Robotican Rooster unmanned system with control station. (Janes/Akshara Parakala)  Robotican displayed an improved version of its Rooster unmanned system at the IDEX 2023 show, which was held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.  The semi-autonomous hybrid system can operate either as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), and is designed to undertake indoor and outdoor intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, including in contested and Global Positioning System (GPS)-denied environments.  The...

The Agema UGV configured as a carrier for four Warble Fly loitering munitions on display at IDEX 2023. (Janes/Sonny Butterworth)  Milanion Group showcased new loitering munition launcher and counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) variants of its Agema multi-purpose 8×8 unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) at IDEX 2023, being held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.    The loitering munition launcher variant consists of a launcher for four MSP Inntech Warble Fly loitering munitions mounted in the cargo area of the Agema UGV. Speaking to...

Mistral missile production has been increased from 20 in 2022 to 30 in 2023, and is expected to rise to 40 in 2024. (MBDA)  French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu unveiled an action plan to accelerate ammunition production and relocate strategic activities during a meeting with defence industry representatives on 22 February.    The war in Ukraine and the Covid-19 pandemic have resulted in the relocation of stocks and production sites, according to the French Ministry of Armed Forces. Lecornu described Eurenco's decision –...

One year on from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the 1,076 km-long front line is static and neither side shows any inclination to back down. It is no longer credible for Russia to achieve its original goals of seizing Kyiv and dictating terms to Ukrain...

Al-Jasoor displayed a new variant of the Rabdan IFV at IDEX 2023. The primary difference between this version and the Rabdan IFV delivered to the UAE Army was the Shaheen 30 uncrewed turret. (Janes/Sonny Butterworth)    The Al-Jasoor joint venture company expects to produce new variants of the Rabdan 8×8 amphibious armoured vehicle for the UAE Army,   Janes  learnt at IDEX 2023 being held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.     Jasem Alzaabi, CEO of Al-Jasoor, told   Janes   that the company anticipates the...

The Alakran-S, fitted to a Polaris RZR ATV, was displayed at IDEX 2023. Two of the vehicle's rear seats were removed to accommodate the mortar and racks for 24 81 mm mortar bombs, but it was otherwise unmodified. (Janes/Sonny Butterworth)  Milanion New Technologies Global Systems (NTGS) displayed a new member of the Alakran family of vehicle-mounted mortars at IDEX 2023, being held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.    Called the    Alakran-S (the ‘S' referring to ‘small'), the new system is designed to be deployed from light...

Nimr's 8×8 RCV with a John Cockerill Defense's Cockerill 1030 unmanned turret as displayed at IDEX 2023. (Janes/Sonny Butterworth)  Nimr, part of the UAE's state-owned Edge Group, unveiled its Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) concept at IDEX 2023 being held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.  Speaking to   Janes  , Abri Du Plessis, CEO of Nimr, described the RCV as a “concept to test user reaction” as “most users are still contemplating the exact use of unmanned vehicles”.   Two potential configurations of the RCV were displayed at IDE...

IGG displayed a VBL Mk2 fitted with the Hornet ROWS at IDEX 2023. This was intended to represent what the VBL Mk3 would look like should it enter production. (Janes/Sonny Butterworth)  Arquus introduced the Mk3 version of its Véhicule Blindé Léger (VBL) 4×4 reconnaissance vehicle family at IDEX 2023 being held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.  The VBL Mk3 was developed in response to a customer requirement for an improved new-build VBL. Although Arquus did not disclose the potential customer for the platform, a representative example of t...

The Kasser 2 MRAP displayed on IGG's outdoor stand at IDEX 2023. (Janes/Jeremy Binnie)    The Kasser 2 mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicle the Emirati company International Golden Group (IGG) displayed in the outdoor area at IDEX 2023, being held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February, is a Kirpi II made by the Turkish company BMC,   Janes  confirmed during the show.   While the Kasser 2 looks superficially different, it has BMC-branded components and a representative of the Turkish company said that an MRAP displa...

EOS Advanced Technologies displayed a mock-up of its 14.5 mm MG at IDEX 2023. The system is expected to progress to the prototype stage by the end of 2023. (Janes/Sonny Butterworth)  The United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based subsidiary of Electro Optic Systems (EOS) displayed a mock-up of an electrically operated 14.5 mm machine gun (MG) at IDEX 2023, being held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.  Speaking to Janes, Waad Abujarad and Fatmah Alkaabi, mechanical design engineers at EOS Advanced Technologies, said that a prototype of the system is...

