With older F-16s (pictured) already in service, Jordan is now to receive the latest Block 70 aircraft. (Janes/Patrick Allen)    Jordan has signed for new F-16 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft, with Lockheed Martin telling   Janes  that the previous letter of acceptance (LOA) has now been firmed up into a contract.   With Jordan signing its LOA for eight Block 70/72 aircraft in June 2022, Lockheed Martin said on 11 January that this had now become a contract for 12 Block 70 aircraft (the Block 70 is powered by the General El...

The Lithuanian MND completed the purchase of Boxer IFVs at the end of 2023. (Lithuanian MND/SFC A Čemerka)  The Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence (MND) announced in a press release on 12 January that it had completed the procurement of Boxer infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) at the end of 2023, with the acquisition of a total of 89 vehicles and two prototypes.  The completion of this first phase of Lithuania's Boxer programme was delayed from mid-2023. Explaining the cause of the delay, an MND spokesperson told Janes, “Testing of the la...

The US Navy combined a CUSV with a UAV for a recent live-fire targeting demonstration. (Textron Systems)    The US Navy (USN) recently combined different types of unmanned platforms for    a successful live-fire demonstration, Captain Matthew Lehmann, programme manager for Littoral Combat Ship Mission Modules (LCS MM), noted on 10 January during a briefing at the Surface Navy Association (SNA) National Symposium 2024.   According to the USN's Unmanned and Small Combatants (USC) programme office, during a C4F Fleet Experimen...

A Hermes 900 in maritime configuration. The Indian Navy will induct two Hermes 900 Starliner UAVs by the end of February. (Elbit Systems)  The Indian Navy will induct two Hermes 900 Starliner unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by the end of February, a spokesperson for the Indian Navy told Janes on 10 January.  Elbit Systems' Hermes 900 Starliner is manufactured in India by Adani Defence and Aerospace under the name ‘Drishti 10' for Indian customers. Drishti 10 was unveiled on 10 January in the presence of India's Chief of the Naval Staff, Admir...

The first of five Dutch navy landing craft utility (LCU) Mk IX vessels to undergo its MLU,   L 9525  , is launched at De Haas Shipyards in Rotterdam on 9 January.  (Dutch MoD)  The first modernised Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) landing craft utility (LCU) Mk IX vessel was launched at De Haas Shipyards in Rotterdam on 9 January.  De Haas Shipyards is carrying out the LCU mid-life upgrade (MLU) programme for the RNLN's five LCUs under a contract awarded in 2022, with work to be completed by 2025.  The first unit, L...

The Italian Army operating SitaWare HQ, known internally by the army as Imperio, during military exercise ‘Cursor 2023'. (Italian Army)    The Italian Army has opted for Systematic's SitaWare Headquarters (HQ) command-and-control (C2) software for its higher echelons of command,   Janes   has learnt.     SitaWare HQ, known internally in the Italian Army as Imperio, will be rolled out from the regimental to army corps level, simplifying the operations process, improving interoperability between allied forces, and establ...

The French Air and Space Force is to receive a further 42 Rafale combat aircraft, the country's minister of armed forces has announced. (French Air and Space Force)  France has ordered additional Dassault Rafale combat aircraft, the country's Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu announced on 12 January.  Lecornu said that 42 new aircraft will be acquired for the French Air and Space Force.  “A new decisive step has been taken with the order for 42 Rafale for the air force. This is excellent news for our sovereignty, our security, an...

US Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro wants a review of shipbuilding issues with programmes like the Constellation-class frigate. (US Navy)  US Navy (USN) Secretary Carlos Del Toro has told Nickolas Guertin, assistant secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, & Acquisition (ASN RD&A) and Vice Admiral James Downey, commander Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the navy shipbuilding portfolio, the USN confirmed on 11 January.  Guertin and Vice Adm Downey are to provide an interim progress review to Del T...

Kosovo has requested 246 FGM-148F Javelin missiles and related equipment from the US. (Javelin Joint Venture)  The US State Department notified the US Congress on 11 January of a possible Foreign Military Sales of Javelin anti-tank missiles to Kosovo for an estimated cost of USD75 million, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced in a press release later the same day.  Kosovo has requested 246 FGM-148F Javelin missiles, including six fly-to-buy missiles; 24 Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Units (LWCLUs); Javelin LWCLU ba...

A Hermes 900 in maritime configuration. The Indian Navy will induct two Hermes 900 Starliner UAVs by the end of February. (Elbit Systems)    The Indian Navy will induct two Hermes 900 Starliner unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by the end of February, a spokesperson for the Indian Navy told  Janes  on 10 January.   Elbit Systems' Hermes 900 Starliner is manufactured in India by Adani Defence and Aerospace under the name ‘Drishti 10' for Indian customers. Drishti 10 was unveiled on 10 January in the presence of India's Chief...

