Author Defence Star

Leonardo wins contract to upgrade Italian Air Force’s C-27J aircraft

Leonardo’s C-27J Spartan Transport Aircraft: Leonardo and Armaereo, the Italian Defence Ministry’s Air Force Armament and Airworthiness Directorate, have signed a contract which represents an important step in the Italian Air Force’s C-27J Spartan fleet upgrade. The contract includes the development, integration qualification and certification of a new avionics configuration for the C-27J, the upgrading of a number of general systems on the aircraft, the self-protection system and the flight simulator.

Elbit Systems wins contract to supply 120th Hermes 900 UAV

Elbit Systems Hermes UAV: Israel’s defence technology company Elbit Systems has received an order for supply of its 120th Hermes 900 Medium-Range Long-Altitude (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).The Hermes 900 multi-role UAV family is Elbit Systems’ largest unmanned aerial vehicle. These UAVs are capable of performing a wide range of missions including persistent intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR), said the company.

Pratt & Whitney will supply 278 F135 jet engines for F-35 fighters

Pratt & Whiteney’s F135 engine for F-35 fighters: US based aircraft engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney, Monday announced that the company has been awarded a $5.2 billion contract to support production of the 15th and 16th lots of F135 engines, with an option to award a 17th Lot, powering all three variants of the F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft. The Lots 15-17 production contract funds production of 278 F135 engines with an option to order up to a total of 518 engines.

India clears purchase of 70 homemade HTT-40 trainer aircraft for Air Force

HAL’s HTT-40 Trainer for Indian Air Force:In a big boost to indigenous weapon systems and aircrafts, a meeting of the Union Cabinet cleared the purchase of 70 basis trainer aircraft from the state owned aircraft manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The deal cleared by the Union Cabinet entails purchase of 70 HTT-40 Basic trainer aircraft at a cost of over Rs 6,800 crores.

HALCON partners with Rheinmetall to develop Oerlikon multi-sensor radar

EDGE Group’s HALCON partners with Rheinmetall Air Defence: Abu Dhabi based defence technology giant EDGE Group’s business unit HALCON has announced a partnership with Rheinmetall Air Defence in Switzerland, a leading manufacturer of state-of-the-art air defence and anti-aircraft systems and subsidiary of Rheinmetall. HALCON is engaged in the design and production of guided weapon system.

Israel’s IAI, India’s BEL form JV to support Indian military

IAI-BEL joint venture: Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Israel’s leading aerospace and defense company, and Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), the leading manufacturer of defence electronic products and systems for India’s defense sector, have concluded the agreements to form a joint venture  that will extend product support services for India’s Defence Forces.

United States brings largest-ever delegation to Aero India

United States at Aero India 2023: In a signal to its commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, the United States is bringing the largest ever U.S. delegation to India’s prestigious defence and aerospace industry event Aero India this year which will be led by U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Ambassador Elizabeth Jones. The delegation will include senior US military and defence industry officials.   

Boeing to focus on local industry development at Aero India

Boeing India to focus on local defence industry development at Aero India: US defence and aerospace giant Boeing will focus on investments in growing local services and capabilities, workforce development and partnerships in support India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision during Aero India 2023 exhibition that will be organized in India’s information technology capital Bengaluru next week, said the company.

Rheinmetall, AeroVironment jointly bid tactical drones to NATO

Rheinmetall, AeroVironment offer tactical drones to NATO: German defence company Rheinmetall and US unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) manufacturer AeroVironment have teamed to take part in a NATO special forces project. Group subsidiary Rheinmetall Technical Publications GmbH and AeroVironment have applied to participate in a procurement programme for a small UAS intended for special operations and infantry applications.

Aero India 2023: Israel’s Elbit Systems to participate in India’s aerospace exhibition

Aero India 2023: Israel’s defence technology company Elbit Systems would participate in India’s premier aerospace and defence exhibition Aero-India that is being organized in the country’s information technology capital Bengaluru from Feburary 13th-17th 2023. Elbit Systems will show case both its visual and interactive displays of its solutions at the prestigious biennial defence event. Elbit…

US Army’s Common Tactical Trucks: Rheinmetall, GM Defense bag contract for 1st phase

US Army’s Common Tactical Truck Programme: American Rheinmetall Vehicles and GM Defense LLC have together won a contract for the first phase of the U.S. Army’s Common Tactical Truck (CTT) Program, the German defence company said o Monday. Under the Common Tactical Truck Programme, the US Army seeks to replace its family of heavy tactical trucks with production of up to 40,000 trucks valued at up to $14 billion.

