The Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery (RAA) marked the 150th anniversary of Australian artillery on Sunday. A Commemorative Service was held in celebration to honour past and serving members of the Royal Australian Artillery and its forerunners. Between August and December 2021, the RAA will execute a series of commemorative…

The Times has reported here that HMS Monmouth and HMS Montrose, two Type 23 Frigates vessels, will be given to Greece as part of efforts to ‘sweeten the deal’ to sell the Greek Navy the Type 31 design. “Two of Britain’s aged and retiring warships are to be offered to the Hellenic…

Soldiers from the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and 3rd Special Forces Group have participated in the final trial of a new device designed to save the lives of paratroopers landing in water. Dubbed the Parachutist Flotation Device (PFD), the new equipment has flotation bladders that can be inflated through…

An exploding drone killed two crew members aboard a merchant tanker off the coast of Oman, U.S. 5th Fleet said in a late Friday statement. The two were crew members aboard the Liberian-flagged tanker Mercer Street when the ship was hit with at least one explosive-laden unmanned aerial vehicle late Thursday, according…

The namesake of the Navy’s Independence-class of Littoral Combat Ships left the fleet after 11 years in a small pier-side ceremony in San Diego on Thursday, according to the service. USS Independence (LCS-2) was ceremonially decommissioned at an event not open to the public “due to public health safety and restrictions,” reads…

Turkey’s state-owned defense company ASFAT will export four unmanned mine-clearing vehicles to Burkina Faso, the company wrote on Twitter. The sale of the Mechanical Mine Clearing Equipment (MEMATT) to the West African country comes after the firm recently delivered the same equipment to Azerbaijan, the first country to buy the minesweepers. No…

The British Armed Forces has signed a 250 million pound ($349 million) contract with BAE Systems to develop the next generation of air combat, the Defence Secretary announced on Thursday.  Also known as Tempest, the Future Combat Air System will be a next-generation air combat system featuring new capabilities and technologies, including…

General Atomics has unveiled a design for its “LongShot” missile-carrying air-to-air combat drone that can be launched from a manned aircraft while in mid-air. The arms and aerospace company is developing the unmanned aerial vehicle for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in collaboration with Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.  The…

The United States Air Force has delivered two CH-47F Chinook helicopters to Australia in a gesture to strengthen their alliance. The delivery is part of the US Defense Department’s Foreign Military Sales program and was organized by the 9th Airlift Squadron at Dover Air Force Base. The CH-47F helicopters were loaded onto…

The Indian government will wrap up the country’s acquisition of 30 US-made MQ-9 B Predator armed drones next week, Indian news outlet The Week has revealed. The final discussion will occur by phone at a scheduled meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council.  The outlet revealed that the Indian Navy was initially “not keen”…

In an online story posted on July 25, Defence revealed it has redefined the role of its twin-engine Leonardo C-27J Spartan to ‘enhance response and engagements’ by focussing on Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR), crisis response and regional engagements across the Indo-Pacific. The redefined role for the Spartan is in…

The UK and Kenya have signed a new Defence Cooperation Agreement to tackle the shared threat from Al-Shabaab. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Defence Dr Monica Juma signed the deal, according to the Ministry of Defence here. “The UK is stepping up its counter-terrorism and military support…

Three Armenian troops died in border clashes with Azerbaijani forces on Wednesday, Yerevan said, in the deadliest military incident between the arch-foes since their war last year over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. “As a result of armed action launched following an attack by Azerbaijani forces, there are three dead and…

House lawmakers want answers from the Army on its plan to outfit combat vehicles with protection systems capable of countering unmanned aircraft systems, according to the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee’s markup of the fiscal 2022 defense authorization bill, released July 28. The Army has been struggling for years to install active protection systems…

The key focus of Exercise Talisman Sabre (TS21) is moving from land to sea, as forces from Australia, the US, Canada, Japan, the Republic of Korea, NZ and the UK prepare for an action-packed amphibious phase. Activities will be concentrated around the Bowen and Ingham area between 23 and 31…

The Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) liaison officer for Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021 (TS21), Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Aldous, has affirmed Canada’s intent to strengthen military ties in the Indo-Pacific. TS21 is Australia’s largest bilateral exercise with the United States.  “We have a long history with America and Australia, and being here…

British F-35B jets will be equipped with Meteor missiles by the ‘middle of this decade’ say the Ministry of Defence. The information came to light in a response to a written question submitted in the House of Commons. AE Systems has received an initial funding award from Lockheed Martin, the…

The Taiwanese military will soon test-fire Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC)-3 systems in the US, Liberty Times reported, citing sources. The live-fire verification drill will happen at the US Army’s White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, the Taipei-based outlet added. The test can be conducted in the US only due to security…

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $62.2 million contract to supply the US Air Force with parachute and drag chute systems for its F-35 Lightning II fighters. The contract includes 190 parachutes and 56 drag chute systems to be delivered on or before September 2025. Similar to conventional parachutes, the drag chute system slows…

French aerospace and defense firm Thales has been awarded a contract to provide new avionics equipment for Rafale fighters to enhance their operational effectiveness. The company will supply the cutting-edge French combat aircraft with digital multi-function displays and Scorpion helmet-mounted sight and display systems. Thales pointed out that aircrews have…

Peering through the scope of his F88 rifle, Leading Seaman William Lete and his team in HMAS Brisbane entered a compartment to clear the space of potential threats. This was part of the training for the quick-response force and boarding party, duties most commonly undertaken by boatswains mates who specialise in weapons…

The manufacturer of a “troubled” armored fighting vehicle used by the British Army has admitted that it was already aware of technical problems as early as 2010. The military invested 3.5 billion pounds ($4.8 billion) in nearly 600 fighting vehicles from defense corporation General Dynamics but has only received 26…

The Senate Armed Services Committee would fund the U.S. Army’s entire list of unfunded requirements — also called a wish list — consisting of things the service wanted, but couldn’t pay for within the limitations of its top line fiscal 2022 budget request, according to a July 22 summary of the committee’s markup…

Sometime in the next 24 months, light infantry soldiers could be asked to help test the utility of unmanned ground vehicles (UGV). The Directorate of Land Requirements (DLR) intends to buy and try up to five autonomous vehicles under a minor capital project, and will provide one to each of…

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,…