A mock-up of the Eurodrone displayed at the Paris Air Show 2023. Japan has now joined the programme as an observer. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)  Japan has attained official observer status on the Eurodrone project, the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) announced on 30 November.  The letter of approval was presented in Berlin by OCCAR Executive Administration Director Joachim Sucker to the Japanese Ambassador to Germany, Hidenao Yanagi.  Also known as the European medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) remotely piloted air system...

Anduril's Roadrunner-M C-UAS vehicle. (Anduril)    Anduril unveiled a reusable, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) air vehicle on 1 December. The twin turbojet-powered vehicle, dubbed Roadrunner, can be fitted with modular payloads, while the Roadrunner-M (Munition) is intended as a counter-unmanned aircraft    system (C-UAS).   The company said in a statement that the Roadrunner is capable of “high subsonic speeds and extreme maneuverability”, though specifications were not immediately available.  The Roadrunner can be l...

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket (pictured) launched South Korea's first military reconnaissance satellite on 1 December. The satellite is expected to strengthen the RoK Armed Forces' early warning capabilities against potential North Korean threats. (SpaceX)  South Korea has launched its first military reconnaissance satellite using SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.  The Falcon 9 rocket carrying the reconnaissance satellite was launched from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on 1 December, South Korea's Ministry of National Defense (MND) announc...

A Republic of Korea Air Force Lockheed Martin F-35A drops a GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb during a training exercise in November 2022. (South Korea MND)  The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sales (FMS) of munitions for South Korea's Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning IIs.  In an announcement on 1 December the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said that the South Korean government had requested the purchase of a range of air-launched munitions for the Republic of Korea Air Force's (RoKAF's) F-35. The...

Despite concerns over submarine-building capacity to meet AUKUS Pillar 1 needs, AUKUS countries are moving ahead with Pillar 2 efforts. (Janes/Michael Fabey)  While questions remain about the ability of Australia, the UK, and the US (AUKUS) to meet submarine requirement commitments for their AUKUS Pillar 1 agreement, the trio of defence partners detailed more specific Pillar 2 ambitions on 1 December.  Defence and government officials underscored plans aimed to better develop technology related to autonomous operations, electronic warfare (EW...

An artist's portrayal of the Northrop Grumman LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile. (Northrop Grumman)  The US is undergoing large-scale recapitalisation of its nuclear deterrent capability, with warheads central in this process: five warhead programmes are under way, two of which are in production and in-service phases, and three programmes are in development, according to a Department of Energy (DoE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) annual report.  The two in production are the B61-12 air-launched gravity bomb,...

Seen in Portuguese colours and markings, the KC-390 will be flown by the Netherlands also. (Embraer)  Netherlands Industries for Defence and Security (NIDV) and Embraer have agreed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) geared at co-operation between the respective national defence sectors in general, and specifically related to the Brazilian-built C-390 Millennium transport aircraft and A-29 Super Tucano light attack and trainer aircraft.  Signed on 30 November, the MOU followed the Netherlands' recent selection of the C-390 airlifter to meet i...

The BAAINBw has ordered 50 Dingo 2 A4.1 armoured vehicles from KNDS. (Bundeswehr)  The Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr (BAAINBw), Germany's Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support, and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann + Nexter Defense Systems (KNDS) announced on 30 November that they had signed a contract for 50 Dingo 2 A4.1 armoured vehicles the day before. KNDS said in a press release that the vehicles would replace Dingo 2s transferred by the Bundeswehr to Ukraine...

Australia, the UK, and the US are looking for more streamlined processes to share submarine-building technology for AUKUS. (Janes/Michael Fabey)  Australia, the UK, and the US will need to depend on industry and more streamlined processes for sharing data and technology for their AUKUS agreement to succeed, according to US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins.  “There's no way we're going to do this without industry being involved,” Jenkins said during a 27 AUKUS discussion at the Atlantic Counci...

The Royal Canadian Air Force will operate 14 P-8A Poseidon multimission maritime aircraft, with the option to acquire a further two at a later date. (Boeing)  Canada has selected the Boeing P-8A Poseidon multimission maritime aircraft (MMA) to fulfil its Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) requirement.  The decision was announced on 30 November, with the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) saying that up to 16 Poseidons (14, plus an option for an additional two) will be acquired. These will replace the Royal Canadian Air Force's...

The new multi-purpose vessel, which will be named   D João II  , is planned to enter service in the second half of 2026.  (Damen)  Damen Shipyards Group has been awarded a contract for the design, construction, and outfitting of a new multi-purpose vessel for the Portuguese Navy.  Announcing the contract award on 24 November, Damen said the 107 m-long vessel had been designed to meet the Portuguese Navy's requirement for a platform that combined oceanic research with unmanned systems deployment capabilities.  The...

