A full-scale mock-up of the Thales and Nexter RapidFire turret is pictured on display in its final configuration at the Nexter stand at Euronaval 2022, Paris. (Janes/Kate Tringham)  Nexter and Thales displayed a full-scale version of their 40 mm RapidFire Naval gun in its final design configuration at the Euronaval 2022 maritime exhibition in Paris.  RapidFire Naval is a multirole, artillery, medium-calibre 40 mm gun developed by Thales and Nexter to meet the French Navy's requirement for a close-in self-defence capability against air and sur...

An SM-6 Block I missile arcs skywards following launch from a US Navy DDG-51 guided-missile destroyer. Japan plans to integrate the missile-defence system onto its Atago-class destroyers. (US Navy)  The US Department of State has approved a request by Japan to procure Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) air-defence missiles for an estimated USD450 million, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has announced.  It said on 20 October that the proposed Foreign Military Sales (FMS), which requires approval from the Congress, includes 32 SM-6 Blo...

AVNL unveiled the BMP-2M infantry combat vehicle at Defexpo 2022. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  India's state-run Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited (AVNL) has unveiled the BMP-2M infantry combat vehicle (ICV) at Defexpo 2022, being held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, from 18 to 22 October.  According to the company, the BMP-2M is an upgraded BMP-2 with a loitering munition system (LMS), fifth-generation anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), and an armament upgrade with an integrated fire-control system (FCS).  The LMS, manufactured by Telangana-based Avision Syst...

IRRPL showcased AK-203 assualt rifles at Defexpo 2022. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)    Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) – a joint venture between Russia and India to manufacture AK-203 assault rifles for the Indian Armed Forces – has initiated the process to produce the rifles in India, it has been confirmed to   Janes   at Defexpo 2022, being held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, from 18 to 22 October.     Rajeev Sharma, general manager, Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AWEIL), which is one of the stakeholders...

AWEIL has showcased Dhanush 155 mm/52 calibre towed howitzers (pictured) at Defexpo 2022 being held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  India's state-run Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AWEIL) has upgraded the Dhanush towed howitzers.  AWEIL has showcased Dhanush 155 mm/52 calibre towed howitzers at Defence Expo 2022 being held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, from 18 to 22 October.    Rajeev Sharma, general manager of AWEIL, told   Janes  that the Dhanush 155 mm/52 calibre towed howitzers have a firing range o...

Austrian defence spending trend, 2014–33. (Janes)    Austrian Ministry of Defence planners are seeking parliamentary approval of a 10-year state defence financing act to give more predictability in planning and avoid future governments from cancelling projects,   Janes  learnt during a briefing at the ministry on 13 October. This will increase defence spending to EUR5.25 billion (USD5.16 billion) by 2027 for a total of EUR16 billion over the four years until then, as announced by the ministry on 6 October. In addition, the pla...

DRDO's Akash-NG mobile missile launcher (pictured here) at Defexpo 2022 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has showcased the Akash-New Generation (Akash-NG) mobile missile launcher at Defexpo 2022 being held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, from 18 to 22 October.  The Akash-NG is a short-range mobile surface-to-air missile system (SRSAM) with a range of up to 30 km. The system is designed and developed by the DRDO and manufactured by Pune-based Electropneumatics and Hydraulics (I...

KSSL's ATAGS (pictured above) at Defence Expo 2022 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has unveiled the indigenously developed 155 mm/52 calibre Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) at Defexpo 2022 being held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, from 18 to 22 October.  The ATAGS is jointly developed by the DRDO, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), and Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited (KSSL).  According to TASL, the system has capabilities such as a self-propelled mode and a...

General Robotics launches Shark, a lightweight RCWS suited for small vessels. (General Robotics )  Israel-based General Robotics has launched a naval version of its Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS).  Known as Shark, the RCWS is designed for small manned and unmanned naval vessels, the company said on 18 October.  Specifically designed for naval forces, coastguards, naval special warfare (NSW), and raiding crafts, it can integrate all machine guns up to .50 calibre, the company added.  Shark is based on the company's Pitbull RCWS, desig...

An image of what appears to be part of the nosecone of an unmanned combat aerial vehicle was released by Ukroboronprom hours after the latest Russian use of Iranian loitering munitions on Kyiv, on 17 October. (Ukroboronprom)  The Ukrainian government has developed a long-range strike capability that it is close to employing in response to Russian attacks using Iranian-sourced loitering munitions, the state-owned defence holding company Ukroboronprom announced.  An image of what appeared to be part of the nosecone of an unmanned combat aerial...

