05 October 2021
by Jean-Marc Tanguy
The delivery of 12 used Rafale fighters to Greece began on 21 July, for which the French air force will be compensated with 12 new ones. (Dassault Aviation/C Cosmao)
France has been increasing the number of export contracts in recent months, favouring transfers of equipment promised to the French air force and navy.
For example, the sale of 24 Rafale fighters to Greece and Croatia has resulted in their removal from operational service with French air force squadrons. These second-hand aircraft will take a year to be upgraded for export customer requirements.
The 12 used Rafales are being delivered to Greece, for which the French air force will be compensated with 12 new ones to be delivered by Dassault Aviation in 2024–25. The aircraft destined for Croatia will be withdrawn soon, but at this stage their replacement is not yet planned.
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.
11 April 2024
by Zach Rosenberg
A Nigerian A-29 Super Tucano is pictured here. Embraer Defence CEO Bosco da Costa sees potential for up to 450 Super Tucanos over 20 years, including from Africa. (US Africa Command Public Affairs)
Embraer Defence & Security sees a market for up to 490 A-29 Super Tucano trainer and attack aircraft over the next two decades, Embraer president and CEO Bosco da Costa Jr told Janes on 10 April at the FIDAE 2024 airshow in Santiago, Chile.
“We are in touch with several countries around the world, not only here in South America, but we have some potential [customers] in Africa, in Asia, and in Europe as well,” said da Costa. “We are in advanced conversations with countries in Europe [and] in advanced conversations with countries in Asia. I cannot disclose the countries because the defence procurement process does not allow us to do that. But I assure you that we are now in a final stage in some of them.”
11 April 2024
by Olivia Savage
Saab has been contracted to upgrade the army's live training capability. Pictured are troops practising their debussing drills from a Saab DFWES-equipped Warrior infantry combat vehicle in Alberta. (Janes)
The British Army has signed a GBP60 million (USD75.7 million) three-year support contract with Saab to improve its live training capability.
The contract – Instrumented Live Training (ILT-D) – is replacing the existing Direct Fire Weapon Effects Simulator (DFWES) contract with Saab and will involve modernising its live training capabilities to improve interoperability and address obsolescence.
ILT-D is essentially a mid-life upgrade of the DFWES capability that will comprise upgrading and providing the latest soldier and vehicle training systems as well as EXCON software to ensure it remains relevant to the army's evolving training needs and is interoperable with its allies, Joakim Alhbin, the vice-president of Training and Simulation at Saab, informed Janes and other media representatives at the International Training Technology Exhibition & Conference (IT²EC) 2024.
DFWES is a laser-based Tactical Engagement Simulation (TES) capability that simulates direct and indirect fire.
France has been increasing the number of export contracts in recent months, favouring transfers of e...
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