid assisting the enemy ... The plants are currently operating according to their schedules and algorithms agreed for each enterprise. In some cases, all design and other documentation has been relocated. Ukroboronprom enterprises work seven days a week, without weekends.”
The statement added that Russian attacks on Ukroboronprom plants had been repulsed by the Ukrainian armed forces, national security service, and national police.
Ukroboronprom said in a statement on 28 February that its enterprises had transferred military equipment, including more than 50 tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, armoured personnel carriers, and tanks; more than 45 special, cargo, and passenger vehicles; 574 mortars and grenade launchers; more than 170 other weapons; 600 missiles; 105,000 rounds of ammunition; and 12,000 explosive devices to the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, the Territorial Defence Forces, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and other law-enforcement agencies.
Ukroboronprom reported on its website on 2 March that it had transported armoured and other special vehicles and small arms over the past two days. The conglomerate stated on its website on 4 March that its enterprises continued to repair and manufacture weapons and military equipment for the Ukrainian army.
Although it did not admit to the destruction of the Zhytomyr Armour Plant, Ukroboronprom announced on its website on 27 February that Russian forces destroyed the An-225, the largest aircraft in the world, on 24 February at Antonov's airfield in Hostomel near Kyiv, where it was undergoing maintenance. Ukroboronprom said restoring the aircraft would cost more than USD3 billion and take more than five years.
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.
Ukroboronprom's Zhytomyr Armour Plant was destroyed and three people were killed, according to media...
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