Revolver Guns in action during the QEADF's Exercise ‘Shield 6 (Skynex)'. (Qatari Ministry of Defence)  The Qatar Emiri Air Defence Forces (QEADF) now has the Rheinmetall Skynex short-range air-defence system, the Qatari Ministry of Defence (MoD) revealed on 13 October when it released a video showing components associated with the system during an exercise.  These included eight 35 mm Revolver Gun Mk3s and a single X-TAR3D target acquisition and tracking radar.  While these components can be used as part of Skyguard or Skyshield systems, the...

The Ukraine Defense Contact Group on 12 October agreed to accelerate the delivery of air-defence assets to Ukraine for an integrated air-defence system. (NATO)  Allies agreed on 12 October to transfer various air-defence assets to Ukraine and help Kyiv knit them together into an integrated layered defence capability against Russian missiles and aircraft. While senior allied military officials said the assets would be transferred as quickly as possible, they declined to say how long it would take to achieve that capability.  “These systems wil...

According to the RFP, the proposed AD gun will replace the ‘in-service' army guns. (Janes/Patrick Allen)  The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has outlined a plan to procure air-defence (AD) guns for the Indian Army.  A request for proposal (RFP) issued by the MoD on 8 October said that the plan features the acquisition of 220 towed AD guns and about 142,000 rounds of ammunition.  According to the RFP, the proposed AD gun will replace the ‘in-service' army guns and will be deployed in all types of terrains.  The RFP added that the AD gun shou...

SEA will undertake an electronics refresh for both the MTLS (pictured during a Sting Ray firing test) and the NATO Sea Gnat/Outfit DLH decoy launch system. (Royal Navy/Crown Copyright)  UK systems and engineering group Systems Engineering & Assessment Ltd (SEA), part of the Cohort Group, has secured a GBP34 million (USD37.5 million) contract with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) covering the technical refresh and through-life support of torpedo-launch equipment and decoy launchers fitted to Royal Navy (RN) warships.  The five-year contract,...

Germany has delivered the IRIS-T SLM GBAD system to Ukraine. (Diehl)  Germany has delivered the InfraRed Imaging System Tail Surface Launched Medium Range (IRIS-T SLM) ground-based air defence (GBAD) system to Ukraine, Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov tweeted on 11 October. The announcement came three days after German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht announced on 8 October that the first of four IRIS-T SLMs would be ready to defend Ukraine. A Diehl official told Janes on 11 October that the system would be operational no later...

A senior Indian Army official told   Janes   that the Indian Army has transformed all the mountain corps and divisions into integrated battle groups.  (Indian Ministry of Defence)  The Indian Army has rolled out the integrated battle group (IBG) concept along the northeastern border with China in North Sikkim.  On October 9 the Trishakti Corps (33 Corps) of the Indian Army along with the troops of the Striking Lion Division (27th Mountain Division), and Century Brigade conducted an integrated tactical exercise at...

Smart Shooter is supplying its lightest weapon-mounted fire-control system, the SMASH 2000L (also known as SMASH 3000), to the US Army for C-sUAS defence. (Smart Shooter)  Smart Shooter's US subsidiary was awarded a contract, via Atlantic Diving Supply (ADS), to provide its SMASH 2000L weapon-mounted fire-control system to the US Army for counter-small unmanned aerial system (C-sUAS) defence.  “SMASH 2000L is also under evaluation by the US Marine Corps Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO), with recent live-fire tests conducted in early August,” t...

The ARGE NNbS SHORAD and VSHORAD solution for the Bundeswehr includes mounting the IRIS-T air-defence system on Boxer (left) and Eagle (right) vehicles. (Diehl Defence/Hensoldt Sensors/Rheinmetall)  Rheinmetall Electronics, Diehl Defence, and Hensoldt Sensors presented the Nah- und Nächstbereichsschutz (NNbS) Arbeitsgemeinschaft (ARGE) short- and very short-range air defence (SHORAD and VSHORAD) working group's solution for the Bundeswehr during a briefing for German-speaking defence journalists in Bonn on 5 October.  Rheinmetall Electronics'...

The JJV is ramping up production towards about 2,000 FGM-148F missiles per year. (Javelin Joint Venture)  The Lockheed Martin-Raytheon Javelin Joint Venture (JJV) is preparing to enter low-rate initial production (LRIP) for a new Light Weight Command Launch Unit (LWCLU) for the Javelin Weapon System and completed a test launch on 5 October towards the LWCLU's qualification programme, which could be complete by mid-2023.    The new LWCLU is approximately 30% smaller and lighter than the Block 1    CLU, and increases detection, r...

Seen being carried by an EMB-312 Tucano during trials, the Tordo is a domestically developed machine gun pod for the Argentine Air Force and an international market. (Argentine Air Force)  The Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Argentina: FAA) has received the first batch of nine Tordo machine gun pods developed domestically by the General Directorate of Research and Development (Dirección General de Investigación y Desarrollo: DGID).  Fitted with Browning M1919 7.62 mm machine guns, the pods will be used for training across a range of FAA air...