The federal government is implementing “special immigration measures” to extract Afghan nationals engaged with the Canadian Embassy, their families and those who helped Canadian military on the front lines as the Taliban continues to gain ground there. In a joint press conference, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, Foreign Affairs Minister Marc…

“Blackbird: good hit, good hit!” The voice of a No. 75 Squadron F/A-18 Hornet pilot echoes out from the radio held by an Australian Army joint terminal attack controller (JTAC) as a cloud of smoke billows on the horizon.  “Target destroyed. Mission successful.”  The two Hornets roar overhead and leave…

The Tempest project has been given an “amber/red” rating by the Infrastructure Project Authority, warning more funding is required or their could be a delay in the aircraft entering service. According to the 2021 Annual Report on the Government Major Projects Portfolio from the Infrastructure and Projects Authority, which can be…

The United States recently carried out air strikes as it backed the Afghan army’s bid to repel a Taliban offensive, the Pentagon said Thursday, with the withdrawal of international forces from the country all but complete. “In the last several days, we have acted through air strikes to support the ANDSF,” said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, referring to Afghan government…

The Senate Armed Services Committee’s fiscal 2022 defense policy bill slapped down some of the U.S. Air Force’s plans to retire legacy aircraft, mandating that the service retain the venerable A-10 Warthog. The bill, approved by the committee on Wednesday, did permit some aircraft divestments. Most notably, it would allow…

Tracking a 2m drone across the horizon travelling around 220kmph, Gunner Bradley King fired a BOLIDE missile towards the target, several kilometres away.  With the proximity warhead enabled, the missile exploded within metres of the small target, but failed to destroy the drone, which continued its flight for the next firer.…

A Russian aircraft manufacturer unveiled a cutting-edge unmanned aerial vehicle, the “ZALA VTOL,” at the MAKS 2021 International Aviation and Space Salon. The drone monitors and takes aerial photos of areas difficult to reach by ordinary military vehicles. It is also capable of creating photographic maps to secure armed forces’…

A £195 million contract for a further 13 Protector uncrewed aircraft has been signed, bringing the total to 16. Defence Minister Jeremy Quin announced the new contract during a visit to GKN Aerospace (GKNA), who are manufacturing key parts of aircraft on the Isle of Wight. According to the Ministry…

The German military has awarded Rheinmetall a potential 178 million euro ($210 million) contract to supply 130,000 laser light modules to enhance soldier’s night fighting capability. Initial Delivery Initially, 2,460 devices worth a total of 3 million euro ($3.5 million) will be delivered to the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) within…

2022 will be a big year for the Zumwalt-class destroyer program, as first-in-class Zumwalt and sister ship Michael Monsoor continue finding their place in the fleet – and perhaps make a debut at a major naval exercise, the head of the surface navy told reporters today. Vice Adm. Roy Kitchener,…

Russia on Tuesday unveiled its new Sukhoi stealth fighter jet designed to compete with the US F-35 and capable of striking six targets simultaneously. Dubbed “The Checkmate,” the plane was first shown to a reportedly “pleased” President Vladimir Putin before the launch at a biennial airshow outside Moscow. Reports first surfaced that…

HMAS Ballarat has added the force of its five-inch gun to a blue-water combat event as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre. The Anzac-class frigate, using the call sign Goldrush, fired a number of high-explosive rounds about seven nautical miles off the coast of Townshend Island with US Navy destroyer USS Rafael Peralta. Ballarat’s sister…

The Hellenic Air Force (HAF) of Greece on Wednesday received its first Rafale fighter jet of the 18 it has ordered from French aircraft manufacturer, Dassault Aviation. A handover ceremony at the company’s flight test center in southern France was attended by Greek Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos and several high-ranking military officials.…

The UK government has awarded three firms a total of 2 million pounds ($2.7 million) in contracts to develop autonomous unmanned air and ground systems to help troops survey river crossing sites during battle. The contract was awarded during the second phase of the Map the Gap competition, organized by the Defence…

The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) is continuing with the steady renewal of its main operational land vehicle fleets, notifying industry of its intention to replace the army’s unprotected Pinzgauer Light Operational Vehicles with new utility platforms. In an ‘advance notice of intended future procurement’ released on 12 July, the…

The US Air Force (USAF) has awarded Redmond-based Kymeta Corporation a $950 million demonstration and maturation contract to support the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS). The contract will cover “maturation, demonstration, and proliferation of capability across platforms and domains, leveraging open systems design, modern software, and algorithm development” to enable ABMS technologies,…

