The British Army will own 14 Archer SPHs from early April. (Bofors Defence)

UK Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace and Swedish Minister of Defence Pål Jonson signed a letter of intent (LOI) in London on 29 March on a bilateral strategic partnership. The Swedish and UK ministries of defence (MoDs) said in press releases on 28 and 29 March, respectively, that the signing of the LOI strengthened bilateral military co-operation and the two countries' defence relationship.

The two MoDs linked Jonson and Wallace's meeting in London to Sweden's sale of 14 Archer self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) to the UK, which the Swedish MoD said would enable the donation of British Army AS90 SPHs to Ukraine.

The Swedish MoD added that UK-Swedish co-operation aimed to improve logistics and maintenance of artillery systems donated to Ukraine. The ministry gave training, exercises, procurement of spare parts, and certification of ammunition as examples of planned UK-Swedish co-operation on the use of Archer. Janes has learned that other areas of co-operation include support and training packages.

A spokesperson for the British Army told Janes

MBDA Enforcer. (Janes/Amael Kotlarski)

MBDA's Enforcer lightweight missile launcher is in the final qualification phases and first deliveries to the German customer are expected in 2024, company officials told Janes at the SOFINS 2023 exhibition, near Bordeaux, France.

Developed by MBDA Germany at the request of German special forces, the Enforcer is designed to complement the Wirkmittel 90 (RGW 90) already in use. Under a contract signed in 2019, up to 3,000 Enforcer systems will be delivered to the German special forces, in whose service it will be known as the Wirkmittel 1,800+.

The Enforcer system consists of an 89 mm, lightweight, fire-and-forget, disposable missile launcher. The weapon weighs approximately 10 kg and can be used with either the Aimpoint Fire Control

Nexter Colibri loitering munition. (Janes/Amael Kotlarski)

Nexter revealed the design of its Dard (Stinger) loitering munition at the SOFINS 2023 defence exhibition, held near Bordeaux, France.

The Dard was selected as part of France's Colibri project, launched in May 2022 by the Direction générale de l'armement (DGA) and the Agence de l'innovation de défense (AID). The Colibri project seeks to rapidly develop an indigenous, low-cost loitering munition for use with the French Armed Forces. The Colibri requirements call for a loitering munition capable of neutralising personnel and soft-skinned vehicles at a range of up to 5 km. Nexter, alongside an unnamed French unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturer, was selected earlier this month to fulfil the Colibri requirements. The first deliveries are expected to take place in 2024.