Rheinmetall acquires Expal Systems: German defence company Rheinmetall AG has completed its takeover of all shares in Expal Systems S.A.U. of Madrid. First announced last November, the acquisition follows final approval by the relevant authorities. The transfer of Expal S.A.U.’s business activities to Rheinmetall took place on 1 August 2023, the company said on Tuesday (August 1).
Naviris bags contract for mid-life upgrade of Horizon class destroyers: OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation) has awarded Naviris and eurosam a contract for the Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) of the French and Italian Horizon frigates. The two co-contractors, Naviris and eurosam, will work in close relationship with their shareholders, Fincantieri and Naval Group for the frigate, MBDA Italia, MBDA France and Thales for the new generation of Principal Anti-Air Missile System & Long-Range Radar (PAAMS & LRR), Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri said in a statement on Monday (July 31).
ISRO’s PSLV-C56 launches 7 satellites in space: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched seven satellites for Singapore in its PSLV-C56 mission on Sunday. The launch took place at 6.30 am from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR in Sriharikota. The primary satellite, DS-SAR, is a Radar Imaging Earth Observation satellite developed by Singapore’s DSTA and ST Engineering. It will be used for various applications such as disaster management, urban planning, and environmental monitoring.
Leonardo bags 18 research and development project under EDF: Leonardo, a leading global high-tech company in Aerospace Defence and Security, has been awarded 18 research and development projects (R&D), including ten capacitive development and eight research projects, under the European Defence Fund (EDF) WP22 (Work Program 2022). The EDF is the European Commission’s flagship for promoting defence cooperation through competitive and collaborative projects that cover the entire R&D cycle.
India gifts INS Kirpan warship to Vietnam Navy: In a significant move to enhance its strategic and military relations in China’s backyard, India Saturday handed over a fully operational warship of Indian Navy to its close military ally Vietnam. This is for the first time when India offered a fully operational missile corvette to Vietnam as Indian Navy first decommissioned INS Kirpan and handed it over to Vietnam People’s Navy (VPN).
Italian Navy’s U212 NFS Near Future Submarine: The International Arms Cooperation Organization (Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d’Armement or OCCAR) has exercised the option for the construction of the third next-generation submarine related to the U212NFS (Near Future Submarine) programme for the Italian Navy to the domestic shipbuilder Fincantieri. The order has a value of over 500 million euros, including its integrated logistic support, and the third U212NFS submarine will be delivered to Italian Navy in 2030.
Fincantieri-Leonardo bag major ship maintenance contract from Italian Navy: Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (OSN), a joint venture company owned by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and Leonardo has signed an agreement with the Directorate of Naval Armaments of the Secretariat General of Defence / National Armaments Directorate for the maintenance of Italian Navy’s Cavour aircraft carrier and Horizon class destroyers.
Ashok Leyland Military Vehicles: Ashok Leyland, a company of Hinduja Group and the largest supplier of logistics vehicles to the Indian Army, Monday (July 17) announced significant order win valued at Rs 800 crores ($97.57 million) in the Defence Sector. The contracts awarded also include the procurement of the Field Artillery Tractor (FAT 4×4) and the Gun Towing Vehicle (GTV 6×6).
India clears 26 Rafale-M for Navy: In a major decision to boost its naval power, India Thursday approved procurement of 26 Rafale fighter jets manufactured by French defence company Dassault Aviation and procurement of 3 Scorpene class submarines that are being built in India under licence from French shipbuilder the Naval Group. The proposals were approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) meeting attended by Defence Minister Rajanth Singh, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan
Larsen & Toubro-Navantia agreement for Navy’s P75(I) submarine: India’s leading defence manufacturer and engineering giant Larsen & Toubro has signed a Teaming Agreement (TA) with Spanish naval shipbuilder Navantia on Monday (July 10) for the purpose of submission of a techno-commercial bid for the Indian Navy’s prestigious P75 (India) submarine program.
German Leopard tanks for Ukraine army: German defence company Rheinmetall will supply 14 Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks to Ukraine military that has been engaged in brutal war with Russia since February 2022. In order to defend Ukraine against Russian attack, the United States of America and its Nato allies have been providing massive military aids worth billions of dollars to Ukraine, mainly long range artillery, protected vehicles which has now included main battle tanks.
Rheinmetall’s Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicle for Ukraine: German defence company Rheinmetall is supplying another 20 Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) to Ukrainian Army as per a direction from the German government, the company said on Saturday. The contract for these 20 Marder IFVs was awarded last month while the value of the order has been estimated in the lower-two-digit million-euro range. The Marders are due to be delivered this summer.
