A mock-up of the Sky Sword II missile – locally known as the TC-2 land-based missile – is pictured at TADTE 2023. The missile structure consists of the active radar seeker, followed by the electronics section, proximity fuze, warhead, and rocket motor, ending in the exhaust. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  Taiwan's state-owned National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) has started the mass production of its land-based short-to-medium-range air-defence capability known as the Sky Sword II (locally termed Tien Chien II), a Republic o...

Israeli MoD Director General Eyal Zamir signed the final contract for the AWS sale to Germany on 23 November. (IAI)  The Israeli Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced on X (formerly Twitter) on 23 November that its Director General, Eyal Zamir, signed the final contract for the USD3.6 billion sale of the Arrow Weapon System (AWS) to Germany earlier the same day. In addition to the AWS and Arrow 3 missiles, the contract includes an initial package of spare parts and training of Luftwaffe crews.  German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and his Is...

The National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System – pictured above firing an AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile at Woomera Test Range in South Australia in mid-November – provides air defence against a variety of aerial threats, including UAV, missile, helicopter, and aircraft attacks within 40–50 km. (Commonwealth of Australia)  The Australian Army has started inducting its new short-range ground-based air-defence capability known as the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), a spokesperson for the Australi...

An aerial view of Garden Island Precinct. (Thales Australia)  The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has signed a AUD2 billion (USD1.3 billion) contract with Thales to maintain and sustain Royal Australian Navy (RAN) vessels in Sydney.  Under the agreement – announced on 22 November – Thales Australia was appointed as ‘regional maintenance provider' for the new Regional Maintenance Centre East (RMC East) at the DoD's Garden Island Precinct.    A Thales spokesperson told   Janes  that work on the contract will commence on...

Australia's Birdon Group Pty Ltd has been selected as the preferred designer for the Landing Craft Medium capability. The above picture shows the design of Birdon's proposed Landing Craft Medium. (Birdon Group)  The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has signed a Heads of Agreement (HOA) with shipbuilding company Austal Limited to establish a Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement (SSA) to manufacture ships in Henderson, Western Australia, the DoD said in a press release on 23 November.  According to the DoD, the HOA will set out the principles...

The NDM   Bahia  LPD, formerly the Foudre-class FS   Siroco  LPD with the French Navy between 1998 and 2015, was acquired by Brazil in 2015.  (Victor Barreira )    The Brazilian Navy is acquiring a new satellite communications (satcom) system for NDM   Bahia   (G40) multi-purpose landing platform dock (LPD) to improve the satcom capability of the amphibious warfare ship.     A tender launched by the Brazilian Naval Commission in Washington, DC, on behalf of the Logistics Cen...

L3Harris Technologies will supply its radios for the combat net radio requirement as part of the Foxtrot digitisation programme. The company is already supplying its AN/PRC-163 radios to meet the ‘Replacement of Ground-Air Radios' requirement under Foxtrot. (Janes/Olivia Savage)  L3Harris Technologies has been selected by the Netherlands Armed Forces to supply its radios for the Foxtrot tactical digitisation programme.  This will involve delivering radios for approximately 8,000 vehicles, 3,500 military personnel, 135 vessels, 170 aircraft, a...

Hyundai Heavy Industries marking the keel laying of the first 3,200 tonne corvette on order for the Philippine Navy. (Hyundai Heavy Industries)  Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has laid down the keel for the first of two 3,200 tonne corvettes on order for the Philippine Navy.  A ceremony to mark the occasion was held on 22 November at the shipbuilder's facilities in Ulsan, South Korea, the company disclosed on the same day.  At the event, a ceremony to mark the first steel cut for the second vessel was also carried out.  The Philippine Departm...

The BAAINBw has ordered 2,300 PARM off-route anti-tank mines from MBDA subsidiary TDW. (MBDA)  The Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr (BAAINBw), Germany's Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support, signed a contract with MBDA subsidiary TDW on 14 November for 2,300 Panzerabwehrrichtmine (PARM) off-route anti-tank mines, MBDA announced in a press release on 15 November. Thomas Gottschild, managing director of MBDA Germany said, “With the procurement, PARM is in...

The German Navy's F126 frigates will be equipped with Systematic's SitaWare C2 suite. (Damen Naval)  Germany's F126 frigates will be equipped with Systematic's command-and-control (C2) software, the company announced on 20 November.  The project, called the National Maritime C2 Service Bundeswehr (NMC2S Bw), will involve adding SitaWare Maritime and Fusion to the Bundeswehr's SitaWare Headquarters (HQ) licences and installing this onboard the F126 frigates.    A Systematic spokesperson told   Janes   the licences are aimed to b...

