Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson (right) and High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell (left) hosted an informal meeting of EU defence ministers in Stockholm on 7–8 March, where a plan for increasing and accelerating the production of artillery shells was discussed. (Swedish government/Johannes Frandsen)  European Union (EU) defence ministers meeting informally in Stockholm on 7–8 March discussed a plan for increasing and accelerating the production of artillery shells. High Representative of the E...

HNLMS De Ruyter (F 804), 10.2013 (Michael Nitz - Naval Press Service)    The Royal Netherlands Navy's (RNLN's) third De Zeven Provinciën-class air defence and command frigate (luchtverdedigings en commandofregatten - LCF) HNLMS   De Ruyter  (F 804) is preparing to start its sea-acceptance tests (SATs) in late March, following the completion of a major maintenance and capability upgrade.     Under current timelines,   De Ruyter  is planned to be fully operational in the fourth quarter of 2023, a DMO spokespe...

The IAF has developed a low-cost C-UAS that can jam and spoof hostile UAVs. The C-UAS was unveiled at Aero India 2023 in Bangalore in February. (Janes/Oishee Majumdar)  The proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and the ways in which these platforms are leveraged by India's adversaries, has pushed the country to prioritise the development of counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UASs).  On the one hand, India is concerned about China and Pakistan's growing arsenal of military UAVs, which are often operated in an intelligence, surve...

Romania plans to seek parliamentary approval to procure a battalion of M1 Abrams tanks, seen on exercise in the country in 2016. (Romanian MoD )  Romania plans to seek parliamentary approval to procure a battalion of M1 Abrams tanks under a government-to-government agreement, Lieutenant General Teodor Incicaș, the national armaments director, told the podcast of the Ministry of National Defence's weekly Observatorul Militar (Military Observer). He said the Romanian Land Forces General Staff considers it the best choice for equipping one of th...

The Javelin, displayed here at Aero India 2023 held in Bangalore, is a medium-range, manportable, shoulder-fired, fire-and-forget, lock-on before launch (LOBL) ATGM system. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  The US Department of State has approved the possible Foreign Military Sales (FMS) of Javelin FGM-148F anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and related equipment to the Australian government for an estimated cost of USD60.18 million.  The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 7 March that Canberra has requested to buy 255 such Javelins...

India's Nirbhay cruise missile, displayed above at Defexpo 2020 in Lucknow, will be equipped with small turbofan engines, enhanced radio frequency seekers, and other subsystems to transform it into the proposed Long-Range Land Attack Cruise Missile. (Janes/Rahul Udoshi )  India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) recently conducted a flight test of its Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur off the northeastern coast of Odisha.  The ITCM is a technology demonstrator pro...

A model of the Switchblade 300 loitering munition is displayed at the 2021 Association of the United States Army annual trade show in Washington, DC. (Janes)  Obtaining warheads for AeroVironment's Switchblade 300 and 600 tube-launched loitering missiles has become a “challenge”, because the Ukraine war has boosted demand for the explosive parts, according to the company's chief executive.  It will take time for warhead suppliers to increase production and for AeroVironment to develop alternative sources, AeroVironment chairman, president, an...

An Ashwin AAD interceptor launched from Wheeler Island. (Government of India Press Information Bureau)  South Asia has traditionally been protected from neighbouring territorial conquests by a geological ‘Maginot Line' consisting of the Himalayas in its north and northeast and the Hindu Kush mountain range in the northwest.  In recent years, the vulnerability of the region – especially northern India – has been highlighted by tensions over territory and China's military modernisation. This escalating threat perception has prompted India and P...

The French Navy's first new BRF logistic support ship,   Jacques Chevallier  (A 725), started sea acceptance trials on 25 January.  (Naval Group)    Chantiers de l'Atlantique has delivered the first of four new batiments ravitailleurs de forces (BRF) logistic support ships (LSSs),   Jacques Chevallier  (A 725), to the French Navy.   Announcing the formal handover, which took place at Chantiers de l'Atlantique's shipyard in Saint-Nazaire on 3 March, the French Navy said the ship would depart fo...

The 5th Fleet identified some of the recovered items as a set of jet vanes for a ballistic missile at the front, three impact sensor caps for ballistic missiles on top of the black box, and Iranian copies of the Kornet anti-tank missile at the rear. There also appears to be an actuator for a jet vane on the right and possibly an actuation control system on the left. (US 5th Fleet/US Naval Forces Central Command)  Ballistic missile components have been found for the first time in an Iranian weapons shipment that was presumably heading to Yemen...

