Archive: News & Articles

From major vehicle programmes and autonomous battlefield systems, to new individual equipment and devices, British infantry are in line for some much-needed upgrades and additions to their inventories. Procurement is a long and winding process for any arm of service and only with the dark clouds of war gathering does any sense of urgency seem […]

In the aftermath of the Korean War (1950-1953), small-scale maritime industry grew rapidly in the Republic of Korea (ROK) to meet the domestic demand for fishing vessels and similar smaller craft. It was not until the 1970s that the economic growth programmes of the ROK Government began to encourage domestic corporations to invest in shipbuilding. […]

In an interview with MDM, Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi, Chief of Naval Staff, Pakistan Navy, outlines how his force is stepping up efforts to modernise its inventory in order to continue to cope with the challenges of meeting operational requirements. At the same time, as the biggest stumbling block, the conundrum of finding cost-effective […]

The world’s coast guards are a motley crew, whose missions, authorities, and responsibilities vary greatly by country. Some nations have a single maritime service with both coast guard and naval responsibilities; others have a separate coast guard. Separate coast guards can be military services (or not), and may or may not have law-enforcement authorities. They […]

Following a long wait, Ukraine has restarted offensive combat operations against Russia, starting in late-April, and gradually ramping up throughout May. The bulk of the offensive action around this time has been around the periphery of Bakhmut, where the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been attempting to push back Russian forces. While Ukrainian forces made incremental […]

Australia’s acquisition of a replacement for its Collins class conventional submarine fleet is proving remarkably complicated. The 2009 Australian Defence White Paper agreed to by the then Labour Party Government announced the six Collins would be replaced by 12 new submarines, possibly of an evolved Collins design. In 2013, a conservative Liberal National Party (LNP) […]

The need to operate in increasingly complex and demanding operational environments threatens to overload the human-centred command chain on board a modern warship. Expanded use of rapidly developing AI techniques offers the potential to address this challenge, revolutionising decision-making in the command space. This article examines recent experimentation in this area, using the Royal Navy […]

Given the heightened likelihood of inter-state conflicts and the proliferation of submarines around the world, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) has returned to the minds of military planners and decision-makers. Traditional ASW is cost-intensive and implies a high level of expenditure; in terms of personnel and materiel. Forward-thinking industry and military stakeholders anticipate that large uncrewed surface […]

After three decades of development, the THAAD ballistic missile defence (BMD) system – once considered destined to fail – is praised as the most advanced BMD system in the world. As defined by the US Defense Department’s Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) element provides the US military’s Missile Defense […]

Troops, vehicles and other equipment can be transported to the beach by a variety of means including helicopters, landing craft, hovercraft and amphibious assault vehicles (AAVs). This article concentrates mainly on the latter. Getting to the Beach While some armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) do have an amphibious capability, such as the Russian BMP-1, BMP-2 and […]

Underwater operations, ranging from the simpler hull inspection to the mine and improvised explosive device countermeasures, in addition to war ordnance disposal, have always represented a dangerous business for divers and boat operators. The spread of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) has significantly reduced the risks and workload associated with underwater operations, and while the unmanned […]

Italy’s new diesel-electric submarine (SSK) – being delivered under the U212 Near Future Submarine (NFS) programme – will arrive at a time when new submarine capabilities are having significant effect in an increasingly contested underwater domain. The boats’ improved capabilities will reinforce the output the Italian Navy is already generating with its Todaro class Type […]

On 18 January 2023, Britain’s DE&S procurement agency announced that it had awarded a GBP 1.6 Bn (circa EUR 1.8 Bn) contract to the Team Resolute consortium to build three Fleet Solid Support Ships (FSS) for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Comprising BMT, Harland & Wolff and Navantia UK, Team Resolute had previously gained preferred bidder […]

Turkey’s MILGEM programme represents a significant accomplishment in that country’s sustained effort to become a designer, builder and exporter of advanced naval warships. The MILGEM’s programme history highlights how Turkey has built on the initial domestic customer base for MILGEM corvettes to expand into the export market; a proven business model used by many other […]

This article highlights several complex issues affecting US–Turkey bilateral relations. The current state of US–Turkey relations can be characterised as tense and rather difficult. Furthermore, there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel that might reduce tensions between these NATO allies. Introduction: Human Rights or Humans without Rights in Turkey Since […]

Fundamental design requirements for the European shipbuilders of OPVs are changing. Potential operations can encompass a wide range of environments and missions, from patrolling Arctic regions to protecting underwater resources from economic exploitation in territorial waters as well as in Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs). Traditional war-type tasks have to be taken into account alongside search […]

When the ‘Rhein/Rhin’ Franco-German air transport squadron was officially inaugurated at Évreux, Normandy, on 9 March 2022, a new chapter of Franco-German military co-operation was opened. German and French military personnel commonly operate four French C-130J transport aircraft (two of which are KC-130J tanker variants) and three German C-130J-30s, while three German KC-130J tanker variants […]

It is one of the most famous capabilities to make a difference in Ukraine’s ongoing war, but how applicable is SpaceX’s Starlink satellite communications system to future military operations? On 28th February 2022, four days after Russia’s second invasion of Ukraine, mercurial billionaire Elon Musk, sent Starlink Satellite Communications (SATCOM) terminals to Ukraine. Starlink is […]

From earthquakes, floods and wildfires on the natural side of things, to man-made, mass-casualty events, as such incidents unfold, they present first responders and emergency personnel arriving on-site with typically chaotic scenes. Implementing immediate, coordinated and well-rehearsed control procedures is needed from the start, not least of which is the establishment of an incident command […]

Malaysia’s regional defence environment is characterised by a complex and dynamic security landscape, with a range of security threats, including border disputes, piracy, and terrorism. The country’s strategic location in Southeast Asia has also made it an important partner in regional security cooperation efforts. For the European defence industry Malaysia was once one of their […]

The trilateral ceasefire agreement signed on 9 November 2020 between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia created a serious shift in the balance of powers in the South Caucasus. Consequently, Russia’s influence on developments in this region has been brought into question by the close alliance between Turkey and Azerbaijan. For its part, Armenia has tried to […]