Collins Aerospace has been awarded a contract to supply the next generation Digital Terminal Control Systems (DTCS) under the Australian Land 17 Phase 2 program. This is a follow on from the original Phase 1 program that Collins have been supporting for over 10 years. The DTCS is a targeting…

U.S. Navy aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford completed its second in-water shock trial on July 16, after an attempt earlier in the month failed due to technical issues. Ford is undergoing a three-part test series to ensure the first-in-class carrier is properly battle-hardened. The service will set off three blasts…

Soldiers from the Highlanders (4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland) will head to Ukraine to take part in Exercise Cossack Mace. The exercise is in partnership with the military of Ukraine. The British Army say that the soldiers from Catterick based 4 SCOTS will take part in a series of…

The sister of the first female Canadian soldier to die in action in Afghanistan is calling on the federal government to help Afghan civilians who are in danger of reprisals from the Taliban for their roles as interpreters and other positions helping Canadian troops. Shilo, Man.-based Capt. Nichola Goddard was…

The US Air Force (USAF) has detonated an AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) warhead in a first-time test. The AGM-183 ARRW is a hypersonic missile prototype being developed by the airforce and Lockheed Martin to equip aircraft with the capability to strike “high value, time-sensitive” targets. According to the USAF, the missile’s hypersonic…

The Royal Engineers have taken delivery of a rapidly deployable Medium Girder Bridge for use on operations and humanitarian tasks, say the British Army. The Medium Girder Bridge (MGB) will provide a lightweight medium gap capability and will “meet the challenges of the future integrated operating concept”. According to a news release:…

Described as “lethal and powerful” by the US soldiers who operate it, the MIM-104 Patriot gained a local reputation after its first live-fire during Exercise Talisman Sabre.  Private Thomas Sorensen, of the 7th Combat Service Support Battalion, said the surface-to-air missiles, which can target aircraft and other missiles, exceeded expectations. …

Canada’s top military procurement official warns there is no “quick fix” to the software issue identified as the primary cause of last year’s deadly helicopter crash off the coast of Greece, which killed six service members. Two separate internal reviews by the Canadian Armed Forces found the autopilot on Stalker 22 took control of…

As the F-35 program inches its way through operational testing, the number of critical technical deficiencies is slowly dwindling, dropping from 11 critical deficiencies in January to seven in July. However, the exact nature of these problems will remain unknown to the public, even when the deficiency itself is not classified. The…

The U.S. Marine Corps has chosen Textron Systems and General Dynamics Land Systems to begin contract negotiations to build advanced reconnaissance vehicle prototypes, the service announced July 16. The Marine Corps will also work with BAE Systems to study the possibility of adapting an amphibious combat vehicle to become an advanced reconnaissance vehicle,…

A user has posted a classified document online relating to the Challenger 2 in order to improve the accuracy of the design of the tank in combat game ‘War Thunder’. A gamer identifying as Challenger 2 commander has posted a classified document online in order to improve the accuracy of…

Europe’s fledgling Eurodrone program received a boost Thursday in the form of a €100 million (U.S. $118 million) grant from the European Union, while an official promised a long expected, €7.1 billion production contract will be signed by October. The grant for the pan-European medium-altitude, long-endurance drone was announced in Rome, where officials from…

HMS Queen Elizabeth and her Carrier Strike Group has sailed into the Indian Ocean Region having recently transited the Suez Canal. According to the Ministry of Defence here, following a series of successful engagements and operations in the Mediterranean it is now sailing East across the Indian Ocean towards India.…

At first glance, the rectangle crates might have looked innocuous, but the two containers loaded onto the US transporter housed some of the American firepower that will soon be on display during Exercise Talisman Sabre. The pair of MIM-104 Patriot missiles were loaded for transport to a launcher at Shoalwater…

A US Black Hawk helicopter training in Romania was forced to initiate an emergency landing in Bucharest, the capital and commercial center. The helicopter reported a loss of altitude while flying over the city, forcing it to land on a road, striking two light poles. No one was injured. Traffic…

During the 2019 federal election campaign, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that, should it be re-elected, the Coalition would acquire 30 self-propelled howitzers (SPH) for Army. Fast forward two years and the re-elected Morrison government is currently evaluating a proposal from Hanwha Defense Australia, under a sole-source tender mechanism, for…

The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) unveiled this week the upgraded W88/Mk5 submarine-launched nuclear warhead. Called W88 Alt 370, the latest iteration of the strategic warhead took 11 years of development for its first unit to roll off the production line, NNSA revealed in a statement. The upgraded warhead…