UAE’s EDGE Group invests in Israel’s air traffic management firm High Lander

EDGE Group High Lander Universal UTM Investment: The UAE based leading defence company, the EDGE Group Tuesday announced a strategic investment in High Lander. The Tel Aviv based High Lander is an air traffic management company which offers Universal UTM, a drone-agnostic unmanned traffic management solution. The Universal UTM provides automation, coordination, and safety much needed in increasingly crowded skies.

Pratt & Whitney opens India Engineering Center

Pratt & Whitney’s India Engineering Center: US aircraft engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney Thursday officially opened its new India Engineering Center (IEC) in the country’s IT capital Bengaluru, located in the southern part of the country. The facility is co-located with Pratt & Whitney’s India Capabilities Center (ICC), which opened in 2022 to provide integrated global supply chain support, and the recently inaugurated Collins Aerospace engineering and global operations centers.

Catching up with China: India clears defence procurement worth over $10 billion

India clears defence purchase worth over $10 billion: India’s apex defence procurement body, the defence acquisition council (DAC) has approved the acceptance of necessity for 24 capital acquisition process worth $10.18 billion (INR 84,328 crores) for the country’s military and Indian coast guard, saying that majority of the procurement (over 97%) will be from the local defence companies and vendors.

Fincantieri bags contract to supply Naval Hydro-Oceanographic ship

Fincantieri Hydro-Oceanographic Naval Unit (NIOM): Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has signed a contract with the General Secretariat of Defense and National Arms Direction – Naval Armaments Direction (NAVARM), for realization of a new Hydro-Oceanographic Naval Unit Major (NIOM) intended for the Hydrographic Institute of the Navy, with delivery scheduled in 2026 at the integrated yard of Riva Trigoso-Muggiano.

Garuda Military Exercise: India-France Air Forces begin mega war games

India-France Air Force Garuda Military Exercise: In order to improve synergy between the two air forces and enhanced understanding of each other’s processes, the Indian and French air forces are undertaking an 18-day military exercise in Jodhpur in western state of Rajasthan. This is the seventh edition of biannual war games that involves combat jets of Indian, Russian, French and British origin.

Germany’s Rheinmetall will supply field hospital to Ukraine Military

German Field Hospitals for Ukraine Military: German defence compay, Rheinmetall will soon be supplying the Ukrainian armed forces with a turnkey modern field hospital. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence awarded the €9 million order to Rheinmetall subsidiary Zeppelin Mobile Systeme GmbH (ZMS) in September 2022. The package includes training on the system. Delivery is scheduled to take place in 2023.

Rheinmetall hands over first Lynx infantry fighting vehicle to Hungary

Just two years after the placement of the order, Rheinmetall AG CEO Armin Papperger presented the key to Hungarian Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky. The handover took place during an oath-taking ceremony of new military service volunteers of the Hungarian Defence Forces at the Petöfi Sándor Barracks in Budapest. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán also attended the ceremony. Lynx will become the backbone of Hungary’s mechanised infantry forces.

Elbit Systems wins $107 million US Army contract for supply of Night Vision Devices

US Army Elbit Systems Night Vision Devices: A subsidiary of Israeli defence company Elbit Systems has won $107 million US Army contract to supply night vision devices known as Enhanced Night Vision Goggle – Binocular (ENVG-B), its spare parts, logistics support, and test equipment. Elbit Systems America LLC will execute the order in Roanoke, Virginia and these night vision devices will be supplied over the next two years.

Saab to manufacture Carl-Gustaf M4 rocket launchers in India

The new company Saab FFV India, which is currently under registration, will make the latest generation of the state-of-the-art weapon in India. Saab will also be partnering with Indian sub-suppliers and the systems manufactured in the facility will fully meet the requirements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship scheme Make in India which is aimed at reducing the country’s reliance on imports in critical sectors, including defence.

QRSAM: Indian Army, DRDO successfully test-fire Quick-Reaction-Surface-to-Air Missile

India’s Quick-Reaction-Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM): In a big boost to the country’s air defence system, Indian Army and apex defence research body, the DRDO, Thursday successfully completed six flight tests of the Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM) system off the Odisha Coast in Eastern India. The flight tests have been conducted as part of evaluation trials by the Indian Army, said the DRDO.

NATO member Norway inducts Rheinmetall-MAN HX trucks

Rheinmetall MAN HX trucks for Norway: The Norwegian military procurement agency, NDMA, formally transferred over a hundred new HX and TGS-mil military trucks to the Norwegian Army, the end customer on Tuesday (August 23, 2022). The ceremony took place at Sessvollmoen military base near Oslo in presence of company officials. Major General Øyvind Johan Kvalvik, Deputy Director of the NDMA, symbolically handed over the keys to the Norwegian Army’s second in command, Brigadier General Frode Ommundsen.

