Poland has ordered more Javelin anti-tank guided missiles, with which the WOT began training in 2021 (pictured). (Polish MND)  Poland has ordered 50 more Javelin Light Weight Command Launch Units and approximately 500 FGM-148F Javelin anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), the Polish Armaments Agency (AA) announced on its website on 31 January. Warsaw was exercising an option in a 2020 Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract with the United States for 60 Command Launch Units and 180 Javelin missiles worth USD54.5 million for the Polish Territorial...

The Indian Army seeks to replace its fleets of BMP-1 and BMP-2, pictured from an Indian Army exercise in November 2022, with the Future Infantry Combat Vehicle. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has approved the procurement of the Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) for the Indian Army.  The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a statement that the procurement, approved through the provision of an ‘Acceptance of Necessity' (AoN) status under the ‘Buy (Indian)' categor...

Ziesel light UGV pictured at the Lehnin training ground near Berlin, in December 2022. (Janes/Alexander Stronell)  The German Army has procured two prototype Ziesel light unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) for testing and evaluation, Janes has learnt.  The German Army received the two systems in December 2022, and will conduct the testing for an undetermined period, according to spokespeople for the German Army and the system's manufacturer, Diehl Defence GmbH.  The Ziesel is a tracked UGV designed for close infantry support in roles including l...

The FMV and BAE Systems have signed a contract for 20 more Grkpbv 90 mortar systems for the Swedish Army. (BAE Systems)  The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) and BAE Systems announced on 27 January that they had signed a contract modification for 20 more Granatkastarpansarbandvagn 90 (Grkpbv 90) self-propelled mortars for the Swedish Army. The FMV valued the contract at approximately SEK293.5 million (USD28 million) and expects deliveries to take place in 2025.  The contract was awarded to BAE Systems' Swedish joint venture Utvec...

Several US Army conventional 155 mm artillery projectiles outfitted with Northrop Grumman's Precision Guidance Kit. (US Army/Northrop Grumman)  US defence company Northrop Grumman will begin integrating Military Code (M-Code) global positioning system (GPS) capability into the company's precision guidance systems for medium- and long-range artillery systems.  CAES, a Northern Virginia-based company specialising in advanced radio frequency (RF) technologies, will carry out the M-Code GPS integration work into Northrop Grumman's Precision Guid...

Italy's Directorate of Land Armaments signed a contract with IDV on 22 December 2022 for 36 VBA amphibious armoured vehicles for the Italian Navy. (IDV)  Italy will procure Veicoli Blindati Anfibi (VBA) 8×8 amphibious armoured vehicles for the Italian Army at the end of the decade, Janes learnt at Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2023 conference, which was held in London from 23 to 26 January.  Italy's Directorate of Land Armaments signed a contract with Iveco Defence Vehicles (IDV) on 22 December 2022 for 36 VBA amphibious...

The Canadian Department of National Defence announced on 26 January that Canada would contribute four Leopard 2A4 MBTs to Ukraine. (Rheinmetall Canada)  Canada will follow Germany's lead and send four Leopard 2 main battle tanks (MBTs) to Ukraine, the minister of national defence announced on 26 January.  The Canadian Armed Forces will provide Leopard 2A4 tanks and training on how to use them, and could send more pending maintenance and sustainment discussions, said Defence Minister Anita Anand during a televised briefing. She said the Leopar...

The Brazilian Army plans to procure 98 Centauro II armoured vehicles (pictured at Eurosatory 2018). (Janes/Patrick Allen)  Brazil is to procure a new main battle tank (MBT), infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), and self-propelled howitzer(SPH), Janes learnt at Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2023 conference held in London from 23 to 26 January. It is seeking 36 wheeled SPHs.  At the same time, Brazil plans to upgrade 52 of its Leopard 1A1 tanks starting in 2023, with a request for proposals to be made in June.  Brazil is also p...

The Technical High Mobility Shelter is a rapidly deployable C2 system that can be fitted on wheeled or tracked vehicles. (Elbit Systems )  Elbit Systems is to equip the Swedish Armed Forces with new mobile tactical communications stations.  The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) awarded a SEK500 million (USD48.79 million) contract to Elbit Systems Sweden for the supply of its Technical High Mobility Shelters (THMSs) to the Swedish Army, the company announced on 24 January.  Under the contract, the company will develop and deliver...

The Israel Ministry of Defense announced on 2 November 2021 that along with the German Ministry of Defence, it had completed the first series of live-firing tests in Germany of the Trophy active defence system integrated into a Leopard 2 main battle tank. (IMOD)  A set of electro-optical (EO) sensors is under development for the EuroTrophy active protection system (APS) that will enable it to operate without activating its phased-array doppler radars, Dan Kalfus, managing director of EuroTrophy GmbH, announced at Defence IQ's International Ar...