An aerial view of Garden Island Precinct. (Thales Australia)  The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has signed a AUD2 billion (USD1.3 billion) contract with Thales to maintain and sustain Royal Australian Navy (RAN) vessels in Sydney.  Under the agreement – announced on 22 November – Thales Australia was appointed as ‘regional maintenance provider' for a new regional maintenance centre (RMC) at the DoD's Garden Island Precinct.  The DoD said the seven-year contract will “ensure Australia has the sovereign industrial base to maintain and...

An Indian Navy Sea King Mk 42B helicopter firing a Naval Anti-Ship Missile – Short Range as part of the weapon's guided flight trials. (Indian Navy)  India has carried out another test of an indigenously developed anti-surface guided weapon known as the Naval Anti-Ship Missile – Short Range (NASM-SR).  The latest launch was carried out as part of the weapon's ‘guided flight trials', the Indian Navy announced via an official social media channel on 21 November.  Similar to its maiden flight test in May 2022, the weapon was launched from a Sea...

Conceptual drawing of the ABBS Dragon mine-clearing UGV presented at FAVS 2023. (Janes/Sonny Butterworth)  United Kingdom-based company Advanced Blast & Ballistic Systems (ABBS) displayed its Dragon mine-clearing unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) concept at SAE Media Group's Future Armoured Vehicles Survivability (FAVS) 2023 conference held in London between 13 and 15 November.  Described as an “attritable autonomous ground vehicle for minefield breaching” by ABBS, the Dragon is a wheeled UGV designed to clear a path through minefields by using i...

A German Potsdam-class OPV. Singapore is believed to have ordered four similar OPVs from Fassmer. (Michael Nitz – Naval Press Service)  Singapore's Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) has signed a contract with German shipbuilder Fassmer for four new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs).  The OPVs will replace the Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN's) fleet of four Sentinel-class maritime security and response vessels (MSRVs), the ministry disclosed in a 20 November statement.  These MSRVs operate with the RSN's maritime security and response flotilla (MSR...

The Norwegian government is procuring more NASAMS launchers, fire-control centres, and missiles for the Norwegian Armed Forces. (Forsvaret)  The Norwegian government, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, and Nammo announced investment plans on 15 November for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) launchers, fire-control centres, and missiles for the Norwegian Armed Forces.  The NOK12.5 billion (USD1.2 billion) order is Norway's largest single investment in air defence in 30 years, according to the Norwegian government. It include...

The US Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS   Chafee  seen here firing a Tomahawk Block V missile during an exercise on 1 December 2020. The US has approved a possible sale of the weapon to Japan.  (US NAVAIR)  The US State Department has approved a possible sale of Block IV and Block V Tomahawk missiles and associated equipment to Japan.  A notice published by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on 17 November disclosed that the sale is estimated to be worth some USD2.35 billion.  Japan has reque...

The DGA conducted the first land-based test-firing of the M51.3 SLBM on 18 November 2023. (DGA)  France's defence procurement agency, Directorate General of Armament (DGA), has successfully test-fired an M51.3 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) for the first time.  The test-launch was conducted from the DGA's land-based missile testing site on 18 November in Landes, southwestern France.  Announcing the milestone on the same day, the Ministry of Armed Forces of France said the missile, which was unarmed, was aimed at a location in the...

The National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System – pictured above firing an AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile at Woomera Test Range in South Australia in mid-November – provides air defence against a variety of aerial threats, including UAV, missile, helicopter, and aircraft attacks within 40–50 km. (Commonwealth of Australia)  The Australian Army has test-fired the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) at Woomera Test Range in South Australia, the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) said in a press rel...

A Mojave short take-off and landing unmanned aircraft lines up for the first landing aboard a Royal Navy Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier. (General Atomics)  The UK Royal Navy (RN) and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) have completed a first-of-its-kind trial of GA-ASI's Mojave remotely piloted air system (RPAS) from an aircraft carrier.  Undertaken off the US east coast on 15 November as part of the RN's Westlant 23 deployment, the demonstration saw the Mojave RPAS safely execute an unassisted take-off from, and recover...

The Royal Swedish Navy's Visby-class corvettes are to be fitted with the Sea Ceptor local area anti-air missile system. Space for a vertical launcher installation for CAMM missiles already exists in the weapon deck area beneath the main deck hatch. (MBDA)  Sweden is moving ahead with plans to retrofit MBDA's Sea Ceptor local area anti-air missile system to its five Visby-class corvettes as part of the mid-life upgrade (MLU) for the class.  The country's Defence Materiel Administration (Försvarets materielverk: FMV) on 16 November announced it...