The US is expected to provide a Patriot missile battery to Ukraine in the coming weeks. (AFP via Getty Images)  The soldiers selected by the Armed Forces of Ukraine to train on the Patriot missile battery completed their training curriculum faster than expected, a Pentagon official announced on 21 March.  When Ukraine sent about 100 troops to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, to be trained on the MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile (SAM) battery in January, officials expected them to need more time to wrap up their courses at the Fires Center of Excel...

Egyptian naval special forces display weapons that include an Akeron MP to a Qatari delegation at their base in Abu Qir. (Egyptian Ministry of Defense)  An Egyptian naval special forces unit is the first confirmed export customer for the MBDA Akeron MP anti-tank guided missile system, a video released by the Egyptian Ministry of Defense on 18 March revealed.  The video showed a high-level Qatari military delegation visiting several Egyptian units, including one that identified itself as the naval Special Forces Brigade, which displayed weapo...

ACV is an eight-wheeled armoured personnel carrier designed to fully replace the USMC's ageing fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicles. The USMC budget request includes a boost for ACV procurement in FY 2024. (USMC)  The US Marine Corps (USMC) is asking for USD705 million more in discretionary spending for its Force Design 2030 priorities in fiscal year (FY) 2024 than enacted in FY 2023, according to budget documents.  The USMC topline request for the modernisation experimentation campaign, which calls for a more agile force, was USD17.1 billion...

The Archers will be drawn from Swedish Army stocks and enter into service in 2024. (Marcus Olsson/Försvarsmakten)  The UK Ministry of Defence's (MoD's) announcement on 16 March that the British Army is to receive BAE Systems Bofors Archer self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) will see the army take into service a more mobile, leaner-crewed platform than the AS90, currently in its inventory.  Fourteen Archers will be transferred to the British Army from Swedish Army stocks, and these will serve as an interim replacement for the 32 AS90 SPHs gifted t...

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is expected to operate the OZZ-5 MCM UUV in Japan's disputed southern islands. (Janes/Jon Grevatt)  Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is set to deliver its first OZZ-5 mine-countermeasures (MCM) unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).    Company officials told   Janes  at the DSEI Japan 2023 exhibition in Chiba that the first of five on-order OZZ-5 systems will be supplied to the JMSDF by the end of March. The initial five OZZ-5s are all...

A computer rendering of the HACM. (Raytheon)  The US Air Force (USAF) requested USD500 million for hypersonic weapons research and development in fiscal year (FY) 2024, the same amount as the previous year.  Roughly USD150 million would be used to further develop the Lockheed MartinAGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW), a boost-glide system that in December 2022 saw its first successful launch following three failed tests. The USAF plans to conduct four additional ‘all-up round' test shots of the completed missile during FY 2024....

The DRDO's Manportable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM). (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has designed and developed a “third-generation fire-and-forget” missile for special forces and infantry battalions of the Indian Army called Manportable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM).  The MPATGM missile weighs 14.5 kg and has a length of 1,340 mm and a diameter of 120 mm. The MPATGM is intended to replace the MILAN system of France and the Konkurs system of Russia in service with the Indian Army.  Ac...

The ATAGS, displayed in India's DefExpo 2022, can fire six rounds in 30 seconds to a range of 45 km. With the acquisition of ATAGS, the Indian Army seeks to provide direct fire support to the artillery units at the northern and eastern borders with China and the western border with Pakistan. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has approved the procurement of advanced towed artillery gun system (ATAGS), along with high-mobility vehicles (HMVs) and gun towing vehicles (GTVs)...

MC2 Technologies has been supplying its Nerod RF C-UAS (pictured) to the Japanese government with the help of its local partner, Mikuni Aerospace. (MC2 Technologies)  French company Microwave Characterization Center (MC2) Technologies has been supplying its Nerod RF counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) to the Japanese government with the help of its local partner in Japan, Mikuni Aerospace.    Speaking to   Janes   at the DSEI Japan 2023 show being held in Chiba, Camille Gaquiere, export control manager at MC2 Technologies...

A conceptual image, displayed at DSEI Japan 2023, showing how the UUV and semi-submersible USV developed by IHI Corporation will work together with the mother vessel to counter mines. (Janes/Oishee Majumdar)    Japanese heavy-industry manufacturer, IHI Corporation, has developed an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) to detect mines. The system has been delivered to the Japan Coast Guard and will also be provided to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), a company official told   Janes   at DSEI Japan 2023 being held in C...