Pratt & Whitney GTF Engine: American aircraft engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney has bagged orders and commitments for supply of 800 GTF engines so far in this year. The order book also includes spare engines. Airlines and lessors who have announced orders include Azorra, CALC, Carlyle Aviation Partners, Binter, Croatia Airlines, LATAM Airlines, Qantas Airways, United Airlines and Volaris, it said.
Controp Precision Technologies, Paras Defence and Space form JV company: Israel based Controp has partnered with India’s Paras Defence and Space Technologies which is in the business of offering electro-optical and infra-red based solutions to defence customers. Paras is a publicly traded company in the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in Mumbai, India.
India DRDO Agni Prime Missile: The first pre-induction night launch of the missile with a strike range of 1,000 to 2,000 km was carried out on Wednesday by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the elite strategic forces command, officials said. The defence ministry said the test-firing met all the desired objectives and that it paved the way for induction of the system into the armed forces.
Hensoldt rejects Der Spiegel’s allegations: Taufkirchen based German radar and senor manufacturer Hensoldt Friday rejected allegations of improper business practices and insufficient internal controls as alleged by a Hamburg based German investigative news magazine.
Rheinmetall said the current order was the last call-off from a framework contract signed in 2018 for the delivery of up to 137 SaZgM 70t mil trucks. Under the framework agreement, which had a 7-year lifetime, eighty tractor units have already been ordered and delivered to the Bundeswehr. Since 2018, Rheinmetall has supplied the Bundeswehr with over 4,000 military trucks. Together with the UTF and WLS, the SaZgM 70t tractor unit forms the logistic backbone of the Bundeswehr.
India-US GE Fighter Jet Engine Deal: Indian and US authorities are working to finalise a fighter jet manufacturing deal during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the country. The deal involving US figher get manufacturer General Electric (GE) will be a government to government deal as GE is already supplying its F-404(IN) engines for India’s home grown light combat aircraft LCA Tejas manufactured by the state owned aircraft manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
The ATR 72 MPA is a maritime patrol aircraft that integrates advanced security and surveillance systems developed by Leonardo. In October 2022, Malaysia authorities have announced the selection of ATR 72 Maritime Patrol Aircraft.
IAI will showcase a variety of its state-of-the-art naval and maritime products, including the Barak MX, a modular air, land and seadefense system, which enables advanced threat management;the Scorpius-N electronic warfare system; and the advanced Blue Spearanti-ship missile. In addition to these products, other defense systems such as the HAROP – loitering munition system, and the STAR-X – 3D surveillance &threat alert radar, will also be showcased to international customers.
Rheinmetall is the sole single source supplier of newly made 20mm-35mm ammunition for medium-calibre automatic and antiaircraft cannon of the Marder, Gepard, Puma and similar systems. The company is also single source supplier for of 105mm ammunition for the Leopard 1 and 120mm ammunition for the Leopard 2; as well as 155mm artillery shells.
The Integrated Electronic Warfare System for Indian Army is a state-of-the-art system with cutting-edge technology. It has developed indigenously and manufactured by BEL based on Defence Electronics Research Laboratory (DLRL), DRDO, design.
BEL bags Rs 3,700 order for supply of radars to IAF: India’s ministry of defence Thursday signed two contracts worth over Rs 3,700 crore with the state owned defence electronics company Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for supply of radars and radar warning receivers, which will enhance the operational capabilities of the Indian Air Force. The first contract worth over Rs 2,800 crore includes supply of Medium Power Radars (MPR) ‘Arudhra’ for the IAF, and the second order, with an overall cost of around Rs 950 crore, relates to 129 DR-118 Radar Warning Receivers (RWR).
India remains world’s largest weapons importer: India remained the world’s largest arms importer for the five-year period between 2018-22 even though its arms imports declined by 11% between 2013–17 and 2018–22, according to a report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). While Russia was the largest supplier of weapons to India in both 2013–17…
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 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 & 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.
Indian Navy Brahmos Missile: The Indian Navy Sunday successfully test-fired the ship-launched version of the BrahMos supersonic missile. The missile which has been jointly developed and co-produced with the Russia, has been tested with locally developed seeker and booster, giving a push to India’s quest for self-reliance in defence.
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.
ELTA Systems’ Software Defined Radio with NCO: Israel’s state owned defence giant, the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), has announced the release of its new multi-mission ARC 840 Software Defined Radio – Network Centric Operations (SDR-NCO) system. The new Software Defined Radio (SDR) has been offered through ELTA Systems, a subsidiary of the IAI.
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.
