The 3SM Tyrfing missile is expected to utilise solid-fuel ramjet propulsion. (Kongsberg)  Norway has disclosed plans to jointly develop a new long-range, high-speed naval strike weapon with Germany.  Announcing the move on 24 November, Norwegian Defence Minister Bjørn Arild Gram said the projected SuperSonic Strike Missile (3SM) – given the name Tyrfing (a magic sword in Norse mythology) – was entering preliminary development pending a more substantive investment decision next year. Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, which has previously develope...

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 Shahed 136 is of great concern for air-defence planners and industry since its debut in Ukraine in 2022. Skyfortress has developed a solution that can detect and track these loud and slow munitions without the use of active systems such as radars or electro-optical sensors. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)  Representatives from Skyfortress – a Ukrainian non-governmental organisation – have disclosed details of work to develop and install an acoustic sensor network for the detection and tracking of aerial threats.  Speaking at SAE Me...

The ACR is deploying a battery of DANA vz 77 SPHs to Lithuania in 2024. (ACR)  The Army of the Czech Republic (ACR) announced on its website on 21 November that it is deploying a battery of DANA vz 77 152 mm 8×8 self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) to Lithuania. The Czech Army's 3rd Task Force, including a DANA battery from the ACR's 131st Artillery Battalion, will be deployed in Lithuania during the first half of 2024 as part of the German-led enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) NATO battlegroup in the Baltic country.  Most of the task force's over 1...

A BOV-OT M-21 APC demonstrating its water obstacle crossing capabilities at Nikinci. (Serbian MoD)  The Serbian Armed Forces' (SAF's) new indigenously developed, locally produced or modernised weapons, and military equipment were presented to Defence Minister Miloš Vučević at the SAF's Weapons and Military Equipment Test Centre ‘Nikinci' on 14 November, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on its website later the same day.  Among the equipment shown, was a new series of six BOV M16 Miloš 4×4 multi-purpose armoured vehicles, PASARS self-pr...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is shown a cutaway model of the second stage of the Fattah-2 hypersonic missile during a visit to the IRGCAF museum in Tehran on 19 November 2023. (leader.ir)  Iran unveiled its Fattah-2 hypersonic missile during a visit by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Aerospace Force (IRGCAF) museum in Tehran on 19 November.  Media coverage of the event showed the Fattah-2 consists of a ballistic missile motor that looks similar to the one used to power the Fattah missile that...

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 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...

FFG is working on the Boxer RRV variant. (FFG )  Lieutenant Colonel Karlheinz Boehnke, Multi-Role Armoured Vehicle (MRAV) Boxer representative in the German Army Concept and Capabilities Development Centre, presented a Boxer jamming variant and an update on other planned versions on the second day of SAE Media Group's Future Armoured Vehicles Survivability (FAVS) 2023 conference held in London from 13 to 15 November.  The Boxer Knifefish jamming variant would exist in two versions – ultra-high frequency (UHF)/very high frequency (VHF...

Lockheed Martin is under contract to continue PrSM development for the army. (US Army)  The US Army's Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) completed its shortest ever trip during a production qualification test on 13 November, according to a service announcement on 16 November.  Fired from an M142 High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), the missile demonstrated “successful target engagements” at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, according to the army release. The test announcement comes as PrSM is expected to reach early operational c...

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...

Edge unveiled the MANSUP-ER, an extended-range version of Brazil's National Surface Anti-Ship Missile, at the Dubai Airshow. (Edge Group)  The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces has signed a letter of intent covering a AED1.2 billion (USD327 million) order for anti-ship missiles, local defence group Edge announced during the Dubai Airshow on 15 November.  It said the order would cover the National Surface Anti-Ship Missile (MANSUP) that was originally developed for the Brazilian Navy and the extended-range MANSUP-ER version that was unve...

An F-35A fires an AIM-9X missile from the its external wing against an aerial drone target at Point Mugu Test Range, California. (US Air Force)  The US State Department has approved the potential sale of Raytheon AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II+ short-range infrared-guided air-to-air missiles (AAMs) to South Korea.  The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said on 15 November that the possible Foreign Military Sales (FMS) is worth USD52.1 million and features 42 AIM-9X Block II+ missiles, training missiles, guidance units, and associated...

An SM-6 Block I missile arcs skywards following launch from a US Navy DDG-51 guided-missile destroyer. South Korea plans to integrate the missile onto its second batch of KDX-III guided-missile destroyers. (US Navy)  The US State Department has approved the possible sale of SM-6 Block I air-defence missiles to South Korea, the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 14 November.  DSCA said Congress was informed of the possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) – estimated to cost USD650 million – earlier the same day.  The deal f...