Several defense companies in Turkey have teamed up to develop new armed unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) to bolster the country’s maritime defenses. During a steel cutting ceremony held earlier this month, Aselsan and Sefine Shipyard unveiled the initial production of the NB57 anti-submarine warfare USV and RD09 anti-surface warfare. Ship engineering company…

The US Army has awarded BAE Systems a $62 million contract for its next-generation 2-Color Advanced Warning System (2CAWS) for aircraft protection. The 2CAWS missile warning system is based on two-color infrared sensor technology for an increased range. It provides aircrews with “advanced threat detection capabilities, improving survivability and mission…

European nations are pursuing two separate programs to build sixth-generation aircraft and a bevy of advanced systems within the next two decades, but at least one lead Air Force official hopes the efforts will merge. The Franco-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System, or FCAS, program is about to launch the next phase…

The US Marines Corps tested a multi-purpose mini-drone designed to carry a range of payloads and be fired from grenade launchers. Developed by Australian firm DefendTex, the Drone40 was photographed being hand-launched by a marine of the 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. The unit is an “experimental infantry…

Germany officially launched a new military space command center on Tuesday, which it will use to observe other countries’ activities and track hazardous space junk. During the inauguration at the German Space Situational Awareness Centre in Uedem, Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said that the new center is designed to respond to the…

A Hyderabad-based unmanned military systems manufacturer claimed to have developed an autonomous counter-drone system capable of protecting an area of 1,000-2,000 square kilometers (386-772 square miles). Called “Indrajaal,” the wide-area system is designed to counter a host of unmanned aerial threats such as “unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), incoming weapons, loitering munitions,” The Hindu wrote,…

The Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) has signed a contract with the Franco-Italian Eurosam consortium, co-owned by MBDA and Thales, to refurbish 1,000 Aster missiles owned by the UK Royal Navy and Italian Army and Navy. Work on the 1.2 billion euro ($1.42 billion) contract will begin in 2023…

The next generation of Hawkei Protected Mobility Vehicle – Light has reached a significant milestone with the approval of Initial Operational Capability under Land 121 Phase 4. The $2 billion project will see the new fleet of 1,100 Australian-built light protected vehicles rolled out to Army and Air Force units.…

The US Navy on Monday conducted a “freedom of navigation” operation in the vicinity of the Paracel Islands, a disputed archipelago in the South China Sea. The operation aims to assert navigational freedom in maritime territory claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The Arleigh Burke guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG 65)…

The stage is set for the ADF and its United States (US) partners to undertake high-end joint land combat against a capable enemy force during the field component of Exercise Talisman Sabre 21 (TS21).   Starting this month, the ninth iteration of the biennial exercise will see ADF forces advancing to contact…

The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) launched two nanosatellites, known as CubeSats, last month as part of a demonstration to see their viability within the missile defense communications architecture, the Department of Defense revealed in a statement. CubeSats are a miniaturized, low-cost subset of nanosatellites weighing up to 1.33 kilograms (2.9 pounds)…

The ‘Future Cruise/Anti–Ship Weapon’ will be fitted to Typhoon jets from 2030. The information came to light in response to a written Parliamentary question. Kevan Jones, MP for North Durham, asked: “To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the planned service date for the Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon.”…

President Joe Biden announced Thursday that the military mission in Afghanistan will end Aug. 31, saying the rapid exit protects U.S. troops from attacks by the Taliban. Biden faces questions about whether the hasty military exodus by his country and its NATO allies leaves Afghanistan vulnerable to the Taliban, who have made…

The US Air Force (USAF) has awarded a $3.86 billion contract to Northrop Grumman Systems for Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) ground subsystem support. The project is expected to be complete by July 6, 2039. It includes “sustaining engineering, maintenance engineering, test and assessment, modification of systems and equipment, software maintenance,…

` HMS Queen Elizabeth and her Carrier Strike Group have passed through the Suez Canal. The Royal Navy say here that the passage through the world famous waterway marked the end of a six-week phase of exercises and operations in the Eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Seas. “The nine ships of…

Satellite imagery provider Planet Labs plans to go public later this year by merging with a special purpose acquisition company, a transaction valued at $2.8 billion, the businesses announced July 7. As the owner and operator of a fleet of imaging satellites on orbit, Planet regularly provides imagery and analysis…

Authorities in western province of British Columbia are fighting large blazes that broke out after an historic heatwave. Canada’s military will provide air support to the western province of British Columbia (BC) as it battles a series of massive wildfires that broke out after days of record temperatures. In a statement on Sunday, the federal…