Rheinmetall at Avalon Australia 2023: Rheinmetall, the largest supplier of military vehicles to the Australian Defence Force will this week showcase two of the most advanced and highly capable next generation armoured vehicles, the LYNX Infantry Fighting Vehicle along with the LYNX Combat Support Vehicle at Avalon Australia Air Show, said the company.
Elbit Systems Australia at Avalon Australia 2023: Israel’s leading defence company Elbit Systems will showcase its broad range of cutting-edge technology at the Southern Hemisphere’s largest airshow, Avalon Australia 2023, from begins on February 28. A week long aerospace defence exhibition concludes on March 5.
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 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 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.
IAI’s MoUs, JVs with Indian defence companies at Aero India 2023: Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Israel’s leading aerospace and defense company, will showcase its advanced technologies, industry-leading air-defense systems and ground-combat at Aero India 2023, India’s largest defense exhibition, which will take place February 13-17 in southern city of Bengaluru.
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 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 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.
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’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.
Navantia wins Royal Navy’s Fleet Support Ship Contract: A £1.6 billion contract has been awarded to ‘Team Resolute’ to manufacture the vessels providing munitions, stores and provisions to the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers, destroyers and frigates.
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.
Rheinmetall-MAN military trucks for Ukraine: German defence company Rheinmetall is supplying Ukraine with brand new HX 8×8 trucks at the request of German government. In total, 26 of these high-mobility hookloading vehicles will be transferred to Ukraine. The order is worth €12.5 million. Delivery of the vehicles has already begun. Made by Rheinmetall MAN Military…
Elbit Systems Polish Air Force F-16 Mission Training Center: Israel’s defence technology company Elbit Systems said it has won a contract to supply four F-16 Full Mission Simulators (FMS) to the Polish Air Force (PLAF). The contract will be performed over a 28-month period, the defence company said on Thursday.
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.
US defence technology giant Raytheon Technologies Tuesday announced the successful first engine run of the company’s regional hybrid-electric flight demonstrator, marking a key milestone towards flight testing that is expected to begin in 2024.
Kalyani Strategic Systems 155mm Howitzer export order: In a major success for India’s push to increase its defence export, Indian firm Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited Wednesday announced that it received an order worth $155 million for supply of its 155mm howitzer guns.
L&T Teevra Naval Gun System: India’s defence and engineering company Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has signed a contract to supply its Teevra 40 mm naval gun systems to the Indonesian Navy. This is first ever defence export from India to Indonesia, while India’s Brahmos Aerospace is supplying Brahmos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines.
Tata-Airubs C295 Aircraft Plant Vadodara: As per the agreement, Airbus Defence & Space, Spain would supply 16 C-295MW aircraft to the Indian Air Force in flyaway condition while another 40 aircraft would be manufactured by a consortium of Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Airbus Defence & Space S.A. Spain in India.
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.
Indian Army Infantry Day 2022: Indian Army, which is the world’s second largest standing army, celebrates Infantry Day on October 27 every year to commemorate the success of Indian Infantry soldiers in driving out the Pakistani intruders from Kashmir.
Tata-Airbus C-295MW Aircraft for Indian Air Force: In a major boost to local defence and aerospace manufacturing, a consortium of Airbus and India’s Tata Group has finalized Vadodara city in western state of Gujarat to manufacture 40 of the total 56 transport aircraft that have been ordered by the government. According to the ministry of…
German Navy Frigate Sachsen fires Laser Weapon against drones: In a significant development against the growing threat posed by drones and UAVs, German Military reported that it has successfully conducted a high-energy laser weapon system against drones.
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.
Hensoldt-Rafael Eurofighter Electronic Warfare Suit: Israeli defence company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems German sensor manufacturer Hensoldt have teamed to offer a readily-available, state-of-the-art and mature solution to the Luftwaffe’s requirement of airborne electronic warfare capabilities with Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in 2028.
US Marine Corps Tamir Iron Dome Missile Defence System: United States Marine Corps has completed a series of live fire tests of its anit-missile defence system incorporating Tamir Iron Dome missile interceptors designed and developed by Israel defence company Rafael Advances Defense Systems.
Schiebel’s Camcopter S-100 anti-submarine warfare capability: A vertical take-off and landing drone produced by Austrian drone manufacturer Schiebel demonstrated its anti-submarine warfare (ASW), intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and cargo delivery capabilities in a military exercise conducted by North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
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.
INS Arihant testfires Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile: In a major step towards perfecting the third leg of the country’s nuclear triad, India Friday successfully testfired a submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM) from indigenously built nuclear powered submarine INS Arihant in the Bay of Bengal with very high degree of accuracy.
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.
India’s Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) possesses modern stealth characteristics, robust armour protection and formidable night attack capability. LCH has onboard advanced navigation system, guns tailored for close combat and potent air to air missiles make the LCH especially suited for the modern battlefield.
