The USAF intends to purchase 42 F-35s in FY2025, a lower number than FY 2024. An A-model aircraft is shown. (Lockheed Martin)  The US Air Force's (USAF's) fiscal year (FY) 2025 presidential budget request includes the acquisition of at least 90 aircraft and hundreds of missiles.  Aircraft lead the USAF procurement budget with 82 platforms listed in briefing materials, revealed on 11 March.  The procurement of Lockheed Martin F-35As leads with USD5.9 billion for 42 aircraft, down from the FY 2024 request of USD6.1 billion for 48 F-35s. The F-3...

A THAAD interceptor is launched from the Reagan Test Site, Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, during Flight Test THAAD-23, August 30, 2019 (The Pentagon's FY 2025 budget request includes USD247 million for 12 THAAD interceptors.)    The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has requested USD639.9    million for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) programme in fiscal year (FY) 2025.   This funding would procure 12 THAAD interceptors for USD247 million, according to Pentagon budget documents publis...

South Korea defence budget, 2015–30. (Janes)  South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has announced a business plan for 2024 aimed at driving developments in military capability and boosting domestic defence innovation and exports.  DAPA said on 8 March that its ‘major business implementation plan for 2024' is a response to increased threats from North Korea and growing international defence industrial competition. The plan is supported by South Korea's 2024 new defence budget and its associated five-year funding plan....

The US Navy's FY2025 budget requests includes funding for carrier Enterprise, being built now at Newport News Shipbuilding. (Michael Fabey)    The US Navy (USN) is requesting about USD1.9 billion in its fiscal year (FY) 2025 budget request to continue incremental funding of Ford-class aircraft carriers   Enterprise  (CVN 80) and   Doris Miller  (CVN 81), roughly the same amount requested for similar needs in FY 2024, according to budget documents released on 11 March.   The FY2025 represents the eighth increment...

Polish Treasury and Armaments Agency ordered over 6,000 Carl-Gustaf M4 recoilless rifles from Saab on 4 March 2024. (Saab)  The Polish Ministry of National Defence (MND), Armaments Agency (AA), and Saab announced an order for more than 6,000 Carl-Gustaf M4 recoilless rifles on their websites on 4 March.    Saab valued the agreement between it and the Polish State Treasury and AA at SEK12.9 billion (USD1.26 billion), although the AA gave a higher value of over PLN6 billion (USD1.53 billion). A Saab spokesperson told   Janes  on...

USS   Portland  has been outfitted with a Laser Weapon System Demonstrator.  (US Navy)  US Navy (USN) Secretary Carlos Del Toro highlighted milestones and development of surface ship combat systems equipment and directed energy weapons on 7 March during the 2024 McAleese Defense Programs Conference.  “We are pushing the bounds of tactics and capability with the future [landing transport dock] USS Richard M McCoolJr (LPD 29),” Del Toro said. “Earlier this year, she was fitted with the Enterprise Air Surveillance R...

The Republic of China Air Force (RoCAF) uses its E-2K Hawkeye fleet for aerial surveillance and command-and-control operations. (Annabelle Chih/Getty Images)  Northrop Grumman and Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) have announced a partnership to collaborate on a possible upgrade of Taiwan's Northrop Grumman E-2K Hawkeye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) fleet.  According to AIDC, the Republic of China Air Force (RoCAF) requires a strengthening of its reconnaissance, search, and early warning capabilities to offset t...

HMS   St Albans  heads back out to sea after a longhaul refit at HMNB Devonport in Plymouth.  (Crown Copyright)    The UK Royal Navy's (RN's) Duke-class Type 23 frigate HMS   St Albans   (F 83) has returned to sea following the completion of a major life-extension (LIFEX) refit.   St Albans  departed HMNB Devonport on 1 March to begin a period of post-refit trials, the RN announced the same day.   After completing sea trials and subsequent UK-based training, the ship is planned to be...

The CEW-102E UAV countermeasure system replica is displayed at DIMDEX 2024. (Janes/Ajay Shankar Pandey)    China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) is deploying a new counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) suite known as the CEW-102E from domestic company Poly Defence,  Janes  learnt at the DIMDEX 2024 show held in Doha from 4 to 6 March.     A spokesperson for the company was unable to provide details to  Janes  about when and how many units had been ordered.   The CEW-102E is an integrated detection, tr...

US B-52 Stratofortress crews look at an AGM-183 Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) during a hypersonic weapon familiarisation briefing at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, on 27 February. The yellow bands on the missile indicate that it is a live round. (USAF/SSgt Pedro Tenorio)  The US Air Force (USAF) has deployed a hypersonic AGM-183 Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) on Guam for testing.  The presence of this hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) was disclosed in USAF-published photographs on 28 February. The missile's appearance on G...

