Germany is procuring the Trophy APS for its Leopard 2 tanks. (KMW)  EuroTrophy managing director Dan Kalfus gave production and delivery figures for the Trophy active protection system (APS) on the first day of SAE Media Group's Future Armoured Vehicles Survivability (FAVS) 2023 conference held in London from 13 to 15 November.  Kalfus said 40 Trophy APSs and 500 countermeasures were being produced per month. In addition to being supplied to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the system is being delivered to Germany and Norway. One Trophy syste...

The integration of the SkyStriker is being considered by Thailand to augment the munitions options on the D11A, pictured above at the Defense & Security 2023 show in Bangkok. (Janes/Jon Grevatt)  Thailand's Defense Technology Institute (DTI) and Elbit Systems are exploring possibilities to expand their partnership to focus on the Israeli company's SkyStriker autonomous loitering munition.  Janes   understands that the DTI is interested in integrating the munition into Thailand's new D11A, a local version of Elbit Systems' multicalibre Pr...

The RCCTO delivered four DE M-SHORAD prototypes to the 4th Battalion, 60th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, at Fort Sill, Kentucky, on 7 September. (US Army)  The US Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) delivered four Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense (DE M-SHORAD) prototype systems mounted on Stryker 8×8 vehicles to the 4th Battalion, 60th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, at Fort Sill in Kentucky, on 7 September, Colonel Steven Gutierrez, RCCTO project manager for the system, said at the first day of...

The US State Department has approved the possible Foreign Military Sales to Romania of 54 M1A2 SEPv3 MBTs like these of the US 1st Cavalry Division. (US Army)  The US State Department has approved the possible Foreign Military Sales of M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks (MBTs) and related equipment to Romania. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a press release on 9 November that Congress was informed of the possible sale earlier the same day.  According to the DSCA, Romania has requested 54 M1A2 SEPv3 (System Enhanced Packag...

A Spanish Air Force Eurofighter of Ala 14 at Albacete Air Base. In front of the aircraft are its primary weapon systems, including the AMRAAM missile. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)  Spain is to buy the extended-range Raytheon AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) for its fleet of Eurofighter (C.16 in national service) and Boeing EF-18 (C.15) Hornet combat aircraft, as well as for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) ground-based air-defence system.  The Council of Ministers authorised the conclusion of...

The Israeli MoD released a file photo of an Arrow 3 interceptor being launched to illustrate the first operational use of the missile on 9 November. (Israeli Ministry of Defense)  Israel used a long-range Arrow 3 exoatmospheric ballistic missile interceptor operationally for the first time on 9 November, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israeli Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced later that day.  The Arrow 3 is one of two interceptors that can be launched by the Arrow Weapon System (AWS), the other being the Arrow 2 that is designed to...

President Joe Biden's administration wants to fund expansion of the 155 mm shell production with an emergency supplemental funding request for fiscal year 2024. (US Army)  The US goal to produce 100,000 rounds of 155 mm ammunition per month by calendar year 2025 cannot be met if lawmakers do not pass the fiscal year (FY) 2024 emergency supplemental funding, US Army assistant secretary for acquisition, logistics, and technology Doug Bush said on 7 November.  The legislation – proposed by President Joe Biden's administration – contains USD3.1 b...

Saab FFV India will support the production of the Carl-Gustaf M4 recoilless rifles (pictured above) for the Indian Armed Forces. (ECDI)  The Indian government has approved 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) for Swedish defence company Saab to set up a new manufacturing facility in India, Mats Palmberg, chairman and managing director of Saab India, told Janes on 8 November.  Saab is the first company to gain 100% FDI approval from India. The country earlier permitted only 74% FDI in the defence sector through the automatic route for companie...

The Royal Thai Army's M758 Autonomous Truck-Mounted Gun (pictured above) and the Autonomous Truck-Mounted Mortar are assembled by the RTA's production facility in Lopburi, central Thailand. (Janes/Jon Grevatt)  The Royal Thai Army (RTA) is expanding production of the locally built M758 Autonomous Truck-Mounted Gun (ATMG).    An RTA spokesperson told   Janes  at the Defence & Security 2023 exhibition in Bangkok on 9 November that the RTA will receive six additional ATMGs by the end of November, taking its ATMG inventory to 30...

The RTA has a requirement to deploy the D-Iron for roles including infantry support, border surveillance, reconnaissance, logistics, and counter-insurgency. (Janes/Jon Grevatt)  The Royal Thai Army (RTA) is moving closer to procuring the D-Iron, developed through a collaborative arrangement between the Defence Technology Institute (DTI), an agency under the Thai Ministry of Defence (MoD), and Estonian robotic vehicle manufacturer Milrem Robotics.  A DTI official told Janes at the Defense & Security 2023 exhibition in Bangkok on 9 November tha...

