Germany’s Panther KF51 MBT: The Hungarian government has joined forces with Rheinmetall to develop the Panther KF51 through to production maturity. A contract to this effect has now been signed in Zalaegerszeg, Hungary. The development contract is worth around €288 million. A demonstrator vehicle will be constructed and qualified, paving the way to full-scale production, said the German defence giant on Friday.
DRDO Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator: India’s apex defence research body, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Friday successfully conducted the flight trial of the Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator, an indigenously designed and developed flying wing UAV, at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) in Chitradurga district in southern state Karnataka.
India Defence News: India’s apex defence procurement body, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) Thursday cleared the procurement of indigenously designed and developed 97 Light Combat Aircraft Tejas Mk 1A and 156 Light Combat Helicopters from state owned aircraft and helicopter manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The approvals also involve other major defence procurements and upgrades entailing an expenditure of around $27 billion (Rs 2.23 lakh crore).
India NPCIL Nuclear Power Plant: India’s nuclear power operator NPCIL on Friday said it has started loading fuel in the second indigenously-built 700 MW atomic power station at Kakrapar in Gujarat. “Loading of nuclear fuel for the first time, termed as Initial Fuel Loading (IFL). commenced today in NPCIL’s Kakrapar Atomic Power Project Unit-4 (KAPP 4-700 MWe), after receipt of permission from the regulatory authority, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB),” the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) said in a statement.
India-US 2+2 meeting: Amid the ongoing global turbulence, India and the US are scheduled to hold the 2+2 meeting in New Delhi around November 9-10. The US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken are scheduled to meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in the national capital, officials told media.
Skyroot Aerospace MoU with French firms for Vikram Mission: Two French companies on Tuesday inked pacts with India’s space start-up Skyroot Aerospace to launch their constellation of satellites onboard its indigenously-developed Vikram-I rocket early next year. France-based Promethee Earth Intelligence signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Skyroot for satellite launch services onboard Vikram rockets for the Japetus earth observation constellation, a Skyroot statement said.
The Indian Air Force, the fourth largest air force in the world, is today (October 8, 2023) celebrating its 91st raising day. The IAF was established on October 8, 1932 during the British period. IAF is the first responder in case of several crises and projects the country’s military might beyond its borders. Here is a small video presentation.
IAF gets first twin-seater version of LCA Tejas: In a momentous event for India’s aviation history, the Indian Air Force (IAF) received its first Tejas twin-seater trainer version aircraft on Wednesday (October 4). This significant milestone marks the handover of the first Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) twin-seater trainer version aircraft to the IAF by India’s state owned aircraft manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
Designed with the strategic intent of transitioning budding pilots into fighter pilots, the LCA Tejas Twin Seater is a remarkable achievement. This delivery is part of the Tejas contract between HAL and the IAF, with a requirement for eight twin-seater trainer aircraft.
NASA’s X-66A Sustainable Flight Demonstrator Project: In a groundbreaking partnership, the US defence and aerospace company RTX has been selected by Boeing to collaborate on the X-66A flight demonstrator as part of NASA’s Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project. This initiative is dedicated to achieving net-zero CO2 emissions for commercial aviation. With the support of RTX business units Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace, Boeing aims to develop the next-generation single-aisle aircraft with improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions.
India Air Force and Army seek over 150 Prachand attack helicopters: Indian military, which faces the difficult prospect of tackling a two front simultaneous war with both China and Pakistan has pitched for purchase of hundreds of locally designed and developed attack helicopters known as Prachand (Fierce in English).
Indian Air Force C-295 MW Aicraft: India’s defence minister Rajnath Singh Monday formally inducted a new medium transport aircraft manufactured by the European defence company Airbus Defence and Space into the service of Indian Air Force. This is first of the 56 Airbus C-295 MW aircraft on order by India. While 16 aircraft will be delivered to India in the flyaway condition, a joint consortium of Airbus and India’s Tata Group will manufacture remaining 40 C-295 MW aircraft in Vadodara in western state of Gujarat.
