08 January 2024
by Jeremy Binnie
The 120 mm guided mortar round that was recovered in North Kivu province in the DRC in June 2023. (United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo via the United Nations Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of Congo)
Sophisticated guided mortar rounds are being used to attack the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) in the eastern province of North Kivu, according to the latest report from the United Nations Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Released on 3 January, the report included a photograph of a previously undocumented 120 mm guided mortar round that was found in Murambi in June 2023. The unexploded munition was missing the pop-out fins that guide it to its target and its tail.
While the group of experts did not identify the mortar round, saying it was working to trace its origin, the report included a marketing image for the 120 mm Stylet round made by Israel's Elbit Systems to illustrate what the munition would have looked like when undamaged.
25 April 2024
by Gareth Jennings
An AARGM-ER seen being test fitted into the internal weapons bay of an F-35 combat aircraft. The US has approved the sale of the missile to both the Netherlands and Poland. (Northrop Grumman)
The US government has approved the sale of the Northrop Grumman AGM-88G Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile – Extended Range (AARGM-ER) to the Netherlands and Poland.
Announced by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on 24 April, the approvals cover 265 of the suppression of enemy air defences/destruction of enemy air defences (SEAD/DEAD) missiles for the Netherlands for approximately USD700 million, and 360 missiles for Poland for approximately USD1.275 billion. Both approvals cover related equipment, training, and support.
“The proposed sale will improve the Netherlands'/Poland's capability to meet current and future threats by strengthening its self-defence capabilities to suppress and destroy land- or sea-based radar emitters associated with enemy air defences. This capability denies the adversary the use of its air-defence systems, thereby improving the survivability of the Netherlands'/Poland's tactical aircraft,” the DSCA said of both approvals.
18 March 2024
by Ridzwan Rahmat
An Exocet MM40 Block 3 missile being launched from an Indonesian Navy Bung Tomo-class frigate. The country's latest attempt to replenish its stock of Exocet missiles has been delayed by non-conformity issues. (Indonesian Navy Armada I)
Indonesia will have to restart a process to replenish the country's stock of MBDA Exocet MM40 Block 3 anti-ship missiles after an earlier attempt failed because of licensing non-conformity issues.
A 24 February letter from the Indonesian Ministry of Finance's (MoF's) Directorate General of Budget Financing and Risk Management sent to various departments at the country's Ministry of Defense (MoD) confirmed that a previously granted permission to procure the missiles with foreign loans has now lapsed.
A copy of the letter was provided to Janes on 18 March by sources close to the procurement process.
In the letter, the MoF advised the respective MoD departments to resubmit a request for a total of three programmes for which the permission to take on foreign loans has lapsed, including the Exocet missile procurement.
18 March 2024
by Neil Dee
EvoLogics Sonobot 5 USV being demonstrated at Oceanology International 2024 in London on 13 March. (Janes/Neil Dee)
German company EvoLogics is planning to deliver a further batch of Sonobot unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) to the Ukrainian armed forces. EvoLogics CEO Fabian Bannasch told Janes at Oceanology International 2024, held in London on 12–14 March, that his company is “currently preparing a fourth configuration of Sonobot with enhanced underwater data networking and positioning capabilities in order to guide and support complex underwater missions with dive teams, and AUVs [autonomous underwater vehicles] where the Sonobot will be the gateway buoy at the surface” for the Ukrainian armed forces. Sonobots are a family of small USVs of about 1.3 m in length that can be folded and transported by a single person.
Sophisticated guided mortar rounds are being used to attack the Armed Forces of the Democratic Repub...
In this podcast Janes analysts discuss the Iranian attacks on Israel on the 14 April. They highlight the military systems used by Iran and the performance and impact of these on Israel. They also discuss the implications of this attack goi...
Listen now