Naval Group's XLUUV demonstrator, which completed sea trials in late 2023, will be a key component of the UCUV project. (Naval Group)  Naval Group has been awarded a contract by French defence procurement agency Directorate General of Armament (DGA) for the development of an unmanned combat underwater vehicle (UCUV) demonstrator.  Under a framework agreement announced by both parties on 29 January 2024 but formalised on 28 December 2023, Naval Group will design, produce, and test a 10 m-long UCUV prototype.  The agreement follows a nine-mont...

In developing an open system architecture for the NGRC programme, Lockheed Martin through its Sikorsky subsidiary will leverage work already done for its X2 (pictured) high-speed technology demonstrator programme. (Lockheed Martin)  The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) has awarded Lockheed Martin its third study contract related to the Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability (NGRC) programme.  Announced on 31 January but awarded on 13 December 2023, the study contract will see Lockheed Martin's Sikorsky subsidiary identify, analyse, a...

Iron Fist Light Decoupled system mounted on the Lance turret of the 8×8 Rheinmetall Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle. (Elbit Systems)  The US Army is a step closer to awarding General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems a sole source contract to upgrade Bradley infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) with Elbit Systems' Iron Fist active protection system (APS), following a pre-solicitation notice published on 18 January.    The announcement proposed an eight year, firm-fixed price, indefinite delivery contract worth an undisclosed sum, f...

A mock-up of the Eurodrone shown at the ILA Berlin Airshow in 2022. Germany has said that contractor and technology problems have delayed the project. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)  Germany has cited problems between leading contractors and immature technologies for delays to the Eurodrone project.  In its Annual Armaments Report published on 31 January, the German Bundeswehr said that ongoing co-ordination between contractors, coupled with technologies that are not yet mature, has already caused the preliminary design review (PDR) to be delayed, a...

The NDMA has ordered NASAMS from Kongsberg to replace systems donated to Ukraine, with deliveries to the Norwegian Armed Forces expected in 2026–27. (Forsvaret)  The Norwegian government has ordered new National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMSs) from Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace to replace systems donated to Ukraine, the company announced in a press release on 31 January. Kongsberg valued the contract with the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) at approximately NOK1.4 billion (USD133 million),  with deliveries expe...

NATO countries are buying F-35 aircraft. (Swedish Armed Forces)  NATO countries are on course to reach the goal of spending at least 2% of their GDP to defence spending to continue to ensure the alliance's military readiness, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on 31 January during an event at the Heritage Foundation.  NATO defence ministers agreed to commit to the 2% minimum in 2006, but Stoltenberg acknowledged that even as of a few years ago only three countries had met that bar. Complaints from US officials prompted more countrie...

The UK MoD has cancelled earlier plans to fit an LDEW demonstrator to a Type 23 frigate. (Thales)  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has dropped plans to trial a laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW) demonstrator from a Royal Navy (RN) Type 23 frigate.  Revealing the decision in a 30 January parliamentary answer, Minister of State for Defence Procurement James Cartlidge said the move was intended to free up money for the UK's wider Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) programme. Thales had been under contract to develop the maritime LDEW demonstrator....

Personnel from the Royal Australian Navy test an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) in Western Australia in 2021. Australia will collaborate with Japan to develop communication technologies that can enhance the interoperability of UUVs used by both countries. (Commonwealth of Australia)  Japan and Australia plan to initially focus on enhancing underwater communication technologies under a recently signed bilateral agreement to co-develop robotics and autonomous systems (RAS) for undersea warfare.  A spokesperson for Australia's Department of D...

Belgium is procuring a further 3,500 Mikron night-vision goggles as part of the Night Vision Capability programme. (Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation)  The Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR)is procuring on behalf of Belgium an additional 3,500 Mikron night-vision goggles (NVGs) from the Theon Sensors and Hensoldt consortium following an amendment to the Night Vision Capability (NVC) contract.  The NVC contract was signed in July 2021 between OCCAR and the consortium for the provision of NVGs to Belgium and Germany t...

SkyShield, displayed at IDEX 2023, is an omnidirectional C-UAS that can detect and neutralise multiple unmanned aerial threats. (Janes/Olivia Savage)  The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has signed a contract with Edge company SIGN4L for the provision of counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UASs).  Announced by Edge on 30 January, the contract includes the provision of the vehicle-based SkyShield and the NavControl-G jammer.  SIGN4L had not responded to Janes at the time of publication regarding the number of units being supplied and the delivery...