General Dynamics submitted one Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle prototype to the US Marine Corps for testing in 2023. (General Dynamics Land Systems )  The two competitors for the first variant of the US Marine Corps (USMC) Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) have been selected to prototype the second variant as well, the marines announced on 7 March.  Textron Systems and General Dynamics Land Systems received contracts to build one prototype each of an ARV with a 30 mm medium-calibre autocannon (ARV-30), according to a Program Executive Off...

XSS-11 was designed to advance technologies and techniques to increase the level of autonomy, guidance, and safety for microsatellites. However, US officials say it could be used to carry out RPOs as part of an ASAT mission. (USAF research labatory)  The US Space Force (USSF) is looking to industry to provide inputs in support of its efforts to develop an operational architecture for a new slate of satellites and payloads operating at geosynchronous orbit (GEO), according to a 5 March USSF request for information (RFI).  USSF's Space Systems...

US soldiers carry out the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical Transportable Tactical Command Communications operational test at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. (US Army)  US Army officials are looking to develop a new slate of zero trust software for use on the service's tactical networks as a way to further insulate battlefield command, control, and communications operations from rapidly maturing cyber threats.  Industry proposals for tactical zero trust software are due to programme officials at the army's Command, Control, Co...

A model of Schiebel's Camcopter S-300 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Schiebel in collaboration with South Korea's Hanwha Systems and UI Helicopter will provide three Camcopter S-300s equipped with locally developed synthetic aperture radars (SARs) and electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors to the RoK Navy. (Janes)    The Republic of Korea (RoK) Navy plans to equip two undisclosed classes of its vessels with Schiebel's Camcopter S-300 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the company confirmed to  Ja...

An artist's visualisation of Singapore's future MRCV. Steel for the first-of-class was cut on 8 March 2024. (Singapore Ministry of Defence)  Singapore's ST Engineering Marine held a steel-cutting ceremony for the country's first multirole combat vessel (MRCV) on 8 March.  The steel was ceremonially cut by Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) Chief Rear Admiral Sean Wat, who was joined by representatives from the country's Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA).  “This marks a significant milestone for the MRCV project, which is projected to...

The Nexter CAESAR 6×6 self-propelled artillery is one of the four competitors that compete to meet the Brazilian Army's VBC OAP 155 mm SR project. (Victor Barreira)  The Brazilian Army has shortlisted four companies as part of its VBC OAP 155 mm SR (Viatura Blindada de Combate Obuseiro Autopropulsado 155mm Sobre Rodas) 155 mm/52 wheeled self-propelled armoured combat vehicle howitzer project.  Brazilian logistics command – responsible for the multiphase project together with the army artillery command – has shortlisted Nexter CAESAR 6×6, Elbi...

A computer-generated image of Damen's MPSS 7000 design, with the larger MPSS 9000 behind. (Damen)  The Portuguese Navy has signed a contract covering the design, construction, and outfitting of one of Damen's new Multi-Purpose Support Ships (MPSSs), the Dutch shipyard group announced during the DIMDEX 2024 show held in Doha from 4 to 6 March.  It said in a press release that it has specifically developed the 107 m MPSS for the Portuguese Navy's requirement for a “truly multi-purpose vessel” designed for oceanic research, search-and-rescue, em...

The first Saab 340 Erieye AEW&C aircraft for Poland was delivered on 6 March. (Polish Ministry of National Defense)  Poland has received the first of two Saab 340 Erieye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft contracted in 2023.  Secretary of State at the Ministry of National Defense (MND) Paweł Bejda made the announcement on 6 March, saying in-country acceptance testing will take place before the aircraft is handed over to the Polish Armed Forces.  The milestone came about five months after the first aircraft was officially pres...

The Gaza UAV displayed at the Iranian stand at DIMDEX 2024. (Janes/Ajay Shankar Pandey)  Iran promoted its Gaza unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for export for the first time at the DIMDEX 2024 show held in Doha from 4 to 6 March.  A model of the Gaza UAV was displayed at the Iranian stand and it was detailed in a brochure alongside the M129, which is the export name of the Shahed-129, the Iranian military's primary long-endurance UAV.  After the Gaza was unveiled in May 2021, it was reported to have a wingspan of 21 m and a maximum take-off wei...

A model of the GCAP fighter displayed at DSEI Japan 2023 in Chiba. (Janes/Jon Grevatt)  Japan is considering the implementation of further reforms to support military exports. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on 6 March that the additional reforms are necessary to allow future Japan sales of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) aircraft to international customers.  Speaking at the House of Councillors budget committee, Kishida said that additional export reforms – to support GCAP sales – are required for three reasons: to reduce GCAP produ...