The HDF received the first of 209 Lynx armoured vehicles on 15 October 2022. (HDF)    Hungary will produce the ammunition for the KF41 Lynx infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) it is procuring domestically,   Janes  learnt at the International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) conference held in London on 23–26 January. This is in addition to the 163 Lynx IFVs being produced in Hungary.   The Lynx has a Rheinmetall Lance 2.0 turret armed with a MK 30-2/ABM (airburst munition) cannon that fires next-generation programmable kinetic energy...

The Spanish Army's VAC will leverage the development work done on the Spanish Army's Castor AEV (shown above), the Pizarro, and the VCR Dragón. (General Dynamics European Land Systems)  The Spanish Army has commenced design studies for a new Tracked Support Vehicle (Vehículo de Apoyo de Cadenas: VAC) and intends to start manufacturing for the programme in 2024, according to a presentation given by a representative from the Spanish Army at the International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) conference, which was held in London from 23 to 26 January 2023...

The German Army's heavy weapon carrier will be based on Austrialia's Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle, pictured with Australian Army soldiers during Exercise ‘Chong Ju' at the Puckapunyal training area, Victoria, on 16 May 2018. (Australian MoD)    The German Army's share of the EUR100 million (USD109 million) Zeitenwende special fund, approved after Russia invaded Ukraine, focuses on armoured vehicles,   Janes  learnt at Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2023 conference held in London on 23–26 January....

The Boxer RRV consists of a Boxer drive module fitted with the ARM mission module. The new version of the RRV presented at IAV will require the drive module to be fitted with a power take-off. (FFG)  Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft (FFG) has implemented several changes to its proposed Boxer Repair and Recovery Vehicle (RRV) variant, the company revealed during a presentation at Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2023 conference, which was held in London from 23 to 26 January.  The modifications include changes to both the...

The Wisent 1 combat support vehicle fitted with a Full Width Mine Plough is scheduled to be delivered to Ukraine in 2023. (Pearson Engineering)  Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft (FFG) and Pearson Engineering announced that they would supply minefield breaching equipment to Ukraine, in a press release issued on 24 January 2023.  The equipment will consist of FFG's Wisent 1 armoured support vehicle fitted with Pearson Engineering's Full Width Mine Plough (FWMP), a combination that has previously been supplied to the Royal Danish Army.  The...

Swedish Army CV90 IFVs in Afghanistan. (Försvarsmakten)    Sweden is planning two brigades for expeditionary operations,   Janes  learnt at Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2023 conference held in London from 23 to 26 January.   The two brigades would rotate on deployments and the Swedish Army plans to recruit more contract soldiers to retain their readiness.    The brigades would be equipped with CV90 infantry fighting vehicles (IFV), whose low profile allows them to be railed through train tunne...

The German Army will receive additional IdZ-ES VJTF 2023 solider systems  .  The variant is based on Rheinmetall's modular Gladius 2.0, showing (l) the CeoTronics CT-MultiPTT 3C central operation and control unit and chest-mounted tablet and (II) the single central hub. This configuration has two radios, suited for a platoon commander.  (Giles Ebbutt)  Rheinmetall is to expand delivering its latest dismounted Future Soldier command-and-control (C2) system to the German Army.  As per a company announcement on 26 J...

Ukraine is to join the CV90 user club, as a result of the Swedish donation of IFVs of the type to Kyiv. (BAE Systems)  Ukraine is to join the CV90 user club, Janes learnt at Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2023 conference being held in London on 23–26 January. Ukraine is becoming the latest user of the CV90 infantry fighting vehicle, as a result of the Swedish donation of CV90s to Kyiv.  The CV90 user group currently numbers seven countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland. It wil...

Lockheed Martin's Directed Energy Interceptor for Manoeuvre Short-Range Air Defence System demonstrated ‘first light' in January 2023. (Lockheed Martin)  Lockheed Martin on 23 January announced its offering for the US Army's directed-energy weapon programme reached ‘first light', a development milestone that comes ahead of an expected competition to build the capability for the service.  Lockheed Martin's 50 kW Directed Energy Interceptor for Manoeuvre Short-Range Air Defence System (DEIMOS) achieved a first light demonstration on 13 January...

The Akkor active protection system's subcomponents include a radar, effector projectile, and two-round launcher (from left to right). (Aselsan)  Aselsan's Akkor active protection system (APS) will be fielded on Turkey's Altay main battle tank (MBT) by the end of 2023, Janes learnt at Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2023 conference being held in London from 23 to 26 January. Onur Töreci, solution manager for Aselsan's APS and surveillance radars, told Janes that final trials are now under way, and the system will be fitted t...