Kongsberg NSM CDS on display at MSPO 2023. (Janes/Neil Dee)  Kongsberg has been awarded a contract worth around NOK16 billion (USD1.5 billion) to deliver four additional Naval Strike Missile (NSM) Coastal Defence System (CDS) squadrons to Poland, the largest single contract in Kongsberg's history. The contract was approved at the MSPO 2023 defence exhibition in Kielce, Poland, by Polish Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak in the presence of Polish President Andrzej Duda. Pending confirmation of export financing for the contract, de...

Poland's Pilica+ air-defence system will be equipped with new Zenit-MP+ Automated Command Posts. (Polish Armament Agency)  Poland will acquire 22 Zenit-MP+ Automated Command Posts (ZSD) for the Pilica+ air-defence system.  The PLN650 million (USD151 million) deal, signed between the Polish Armament Agency (AA), State Treasury, and PGZ-Pilica+ consortium, was announced at the MSPO 2023 defence exhibition held in Kielce from 5 to 8 September.  Deliveries are scheduled from 2025 to 2029, with training and service packages, as well as technical d...

Raytheon's Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor is one component of the Wisła programme. (Raytheon)  The Polish government approved major contracts for air-defence programmes at the MSPO 2023 defence exhibition in Kielce, Poland. Signed on 5 September in the presence of Poland's President Andrzej Duda and Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak, the contracts have a combined value of more than USD15.5 billion.  Contracts for Phase 2 of the Wisła programme were signed, which will see the acquisition – via US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) – of 1...

A soldier carrying the SlingShot manpack system. Spectra is supplying an undisclosed number of SlingShot manpack systems to the Indonesian Army. (Spectra Group)  The UK's Spectra Group will supply its SlingShot satellite communication (satcom) systems to the Indonesian Army.  Spectra announced on 7 September that it has partnered with Jakarta-based defence equipment provider, PT Mora Armamen Perkasa, to provide an undisclosed number of SlingShot manpack systems, SlingShot vehicle systems, and SlingShot Tactical Operations Centre Systems (STO...

A graphic illustrating the provision of a GVA through the combination of the VICS and PGI and the consequent integration of subsystems and dismounted soldiers. (ST Engineering)  ST Engineering and Ultra Precision Control Systems (PCS) have formed a partnership to market a new commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) electronic vehicle architecture, which will be launched at the DSEI 2023 exhibition in London.  Chua Jin Kiat, head of international defence business for ST Engineering, told Janes that the partnership had developed as part of ST Engineeri...

Saab's ULCAS FSS technology gives armed forces the possibility of combining protection from the enemy with the possibility of communicating with friendly forces. (Saab Barracuda AB/Johan Lindqvist)  Saab announced in a press release on 5 September a new feature for its Barracuda Ultra-lightweight Camouflage Screen (ULCAS), giving operators the possibility of combining protection from the enemy with the possibility of communicating with friendly forces.  Previewing the announcement during an embargoed online press briefing on 4 September, Joha...

An Australian Army Hawkei protected mobility vehicle featuring a remote weapon system from EOS. (Commonwealth of Australia)  Canberra-based Electro Optic Systems (EOS) has upgraded the Australian Army's combat vehicles with its remote and autonomous firepower systems.  EOS showcased the vehicles at the Army Robotics Expo (ARX) 2023 held in late August in Perth.  The vehicles upgraded comprised the M113AS4 armoured logistics vehicle (ALV), Hawkei protected mobility vehicle (PMV), Supacat 6×6 high mobility transporter (HMT) Extenda Mk 2, and Wa...

FB Radom's new MPS 9 mm pistol. (Janes/Amael Kotlarski)  Fabryka Broni (FB) ‘Łucznik' Radom unveiled its new MPS pistol at the MSPO defence exhibition held from September 5 to 8 in Kielce, Poland.  The MPS has a polymer-framed, striker-fired design, and is chambered for the 9×19 cartridge. Similar to the Sig Sauer P320, the core of the pistol consists of the fire-control module, which can be swapped to different polymer frames depending on user requirements. The launch model features a 102 mm long barrel and a 15-round magazine capacity. The...

The ARV procurement programme aims to replace Indian Army's in-service WZT-3 ARVs, pictured above. (Zaklady Mechaniczne Bumar-Labedy SA)  The Indian Army issued a request for information (RFI) on 5 September to procure 170 armoured recovery vehicles (ARVs) based on a tracked platform.  According to the RFI, the ARV will be used for cross-country (offroad) operations in plain, semi-desert, and desert terrains along India's western borders, as well as high-altitude (up to 5000 m)/mountainous terrain along India's northern borders (eastern Lad...

