The first Polish-made Patriot launcher and resupply vehicle delivered by Huta Stalowa Wola was displayed at International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO 2021. (Janes/Jakub Link-Lenczowski)    Delivery of the first battery of the Wisła medium-range air-defence (MRAD) system to the Polish Armed Forces has been completed, Polish Armaments Agency (AA) spokesperson Kacper Bakuła told   Janes  on 2 June.   The programme, which will provide upper-tier air defence, is divided into two phases. Under phase one the first of the two...

Japan's MoD has signed contracts with MHI to research hypersonic weapons and signed a contract with KHI to research new anti-ship missiles, an example of which is seen here on display at the DSEI Japan 2023 show. (Janes/Jon Grevatt)  Japan's Ministry of Defense (MoD) has signed contracts with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) to research and develop anti-ship and hypersonic missiles, according to an MoD press release on 6 June.  The MoD signed three contracts with MHI, which include hypersonic weapons resea...

Poongsan's 127 mm naval guided munition has a range of about 100 km. (Janes/Mike Plunkett)  South Korean ammunition firm Poongsan has unveiled a 127 mm gun-launched, extended-range guided munition for naval applications at the MADEX 2023 exhibition in Busan.    Dong Won Lee, Poongsan's director of defence products exports, told   Janes  that the concept of 127 mm Gliding Guided Naval Munition (GGNM) is centred on the projectile being fired on a steep trajectory to a high altitude, estimated to be in the region of 20 km....

The Fattah ballistic missile was displayed with a second re-entry vehicle (RV) and the motor that powers the RV. (Islamic Republic News Agency)  Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) unveiled what it described as unique hypersonic ballistic missile that cannot be intercepted by existing missile defences on 6 June.  The IRGC claimed the Fattah missile that was unveiled during an event attended by President Ebrahim Raisi has a range of 1,400 km, is highly manoeuvrable, and can hit its target accurately at a speed of Mach 13–15.  “It wi...

A model of the South Korea-developed CIWS-II on display at MADEX 2023. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)  The Republic of Korea Navy's (RoKN's) Ulsan-class Batch III frigates will be equipped with the indigenously developed ‘CIWS-II' close in weapon system (CIWS) but only from 2026.  This indicative timeline is almost two years later than originally planned as the RoKN has requested for slight design changes to be made to the CIWS-II, said an LIG Nex1 representative who spoke to Janes at the International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition (MADEX) 20...

Northrop Grumman's Forward Area Air Defense system provides C2 for SHORAD missions and supports C-UAS operations. (Janes/Patrick Allen)  Northrop Grumman has successfully modernised Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania's air-defence capabilities, ensuring interoperability with NATO and US forces.  According to a company announcement on 5 June, Northrop Grumman has successfully fielded its Forward Area Air Defense Command and Control (FAAD C2) system and provided training to the Baltics' armed forces.  In December 2021 the US Army – in support of US...

India's Varunastra torpedo has undergone ‘combat' test-firings, with the weapon fitted with a high-explosive warhead, for the first time. (Bharat Dynamics Limited)  The Indian Navy and the country's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) undertook the first ‘combat' test-firing of the Varunastra heavyweight torpedo on 5 June.  Janes understands that the torpedo was fired from a Kamorta (Project 28)-class anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvette at an Under Water Target System (UWTS) laid by INS Jalashwa (ex-USS Trenton), a refurbis...

The Indian Army seeks to arm in-service BMP-2 ICVs – pictured above taking part in an Indian Army exercise in November 2022 – with anti-tank guided missiles. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has outlined plans to procure anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and general-purpose machine guns (GPMG) for the Indian Army.  The projects, which indicate India's efforts to enhance firepower along its borders with China and Pakistan, were initiated through requests for information (RFIs) issued by the MoD in early June.  The ATG...

Slovak self-propelled artillery battalions are equipped with the Zuzana self-propelled howitzer armed with a 155 mm gun. (Kerametal)  Janes learnt details of the plans for the Slovak Armed Forces' artillery on the last day of Defence iQ's Future Artillery 2023 conference held in Munich from 30 May to 1 June.  The branch will see its 5th Artillery Regiment become a brigade again in 2035, as it was before April 2005, with its battalions to be assigned to manoeuvre brigades.  The regiment consists of the 21st Self-Propelled Artillery Battalion w...

The PULS MRL is entering service with the IDF as the Lahav. (Elbit Systems)    The Precise and Universal Launching System (PULS) multiple rocket launcher (MRL) is entering service with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF),   Janes  learnt at the Defence iQ's Future Artillery conference held in Munich from 30 May to 1 June.   Janes  understands that the IDF is test-firing PULS, which is known in Israeli service as the Lahav.   PULS can launch unguided and precision-guided rockets with a range of 12–300 km, according t...

