Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko presented Kyiv's draft 2023 state budget to parliament on 21 September. The bill includes a record UAH857.9 billion (USD23.02 billion) allocated to defence, which is equivalent to a third of total governm...

The UK MoD does not expect a delay in the Boxer programme, despite supply chain pressures. (Rheinmetall)  Supply chain pressures are not expected to delay the British Army's Boxer Mechanised Infantry Vehicle programme, according to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD).  The British Army's Boxer programme director, Colonel Iain Fake, said on the second day of the Defence Vehicle Dynamics (DVD) 2022 event held at the Millbrook Proving Ground from 21 to 22 September that some electronic components were taking 55 weeks to source because of the Covid-...

DSME's existing programmes include the construction of KSS-III diesel-electric submarines for the Republic of Korea Navy. The second submarine in this class is pictured above at its launch in November 2020. (Republic of Korea Navy)  South Korea's Hanwha Group has signed a preliminary agreement to acquire a controlling stake in Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), one of the country's biggest naval shipbuilders.  Hanwha said on 26 September that its conditional memorandum of understanding (MOU) with DSME enables the group to secur...

QinetiQ's Talon 6N EOD UGV demonstrated at DVD 2022. The vehicle is pictured lifting a 12.5 kg weight from behind an obstacle. (Janes/Alexander Stronell)  QinetiQ has exhibited the Talon 6 explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) robot for the first time at the Defence Vehicle Dynamics (DVD) 2022, the British Army's biennial defence industry exhibition, held at the Millbrook Proving Ground from 21 to 22 September.  As the name would imply, the Talon 6 is the latest in the Talon series of EOD unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) developed by QinetiQ, whic...

Although the RAM Block 2 (pictured here) has a larger motor than the RAM Block 1 and 1A, all three can be fired from the same launcher. (Raytheon)  The German federal parliament's budget committee has authorised the procurement of 600 RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Block 2B quick reaction surface-to-air guided missiles for the German Navy.  In a 22 September announcement, the German Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that the 600 missiles will be delivered between 2024 and 2029 under a contract worth EUR560 million (USD542 million). The a...

A Mastiff 3 fitted with NP Aerospace's upgraded suspension kit was displayed at DVD 2022. This is one of the 12 different types of vehicles that make up the British Army's existing fleet of protected mobility vehicles. (Janes/Christopher Petrov)  The British Army elaborated on its plans to rationalise its protected mobility vehicle fleet at the Defence Vehicle Dynamics (DVD) 2022 event held at the Millbrook Proving Ground from 21 to 22 September.  During a presentation at the event on 22 September, Brigadier Mike Fayers, head of military capa...

UK Royal Air Force crews are supposed to undergo training on the MQ-9B Protector UAV near the site of a proposed Chinese corn mill in the US. (Crown Copyright)  US defence contractor General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc (GA-ASI), which has a significant presence near Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota, is urging the US government to block Chinese company Fufeng Group from building an agricultural facility near the military installation, citing national security concerns.  GA-ASI asserted on 20 September that the Chinese governmen...

French Boeing E-3F Sentry AWACS to get latest military tactical datalink. (Boeing)  The Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminal Block Upgrade 2 (MIDS-LVT BU2) has been qualified for use on all four of the French Air and Space Force Boeing E-3F Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.  Announced by the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) on 22 September, the new terminal will enable the operation of the latest-generation Link 16 military tactical data network on its aircraft in September−Novem...

The British Army is planning to increase the size of the UK's M270 MLRS fleet under plans to boost the service's deep fires capabilities. (Crown copyright)  Richard Smart, Senior Responsible Officer for Joint Effects at British Army Headquarters in Andover, outlined plans to increase both the capability and numbers of M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRSs) in the UK service on the second day of the Defence Vehicle Dynamics (DVD) 2022 event held at the Millbrook Proving Ground from 21 to 22 September.  Smart said that the first MLRS had g...

Horiba Mira's Viking unmanned ground vehicle exhibited in the logistics and resupply configuration at DVD 2022. (Janes/Alexander Stronell)    Horiba Mira is to deliver two Viking unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) in an intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) configuration to the British Army in 2023,   Janes  has learnt.     Speaking to   Janes  at the Defence Vehicle Dynamics (DVD) 2022 – the British Army's biennial defence industry exhibition – Andrew Maloney, chief engine...

Seen in Luftwaffe service, the Eurofighter could be an option for Turkey should continuing discussions with the United States over the F-16 fail to yield results. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)  Turkey has, for the first time, officially pronounced a possible purchase of Eurofighter Typhoons in case if the United States fails to sell Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcons.  İbrahim Kalın, Turkey's presidential spokesperson, confirmed the previously reported plan, telling local NTV news channel on 23 September, “We have negotiations with Europe regard...