The AMV XP is an extension of the AMV family. It is designed to offer greater protection, payload, and performance than the original AMV. (Patria)  Patria has signed a licensing agreement with Japan Steel Works Ltd (JSW) to produce the Finnish company's 8×8 Armoured Modular Vehicle (AMV) XP for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF).  Patria said in late August that the agreement enables local production in line with the JGSDF's Wheeled Armoured Personnel Carrier (WAPC) programme.  Details about the deliveries of the locally produced AMV...

A US Army Stryker vehicle arriving at Burgas Airport, Bulgaria, on 29 March 2015 for training with NATO allies in support of Operation ‘Atlantic Resolve-South'. (US Army)  The US State Department has approved the possible Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Bulgaria of 183 Stryker armoured vehicles worth USD1.5 billion, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced in a press release on 1 September.  The proposed sale would consist of 90 XM1296 Infantry Carrier Vehicles – Dragoon, 17 M1126 Infantry Carrier Vehicles, nine M1132 Engineer...

The unmanned ground vehicle being evaluated by the RSAF to patrol its airbases, seen here ahead of a public event to mark the service's 55th anniversary. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)  The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is carrying out trials of an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) with the aim of eventually deploying the equipment for airbase security operations.  The eight-wheeled UGV is being put up for display at a public event to mark the service's 55th anniversary, which will be held at the Paya Lebar Air Base from 9 to 10 September. The...

Norway has received a Mission Master XT UGV from Rheinmetall. (Rheinmetall)  Norway received a Mission Master XT (Extreme Terrain) 4×4 unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) from Rheinmetall at the beginning of August, the German company announced in a press release on 1 September. The contract for the UGV was awarded by the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment.  Etienne Rancourt, business development manager, European market, at Rheinmetall Canada, confirmed to Janes on LinkedIn on 1 September that Norway is the first Mission Master XT customer,...

Converted Norwegian IRIS-T air-to-air missiles can be deployed from launchers to be donated to Ukraine by Sweden, which mounts the IRIS-T SLS air defence system on the trailer section of the BvS10 armoured all-terrain vehicle. (Forsvarsmakten/Jessica Krantz)  Norway will donate converted IRIS-T air-to-air missiles to Ukraine for use by its ground-based air defence (GBAD), a Norwegian Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesperson confirmed to Janes on 31 August. The missiles armed former Royal Norwegian Air Force F-16 combat aircraft.  The Norwegian...

Switzerland's Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection, and Sports received a remote-controlled mine-clearing vehicle on 29 August from the Digger Foundation for delivery to Ukraine. (DDPS)  Switzerland's Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection, and Sports (DDPS) announced in a press release on 29 August that it had received a tracked remote-controlled mine-clearing vehicle the same day from Digger Foundation, a Swiss-based non-profit organisation (NPO), for delivery to Ukraine. Developed and produced by Digger, the vehicle can...

The Indian Army is procuring 130 tethered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and 19 simulators for training tank drivers, industry sources have disclosed to Janes.  Bangalore-based NewSpace Research and Technologies Pvt Ltd (NRT) secured a contract wo...

The 110 mm electro-optic/infrared-guided Spike SR (pictured above) is the only disposable system in the Spike family of precision-guided munitions. (Rafael Advanced Defense Systems)  The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a contract worth INR2.87 billion (USD34.7 million) with Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems Pvt Ltd (KRAS) to deliver an unknown number of Spike anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) to the Indian Armed Forces, Rudra B Jadeja, managing director and CEO of KRAS, told Janes on 31 August.  According to a press statement by KRA...

AI will transform the evaluation of sensor data, support missions, and deploy effectors. To allow this key capability to be developed and deployed quickly, Germany has decided to create a cross-functional AI platform as a development environment for all partners and pillars of FCAS. (Hensoldt )  The German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) has selected a consortium to deliver the artificial intelligence (AI) backbone for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS)/Système de Combat Aérien...

Nag anti-tank guided missile. (Janes)  India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) recently confirmed to Janes that the Nag anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), the development of which was started in the 1980s, has cleared all the flight and user trials required for induction into the Indian Army. The DRDO is currently awaiting an order from the Indian Army for the missile, a DRDO official said.  The Nag ATGM was developed by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and the DRDO's Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) to meet...

Sweden mounts the IRIS-T SLS air-defence system on the trailer section of the BvS10 armoured all-terrain vehicle. (Försvarsmakten/Jessica Krantz)    Germany has bought back 200 IRIS-T SLS (Surface Launched Short Range) air-defence missiles from Sweden to supply to Ukraine,   Janes  has learnt.   The Swedish missiles are being refurbished by Diehl Defence and will replenish IRIS-T SLM (Surface Launched Medium Range) missiles that have been fired by Ukrainian forces defending against Russian air attacks.  Sweden will procure...