Saab's LWS-700 self-protection system, displayed at IDEX 2023. (Janes/Olivia Savage)  Saab has revealed a new self-protection system called the Laser Warning Sensor-700 (LWS-700) at IDEX 2023, being held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.  Speaking to   Janes  , Gavin Copeland, business development and marketing for naval electronic warfare at Saab Grintek Defence, said that the LWS-700 is a “laser warning sensor for the automated detection, classification, and identification of laser-based weapons”.   The sensor has been developed...

The Cyclone missile, seen here from the test, has a length of 3.7 m and a diameter of 0.229 m. The missile is designed to train soldiers regarding the usage of long-range strike capability. (BSA)  The Australian rocket company Black Sky Aerospace (BSA) has successfully launched a prototype of a long-range missile known as TM229 Cyclone, the company announced at IDEX 2023, being held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.  According to BSA, the Cyclone has a length of 3.7 m and a diameter of 0.229 m. It is a training missile and was fired remote...

The Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann signed a contract in Munich on 17 February for the delivery of 54 Leopard 2A7s to Norway in 2026–28. (NDMA)  The Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) announced on 17 February that they had signed a contract in Munich the same day for the delivery of 54 Leopard 2A7s to Norway in 2026–28, with an option for 18 more main battle tanks (MBTs). The NDMA valued the contract at NOK19.7 billion (USD1.9 billion).  NDMA Director General Gro Jære said, “T...

Supacat Jackal reconnaissance vehicles. (Crown copyright)    A British Army light mechanised brigade is to provide the framework lead of the NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (Land) (VJTF(L)) in 2024, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has told   Janes.    VJTF(L) 2024's UK contingent is to comprise two light mechanised battalions equipped with Foxhound patrol vehicles, a light cavalry regiment with Jackal patrol vehicles, and an artillery regiment equipped with 105 mm towed Light Guns, the ministry told   Janes...

SIGN4L Sky Shield C-UAS system displayed at IDEX 2023, intended for the UAE. (Janes/Olivia Savage)  SIGN4L has unveiled a new mobile vehicular-based counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) at IDEX 2023, being held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.  The platform, known as Sky Shield, provides full omnidirectional C-UAS protection in the tactical environment and can be deployed within five minutes, Filip Kostomlatsky, senior programme manager for electronic warfare and intelligence at SIGN4L,told Janes.  According to Kostomlatsky, the platf...

DTC and Cordan unveil the Sentry Mesh 6161-L squad radio at IDEX 2023. (Janes/Olivia Savage)  Codan and Domo Tactical Communications (DTC) have unveiled a new solider radio at IDEX 2023 in Abu Dhabi, held from 20 to 24 February.  Known as ‘Sentry Mesh 6161-L', the software-defined radio (SDR) is the latest in the Sentry Series product family, offering high throughput in a small form factor, Sam Medler, sales account manager for DTC told Janes.  Intended for soldiers and special forces, the system operates in the L-band (1.2–1.7 GHz) frequency...

The US Army tests its Integrated Tactical Network during a demonstration featuring more than 200 Stryker combat vehicles. (US Army)  The US Army evaluated its Integrated Tactical Network (ITN) for the first time in a mounted configuration from 19 January to 5 February, Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T) officials told Janes on 15 February.  The three-week event at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, was the “most significant evaluation of our capability set to date”, said L...

The DRDO has partnered with Adani Defence and Aerospace to manufacture its D4 C-UAS (pictured above). (Janes/Akshara Parakala)    The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has partnered with Adani Defence and Aerospace to manufacture its Drone Detect, Deter, and Destroy (D4) counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS), a company official told  Janes  at the Aero India 2023 show, which was held in Bangalore from 13 to 17 February.   The technology transfer has been completed, and Adani has started manufacturing...

A multimode hand grenade from Munitions India Limited displayed at Aero India 2023. (Janes/Saketha Potlapalli)  Munitions India Limited (MIL) has received an order for one million multimode hand grenades for the Indian Army, the state-run company has confirmed to Janes.  Shailesh Vagerwal, the general manager of MIL, said that under the order MIL has produced an initial 100,000 grenades for the Indian Army and that supplies of these weapons started in fiscal year (FY) 2022–23.  He added that MIL is awaiting clearance from the Indian Army to p...

A K9 Vajra-T self-propelled howitzer – seen here from an Indian Army firepower exercise along the western borders with Pakistan in November 2022 – has a maximum firing range of 38 km. The Indian Army has ordered 100 additional K9s, which will be upgraded with high-altitude area application. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  The Indian Army has ordered additional 155 mm/52 calibre self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) known as K9 Vajra-T designed by South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace, the company told Janes.  A Hanwha spokesperson told Janes that the company has rec...