Capable of rapid movement, the Ancilia trainable decoy launcher is designed to counter a wide range of threats quickly and accurately. (SEA)  Fleet protection specialist SEA unveiled its new high-performance trainable decoy launcher system, Ancilia, at the DSEI 2023 exhibition, held from 12 to 15 September in London.  According to the company, Ancilia's trainable nature represents a step change in decoy launcher technology from traditional fixed countermeasures solutions, as it removes the need to manoeuvre the vessel. The system is flexible...

The US Army's LRHW could be delayed in fielding because of a recent flight cancellation. (US Navy)  The US Department of Defense (DoD) cancelled a flight test scheduled for the US Army's Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) on 6 September, the Pentagon told reporters on 7 September.    The flight test scheduled at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, was cancelled after undergoing pre-flight checks, DoD Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters. The army declined to confirm if the cancellation would push the army over th...

People watching a South Korean news broadcast in Seoul showing a parade to mark North Korea's 75th founding anniversary on 9 September 2023. Spotted at the parade were what appears to be the M1985 multiple launch rocket system that has been incorporated into red tipper trucks with false load coverings. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)  North Korea has displayed what appears to be a fleet of multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) units that have been disguised as civilian vehicles.  These units were showcased during a paramilitary parade...

MBDA Common Anti-air Modular Missile on display at MSPO 2023. (Janes/Neil Dee)  The Polish Navy's future Miecznik (Project 106)-class frigates will receive the medium-range (MR) version of MBDA's Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM) once developed, it has been confirmed.  The plan for the Mieczniks to receive the CAMM-MR forms part of an announcement of a letter of intent signed on 6 September between MBDA and the Polish Armaments Group (Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa: PGZ) to co-operate in the development of the CAMM-MR. The MR version is being...

DE&S has awarded a contract for the AIW system to equip the British Army and the Royal Marines (pictured). (Royal Navy)  The UK Ministry of Defence and its Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) organisation announced on 7 September the award of a contract for the Alternative Individual Weapon (AIW) system, designated the L403A1 in UK service. DE&S awarded an initial contract for 1,620 AIW systems worth GBP15 million (USD18.7 million), with options for 10,000 systems for a total of GBP90 million.  The systems will equip the British Army and the R...

The Skif-M ATGM. (Janes/Amael Kotlarski)    The Ukrainian armed forces have received the Skif-M anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system, a spokesperson for the Luch Design Bureau told   Janes  at the MSPO 2023 defence exhibition in Kielce, Poland.   The Skif-M was unveiled in 2022 and is an upgraded version of the Skif system. Known as the Stugna-P in Ukrainian service, the Skif ATGM has been in use with the Ukrainian armed forces since 2018, and has also been exported to eight countries.  Improvements brought to the Skif-M...

The DragonFire 50 kW-class LDEW capability demonstrator system. (Richard Scott/NAVYPIX)  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is embarking on a three-year ‘Transition Phase' programme designed to support the development and delivery of directed energy weapon (DEW) systems tothe UK armed forces over the next five to 10 years.  In a briefing note promulgated on 1 September industry has been asked to help shape the UK DEW procurement strategy by providing early input to guide planning and policy. At this stage, the MoD is leaning towards a framework...

Rheinmetall delivered the first batch of 35 mm ammunition in August for the Gepard SPAAGs Germany has supplied to Ukraine. (Rheinmetall)  Rheinmetall has begun delivering 35 mm ammunition for the Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns (SPAAGs) Germany supplied to Ukraine, the company and the German Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced. Rheinmetall said in a press release on 6 September that it had delivered the first batch of 30,000 rounds of Gepard ammunition it is supplying to Ukraine in 2023.  During the 14 February Ukraine Defense Contac...

With three large, vertically placed displays, the Future Operator Workspace provides a clear and distinct presentation of the tactical and operational environment. The 27.6 inch central display shows the tactical situation, while the side 21.9 inch side displays are used for presenting information and data. (Saab)  Saab will display for the first time a prototype of its new ‘Future Operator Workspace' concept at the DSEI 2023 exhibition, to be held in London from 12 to 15 September.  The company describes the new operator combat console as a...

Raytheon's Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor is one component of the Wisła programme. (Raytheon)  The Polish government approved major contracts for air-defence programmes at the MSPO 2023 defence exhibition in Kielce, Poland. Signed on 5 September in the presence of Poland's President Andrzej Duda and Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak, the contracts have a combined value of more than USD15.5 billion.  Contracts for Phase 2 of the Wisła programme were signed, which will see the acquisition – via US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) – of 1...

Kongsberg NSM CDS on display at MSPO 2023. (Janes/Neil Dee)  Kongsberg has been awarded a contract worth around NOK16 billion (USD1.5 billion) to deliver four additional Naval Strike Missile (NSM) Coastal Defence System (CDS) squadrons to Poland, the largest single contract in Kongsberg's history. The contract was approved at the MSPO 2023 defence exhibition in Kielce, Poland, by Polish Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak in the presence of Polish President Andrzej Duda. Pending confirmation of export financing for the contract, de...