AIDC's T-5 Brave Eagle Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) and light combat aircraft is being produced and delivered with enhanced digital avionics and materials technologies. (AIDC)  Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) has delivered 27 out of 66 T-5A Brave Eagle Advanced Jet Trainers (AJTs) ordered by the Republic of China Air Force (RoCAF).  An AIDC spokesperson told Janes on 30 January that these delivery numbers are current as of December 2023. Janes understands that AIDC had achieved its annual delivery target of 17 T-5As...

The MH-139A, a developmental version of which is seen here on 19 December 2019 at Duke Field in Florida. (US Air Force)    Boeing conducted the first flight of a production MH-139 Grey Wolf on 23 December at Leonardo Helicopters' facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the company told   Janes  on 26 January.   The helicopter is the first of 13 ordered by the US Air Force (USAF) under a March 2023 low-rate initial production (LRIP) contract. The LRIP helicopter is scheduled for delivery to the USAF between June and August,...

The VMIMS (seen here at DefExpo in October 2022) consists of a modified MDSL ALSV 4×4 armoured vehicle fitted with a two-door cab and an Alakran-L deployable mortar system equipped with an 81 mm mortar. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  Milanion NTGS, the UK manufacturer of the Alakran deployable mortar system, has said deliveries of the Indian Army's Vehicle Mounted Infantry Mortar System (VMIMS) are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024.  The announcement coincided with the Indian Army's first public display of the system at the 75th Republic Day...

The M10 Booker combat vehicle will equip US Army infantry BCTs starting in 2025. (US Army/Bernardo Fuller)    The US Army's first M10 combat vehicle is scheduled to be delivered in February,   Janes  learnt at Defence iQ's International Armour Vehicles (IAV) 2024 conference held in London from 22 to 25 January. The first phase of low-rate initial production (LRIP 1) of the M10 began in the first quarter (Q1) of fiscal year (FY) 2023, following a USD1.4 billion contract award to General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) in June 2022...

A model of Lockheed Martin F-35A in Czech colours at the IQPC International Fighter Conference on 6 November 2023. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)  The Czech Republic has signed a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) for the procurement of Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters, the country's Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 29 January.  The LOA for 24 conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) F-35A aircraft was signed four months after the Czech government approved the acquisition in September 2023, clearing the Czech Air Force...

Seen in Spanish service, the H215 will soon be fielded by Romania also with the anticipated procurement of two helicopters by the country's navy. (Airbus Helicopters)  The Romanian Navy is to receive a pair of Airbus H215M helicopters equipped for anti-surface vessel warfare (ASuW), the manufacturer confirmed to Janes on 30 January.  The anticipated procurement was revealed in a European Union (EU) notification posted on 19 January, which said that the two helicopters would be acquired by Industria Aeronautică Romană (IAR) as the prime contra...

The NHIndustries (NHI) MRH90 Taipan has several key components, including some systems tailored to Australian requirements. (Janes/Commonwealth of Australia)  Airbus and NHIndustries (NHI) are negotiating with the Australian government to harvest high-value parts and critical components from the Australian Defence Force's (ADF's) decommissioned fleet of NHI MRH90 Taipan helicopters.    Airbus told   Janes   that these parts are being sought for other NH90 customers “in order to support their flight operations”.   “Altogethe...

The first of an initial four UH-60M Black Hawks for Croatia (pictured) was delivered in February 2022. The former Yugloslav country has been approved to buy eight more such helicopters for a final fleet of 12. (Croatian Ministry of Defence)  Croatia has been cleared to buy additional Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters, with the US State Department granting approval for the proposed procurement on 26 January.  With four Black Hawks already received, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced the approval of a furth...

The Nurol Makina Ejder Yalçın is one possible contender for the LMP that was displayed at IAV 2024. A UK subsidiary of the company was formed in 2023 to market the company's products to the UK. (Janes/Sonny Butterworth)  Details of the British Army's Land Mobility Programme (LMP), including the number of vehicles required and procurement timelines, were revealed at Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2024 conference held in London from 22 to 25 January.  The LMP aims to simplify the British Army's armoured vehicle fleet by redu...

Sentinel‐1A, launched in 2014, was the first Earth-observation satellite built for Europe's Copernicus programme. (ESA)  The European Union (EU) awarded separate contracts to two consortiums led by Telespazio and OHB System on 23 January to explore the feasibility of exploiting the Copernicus Earth-observation constellation for defence.  The two contracts were awarded as part of the Earth Observation Governmental Service (EOGS), which seeks to bolster the defence and security of the EU member states. The selected consortiums will now compete...