Vem Technologies' AsiBal ATGM is equipped with a compact fire-control unit for surveillance and target acquisition. (VEM Technologies)  VEM Technologies has displayed its AsiBal anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) at the Aero India 2023 show in Bangalore, which runs from 13 to 17 February.  The AsiBal is a third-generation manportable fire-and-forget ATGM. It is integrated with a tandem high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead with a penetration of 750–850 mm. The system weighs a total of 18.5 kg – the launch unit 6 kg, and the missile 12.5 kg.  T...

A Boeing AH-64E Apache of the Indian Air Force during the Aero India 2023 show in Bangalore. (Janes/Akhil Kadidal)  The first Boeing AH-64E fuselage for the Indian Army has rolled off the assembly line, with Boeing preparing to deliver the six attack helicopters early next year.    Alain Garcia, vice-president of business development in India, Boeing Defense, Space & Security and Global Services, told   Janes   that the first AH-64E fuselage for India had come off the assembly line at the company's Indian factory in Hyderabad o...

The VL-SRSAM, seen here from the Aero India 2023 show, is a next-generation, ship-based, all-weather, air-defence weapon for integration onto Indian Navy warships as a quick-reaction point defence against supersonic sea-skimming targets like aircraft and UAVs. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  India's state-run Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) displayed its vertical-launch short-range surface-to-air missile (VL-SRSAM) at the Aero India 2023 show being held in Bangalore from 13 to 17 February.  According to the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD), VL-SRSAM is a...

German Army Gepard anti-aircraft system during an exercise in 2010. (Bundeswehr/Marcus Rott)  Countries supplying Ukraine with military equipment are taking measures to prevent Kyiv from running low on ammunition. Meetings of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and NATO defence ministers in Brussels on 14–15 February addressed the issue.  In a pre-ministerial press conference on 13 February, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said, “It is clear that we are in a race of logistics. Key capabilities like ammunition, fuel, and spare parts must...

The SAMAR-1 air-defence system (pictured at Aero India 2023) uses an Ashok Leyland vehicle mounted with refurbished R-73E missiles on rail launchers. (Janes/Rahul Udoshi)  The Indian Air Force (IAF) has completed development of its Surface to Air Missile for Assured Retaliation (SAMAR) system and the weapon has entered an initial production phase, the IAF told Janes at the Aero India 2023 show in Bangalore, which runs from 13 to 17 February.  An IAF official said the first batch consisting of five SAMAR-1 production units is ready to be deliv...

According to the DRDO, the Nag    ATGM – seen here displayed at Aero India 2023 – is ready for induction into the Indian Army.  (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  The Nag anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) has cleared the trials required for induction into the Indian Army, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) told Janes at the Aero India 2023 show being held in Bangalore from 13 to 17 February.  A DRDO official told Janes that the Nag ATGM is ready for induction into the Indian Army after completing all require...

The Pralay short-range ballistic missile (pictured above) can carry three different types of warheads and has the capability to strike targets between 150 and 400 km. (DRDO)  India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has provided details of its tactical, short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile known as Pralay at the Aero India 2023 show being held in Bangalore from 13 to 17 February.    A DRDO official told   Janes  that the missile can carry three different types of warheads and is capable of strik...

The DRDO showcased its very short-range air-defence system missile at the Aero India 2023 show being held in Bangalore from 13 to 17 February. According to the DRDO, the development of the missiles is completed. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has completed development of its very short-range air-defence system (VSHORADS) missiles, the organisation told Janes at the Aero India 2023 show being held in Bangalore from 13 to 17 February.  A DRDO official told Janes that the development of VSHORADS...

The QRSAM – a model of which was on display at the Aero India 2023 show in Bangalore – can intercept targets at an altitude of 14 km. The missile has a length of 4.4 m, a weight of 270 kg, and a diameter of 0.225 m. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)    The Indian Army has ordered five Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM) weapon systems, manufacturer Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) told   Janes   at the Aero India 2023 show in Bangalore.     A BEL official told   Janes   that the company will deliver all five weap...

Israel Aerospace Industries displayed the Long-Range Artillery surface-to-surface missile system at the Aero India 2023 show held in Bangalore from 13 to 17 February. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  India's state-run Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will jointly produce the Long-Range Artillery (LORA) surface-to-surface missile system in India, BEL told Janes at the Aero India 2023 show held in Bangalore from 13 to 17 February.  A BEL official told Janes that the company will be the production partner for LORA missi...