Lt General Chauhan is expected to take forward the jointness and theaterization of Indian military that was conceived by General Bipin Rawat but could not be implemented due to his tragic death in a helicopter crash in southern India in December last year.
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.
Indian Air Force is deploying locally designed and developed Light Combat Helicopters that are equipped with air-to-air missiles and anti-tank guided missiles on India’s western borders.
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.
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.
Tejas Light Combat Aircraft Export Order: In addition to Malaysia, six other countries, Argentina, Australia, Egypt, the United States, Indonesia, and the Philippines have shown interest in procuring India’s indigenously designed and developed single-engine Tejas fighter jets, the ministry of defence informed the lawmakers on Friday.
INS Vikrant delivered to Indian Navy: Indian Navy Thursday created by taking delivery of the country’s first locally designed and built Aircraft Carrier (IAC) INS Vikrant from the state owned builder Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) based in southern state of Kerala.
Ammo India: India’s defence minister Rajnath Singh Wednesday urged the local defence companies to indigenously design and develop smart ammunitions as these are reality of the new age warfare. Singh said a country’s economic development and progress in the field of science and technology is reflected in the capacity of its weapons and ammunition.
INS Vikrant completes sea trials: India’s indigenously designed and developed aircraft carrier INS Vikrant has completed the fourth phase of sea trials on Sunday (July 10, 2022) and is ready for induction in the navy next month when the country completes 75 years of its independence.
HAL-Safran Helicopter Engine JV: India’s state owned aircraft and helicopter manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Friday signed an agreement with France’s Safran Helicopter Engines to form a new joint venture to develop helicopter engines for India’s future needs.
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.
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).
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 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.
Agnipath Scheme of Indian military is aimed at attracting the youth to join the military for a short term period that will help cut the pension and wages bill that eats up a large chunk of the country’s defence budget, not leaving adequate amount for capital acquisitions and modernization.
India’s S-400 Triumf Missile Defence System: Dismissing the concerns that the delivery of S-400 Triumf missile defence system might be delayed due to ongoing Russia-Ukriane war, Russian ambassador to India confirmed on Monday that the delivery of the advanced missile defence system is proceeding well and as per the schedule.
Astra Mk-1 Missile: India’s ministry of defence Tuesday signed a deal with the state owned defence company Bharat Dynamics Limited for supply of locally designed and developed Astra Mark I beyond visual range air-to-air missiles for the fighter jets of Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.
Indian Navy submarine launched UAV: India’s defence and engineering giant Larsen and Toubro (L&T) Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a Bengaluru based startup – NewSpace Research & Technologies (NRT) for design and development of a new range of submarine-launched uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs).
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.
A 1988-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, Kwatra succeeded Harsh Vardhan Shringla who retired from service on Saturday. Kwatra was serving as India’s envoy to Nepal before assuming the charge of the foreign secretary.
Indian Army’s new chief of army staff Genreal Manoj Pande said his utmost and foremost priority will be to ensure very high standards of operational preparedness to face the current contemporary and future challenges across the entire spectrum of conflict.
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.
India’s leading electric vehicle manufacturer Tata Motors and two other EV manufacturers, Perfect Metal Industries (PMI) and Revolt Motors, showcased their electric vehicles to top Indian military leadership, defence ministry said on Friday, as the world’s largest standing army is set to induct electric cars, electric buses and e-bikes in its fleet soon.
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 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 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.
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.
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 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.
Helina Anti-Tank Guided Missile: Officials from India’s apex defence research organization DRDO, Indian Army and Indian Air Force Monday testfired indigenously designed and developed helicopter launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile Helina at high-altitude ranges, said the defence ministry.
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’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.
IAI’s Multi-Mission Mode Radar for Czech Republic: Israel’s state owned defence company – Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) – has supplied the Czech Republic with the first air defense Multi-Mission Radar (MMR), as part of a deal signed in December 2019 by the Ministries of Defense of both the Czech Republic and Israel, the company said on Tuesday.
Leonardo Cyber Security Academy Genoa: Italian defence company Leonardo Monday unveiled its Cyber & Security Academy, the new high-level training center established by the company to provide Defense, public administrations, critical infrastructures and businesses the skills and capabilities necessary to support the digital transition and face threats to national security.
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.
GRSE Financial Result FY 2021-22: India’s state owned naval shipbuilderGarden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE), has recorded the highest ever turnover of Rs 1,750 crore ($232 million) for FY 2021-22, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 53%. The financial results for April 2021 to March 2022 period are provisional and unaudited, said the company.
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.