A photograph released on 10 January 2024 shows a Rafael SPYDER All in One air-defence system launching a Python missile in a test. (Rafael Advanced Defense Systems)  Rafael and the Israel Ministry of Defense's (MoD's) Directorate for Defense Research and Development have completed a successful test of the All in One (AiO) variant of the company's SPYDER air-defence system, it was announced on 10 January.  Carried out in December 2023, the test included the interception of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) “in a challenging operational scenario...

The US Navy is buying more John Lewis-class oilers to meet deployment refuelling needs. (General Dynamics NASSCO)  As the US Navy (USN) continues to deploy its surface fleet to hot spots around the globe, the service must hone its ability to rearm and refuel those ships at sea, according to USN Secretary Carlos Del Toro.  “Every day, our ships respond to aggression and illegal activities with our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, the Arabian Gulf, the Caribbean, and across Europe,” Del Toro said on 10 January during a keynote speech at...

ULA's Vulcan rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral on 8 January, launching the Peregrine lunar lander into a trans-lunar injection orbit. (ULA)  United Launch Alliance (ULA) launched its first Vulcan launch vehicle the morning of 8 January, paving the way for a slate of national security, scientific, and private launches.  The rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Space Launch Complex-41 at 0218 h local time. Vulcan launched in the VC2S configuration, with two GEM 63XL solid rocket boosters and a standard 5.4 m (17.7 ft)...

Cold spray process applies powdered metal at a highly accelerated velocity – the speed of sound or faster – on a surface using an applicator and nozzle quickly and effectively. (Janes)    The US Navy (USN) is seeking to expand its use of cold spray technology to repair and maintain its platforms and improve fleet readiness, Dan Stanley of the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) engineering directorate technology branch told   Janes  .     “We've made some good headway with cold spray in the navy,” Stanley told   Ja...

Poland's first company of 14 M1A1 tanks arriving at Szczecin on 28 June 2023. (Polish MND)  The Polish Armament Agency announced in a press release that a US shipment of 29 more M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks (MBTs) and 79 Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected (MRAP) All-Terrain Vehicles (M-ATVs) arrived at the Polish Port of Świnoujście on 6 January, followed two days later by the unloading of the vessel.  The delivery followed an earlier US shipment that also arrived at Świnoujście on 21 November 2023 with 26 M1A1s and nine M88A2 Hercules armoured...

The Defence Research and Development Organisation has developed a new 7.62×51 mm assault rifle known as ‘Ugram' for the Indian Army. (Defence Research and Development Organisation/Janes)  India's state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) subsidiary Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) has developed a new 7.62×51 mm assault rifle known as ‘Ugram' for the Indian Army, an ARDE spokesperson told Janes on 9 January.  The rifle can strike at a maximum range of 500 m and is developed in collaboration with Hyder...

Taiwan's AIDC's new basic trainer aircraft programme – the design for which is pictured above – aims to compete to replace the RoCAF's Beechcraft T-34C aircraft by the early 2030s. (AIDC)  Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) has completed the first stage-design of a new basic trainer aircraft, the company announced on 10 January.  The basic trainer – which AIDC plans to introduce into the Republic of China Air Force (RoCAF) by 2033 – aims to replace the service's 36 Beechcraft T-34C Turbo-Mentor trainer aircraft, whic...

South Korea's domestically developed TAipers anti-tank missile is scheduled to start replace the Republic of Korea's (RoK's) military stocks of ageing TOW missiles from 2024. (Janes)  South Korea is preparing to mass-produce its domestically developed TAipers (‘Tank Snipers' or Cheongeom) air-launched anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs).    The TAipers will go into mass production from 2024 to 2031, a spokesperson from South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) told  Janes  . According to the agency, the prog...

ULA's Vulcan rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral on 8 January, launching the Peregrine lunar lander into a trans-lunar injection orbit. (ULA)  United Launch Alliance (ULA) launched its first Vulcan launch vehicle the morning of 8 January, paving the way for a slate of national security, scientific, and private launches.  The rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Space Launch Complex-41 at 0218 h local time, putting the privately operated Peregrine lander on a path towards the moon. Vulcan launched in the VC2S configurat...

The US Navy is planning to use HELIOS technology to introduce laser capabilities into fleet operations. (Lockheed Martin)  The successful missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) defence by US Navy (USN) ships in the Red Sea has prompted discussion for accelerated development of lasers on USN surface ships in such scenarios.  However, the USN is still struggling, trying to achieve the power necessary for missile defence, according to defence analysts.    “Most of the problem is trying to aim for higher powers that can be useful against...