Denmark has awarded contracts to Elbit Systems for eight PULS MRLs (pictured) and 19 ATMOS SPHs. (Elbit Systems)  Denmark has awarded contracts to Elbit Systems for 155 mm/52 calibre Autonomous Truck Mounted howitzer System (ATMOS) self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) and Precise and Universal Launching System (PULS) multiple rocket launcher (MRL) artillery systems, a spokesperson for the Danish Ministry of Defence's (MoD's) Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (DALO) confirmed to Janes on 6 March. The procurement includes training, spar...

The S-400 consists of a regimental command-and-control vehicle, regimental search radar to provide search-and-tracking functions for the S-400 system as a whole, transporter-erector-launcher (pictured above), and tracking and fire-control radar. (Janes/Peter Felstead)  Russia has delivered the third S-400 Triumf self-propelled surface-to-air missile (SAM) system to the Indian Air Force (IAF), a senior defence official told Janes on 2 March.  The official added that the system will be deployed at the western border with Pakistan. India signed...

The US Department of State has approved a possible FMS to the UK of 600 Javelin FGM-148F anti-armour missiles, pictured in production. (JJV)  The US Department of State approved a possible US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to the United Kingdom of 600 Javelin FGM-148F anti-tank missiles for an estimated cost of USD125 million, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced in a press release on 28 February.  The possible sale also includes US government technical assistance and other logistics and programme support.  The prime cont...

BAE Systems Australia's in-development Razer precision-guided munition is being designed for deployment from unmanned combat aerial vehicles and helicopters. (BAE Systems)  BAE Systems Australia has announced that it is designing and developing a new air-launched guided munition called the Razer.  The company said in the announcement on 28 February that the Razer is being conceived as a “low-cost air-launched precision-guided munition that is designed to transform a 40–50 kg standard non-guided munition into a precision air-launched weapon at...

The Colombian Army mounted its Rafael Spike ER missile systems on M966 Humvee trucks. (Roberto Jose García Hernandez )  The Colombian Army in February 2023 showcased its Rafael Spike ER anti-tank missile systems for the first time, having quietly purchased them in 2019 and receiving them a year later.  The army revealed the updated systems during a ceremony in Bogotá on 14 February. Military sources told Janes that the service acquired a small batch of three launch units and more than 15 missiles to reinforce defences against armoured threat...

BAE Systems has received a follow-on contract to supply five Mk 45 Maritime Indirect Fire Systems to equip the remainder of the eight-ship class of Type 26 frigates. (BAE Systems)  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded BAE Systems Inc a contract to supply the Royal Navy (RN) with a second batch of Mk 45 Maritime Indirect Fire Systems (MIFS) for the service's Type 26 City-class frigate programme.  Under the contract, announced on 28 February and worth USD219 million, BAE Systems will supply five MIFS systems that will equip the remain...

The QENF inaugurates its new coastal missile defence system at the Al-Houl Naval Base. (Qatari Ministry of Defence)  The Qatar Emiri Naval Forces' (QENF's) new coastal anti-ship missile system was officially inaugurated by Minister of State for Defence Affairs Khalid bin Mohammed al-Attiyah at the new Al-Houl Naval Base, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 23 February.  It provided no further details but released a short video clip showing components for the MBDA Exocet and Marte ER coastal anti-ship missile systems lined up at the bas...

The PHL-16's armament systems can either be    a 10 round that can fire 300 mm rockets with a range of 130 km or an eight round that can fire 370 mm rockets, the example of which is pictured above, having a maximum range of 280 km. The system can also fire two 750 mm Fire Dragon 280A tactical missiles with a maximum range of 290 km.  (Norinco)  The People's Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) has deployed the PHL-16 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) in its 73rd Group Army of the Eastern Theatre Command, which...

A US Navy F/A-18 Hornet launches an AARGM-ER during trials of the missile in December 2022. (US Navy)  The US Department of State (DoS) has approved a possible Foreign Military Sales (FMS) of Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missiles-Extended Range (AARGM-ERs) to Australia.  The potential sale is almost certainly linked to a recent decision by the Australian government to acquire “new longer-range and more advanced anti-radiation missiles”. On 6 February, the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) said that the acquisition of new missiles is pa...

Paramount Aerospace Systems N-Raven loitering munition. (Janes/Akshara Parakala)  Paramount Aerospace Systems (PAS) will shortly commence production of its N-Raven loitering munition, the company announced atthe IDEX 2023 show, which was held from 20 to 24 February in Abu Dhabi.  According to PAS press release, production is set to start in April 2023 with first deliveries in October 2023 to meet the urgent requirements of armed forces around the world.  Speaking to Janes, Brian Greyling,CEO of PAS, said that the development of N-Raven starte...