A USMC Amphibious Combat Vehicle heads into the water. US marines can again train with the vehicles in open-water areas and surf zones since a July 2022 accident with two vehicles. (BAE Systems)  US marines are once again allowed to train with Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACVs) in open water and surf zones but they can only operate the vehicles when the breaker height is less than four feet.  The US Marine Corps (USMC) ACV fleet has been sidelined from open-water operations since July when two vehicles were involved in an accident during a mor...

Hensoldt South Africa officially launched a production-ready model of its ASTUS TUAS at the Africa Aerospace & Defence (AAD) 2022 expo in Pretoria. (Janes/Akshara Parakala)  Hensoldt South Africa (SA), part of German sensor maker Hensoldt, officially launched a production-ready model of its ASTUS tactical unmanned aerial systems (TUASs) at the Africa Aerospace & Defence (AAD) 2022 expo in Pretoria from 21 to 25 September.  ASTUS unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), developed from 2017 by Tellumat South Africa (acquired by Hensoldt in 2021), has...

The fully loaded Milkor 380 UCAV was showcased for the first time at AAD 2022. (Janes/Akshara Parakala)  South African-based Milkor showcased a fully loaded prototype of its 380 medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) at the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2022 expo held in Pretoria from 21 to 25 September.  Ghaazim Rylands, CEO of Milkor Integrated Systems, a division of Milkor for manufacture and integration of the Milkor 380 UCAV, told Janes on 22 September that “the first prototype is undergoing grou...

A Royal Malaysian Navy Keris-class LMS. The service has proposed a MYR2.4 billion plan to procure three improved variants of this class under its 2023 budget. (Pieter Sinke)  The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) has laid out a MYR2.4 billion (USD524.84 million) proposal to procure an initial batch of three improved Littoral Mission Ship (LMS) vessels under the country's next defence budget.  Documents provided to Janes indicate that the plan is being proposed under the RMN's ‘Rolling Plan 3' of the 12th Malaysia Plan, which runs from 2021 to 2025....

The Loki is to be developed as a technology demonstrator. (Janes/Akshara Parakala)  Making its debut at the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2022 expo in South Africa was a mock-up of Denel Aerospace Systems' high-speed recoverable aerial target, Loki.  Under development driven by the requirements of the Armaments Corporation of South Africa (ARMSCOR), the procurement agency of the South African Department of Defence (DoD), and the South African Air Force (SAAF), Loki is to be developed as a technology demonstrator.  The target is envisaged...

The first of six H160 helicopters for the French Navy was handed over by service provider Babcock on 22 September. (Jean-Marc Tanguy)  Babcock delivered its first Airbus Helicopters H160 rotorcraft to the French Navy on 22 September during a ceremony at Hyères Naval Air Station (NAS) in southeastern France.  The helicopter was the first of six that have been leased by Babcock as a service provider for 10 years. With the remainder to follow by the end of 2023, they are to be used for maritime search and rescue (SAR) and interdiction missions b...

The Baha UAV developed by Turkey's Havelsan on show at AAD 2022. (Janes/Akshara Parakala)  Turkey's Havelsan exhibited its latest iteration of indigenously developed fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) swarm-capable autonomous Baha unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2022 expo, held from 21 to 25 September, in South Africa.  The Baha is a small UAV developed to conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions with the ability to perform as an independent platform and in alli...

A BrahMos PJ-10 missile is launched from the vertical launching system (VLS) of the Rajput-class destroyer INS   Ranvir  .  (Defence Research and Development Organisation)  India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has decided to acquire more BrahMos PJ-10 supersonic cruise missiles for the Indian Navy.  The MoD signed a contract worth about INR17 billion (USD213.3 million) with BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited (BAPL) on 22 September for procuring “additional dual-role”-capable BrahMos PJ-10 missiles to “enhance the oper...

RBSL selects Elbit Systems UK ELAWS protection system for Challenger 3. (RBSL)  Elbit Systems UK (ESUK) will deliver its laser protection system for Challenger 3 main battle tanks (MBTs).  ESUK has been selected by Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) to deliver 150 of its Laser Warning Systems (ELAWS) for the Challenger 3 (CR3) programme, ESUK announced on 22 September.  An ESUK spokesperson was unable to disclose further details regarding the subcontract.  ELAWS can detect, categorise, and accurately pinpoint laser sources such as from range...