Italy has 68 PzH 2000s in service. (Italian Army)  The Italian Army's plans for its artillery corps were presented on the second day of Defence iQ's Future Artillery conference held in Munich from 30 May to 1 June.  The branch has nine tube and two deep fires artillery regiments and plans to stand up two more regiments.  Italy is working on multidomain operations, with a focus on deep fires. This includes participation in NATO's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps' concept development, experimentation, and innovation project for a multinational field...

Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell formally handing over the first batch of EU-funded military assistance to Moldova on 31 May. (European Commission)  The Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova has received its first batch of European Union (EU)-funded military equipment as part of the European Peace Facility (EPF), the EU announced on 31 May.  Over a 36-month period, Moldova will receive EUR40 million (USD42.87 million) worth of non-lethal military equipment in the areas pertaining to air surveillance, mobility and tran...

Australia has reduced its procurement of infantry fighting vehicles from 450 units to 129. Two platforms are competing for the tender – Rheinmetall's Lynx KF41 and, pictured above, Hanwha's Redback. (Hanwha Defense Australia)  Australia has announced the establishment of an external advisory panel (EAP) to oversee the implementation of the Defence Strategic Review (DSR) recommendations, which include a reorganisation of the Australian Army.  The EAP will provide an independent assessment of the DSR's progress biannually to the government, the...

The Indian Army is upgrading its 9K111-1M Konkurs-M ATGW systems – pictured above in operation with the Russian Army – with thermal imagers for use in low-light or night operations. (KBP Instrument Design Bureau)    The Indian Army has upgraded its 9K111‐1M Konkurs‐M anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) systems with Bangalore-based Tonbo Imaging's cooled, longwave Infrared (LWIR) thermal imagers known as Sarisa, a source at Tonbo told   Janes.  According to Tonbo, Sarisa is a thermal imaging camera used for detection, recognition, and id...

South Korea has announced plans to upgrade the RoKA's K9A1 self-propelled howitzers. (Hanwha Defense)  South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has announced plans to upgrade K9A1 Thunder 155 mm/52 calibre self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) and 120 mm self-propelled mortars (SPMs) in service with the Republic of Korea Army (RoKA).  A DAPA spokesperson told Janes on 31 May that a visit by the agency earlier that month to the RoKA's Capital Mechanized Infantry Division in Gapyeong had identified about 15 upgrade requirements...

KMW displayed a PULS MRL armed with a Kongsberg NSM at its site in Munich on the first day of Defence iQ's Future Artillery conference held in Munich from 29 May to 1 June. (Janes/Nicholas Fiorenza)  Krauss-Maffei Wegmann-Nexter Defense Systems (KNDS) is proposing that the Precise and Universal Launching System (PULS) multiple rocket launcher (MRL) be armed with Kongsberg's Naval Strike Missile (NSM). An Elbit Systems-Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) EuroPULS MRL mounted on an Iveco Trakker 8×8 chassis was displayed at KMW's site in Munich on the...

Lockheed Martin's AN/TPS-77 ground-based radar is a deployable version of the AN/TPS-117 radar that can be set up within 30 minutes. (Lockheed Martin)  The Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition Logistics Organisation (Forsvarsministeriets Materiel: FMI) has contracted Lockheed Martin to extend the life of the Royal Danish Air Force's two AN/TPS-77 long-range transportable radars.  According to the FMI on 31 May, the two radars will receive a mid-life upgrade (MLU) that was planned as part of the Danish Defence Agreement 2018–2023. The MLU is...

Seen fitted to an Apache helicopter, the Hellfire missile will arm both the AW149 and AH-64E platforms being acquired by Poland. (Janes/Kelvin Wong)  Poland has finalised a deal with the United States to acquire Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire II air-to-surface missiles to equip its future Leonardo AW149 and Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters.  The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, Mariusz Błaszczak, made the disclosure, saying the contract for an undisclosed number of missiles had been signed on 30 May.  Błaszcz...

With a weight launch of 280 kg, the Blue Shark can hit targets at depths of up to 450 m and at a range of 6.5 n mile. The torpedo can travel at a speed of 45 kt. (Janes/Patrick Allen)  South Korea is prepared to deliver a second batch of Cheong Sangeo (K745/Blue Shark) torpedoes to the Philippine Navy (PN). However, Janes understands that the Philippines has delayed the procurement.  The deal was first announced in August 2021. At the time, the Philippines Department of National Defense (DND) said that the deal was reported to cost around PHP...

Canada is to donate to Ukraine older versions of its AIM-9 Sidewinder, as carried here by a Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 Hornet. (Janes)  Canada is to donate Raytheon AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles to Ukraine, the Canadian defence minister announced at the 12th Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting on 25 May.  Canadian Minister of National Defence Anita Anand announced the donation as part of a wider raft of support measures for the Ukrainian armed forces.  “Minister Anand … announced that Canada is donating 43 AIM-9 missiles to Ukraine f...