Belarus is seeking to establish an indigenous Shahed production facility. An Iranian-made Shahed-136 is seen in an underground facility, in a video released by Iran's IRGC in March 2022. (IMA Media)
Belarus is likely seeking to establish an indigenous Iranian Shahed loitering munition production facility, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said on 31 July.
Belarusian Defence Minister Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin and his Iranian counterpart Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani met in Iran on 31 July to sign a memorandum of und...
WB Electronics exhibited the full Topaz ICMS hardware configuration for the FONET network at Eurosatory 2022. (Jakub Link-Lenczowski)
Poland has proven the interoperability of its army's Topaz integrated combat management system (ICMS) with US artillery command-and-control systems. During trials at Poland's War Studies University in Rembertów from 7 to 21 July, Topaz was successfully plugged into the Artillery Systems Cooperation Activities (ASCA) interface.
To join ASCA, Poland must prove the interoper...
The US and Australia have agreed to deepen co-operation on guided weapons including the sustainment and upgrade of the Standard Missile-2, pictured above being fired from Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Newcastle . (Australian Department of Defence )
The US and Australia have agreed to strengthen co-operation on Canberra's drive to locally develop and produce guided weapons. The agreement was announced in late July at the 33rd Australia-US Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) held in Brisbane, according to a...
The four Horizon-class anti-air warfare frigates in service with the navies of France and Italy. (Thales)
Naviris and Eurosam have been awarded a EUR1.5 billion (USD1.7 billion) contract from the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) for the mid-life upgrade (MLU) of four Franco-Italian Horizon-class anti-air warfare (AAW) frigates.
The contract follows a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by representatives from Italy and France at the Paris Air Show on 20 June.
Built under a joint programme between Fincantieri and Nav...
Poland is establishing a HIMARS academy and the 1st Rocket Brigade. (Polish MND)
Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak approved the establishment of a High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) academy and the 1st Rocket Brigade, Błaszczak's ministry announced on its website on 27 July. The brigade will be based in Toruń in north-central Poland and Orzysz, 120 km from the Belarusian border.
Modelled on the Abrams Tank Training Academy in Biedrusko, the HIMARS academy will provide training and lo...
Roketsan's UAV-230 air-to-surface ballistic supersonic missile is integrated into Akıncı's UCAV, and all missile tests are conducted from this platform. (Roketsan)
Roketsan's UAV-230 air-to-surface supersonic missile is in its final qualification phase and is scheduled to begin series production by the end of 2023, the company announced at the 16th International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) held from 25 to 28 July in Istanbul, where a prototype of the missile was displayed. According to Roketsan, the UAV-320 will enter service in 2024.
The...
The VAMPIRE remote weapon system. (L3Harris)
L3Harris has selected Alabama-based EOS Defense Systems to support the Vehicle-Agnostic Modular Palletized intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) Rocket Equipment (VAMPIRE) programme, which has been tagged by the US Department of Defense (DoD) as one of several weapon systems bound for Ukraine.
The Pentagon contracted L3Harris to integrate the VAMPIRE remote weapon system (RWS) into DoD-provided combat vehicles scheduled for delivery to Ukrainian defence forces. Under the terms of t...
A TV screen showing an image of the Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile at a North Korean military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the signing of the armistice. (Kim Jae-Hwan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
North Korea has for the first time displayed its Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at a public event. The weapon was showcased at a parade on 27 July to mark the 70th anniversary of Korean Armistice Agreement.
The Hwasong-18 is a nuclear-capable ICBM that has been test-fired twice thus far....
EDePro unveiled its new Hurricane 262 mm surface-to-surface rocket at IDEF 2023. (Janes/Nicholas Fiorenza)
Serbian company Engine Development & Production (EDePro) displayed its new Hurricane 262 mm unguided surface-to-surface rocket at the 16th International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) held from 25 to 28 July in Istanbul. With a range of up to 70.7 km, the rocket is intended for attacking motor rifle and infantry units in concentration areas, on the march, and in battlefield mode, as well as artillery and mortar batteries, air-defence unit...
Rokestan MAM-L IIR munition. (Janes/Raghuraman CS)
Roketsan unveiled new variants of its Mini Akıllı Mühimmat (MAM) smart micro munition at the 16th International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) held in Istanbul from 25 to 28 July.
The new additions were publicly displayed for the first time and include imaging infrared (IIR), designated as MAM-L IIR and MAM-T IIR, and dual seeker variants, designated as MAM-T Dual Seeker (MAM-T DS).
The lightweight MAM munitions are modular air‐launched, precision-guided weapons developed for use from unmann...
GIDS Taimur air-launched cruise missile prototype at the IDEF 2023 show. (Janes/Raghuraman CS)
Pakistan's state-owned Global Industrial & Defence Solutions (GIDS) unveiled a range of air-launched weapons at the 16th International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) held in Istanbul from 25 to 28 July.