The development of the Island Defence ASM – seen here on display at the DSEI Japan 2023 show – has been allocated funding of USD257 million in the 2023 defence budget. (Janes/Jon Grevatt)  Japanese company Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) has unveiled a model of a new long-range cruise missile at the DSEI Japan 2023 exhibition in Chiba.  KHI told Janes that the weapon – known tentatively as the ‘Island Defence' anti-ship missile (ASM) – is designed to be launched from warships, aircraft, and land platforms. The company said the missile could a...

The FN Minimi Mk 3 is a belt-fed, fully automatic, gas-operated, air-cooled LMG. The barrel of Mk 3 is chambered for 5.56×45 mm, and it is available in two lengths – 349 mm and 465 mm. (FN Herstal)  The Japanese Ministry of Defense (MoD) has selected Belgian armaments manufacturer Fabrique Nationale (FN) Herstal's Minimi Mk 3 light machine guns (LMGs) and German handgun manufacturer Heckler & Koch's (H&K's) G28 E2 anti-personnel sniper guns for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF).    A spokesperson for the MoD told   Janes...

The Kongsberg air-launched Joint Strike Missile is fired from a Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter in this artist's impression. (Norwegian MoD)  Japan is set to take delivery of an initial batch of Joint Strike Missiles (JSMs), manufacturer Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has confirmed to Janes.  Speaking at the DSEI Japan 2023 show in Chiba on 16 March, a representative from Kongsberg said the country's first JSMs will be supplied “very soon” to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) for integration into its growing fleet...

Toshiba displayed its C-UAS, incorporating a long-range radar, at the DSEI Japan 2023 show in Chiba. (Janes/Sunil)  Japanese firm Toshiba revealed a radio frequency (RF) detection sensor and a long-range detection radar as part of a counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) solution at the DSEI Japan 2023 show in Chiba.  The C-UAS solution, which the company has not named, includes an RF sensor; a short-, medium-, and long-range radar; two cameras; and a net gun-based autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) countermeasure.  Toshiba said its R...

ATLA displayed a model of its scramjet-powered hypersonic anti-ship missile at the DSEI Japan 2023 show. The model shows elements of the missile, including its seeker, warhead, fuel tank, scramjet, and energy source. (Janes/Jon Grevatt)    Japan's Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) is accelerating the development of its proposed scramjet-powered hypersonic anti-ship missile, an agency official told  Janes  at the DSEI Japan 2023 show in Chiba on 15 March.   The official, who did not want to be identified, sai...

The original Type 12 SSM is pictured, on the left, being launched from a transporter-erector-launcher vehicle. Images on the right show the system's sensor and control station. (Japan MOD)  Japan's Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) expects the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) to induct the upgraded ship-launched variant of the Type 12 surface-to-surface missile (SSM) by 2026, ATLA told Janes at the DSEI Japan 2023 show in Chiba.  The missile – developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) – is an improved variant of...

India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) test-flies a very short-range air-defence system missile in Odisha on 14 March 2023. The missile has a length of 2 m, a diameter of 0.09 m, and a weight of 21 kg. (DRDO)  India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has completed two flight tests of its very short-range air-defence system (VSHORADS) missiles, the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.    According to a press release by the MoD on 14 March, the tests were conducted from the Integrated Test Range...

THAAD is intended to engage targets both inside and outside the earth's atmosphere. (US Missile Defense Agency)  The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has requested USD484.7 million for the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) programme in fiscal year (FY 2024).  This funding would integrate the THAAD capability into the US Army's Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) and continue development of an 8th THAAD battery, according to the agency's budget documents, published on 13 March.  A battery typically consists...

The 155 mm/39 calibre M777 ultra lightweight howitzer, displayed above undergoing trials with the UK Army, has a maximum range of 24.7 km using unassisted rounds and a sustained rate of fire of 2 rds/min. India and the US are exploring the development of a 155 mm/52 calibre M777 with an extended range. (BAE Systems Landsystems UK)  India and the US are exploring the development of an extended-range, longer barrel variant of the M777 155 mm/39 calibre ultra lightweight howitzer (ULH), manufacturer BAE Systems told Janes.  Ravi Nirgudkar, manag...

Improving the GMD system has been a top priority for MDA. However, the effort suffered a major setback after a new kill vehicle programme was terminated. That programme was replaced by the NGI. (MDA)  The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is requesting about USD3.076 billion to improve its strategic missile defence system, known as the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD), including funding to develop a new Next Generation Interceptor (NGI).  Last year, MDA received USD2.618 billion for strategic missile defence. That funding was meant for upg...