Archive: News & Articles

The Japanese Ministry of Defence (MoD) has unveiled a new type of 5.56 mm ammunition known as J3 High-Power Ammunition, it emerged at DSEI Japan, held in Toko from 15 to 17 March 2023. The ammunition is suitable for Japan’s new Type 20 rifle, which will replace the Type 89 rifle in Japan Ground Self […]

Leonardo is to supply the Japanese Ministry of Defence (MoD) with long-range, precision-guided Vulcano 155 mm munitions, the company revealed at DSEI Japan 2023, held in Tokyo from 15 to 17 March 2023.   The Vulcano rounds will be used by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s (JGSDF’s) Type 99 155 mm self-propelled howitzers and Type 19 […]

The Ajax family of armoured reconnaissance vehicles for the British Army, which have been plagued by a series of noise and vibration issues, will finally achieve initial operating capability (IOC) between July and December 2025, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 20 March 2023. This will be more than six years after the […]

Bavarian company Armored Car Systems GmbH (ACS) has developed an anti-tank variant of the Enok AB airborne vehicle (AB stands for airborne). Called the Tankhunter, the vehicle is now entering series production, Sebastian Schaubeck, Managing Director of ACS, has confirmed to ESD. Based on a request from a European customer, the variant was developed to […]

Poland is securing sections of its borders with Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, especially crossing points, with tank barriers to counter any attack from Russian or Belarusian armoured columns. Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszcak posted photos on Twitter on 23 February 2023 showing sections of completed barriers in the area of the Suwalki […]

Reflecting a strategy adjustment outlined in the US Financial Year 2024 Defense Budget request submitted to Congress on 9 March 2023, a top US Department of Defense (DoD) procurement official has stressed the need to make fostering a resilient and robust defence-industrial base a priority. Speaking on 15 March at a McAleese-sponsored event in Washington, […]

Slovakia became the second NATO country to donate fighter aircraft to Ukraine on 17 March 2023, with the Slovakian government approving a plan to send the country’s fleet of MiG-29 ‘Fulcrums’ to support Ukraine’s operations against its Russian invaders. The move follows Poland’s announcement the previous day that it would send a dozen or so […]

The 32 British Army AS90 155 mm self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) being gifted to Ukraine will be replaced by Archer 155 mm 6×6 wheeled artillery systems built by BAE Systems Bofors, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 16 March 2023. The government-to-government sale is being negotiated by the UK MoD’s Defence Equipment & Support […]

The Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (Forsvarets Forskningsinstitutt, NDRE) has recently signed a NOK 13.6 M (EUR 1.2 M) contract with Norwegian company Green Ammo AS for the development of ‘electronic blank ammunition’ for 7.62×51 mm and 12.7×99 mm weapons, according to a report posted by the Norwegian online Defence Forum (Forsvarets Forum) on 15 March. […]

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified the US Congress on 14 March 2023 of a potential Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Romania of an additional 95 Heavy Guns Carrier (HGC) variants of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), plus related equipment, for an estimated cost of USD 104 M (EUR 98.25 M). This is […]

The Stork STM parafoil-based unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) made by the UK’s Animal Dynamics has been selected to participate in the next phase of the UK Royal Navy’s Uncrewed Aerial Systems Heavy Lift Challenge (UASHLC), the company announced on 14 March 2023. Animal Dynamics describes the Stork STM as “an autonomous aerial logistics vehicle capable […]

The Japanese Ministry of Defence (MoD) is to introduce the Type 18 Armoured Vest System (AVS) as a successor to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s (JGSDF’s) current Type 3 Kai body armour, the JGSDF indicated on 3 March 2023. Eight thousand AVS sets have been requested in the MoD’s Fiscal Year 2023 (FY) budget for […]

In March 2023, ESD interviewed Clarion Defence and Security, the organisers of DSEI Japan. Answers to ESD’s questions were provided by James Samuel, Director of DSEI Japan. James started his career at Reed Exhibitions back in 2001 with senior leadership positions at UBM, Tarsus and GovNet. James is currently working at Clarion Events where he […]

Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Mariusz Blaszczak, announced at a press conference in Warsaw on 9 March 2023 that Poland has handed over a second tranche of 10 Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks (MBTs) to Ukraine. His statement also confirmed that the initial 14 tanks promised by Poland have been handed over and […]

Reported nuclear co-operation between China and Russia was one of a number of strategic threats to the United States outlined during an 8 March 2023 hearing of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces. With the subcommittee convened to discuss the US military’s financial year 2024 Strategic Forces Posture, its chairman, US Representative Doug […]

The Romanian Land Forces have announced their intention to procure a battalion of US M1 Abrams main battle tanks. News of the intended procurement emerged in a 3 March 2023 podcast interview with Lieutenant General Teodor Incicaș, Head of the Romanian Ministry of National Defence’s General Directorate for Armaments. Local publication Defense Romania, which has […]

The US Air Force (USAF) and Northrop Grumman have conducted the first full-scale static test firing of the Stage-1 solid rocket motor (SRM) that will be used in the United States’ future generation of LGM-35A Sentinel silo-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), the air force and Northrop Grumman announced on 6 March. The open-air test of […]

The Australian Defence Force is to receive simulators for training Boxer CRV (combat reconnaissance vehicle) crews. Rheinmetall announced at the beginning of March 2023 that it has been contracted to develop a reconnaissance variant of the Immersive Tactical Trainer and five variants of Desk Top Trainers for reconnaissance, joint fires, command and control, repair and […]

The US Marine Corps (USMC) has awarded BAE Systems a USD 256.8 M (EUR 240.55 M) contract for more Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACVs), the company announced on 6 March 2023. The award, which is the third full-rate production (FRP) order for the vehicle, includes USD 145.3 M for more than 25 ACV Personnel (ACV-P) variants, […]

The UK defence acquisition process is out of date and dysfunctional, a paper published by Risk management consultancy Redstone Risk on 6 March 2023 has asserted. Titled ‘Unwrapping the Riddle of Defence Acquisition in the United Kingdom’, the report outlines the fundamental changes Redstone says are required to optimise defence acquisition in the UK. It […]

Lithuania’s Defence Materiel Agency has placed an order worth SEK 145 M (EUR 13 M) with Saab for Carl-Gustaf M4 ammunition, the Swedish company announced on 3 March 2023. The order was placed under a framework agreement signed between Saab and Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) in 2019 that allows the Swedish armed forces, as […]