Archive: News & Articles

The United States will supply refurbished M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks (MBTs) to Ukraine rather than new-build M1A2s to get the tanks delivered to theatre more quickly, the US Department of Defense (DoD) stated on 21 March 2023. The US DoD originally announced in January 2023 that 31 M1A2 MBTs would be delivered to Ukraine. […]

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 […]

At a specially convened conference on 19 March 2023 the defence ministers of 17 EU states plus Norway signed an agreement on the joint procurement of ammunition (Collaborative Procurement of Ammunition) to support Ukraine in its fight against invading Russian forces. Under the leadership of the European Defence Agency (EDA), the participating nations intend to […]

From 15 to 19 March 2023 units of the Chinese, Iranian and Russian navies conducted joint naval manoeuvres in the sea area between Muscat (Oman) and Chahbahar (Iran). Ten vessels took part in the exercise, which was dubbed ‘Maritime Safety Belt’, according to a statement by the Russian Ministry of Defence, which stated “From the […]

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 […]

Boeing has been awarded a USD 1.946 Bn (EUR 1.82 Bn) contract modification from the US Army covering the manufacture of 184 AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters, the company announced on 17 March 2023. Under the award the US Army will receive 115 remanufactured Apaches, plus another 15 procured as options (also remanufactured), while the […]

Turkish Aerospace has brought the prototypes of its two future jet platforms – the TF-X future fighter and the Hürjet advanced jet trainer – out into the open for the first time. Turkey’s Defence Industry Agency (Savunma Sanayii Başkanlığı (SSB) posted a series of photos on its website on 17 March 2023 showing the TF-X, which […]

UK survival technology provider Survitec has supplied the 2,000th set of F-35 pilot Aircrew Flight Equipment (AFE), the company announced on 14 March 2023. The equipment consists of a flight jacket, flight suit, anti-g trousers and an immersion suit, among other items. Fitting to the pilots takes place in special facilities, where the clothing system […]

With a turnover of EUR 4.2 Bn and new orders of EUR 9 Bn, MBDA can look back on a successful financial year 2022 (FY 2022). The news was announced by Éric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, at the company’s annual press conference in Paris on 15 March 2023. He said that co-operation throughout the year […]

Within the US Army’s latest USD 1.9 Bn (EUR 1.8 Bn) contract award to Boeing for 184 Apache AH-64E attack helicopters will be the first Apaches for Australia, which are to be delivered to the Australian Army from 2026, according to the company. Australia decided in 2021 to replace its Airbus Tiger armed reconnaissance helicopters […]

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, […]

Following talks at the DSEI Japan defence exhibition, held in Tokyo from 15 to 17 March 2023, the United Kingdom and Japan have signed an agreement to co-operate in space. A Terms of Reference document has been signed by the UK’s Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, and the Chief […]

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 […]

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Israel’s RT Aerostat Systems are launching a new aerostat-mounted cellular geolocation system at the DSEI Japan defence exhibition, which is taking place in Tokyo from 15 to 17 March 2023. Called the Skystar ResQCell, the system is designed to enable the rapid location of missing and trapped people following any […]

The US Department of Defense (DoD) released the Biden Administration’s Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Defense Budget request on 13 March 2023, having submitted it to the US Congress on 9 March. The request totals USD 842 Bn (EUR 793.58 Bn): an increase of USD 26 Bn, or 3.18%, over 2023 levels and USD 100 Bn […]

Poland is poised to become the first nation to give Ukraine the fighter jets that Kyiv has long sought to take the fight to the country’s Russian invaders, according to a statement made by Polish President Andrzej Duda on 16 March 2023. Speaking at a joint news conference in Warsaw with the visiting Czech president, […]

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. […]