The Iron Dome air-defence system has been used by Israel to intercept rocket attacks in recent years. It has been used in the Israeli operations that started after the 7 October attack. (PA)  The two Iron Dome air-defence batteries owned by the US will go to Israel for at least 11 months, Doug Bush, US Army assistant secretary of acquisition, logistics, and technology, told reporters on 7 November.  The cost o the lease is “not free” but relatively cheap, Bush announced during a Pentagon briefing. Israel will have the option to buy the system...

The Royal Thai Army has taken delivery of 60 Norinco VT-4 main battle tanks, a model of which is displayed at the Defense & Security 2023 show in Bangkok. (Janes/Jon Grevatt)  China North Industries Group Corporation (Norinco) has disclosed that it has completed deliveries of all 60 VT-4 main battle tanks (MBTs) on order for the Royal Thai Army (RTA).    A spokesperson for the company told   Janes  on 8 November at the Defense & Security 2023 exhibition in Bangkok that the last 12 tanks were delivered to the RTA's 6th Cavalry...

The Kestrel rockets are free-flight and fin-stabilised. In the above picture, a Kestrel rocket launcher is shown with the HEAT (on the left) and HESH (on the right) munitions. (Janes/Patrick Allen)  Taiwan's Republic of China Army (RoCA) has ordered an additional 5,962 Kestrel individual shoulder-launched anti-tank weapon systems (ATWSs) from state-owned National Chung‐Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), a RoCA officer told Janes on 7 November.  The new order of 5,962 brings the total number of Kestrels to be procured to 10,96...

The Bundeswehr is forming Panzerbrigade 42, composed of Panzerbataillon 203 equipped with the Leopard 2 tank (pictured) and Panzergrenadierbataillon 122 with the Puma IFV. (Bundeswehr/Mario Bähr)  The Bundeswehr is forming a panzer (armoured) brigade to be permanently stationed in Lithuania, the German Federal Ministry of Defence announced in a press release on 6 November. The decision was made by Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius on the recommendation of Bundeswehr Generalinspekteur (chief of defence) General Carsten Breuer.  Desig...

Thailand's DTI and ST Engineering unveiled a 4×4 light utility vehicle fitted with the Singapore company's GDAMS and Adder Light RWS at the Defense & Security 2023 show in Bangkok. (Janes/Jon Grevatt)  Thailand's Defence Technology Institute (DTI) and ST Engineering have teamed up to integrate a 4×4 light utility vehicle with the Singapore company's 120 mm Ground Deployed Advanced Mortar System (GDAMS) and Adder Light remote weapon station (RWS).    An official from ST Engineering told   Janes  on 8 November at the Defense &...

The UK is procuring the GM200 multimode radar under a government-to-government deal with the Netherlands. (Thales Nederland)  The UK has elected to pursue a government-to-government deal with the Netherlands for the procurement of a new Deep Find radar as part of a wider recapitalisation of the British Army's weapons locating capability under Project Serpens, Janes has learnt.  The move, which will see the UK join other NATO members in buying the Thales Nederland Ground Master 200 (GM200) multimission radar, is intended to accelerate delivery...

Chaiseri unveiled its new armoured wheeled amphibious vehicle (AWAV) at the Defense & Security show in Bangkok. (Janes/Jon Grevatt)  Thai firm Chaiseri has unveiled its new 8×8 Armoured Wheeled Amphibious Vehicle (AWAV) at the Defense & Security exhibition in Bangkok.    A company official told   Janes  that the AWAV on display at the exhibition is a prototype, but that Chaiseri has started producing seven vehicles for the Royal Thai Marine Corps (RTMC) under a contract awarded in August.     Deliveries of these vehic...

The Type 19 IFV feature a hull identical to the ZBL-09 IFV (pictured above) in service with the PLA and a new turret. (Russian MoD)  The Eastern Theater Command (ETC) of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has inducted a new type of 8×8 infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) in an equipment awarding ceremony in eastern Guangdong.  According to a video recently released by state-owned broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV), the 145th Medium Combined Arms Brigade of the 73rd Group Army under the ETC inducted an unknown number of new IFVs – p...

The Spike NLOS missile has a range of 25 km. (Janes/Patrick Allen)  Thailand's Defence Technology Institute (DTI) has entered an agreement with Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to collaborate on producing the Spike family of lightweight multi-purpose electro-optical guided missile systems in the Southeast Asian country.  DTI and Rafael officials told Janes at the Defense & Security 2023 show in Bangkok on 7 November that the agreement, which was signed earlier in 2023, is initially focused on facilitating technology transfers to DTI a...

The Royal Netherlands Army wants to add more punch to its Boxer armoured vehicles. (Dutch Ministry of Defence)  The Royal Netherlands Army has a formal requirement to up-arm its Artec Boxer armoured personnel carriers, Janes learnt at Defence iQ's 2023 International Dismounted Soldier conference in London.  Operated by the army's 13th Light Brigade, the Dutch Boxers were originally procured with the Kongsberg M151 remotely operated weapon system (ROWS), armed with a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun (HMG). This is now deemed to be insufficient, and...