India’s HAL conducts first flight of hanger based Advanced Light Helicopter

Advanced Light Helicopter flight with 2-segment Main Rotor Blades: The first flight of Advanced Light Helicopter (wheeled version) with segmented Main Rotor Blades (MRBs) and Main Rotor Head (MRH) in pre-cone configuration was carried out in Bengaluru according to an official statement issued by India’s state owned aircraft and helicopter manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited on Thursday.

Indian Army testfires locally developed laser guided anti-tank guided missile from Arjun MBT

India’s Laser Guided ATGM: AIndian Army and India’s apex defence research body (DRDO) Tuesday successfully testfired indigenously-developed Laser-Guided Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) from India’s locally developed Main Battle Tank Arjun MBT at KK Range in Ahmednagar in western state of Maharashtra. The test was carried out with the support of Armoured Corps Centre & School (ACC&S).

Indian Army orders 6 Swathi Weapon Locating Radars for mountain warfare

BEL Swathi Mark II Weapon Locating Radar: Indian Army has placed orders for six units of Swathi Mark-II Weapon Locating Radar with state owned Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). The order is estimated at around  $ 51 million (INR 400 crores). Swathi Mark-II WLR is optimised for high altitude warfare and it has been cleared after going through a fresh round of trials in the mountain terrain.

Rheinmetall unveils KF51 Panther MBT equipped with bigger 130mm gun at Eurosatory

Rheinmetall KF51 Tank: German defence company Rheinmetall Monday unveiled its futuristic KF51 Panther main battle tank (MBT), which has a 130 mm main gun and is being described as better than Russia’s latest main battle tank Armata, at French defence exhibition Eurosatory. The KF51 Panther main battle tank is equipped with several futuristic features which includes protection against killer drones that have demonstrated their lethality against Russian armored vehicles in the war with Ukraine.

Indian Army will soon induct a new locally developed surface-to-air missile

Indian Army Akash Prime Missile Regiment: The Indian Army will get two regiments a new and improved version of the locally designed and developed Akash Missile system, known as Akash Prime, to shoot down enemy aircraft and drones in high altitude area. According to people familiar with the matter, the proposal is at an advanced stage before the government and will help in further strengthening the air defence of the country against aerial attacks from both the Chinese and the Pakistani sides.

India testfires anti-ship version of BrahMos missile

BrahMos Aerospace, an India-Russian joint venture, produces supersonic cruise missiles that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms. BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound. The range of the advanced version of the missile is learnt to have been extended to around 350 km from the original 290 km.

Leonardo wins $29 million contract for supply of AW119K helicopters to Israel

Leonardo AW119K Helicopter for Israel: Italy based helicopter manufacturer Leonardo has been awarded a $29 million contract by the U.S. Department of Defense for supply of new AW119Kx aircraft to Israel under the framework of Foreign Military Sales (FMS), with the U.S. Army Contracting Command as the contracting activity. The aircraft will be fully produced at Leonardo’s facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Pratt & Whitney, NAAEE announce $250,000 funding for environmental education

Pratt & Whitney environmental education funding: The US based aviation engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney  Wednesday announced E-STEM Awards in partnership with the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE). The awards will grant a total of $250,000 to support innovative E-STEM education programs around the world that build the skills and capacity for students ages 11-18 to use science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to address environmental challenges.

Lt Gen Manoj Pande becomes first officer from Corps of Engineers to be appointed Army Chief

Lt General Manoj Pande appointed army chief: A meeting of Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday cleared the name Lt General Manoj Pande for the appointment as Chief of Army Staff, succeeding General MM Naravane who retires at the month end.  Pande, who is Vice Chief of Army Staff and would be first officer from the Corps of Engineers, will take over as the 29th Chief of Army Staff of 1.3 million strong Indian Army.

Iron Beam: Israel’s Rafael concludes testing of laser air defence system

Rafael Iron Beam Laser Air Defense System: Israel’s leading defence technology company, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Thursday announced completion of a series of ground-breaking tests with a high-power laser interception system Iron Beam against steep-track threats. These tests were conducted in collaboration with Israel’s Ministry of Defense’s Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D), demonstrating successful interception of UAVs, mortars, rockets, and anti-tank missiles in various scenarios.

India’s Tata Group delivers locally developed infantry combat vehicles to Indian Army

Indian Army Infantry Combat Vehicle: India’s salt-software conglomerate, the Tata Group, Tuesday delivered first lot of the locally designed and developed Infantry Protected Mobility Vehicles (IPMVs) to Indian Army. Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), a Tata Group company, handed over these infantry vehicles to Indian Army in a private ceremony in Pune in Maharashtra. The event, which was organized at Bombay Engineers Group campus in Pune, was attended by Indian Army Chief General Manoj Naravane and Vice Army Chief Lt General Manoj Pandey.

