Archive: News & Articles

As part of the Military Programming Law 2023-2034 approved in July 2023 the Portuguese Army (Exército Português) is undergoing a major modernisation effort aimed strengthening its capabilities in several key domains. The operational structure of the Portuguese Army is principally comprised of the Rapid Reaction Brigade, the Intervention Brigade, the Mechanised Brigade, the General Support and Military Emergency Forces, and three overseas infantry battalions. Despite limited budget resources and […]

On the opening day of the FEINDEF 2025 defence exhibition, held in Madrid from 12 to 14 May, General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS), in partnership with KNDS, unveiled a new tracked self-propelled howitzer (SPH) called Nemesis. The new SPH pairs the latest GDELS ASCOD tracked platform with the fully automated 155 mm/L52 Artillery Gun […]

Spain’s Rheinmetall Expal Munitions displayed an example of its 81 mm (Expal Integrated Mortar System (EIMOS) mounted on a Urovesa VAMTAC ST5 4×4 all-terrain vehicle at FEINDEF 2025, held in Madrid from 12 to 14 May. A total of 86 VAMTAC ST5-mounted EIMOS systems have been ordered for all branches of the Spanish armed forces, […]

Spanish defence technology concern EM&E Group launched a new unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) at the opening day of the FEINDEF 2025 defence exhibition in Madrid on 12 May. The aunav.BEST is a medium-sized, multi-role UGV designed to operate in the most demanding environments and conduct a variety of roles, including reconnaissance and surveillance missions, explosive […]

Since 2020, there has been a flurry of activity in the global market for military-specification articulated all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), with contracts for close to 1,000 new vehicles signed and several more programmes approaching the threshold of contract award. This article explores the factors encouraging this demand, how the vehicles are evolving to meet customer requirements, […]

Spain is pursuing an ambitious modernisation programme for its land forces, aiming to ensure they meet the demands of future battlefields by 2035. However, financial constraints may hinder these plans. So far, there are no indications that Spain will increase its defence spending. Funding military modernisation requires substantial financial resources, and Spain is not among […]

Following the end of the first week of May 2025, as the world waited to see whether ongoing Indo-Pakistani hostilities over the disputed region of Kashmir would escalate or dissipate, the inevitable propaganda war between the two states only served to cloud what has actually happened. What does appear clear, however, is that the Indian […]

ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) received a contract from Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) on 7 May 2025 for the construction of two additional Type 218SG submarines, which are known as the Invincible class in Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) service. The order increases the RSN’s total number of Invincible-class submarines to six, the first two […]

BAE Systems has been awarded a USD 188.5 million (EUR 167 million) full-rate production (FRP) contract from the US Marine Corps (USMC) for 30 30 mm gun-armed Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACV-30s), the company announced on 29 April 2025. The contract, which includes fielding support, spares and test equipment, is the first award as part of […]

Singapore Technologies Engineering announced on 7 May 2025 that it has been awarded contracts by the Singaporean Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) to deliver a suite of unmanned mine countermeasures (MCM) systems for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). The suite of unmanned MCM systems will comprise a fleet of unmanned surface vessels (USVs) and autonomous […]

The UK Military Aviation Authority has issued a Military Type Certificate (MTC) to the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9B unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are known as Protector RG Mk1s in RAF service, GA-ASI announced on 8 May 2025. The MTC certifies that the Protector RG Mk1 has passed […]

While US President Donald Trump often appears to thrive in sowing discord, the current chaos at the US Department of Defense (DoD) cannot serve any decent purpose – and comes with significant strategic risk. With US President Donald Trump having announced in early April 2025 that he planned to set the 2026 US defence budget […]

Despite continuing politico-strategic turbulence in trans-Atlantic relations surrounding the on-going Russo-Ukraine war, NATO remains the standalone multinational military structure for deterring high-end military threats to Western European security. Yet with the war being ‘fought’ strategically by Russia through using hybrid activities in various regions, domains, and contexts across the Euro-Atlantic theatre, multinational structures other than […]

The war in Ukraine has evolved rapidly into a brutal battlefield that has outstripped the ability of the established defence industries in both Russia and Ukraine to meet all equipment needs. This has led to a thriving ecosystem of frontline innovations. This article looks at five that are particularly interesting and assesses their impact. Counter-drone […]

Finnish armoured vehicle manufacturer Patria and the European hub for the Trophy active protection system (APS), EuroTrophy, are working on integrating the APS onto the Armoured Modular Vehicle (AMV) XP 8×8. EuroTrophy is a joint venture founded in 2021 by Trophy manufacturer Rafael, KNDS Germany and General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS). According to a […]

The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Ukraine of F-16 training and sustainment and related equipment, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 2 May 2025. The required certification for the proposed FMS, which is worth an estimated USD 310.5 million (EUR 276.6 million), has been passed to […]

Haifa-based maritime technology company Sealartec has closed a significant maritime capability gap by successfully deploying fully autonomous launch and recovery (ALR) systems for unmanned surface vessels (USVs). “While the unmanned systems market has been maturing rapidly – with smarter vessels, better AI, and more advanced control systems – the maritime sector faced a significant blind […]

Rheinmetall and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite specialist ICEYE are to further intensify their co-operation by establishing a joint venture for satellite production. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding to this effect on 8 May 2025. Rheinmetall is to be the majority shareholder in the new joint venture, named Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions, […]

The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Norway of AIM-9X Block II air-to-air missiles and related equipment, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 2 May 2025. The proposed FMS, which is worth an estimated USD 370.9 million (EUR 328.3 million), has been passed to the US Congress […]

Prior to the 2024 US election, Donald Trump claimed it would take him “one day” to end the War in Ukraine. Yet as the first 100 days of President Trump’s second term have slipped by, a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow still seems like a remote prospect. At the time of writing in late-April […]

The RILA 8×8 IFV represents a groundbreaking advancement in the category of 8-wheeled armored fighting vehicles. Developed by International Armored Group (IAG), the RILA 8×8 is offered in multiple configurations, each tailored with varying specifications, features, and weapon systems to meet diverse operational requirements. Designed to provide superior protection and performance, the RILA 8×8 can […]