PGZ and Javelin JV MOU signing ceremony at MSPO 2023. (Janes/Amael Kotlarski)  PGZ Group and the Javelin Joint Venture (JV) (Raytheon and Lockheed Martin) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the production of Javelin missiles in Poland.  Signed on 6 September at the MSPO 2023 defence exhibition in Kielce, Poland, the MOU will explore the possibility of Mesko – part of the PGZ Group – undertaking final assembly of Javelins and producing small metallic machined components for the missile. The signing of the MOU was followed by t...

Submarine-launched Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile model and the TKMS Type 212CD submarine model on display at MSPO 2023. (Janes/Neil Dee)    German shipyard Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) is planning to potentially pitch its Type 212 Common Design (CD) submarine for the Polish Navy's ‘Orka' submarine programme,   Janes  has learned.     Speaking to   Janes  at the MSPO 2023 exhibition in Kielce, Poland, a source from TKMS noted the shipyard's interest in the programme, which is to replace the Polish Nav...

Poland's Pilica+ air-defence system will be equipped with new Zenit-MP+ Automated Command Posts. (Polish Armament Agency)  Poland will acquire 22 Zenit-MP+ Automated Command Posts (ZSD) for the Pilica+ air-defence system.  The PLN650 million (USD151 million) deal, signed between the Polish Armament Agency (AA), State Treasury, and PGZ-Pilica+ consortium, was announced at the MSPO 2023 defence exhibition held in Kielce from 5 to 8 September.  Deliveries are scheduled from 2025 to 2029, with training and service packages, as well as technical d...

An RSAF F-16 on display at Paya Lebar Air Base in September 2023. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)  The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has publicly confirmed that its upgraded Lockheed Martin F-16 C/D/D+ fighter aircraft are now armed with the Python 5 air-to-air missile.  This confirmation can be seen on an information board at a stand that has been set up at Paya Lebar Air Base to showcase the aircraft.    The base is accessible to the public from 9 to 10 September as part of an ‘open house' event to mark the service's 55th anniversary....

FB Radom's new MPS 9 mm pistol. (Janes/Amael Kotlarski)  Fabryka Broni (FB) ‘Łucznik' Radom unveiled its new MPS pistol at the MSPO defence exhibition held from September 5 to 8 in Kielce, Poland.  The MPS has a polymer-framed, striker-fired design, and is chambered for the 9×19 cartridge. Similar to the Sig Sauer P320, the core of the pistol consists of the fire-control module, which can be swapped to different polymer frames depending on user requirements. The launch model features a 102 mm long barrel and a 15-round magazine capacity. The...

Converted Norwegian IRIS-T air-to-air missiles can be deployed from launchers to be donated to Ukraine by Sweden, which mounts the IRIS-T SLS air defence system on the trailer section of the BvS10 armoured all-terrain vehicle. (Forsvarsmakten/Jessica Krantz)  Norway will donate converted IRIS-T air-to-air missiles to Ukraine for use by its ground-based air defence (GBAD), a Norwegian Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesperson confirmed to Janes on 31 August. The missiles armed former Royal Norwegian Air Force F-16 combat aircraft.  The Norwegian...

An image Tweeted by the Ukrainian MoD calling for the transfer of Taurus cruise missiles to complement the Storm Shadow and SCALP EG systems already supplied. (Ukrainian Ministry of Defence)  Ukraine is pressing its allies to transfer Taurus (Target Adaptive Unitary and dispenser Robotic Ubiquity System) cruise missiles to complement the Storm Shadow and SCALP EG systems already supplied.  The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence (MoD) posted artwork on its official X (formerly Twitter) account on 31 August showing the Taurus flanked by the Storm Sh...

Switzerland's Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection, and Sports received a remote-controlled mine-clearing vehicle on 29 August from the Digger Foundation for delivery to Ukraine. (DDPS)  Switzerland's Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection, and Sports (DDPS) announced in a press release on 29 August that it had received a tracked remote-controlled mine-clearing vehicle the same day from Digger Foundation, a Swiss-based non-profit organisation (NPO), for delivery to Ukraine. Developed and produced by Digger, the vehicle can...

The US Navy plans to replace Zumwalt-class destroyers' Advanced Gun Systems with hypersonic missile launching systems. (Janes/Michael Fabey)  The US Navy (USN) on 29 August awarded HII's Ingalls Shipbuilding division a USD154.8 million contract modification for the modernisation of USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000), HII officials confirmed.  Zumwalt arrived in Pascagoula on 19 August after transiting from San Diego, California, HII said. The ship's modernisation at the yard will include technology upgrades and the integration of the Conventional Prompt...