Jane's Defense News

Germany's Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) has awarded Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) a framework contract for 629 HX2 family logistics vehicles in the last week. The contract follows on the heels of two smaller ones awarded to

The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA), in a test on 11 July, executed a successful intercept of a threat representative intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) with the Lockheed Martin-developed Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. The test, designated Flight Test THAAD (FTT)-18,

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) has disputed North Korea’s claim that it has successfully developed re-entry capabilities for its intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) programme, South Korean lawmaker Yi Wan-young was quoted by several media outlets as saying on 11

South Korea's locally developed TR-60 tiltrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has for the first time successfully carried out flight trials from a moving ship, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) said in a statement on 11 July. The 200 kg UAV took off from and landed on the flight deck of

The Swedish government will not offer the Saab Gripen E to Belgium for political reasons, the Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) announced on 10 July. The FMV said that, while the Gripen fulfils all of the Belgian Air Component’s (BAC’s) operational requirements, there are

A US Marine Corps (USMC) Lockheed Martin KC-130 Hercules tanker-transport aircraft crashed on 10 July with the loss of all 16 personnel on board. The USMC confirmed the "mishap" on its website, but did not provide further details as to the precise nature of the incident, the KC-130

The government of Australia has awarded an AUD223 million (USD169 million) contract to Northrop Grumman for the acquisition, construction, and support of a new satellite ground station to enhance the communication capabilities of the country’s deployed armed forces. Minister for Defence

Lockheed Martin announced on 10 July that it had signed a USD22.45 million contract to supply the Bahrain Defence Forces (BDF) with an undisclosed number of Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATP) for its F-16 fighters. The contract includes spares and support equipment for integration, with

Key Points Government agency announces reorganisation of first batch of R&D institutes Move intended to boost efficiencies, but implementation will not be straightforward China has signalled the start of a major restructuring programme featuring military research and development (R&D)

On 10 June the Czech government approved a request submitted by the ministry of defence (MoD) to procure 16 Saab Dynamics RBS 70 NG man-portable air defence system (MANPADS) launchers, worth just over CZK1 billion (USD43.63 billion), for the air defence component of the Army of the Czech Republic

The ministry of defence (MoD) of the Czech Republic has announced that it intends to acquire the new Saab RBS 70 NG very short-range air defence (VSHORAD) system in the "next three years". The intended acquisition provides for 16 RBS 70 NG systems to replace legacy S-10M systems - the

MEDIA reports issued on 7 July stated that a businessman had been killed when an improvised explosive device (IED), emplaced on his vehicle by unidentified militants, detonated in Galkayo in Somalia's Mudug region on an earlier unspecified date, Radio Kulmiye reported. No group immediately claimed

China's Ministry of National Defense (MND) has confirmed media reports that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) recently conducted trials of a new light battle tank (LBT) in Tibet. "Recently a new type of tank has undertaken trials on the Tibetan Plateau. The trials were aimed at testing the

China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) commissioned its 25th Jiangkai II-class (Type 054A) frigate on 29 June, just six days after the previous ship of the class. Named Wuhu and given pennant number 539, the vessel is expected to join two other Type 054A frigates operated by the 10th

The Republic of Korea Army (RoKA) is aiming to enhance the effectiveness of its artillery forces by introducing new and more capable rocket artillery and self-propelled (SP) gun systems as well as improved sensors. Kim Hyun-Wook, Artillery Team Leader at the Defense Acquisition Program

Australia’s New South Wales government announced on 29 June that it had approved funding for an upgrade to a shipyard at the Port of Newcastle, with the goal of restoring the area’s capabilities in naval and commercial shipping maintenance and repair. The work, which will be undertaken

Nearly two years after identifying a requirement to cut its civilian workforce by 30% by 2020, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has still not put in place a firm plan to downsize its staff as part of its drive to free up money to buy new equipment. It had been hoped that the savings from more than

Russia has delivered at least 12 9K123-1 Khrizantema-S vehicle-mounted anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) systems to Azerbaijan and more than 15 systems will be delivered by the end of 2018, Jane's has learned. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence reported the arms acquisition on 24 June in an official

Following its approval of EUR10 billion (USD11.4 billion) worth of defence programmes on 21 June, the German parliament (Bundestag) cleared more projects for funding on 28 June. During the final two sessions before the summer break and the September general elections, the Bundestag budget committee

NATO and allied defence ministers have agreed to increase the size and extend the mandate of their 'Resolute Support' training mission in Afghanistan to 2020, although the exact troop numbers of the increase remain fuzzy. "I can confirm we will increase our presence in Afghanistan," NATO