Archive: News & Articles

Monaco-based surveillance and infrastructure protection specialist MARSS announced at DSEI 2023 on 12 September the launch of a new portable unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) countermeasure. Known as the Interceptor-SR (Short Range), the countermeasure is smaller and lighter than MARSS’ larger Interceptor (now known as the Interceptor-MR) and can be used to provide more mobile protection […]

The US government announced on 21 September 2023 that it is sending an additional security assistance package to Ukraine: the Biden Administration’s 47th tranche of equipment to be provided to Ukraine from US Department of Defense (DoD) inventories since August 2021. The package, valued at up to USD 325 M (EUR 305 M), comes as […]

BAE Systems announced at DSEI 2023 on 12 September that, in a collaboration with Canadian subsea specialist Cellula Robotics, it would put its Herne Extra Large Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (XLAUV) technology demonstrator in the water in September 2024. The Herne XLAUV is a militarised version of Cellula Robotics’ 12 m-long Solus-XR that will ‘test the […]

With Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stating on 20 September 2023 that his forces had taken back the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh after a rapidly executed offensive launched the previous day, Armenia appears to have suffered indirect fallout from the war in Ukraine. Although internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, the landlocked region of Nagorno Karabakh […]

The US State Department has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Canada of munitions and other systems to be integrated onto the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9B SkyGuardian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced on 15 September, even though Canada has not yet selected the MQ-9B. […]

The US State Department has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale to South Korea of up to 25 more F-35A conventional take-off and landing Joint Strike Fighters, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency ((DSCA) announced on 13 September 2023. The sale, which is worth an estimated USD 5.06 Bn (EUR 4.72 Bn), has been passed […]

The US Department of Defense (DoD) announced an additional security assistance package valued at up to USD 175 M (EUR 163.4 M) on 6 September 2023 to help Ukraine counter Russia’s invasion of the country. The package includes additional air defence equipment, artillery rounds and anti-tank weapons. The latest round of assistance marks the 46th […]

US Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks unveiled a new Pentagon strategy on 28 August 2023 aimed directly at countering the rapid build-up of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Placing ingenuity and innovation at the forefront of US efforts to maintain a military technological edge, Hicks said the United States will “out-match adversaries by out-thinking, […]

A draft proscription order was laid in the UK Parliament on 6 September 2023 that will declare Russia’s Wagner Group private military company (PMC) a terrorist organisation. Once agreed, the order will come into force on 13 September, making it a criminal offence to belong to, encourage support for, assist or use the logo of […]

It is with great pride I can share the news that European Security & Defence has received 15 nominations at the 2023 Defence Media Awards. This is an extremely impressive result, and I’m very grateful to all of our contributors and ESD staff who worked so hard to help make this happen – well done […]

The US State Department has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Poland Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, the US Defense Security Co-operation Agency announced on 21 August 2023. The sale, which is estimated to be worth USD 12 Bn (EUR 11.1 Bn), has been forwarded to Congress for approval. The package requested by […]

Russia’s RS-28 Sarmat heavy intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) has entered operational service. A 1 September 2023 report from Russian news agency TASS quoted Yury Borisov, the head of Russia’s Roscosmos state space corporation, as saying that day that the Sarmat system “has assumed combat alert posture”. One of six new Russian strategic weapons heralded by […]

The US Biden Administration has approved the first ever transfer to Taiwan under the US Foreign Military Financing (FMF) programme, with the US Congress notified of the move by the US State Department on 30 August 2023. The move has predictably infuriated China, since the FMF programme is normally used for sovereign states, whereas China […]

Former energy secretary Grant Shapps was appointed as the UK’s defence secretary on 31 August 2023 following the resignation of Ben Wallace, who had occupied the post since 2019 and has now decided to leave politics. Like his predecessor, Shapps is a strong advocate of spending more on defence. When he briefly ran for the […]

Leading British military trauma surgeons from Defence Medical Services and the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine have shared their skills with Ukrainian medical personnel, UK Strategic Command announced on 29 August 2023. Lieutenant Colonel James Baden, a specialist in reconstructive surgery following combat injury, led the UK team delivering training to six Ukrainian medical professionals. […]

Personnel from the participating nations of the Australia, United Kingdom, and United States (AUKUS) security partnership reported to Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PHNSY&IMF) on 14 August 2023 in support of the pact’s Pillar One initiative, US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) reported the following day. Australia will acquire conventionally armed nuclear-powered […]

The US Army’s M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks (MBTs) are receiving a Collins Aerospace-provided upgrade that will deliver a significant uplift to their onboard power and thus their survivability and reliability, the RTX business announced on 15 August 2023. Under a USD 24 M (EUR 22 M) contract Collins Aerospace is producing and delivering electric generators with […]

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KDA) has signed a contract through the International Fund for Ukraine for the delivery of counter-uncrewed aerial vehicle (C-UAV) systems to be donated to Ukraine, the company announced on 14 August 2023. The contract, which is valued at GBP 56 M (EUR 65.3 M), covers the delivery of several CORTEX Typhon […]

The Australian government is to build an aircraft coating facility at Newcastle Airport in Williamtown, New South Wales, to maintain the stealth of Australia’s fleet of F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters, the Australian Department of Defence announced on 15 August. The new facility is being established in partnership with BAE Systems Australia, which is […]

The US Department of Defense (DoD) announced an additional security package for Ukraine valued at up to USD 200 M (EUR 183 M) on 14 August 2023. The package, the latest measure to assist Ukraine in repelling the Russian invasion of the country, includes critical munitions for US-provided Patriot air defence systems and High Mobility […]

The Royal Air Force (RAF) launched quick-reaction alert (QRA) Typhoon fighters to intercept two Russian long-range maritime patrol aircraft on the morning of 14 August 2023 as they transited within NATO’s northern air policing area, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) reported later that day. The Russian aircraft, a Tu-142 ‘Bear-F’ and a ‘Tu-142 Bear-J’, […]