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...

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...

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...

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...

The Alakran-S, fitted to a Polaris RZR ATV, was displayed at IDEX 2023. Two of the vehicle's rear seats were removed to accommodate the mortar and racks for 24 81 mm mortar bombs, but it was otherwise unmodified. (Janes/Sonny Butterworth)  Milanion New Technologies Global Systems (NTGS) displayed a new member of the Alakran family of vehicle-mounted mortars at IDEX 2023, being held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.    Called the    Alakran-S (the ‘S' referring to ‘small'), the new system is designed to be deployed from light...

A model of the Norinco AR3 on display at the International Golden Group stand at IDEX 2023. (Janes/Jeremy Binnie)  The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced during the IDEX show held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February that it has awarded a AED902 million (USD245 million) contract to procure AR3 multiple rocket/missile launchers made by Chinese company Norinco.  Announced by Tawazun Council, which manages procurement for the UAE Armed Forces, the contract was awarded to International Golden Group, Norinco's Emirati partner, and includes in-co...

The Royal Thai Air Force's upgraded F-5E/F TH ‘Super Tigris' force has improved combat capabilities. The RTAF expects the aircraft to provide another 10 to 15 years of operational service. (Royal Thai Air Force)  The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has completed upgrades to its active force of Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II fighter aircraft.  In a statement on 16 February, the RTAF said that 14 aircraft have been upgraded to the F-5E/F TH ‘Super Tigris' standard as part of the B.Khor.18 B/C Capability Improvement Project. The RTAF added that the “struc...

The Kamin-25 displayed on the Sudanese stand at IDEX. (Janes/Jeremy Binnie)  Sudan's Military Industry Corporation (MIC) unveiled Kamin-25, a loitering munition designed to be launched from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), during the IDEX 2023 show being held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.    Engineer Atif Mohamed al-Amin, MIC's manager in Abu Dhabi, told   Janes  the munition is being tested by the Sudanese Air Force on Z3-M UAVs, with final acceptance tests scheduled for May. He said two Kamin-25s can be carried by th...

Mistral missile production has been increased from 20 in 2022 to 30 in 2023, and is expected to rise to 40 in 2024. (MBDA)  French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu unveiled an action plan to accelerate ammunition production and relocate strategic activities during a meeting with defence industry representatives on 22 February.    The war in Ukraine and the Covid-19 pandemic have resulted in the relocation of stocks and production sites, according to the French Ministry of Armed Forces. Lecornu described Eurenco's decision –...

A televised North Korean military parade held in Pyongyang to mark the 75th founding anniversary of its armed forces, which showcased a record number of intercontinental ballistic missiles. (JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images)  On 18 February, North Korea conducted a test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that a Hwaseong-15 ICBM was fired in a “surprise ICBM launching drill”, following written direction from the country's leader Kim Jong-un.  KCNA reported t...

One year on from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the 1,076 km-long front line is static and neither side shows any inclination to back down. It is no longer credible for Russia to achieve its original goals of seizing Kyiv and dictating terms to Ukrain...

EOS Advanced Technologies displayed a mock-up of its 14.5 mm MG at IDEX 2023. The system is expected to progress to the prototype stage by the end of 2023. (Janes/Sonny Butterworth)  The United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based subsidiary of Electro Optic Systems (EOS) displayed a mock-up of an electrically operated 14.5 mm machine gun (MG) at IDEX 2023, being held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.  Speaking to Janes, Waad Abujarad and Fatmah Alkaabi, mechanical design engineers at EOS Advanced Technologies, said that a prototype of the system is...

The Halcon Hunter 2-S loitering munition system displayed on the Edge stand at IDEX 2023. (Edge)  A series of large contracts for weapons made by the Emirati defence company Edge worth AED9.27 billion (USD2.5 billion) were announced on the first two days of the IDEX 2023, being held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.  Tawazun Council, which manages procurement for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces, said it had awarded Edge's Halcon weapons subsidiary with a AED4.7 billion contract for Desert Sting 25 lightweight guided bombs, a AE...

ADSB's 170 M-Detector USV. (ADSB)  Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) has unveiled a new unmanned surface vessel (USV) at IDEX 2023, being held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.  Speaking to Janes, Francesco Paolo Lo Monaco, director of shipbuilding and engineering at ADSB, said that the 17 m boat, known as the ‘170 M-Detector USV', is designed for mine countermeasures (MCM) and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions, and can operate as both a manned and unmanned platform.  The USV was involved in a live demonstration at NAVDEX 2023.  The vesse...

The Cyclone missile, seen here from the test, has a length of 3.7 m and a diameter of 0.229 m. The missile is designed to train soldiers regarding the usage of long-range strike capability. (BSA)  The Australian rocket company Black Sky Aerospace (BSA) has successfully launched a prototype of a long-range missile known as TM229 Cyclone, the company announced at IDEX 2023, being held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.  According to BSA, the Cyclone has a length of 3.7 m and a diameter of 0.229 m. It is a training missile and was fired remote...

ADSB's 170 M-Detector USV (ADSB)  Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) has unveiled a new unmanned surface vessel (USV) at IDEX 2023 in Abu Dhabi.    Speaking to   Janes  , Francesco Paolo Lo Monaco, director of shipbuilding and engineering at ADSB, said that the 17 m boat, known as the ‘170 M-Detector USV', is designed for mine counter measure (MCM) and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions and can operate as both a manned or unmanned platform.   The vessel is a modular system that can integrate a range of payloads and sensors,...

SIGN4L Sky Shield C-UAS system displayed at IDEX 2023, intended for the UAE. (Janes/Olivia Savage)  SIGN4L has unveiled a new mobile vehicular-based counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) at IDEX 2023, being held in Abu Dhabi from 20 to 24 February.  The platform, known as Sky Shield, provides full omnidirectional C-UAS protection in the tactical environment and can be deployed within five minutes, Filip Kostomlatsky, senior programme manager for electronic warfare and intelligence at SIGN4L,told Janes.  According to Kostomlatsky, the platf...

Supacat Jackal reconnaissance vehicles. (Crown copyright)    A British Army light mechanised brigade is to provide the framework lead of the NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (Land) (VJTF(L)) in 2024, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has told   Janes.    VJTF(L) 2024's UK contingent is to comprise two light mechanised battalions equipped with Foxhound patrol vehicles, a light cavalry regiment with Jackal patrol vehicles, and an artillery regiment equipped with 105 mm towed Light Guns, the ministry told   Janes...

The DRDO has partnered with Adani Defence and Aerospace to manufacture its D4 C-UAS (pictured above). (Janes/Akshara Parakala)    The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has partnered with Adani Defence and Aerospace to manufacture its Drone Detect, Deter, and Destroy (D4) counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS), a company official told  Janes  at the Aero India 2023 show, which was held in Bangalore from 13 to 17 February.   The technology transfer has been completed, and Adani has started manufacturing...

A multimode hand grenade from Munitions India Limited displayed at Aero India 2023. (Janes/Saketha Potlapalli)  Munitions India Limited (MIL) has received an order for one million multimode hand grenades for the Indian Army, the state-run company has confirmed to Janes.  Shailesh Vagerwal, the general manager of MIL, said that under the order MIL has produced an initial 100,000 grenades for the Indian Army and that supplies of these weapons started in fiscal year (FY) 2022–23.  He added that MIL is awaiting clearance from the Indian Army to p...