GDELS-Rheinmetall Anaconda tactical bridge: General Dynamics European Land Systems – Bridge Systems and Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles have presented for the first time the ANACONDA tactical bridge-laying system mounted on a high-mobility 8×8 HX2 carrier vehicle at the 5th User Forum Armament and Utilization – RÜ.NET 2023 conference held on August 30 – 31 in Koblenz. The bridge, the laying mechanism and vehicle together provide a dry-gap bridge capability for medium- and heavyweight forces, said the company.
Rheinmetall will supply smart sea mines to Australian Navy: Australian government has ordered a significant quantity of smart sea mines produced by German defence company Rheinmetall’s wholly owned Italian subsidiary RWM Istalia SPA. According to Rheinmetall, the order is worth a figure of low three-digit million-euro range with potential growth in the coming years.
Australia orders Rafael’s Spike LR2 anti-tank guided missiles: Australia has finalized a finalised a substantial acquisition contract with Israel’s Rafael’s Australian subsidiary Rafael Australia for supply of the Rafael’s Spike LR2 anti-tank guided missiles to Australian Defence Forces (ADF) under the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) systems programme, Rafael Australia said on Tuesday.
Elbit Systems’ ReDrone Counter-UAS: Israel’s leading defence company Elbit Systems Limited Monday (August 21) said that it has won a contract worth approximately $55 million to supply multi-layered ReDrone Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) to the Netherlands. The contract will be performed over a period of four years. As part of the contract, Elbit Systems will supply several mobile, stationary and deployed configurations of the ReDrone integrated Counter-UAS solution along with a logistic support package and training.
Rheinmetall’s Lynx IFV plant in Hungary: German defence company Rheinmetall officially opened its new factory in Zalaegerszeg in Hungary on Friday (August 18). The new plant marks a major milestone for Rheinmetall and underscores the Group’s commitment to the country. Rheinmetall said this cutting-edge facility will produce the Lynx infantry fighting vehicle, the world’s most advanced Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV).
Hanwha Defence selected for Australian Army’s Land 400 project: Israeli defence company Elbit Systems Wednesday (August 16) announced that its partner in the Australian Land 400 Phase 3 project, Hanwha Defense Australia has been downselected by the Australian Government, as the preferred tenderer for the project, with final Government approval to be sought at the conclusion of contract negotiations. Hanwha further reported that Elbit Systems is a key partner to Hanwa to deliver the Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) under the Australian Army’s Land 400 Phase 3 Project.
Rafael wins maintenance contract from Asian Navy: Israeli defence company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. is announcing that it has won a new contract with an Asian nation to provide comprehensive maintenance support services for operational systems employed by its navy, the company announced on Wednesday (August 9). The multi-year agreement is estimated at 100 million Shekels (30 million dollars) and will include maintenance services for the navy’s TYPHOON and MINI-TYPHOON remotely-controlled naval weapon stations, Naval SPIKE ER and NLOS missile systems, EO surveillance systems, as well as EW Integrated Decoy Systems (IDS).
The ISO Bill 2023 for Theatre Commands: The lower house of Indian Parliament, the Lok Sabha, Friday cleared the Inter-Services Organisation (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill, 2023 that seeks to empower the Commander-in-Chief and Officer-in Command of Inter-Services Organisations with all disciplinary and administrative powers with respect to personnel serving in or attached to such organisations, a Defence Ministry statement said. Once passed by the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India’s bicameral Parliament, the law will pave the way for providing rules and regulation for Indian military’s theaterization.
India’s first military drone testing centre in Tamil Nadu: India’s ministry of defence has the country’s first ever testing centre for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAVs) under the Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS) will be established on five acres of land at Vallam Vadagal in Kancheepuram district in southern state of Tamil Nadu. The Rs 50 crore ($6 million) facility was granted approval by the Ministry of Defence after a bid was submitted by Keltron-led consortium in collaboration with Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO).
The Israeli Navy and Elbit Systems have successfully completed a series of sea trials for the DESEAVER MK-4 Counter Measure Dispensing System (CMDS) onboard Israeli Navy vessels. The trials tested the capability of the new maritime Electronic Warfare (EW) system to effectively respond to complex missile attack scenarios, including launching decoy rounds from several launchers…
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.