A photograph released by the UK Ministry of Defence on 7 July 2022 shows the weapons found by HMS   Montrose  when it searched vessels off southern Iran on 28 January 2022 and 25 February 2022. A 358 SAM is laid out at the front and engines for 351 cruise missiles can be seen at the back right.   (Crown Copyright)  Data from a commercial quadcopter has established a direct link between a weapons shipment seized by the UK Royal Navy (RN) and Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), the British government a...

India's state-run Munitions India Limited showcased Pinaka rockets in the Aero India 2023 being held in Bangalore from 13 to 17 February. The company said that the ER and DPICM versions of Pinaka have cleared the trials with the Indian Army and qualified for induction. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  The extended-range (ER) and dual-purpose improved conventional munition (DPICM) warhead versions of the surface-to-surface Pinaka Multi‐Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) have qualified for induction into the Indian Army.  An official from India's state-run Muni...

The DRDO is designing a lightweight manportable anti-tank guided missile (MPATGM) for the Indian Army. The MPATGM, in its current form, weighs 14.5 kg. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)    India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is designing a lightweight manportable anti-tank guided missile (MPATGM) for the Indian Army, a DRDO official told   Janes   at the Aero India 2023 show, which is being held in Bangalore from 13 to 17 February.   The official said that the development of MPATGM is not completed because of its...

Tata Aerospace and Defence has unveiled a 155 mm/52 calibre mounted gun system for the Indian Army at the Aero India 2023 show. The range of the gun is 31 km with a boat tail projectile, 42 km with a base-bleed projectile, and 55 km with a V-LAP projectile. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  India's Tata Aerospace and Defence (TAD) unveiled a 155 mm/52 calibre mounted gun system (MGS) for the Indian Army at the Aero India 2023 show, which is being held in Bangalore from 13 to 17 February.  A spokesperson for TAD told Janes that the company developed the MG...

India's FICVs will be equipped with American aerospace company Lockheed Martin's Javelin ATGMs. Javelin is a medium-range, manportable, shoulder-fired, fire-and-forget, lock-on before launch ATGM system. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)    India's Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicles (FICVs) will be equipped with American aerospace company Lockheed Martin's Javelin anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), the company told   Janes   at the Aero India 2023 show, which is being held in Bangalore from 13 to 17 February.     Jagmohan Singh, Lock...

The US Army awarded AM General a contract to produce its Joint Light Tactical Vehicle that could be worth up to USD8.66 billion. (US Army)  Newcomer AM General beat out Oshkosh Defense to manufacture the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) for US armed forces in a deal that could be worth up to USD8.66 billion over 10 years, US Army programme officials said.  Following a competition between the incumbent and AM General, the army selected the latter for a contract for up to 20,000 vehicles and up to 10,000 JLTV-Trailers (JLTV-Ts) for joint and...

FN SCAR-H precision rifle fitted with Elity ballistic calculator. (FN Herstal)  FN Herstal announced in a press release on 7 February that it had supplied an unspecified number of Elity ballistic calculators to the French Army.  The company said that the decision to acquirethe Elity followed several months of testing and evaluation by the French Army's Battle-Lab Terre (BLT) land battle lab on the FN SCAR-H (heavy) 7.62 mm Fusil de Précision Semi-Automatique (Semi-Automatic Precision Rifle) in French service, as well as the PGM Hécate II reva...

India's Defence Acquisition Council has approved the procurement of MGS, the example of which is pictured above, for the Indian Army. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has approved the procurement of the mounted gun system (MGS) for the Indian Army.  The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a statement that the procurement, approved through the provision of an ‘Acceptance of Necessity' (AoN) status under the ‘Buy (Indian)' category, includes 155 mm/52 calibre MGS.  The MoD...

A television screen, on 9 February 2023, showing news of North Korea's military parade, during which the regime carried out its largest-known display of ICBMs. (JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images)  Pyongyang carried out the largest-known display of its long-range nuclear strike capabilities on 8 February when it celebrated the 75th founding anniversary of its army.  On display at the parade include about a dozen 11 axel transporter erector launcher (TEL) vehicles with what appears to be either the Hwaseong-16 or Hwaseong-17 two-stage intercont...

Germany is donating two MANTIS C-RAM systems to Slovakia for the protection of critical infrastructure. (Luftwaffe/Rheinmetall Defence)  Germany is donating two Modular, Automatic and Network capable Targeting and Interception System (MANTIS) counter-rocket, artillery, and mortar defence (C-RAM) systems to Slovakia, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and General Eberhard Zorn, Inspekteur der Bundeswehr (armed forces chief), announced in a 7 February order of the day. They said the donation would permanently strengthen Slovak air defences and th...