British Army orders 100 more Boxer armoured vehicles

British Army Boxer Armoured Vehicles: The British government has signed a contract with a consortium of Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) for supply of an additional 100 Boxer wheeled armoured vehicles to the British Army. The contract, which is signed between the European procurement organization OCCAR and ARTEC, entails supply of three previously ordered variants of the Boxer: the infantry carrier, the command vehicle and the field ambulance.

India’s DRDO tests Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet technology

DRDO’s Solid Fued Ducted Ramjet Missile: India’s apex defence research organization, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Thursday successfully flight tested Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) booster technology at the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha in eastern India. The test successfully demonstrated the reliable functioning of all critical components involved in the complex missile system and met all the mission objectives, said the ministry of defence.

India releases third negative list to curb defence imports

India’s third negative list for defence imports: In a major decision to support domestic defence industry, India’s defence minister Rajnath Singh Thursday released the third indigenization list of 101 products. The defence systems and sub-systems listed in the third negative list are fairly complex in nature and it shows the growing confidence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in the domestic defence industry for their development and manufacture in the country.

Germany’s Rheinmetall unveils new radar Oerlikon AMMR

Rheinmetall Oerlikon AESA AMMR Radar: German defence and high technology company Rheinmetall Monday unveiled the Oerlikon AMMR, the Group’s latest radar system. The Oerlikon AESA Multi-Mission Radar (AMMR) was developed entirely at Rheinmetall Italia in Rome, underscoring once again the subsidiary’s role as Rheinmetall’s radar centre of excellence. Rheinmetall says the new radar is now ready for series production.

India’s defence electronics manufacturer BEL achieves a record turnover of $2 billion

BEL’s Financial Results FY 2021-22: India’s state owned defence electronics manufacturer Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)  achieved a turnover of about Rs 15,000 crore  ($1.98 billion), during the Financial Year 2021-22 that began in April last year and ended in March this year. “As per the provisional and unaudited results, this is an increase of 8.55% against the previous year’s turnover of Rs 13,818 crore, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and global semiconductors shortage,“ said the company.

Israel’s IAI and India’s DRDO complete testfiring of MRSAM missile

MRSAM Missile: Israel’s state owned defence company IAI and India’s apex defence research organization DRDO Thursday announced successful completion of a series of testfiring of MRSAM air and missile defense system trials in India. The trials included a series of four MRSAM interceptions – two by the land-based MRSAM system, and two by the naval-based MRSAM system, operated from Indian Navy ships.

Pratt & Whitney begins setting up new Capabilities Center in Bengaluru

Pratt & Whitney Bengaluru Capability Centre: Aircraft engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney Thursday announced its plans to open a new global supply chain support center in India’s IT capital Bengaluru. The India Capability Center (ICC) in Bengaluru in southern state of Karnataka will employ hundreds of analysts and data scientists to augment Pratt & Whitney’s global supply chain, focused on digital capabilities, said the company.

Israel’s IAI and British firm MCL win UK MoD’s project Thesus contract

United Kingdom’s Project Theseus: British defence company Marlborough Communications Limited (MCL) and its technology partner Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) have been awarded a contract to deliver demonstrations of their highly-automated ground and air resupply network, providing innovative capability based on the latest autonomous technology as part of Projec Theseus, IAI said on Monday.

Israel Navy ship conducts first interception using C-Dome missile system

Rafael C-Dome Missile System: Israeli defence giant Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO), in the Directorate for Defense R&D of the Israel Ministry of Defense, and the IDF have completed a successful series of live-fire tests of the ‘C-Dome’ system – an advanced naval configuration of the Iron Dome defense system, the company announced on Tuesday.

India’s Andaman and Nicobar Command inducts HAL’s Advanced Light Helicopters

ALH Mark III inducted in Andaman & Nicobar Command: In a major boost to India’s maritime security, the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) MK III, which has been locally designed and developed by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was formally inducted at INS Utkrosh by Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN) Lieutenant General Ajai Singh at Port Blair on Friday.

German Navy Chief resigns over remarks on Ukraine during India visit

German Navy Chief Resigns: The German Navy Chief vice admiral Kay-Achim Schoenbach Saturday after his comments on Ukraine and Russia during India visit sparked controversy back in German as Ukraine strongly protested his comments that Ukraine was perhaps never going to get back Crimea peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014 and Russian President Vladimir Putin was seeking and deserved respect. He said both Germany and India needed Russia against China.

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