The Sting Ray torpedo is to be integrated aboard the RAF's fleet of Poseidon MRA1 aircraft. (Crown Copyright)  The United Kingdom is to arm its fleet of Boeing P-8A Poseidon MRA1 maritime multimission aircraft (MMA) with the domestically developed Sting Ray torpedo.  The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the decision on 30 November, saying the British-built Sting Ray will be used alongside the US-built Mk 54 torpedo that was delivered as part of the US government's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) package.  “The programme to integrate Sting Ray...

Displayed as a mock-up at the ILA Berlin Air Show in 2022, the Eurofighter EK has now been approved by the Bundestag. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)  The German Bundestag has approved development of the Eurofighter Elektronischer Kampf (EK) electronic warfare (EW) aircraft for the Luftwaffe.  The Luftwaffe and Airbus (Germany's lead contractor in the Eurofighter consortium) announced the budgetary committee approval on 29 November, saying 15 aircraft will be upgraded for electronic attack (EA) and suppression/destruction of enemy air defence (SEAD/D...

A model of the Airbus SIRTAP UAS, displayed in Paris at Eurosatory 2022. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)  Spain has acquired the Airbus SIRTAP unmanned aircraft system (UAS), the manufacturer announced on 29 November.  The Spanish Ministry of Defence (MoD) has contracted nine systems comprising a total of 27 air vehicles and nine ground control stations. Two simulators have also been acquired.  “Airbus has signed a contract with the Spanish Ministry of Defence for the development and acquisition of SIRTAP, a high-performance tactical UAS that will re...

Lithuania has acquired three of the latest variant H145M D3 helicopters for its border guards. (Airbus Helicopters)  Lithuania has acquired three Airbus Helicopters H145M rotorcraft that its State Border Guard Service (Valstybės Sienos Apsaugos Tarnyba: VSAT) will use for special forces deployment and other roles.  Airbus announced the contract on 29 November, saying that the latest D3-standard H145M helicopters will also be used for search and rescue, disaster relief, medical evacuation, border patrol, firefighting, and for the transport of...

One of the first of 32 F-16s for Romania being handed over by Norway's defence minister on 28 November. (Norwegian Armed Forces)  Romania has received from Norway the first of 32 surplus Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft it contracted in November 2022.  The Norwegian Armed Forces announced the transfer of the first three aircraft on 28 November, saying the jets were flown by Romanian Air Force pilots from Rygge Air Station to their future home operating station at the 86th Fetesti Air Base in eastern Romania.  “The sale of...

With a Royal Saudi Air Force requirement to replace its ageing C-130 Hercules airlifters, the C-390 Millennium (pictured) is a possible contender. (Embraer)  Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) and Embraer have agreed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) geared at co-operation between the respective national defence sectors in general, and specifically towards promoting the Brazilian built C-390 Millennium transport aircraft to the kingdom.  Signed on 29 November, the MOU will see both companies work to develop Saudi Arabia's defence indu...

One of the two MQ-9A Block 5-15 air vehicles currently operating with Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 1 (VMU-1). The accompanying artist's rendering shows an MQ-9A Block 5-25 in VMU-1 colours. The SkyTower ANE pod is carried beneath the MQ-9A's left wing on stores station 2. (NAVAIR)  Canada's planned purchase of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9 Reaper under the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) programme has been delayed from 2025 to 2028, the country's Department of National Defence (DND) told Janes on...

Boeing MQ-25A Stingray test aircraft T1 refuels an F/A-18 Super Hornet in June 2021. The first engineering, manufacturing, and development aircraft is scheduled to be delivered to the US Navy in FY 2025. (US Navy)  A report by the US Department of Defense (DoD) Inspector General (IG) recommended a delay to the US Navy's (USN's) Boeing MQ-25A Stingray purchase.  The report, released on 20 November, found that the USN's schedule includes making a Milestone C decision or certifying that the programme can move from engineering and manufacturing d...

Taiwan is preparing to retire its Northrop F-5E/F fleet from operational service before the end of 2023. (Annabelle Chih/Getty Images)  Taiwan's Republic of China Air Force (RoCAF) is preparing to withdraw its ageing Northrop F-5 E/F Tiger II fleet from operational service by the end of 2023 and replace them with Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) T-5 Brave Eagle trainers.    In a statement on its   Youth DailyNews   newspaper on 28 November, the Taiwanese Ministry of National Defence (MND) said  ,...