Prototypes of the Taimur air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) and FAAZ air-to-air missiles (AAM) were displayed for the first time.
Optimised as a fast jet-launched missile for air-to-surface missions, the Taimur (also known as Taimoor) is designed a...
Global Industrial & Defence Solutions AZB range extension kit for converting Mk 80-series general-purpose bombs into PGM. (Janes/Raghuraman CS)
Pakistan's state-owned Global Industrial & Defence Solutions (GIDS) revealed details of new range-extension and precision-guidance kits under development for Mk 84 general-purpose bombs at the 16th International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF), held in Istanbul from 25 to 28 July.
The prototype wing-assisted guidance kits, designated as AZB-V and AZB-VI, convert the air-droppable, unguided low-drag gen...
Roketsan UMTAS-GM ATGM (side view). In comparison with the original UMTAS, distinct differences are visible in the nose section and control surfaces. (Janes/Raghuraman CS)
Roketsan debuted its latest Long-Range Anti-Tank System – Future Combat System (Uzun Menzilli Tanksavar Sistemi – Geleceğin Muharebe Sistemi: UMTAS-GM) anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) at the 16th International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) held in Istanbul from 25 to 28 July.
The company, which produces the UMTAS and L-UMTAS ATGMs, has optimised the latest variant for use...
Unirobotics' Trakon Targan RWS on display at IDEF 2023. (Janes/Prathamesh Karle)
Turkey-based Unirobotics' remote weapon stations (RWSs) will be integrated on the Turkish navy's offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) and unmanned surface vessels (USVs), Unirobotics board member Cem Kurter confirmed to Janes at the 16th International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) held in Istanbul.
Among the RWSs displayed by Unirobotics at IDEF 2023, the Trakon Targan, developed in partnership with Havelsan, will be integrated on the Hisar-c...
Janes conceptualisation of China's new AR-XX loitering munition under development. (Janes)
A Chinese unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) producer, Aerospace CH UAV Co Ltd, has announced that it is developing a new loitering munition based on the AR-series of air-to-ground missiles.
In an announcement on Weibo on 20 July, the company said the loitering munition is being developed for “super long-range” and will “deliver a number of new functions”.
Aerospace CH UAV Co Ltd is a subsidiary of the 11th Research Institute of China Aero...
One of the Abu Mahdi long-range anti-ship missiles that was displayed during the induction ceremony. (Islamic Republic News Agency)
The Abu Mahdi long-range anti-ship missile has entered service with both the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) and the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN), it was announced on 25 July.
At least 11 missiles were displayed during an induction ceremony attended by Minister of Defence Brigadier General Amir Mohammadreza Ashtiani, IRIN Deputy Commander Admiral Hamza Ali Kaviani, and IRGCN Commander Rear A...
Serbia's new Miloš II 4×4 MPACV armed with a 20/3 mm RCWS conducted live firing at the Nikinci testing range on 18 July. (Serbian MoD)
Serbia's new Miloš II 4×4 multi-purpose armoured combat vehicle (MPACV) armed with a 20/3 mm remote-controlled weapon station (RCWS) participated in a live-firing demonstration at the Nikinci testing range on 18 July, the Serbian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on its website the same day. The Kerber 20/3 mm RCWS and an M15 12.7 mm RCWS mounted on a standard Miloš vehicle hit targets at ranges of 500–1,20...
The Type 20 rifle is a selective-fire, air-cooled, magazine box-fed, gas-operated assault rifle with a conventional layout. The rifle can be configured for either automatic or semi-automatic fire via a fire-selector lever. (Howa Machinery Ltd)
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) will induct Type 20 5.56×45 mm assault rifles, produced by Japanese manufacturer Howa Machinery, from fiscal year (FY) 2024.
The service will also procure Belgian armaments manufacturer Fabrique Nationale (FN) Herstal's Minimi Mk 3 light machine guns (LMGs)...
DroneOptID utilises AI and is updated on a quarterly basis. It focuses on sensors such as thermal and electro-optical cameras. (DroneShield)
The US government has awarded DroneShield a USD33 million order, the largest to date for the counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) and electronic warfare (EW) company.
DroneShield CEO Oleg Vornik told Janes that the company could not disclose the details of the new contract, although he said it is tied to drone detection and defeat technology. It followed a USD9.9 million order...
US Marine Corps fires the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System at Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California, on 28 June 2023. (US Marine Corps)
The US Marine Corps (USMC) fired a Navy Strike Missile (NSM) out of its newly developed ship-killer weapons systems for the first time since 2021, according to an 18 July service announcement.
The Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) is a Kongsberg-made NSM – which has a range of around 100 n mile – that can be launched off the back of a remotely operated Joint Li...