Europe

Switzerland's defense ministry (ArmaSwiss) has announced that the first two Elbit Systems Hermes 900HFE drones have been delivered to Emmen airfield last week. Two ground stations, communications, logistics, and maintenance equipment were also delivered with the drones. The Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (D-11 and D-14) have already been assembled and they will undergo a functional check before the first flight tests in mid-year.

SAMP/T is a land based air defense system incorporating the Aster 30 missile, designed to provide area defense and point defense for land forces and sensitive sites. The missile is effective against emerging threats, including aircraft, UAVs, helicopters and also the new generation of high speed stealthy stand-off missiles. Aster is a modular family of vertically launched air defense...

The KZO battlefield reconnaissance system was developed to respond to NATO and specifically German Army requirements for a rapid reaction short range UAV, able to provide high precision targeting and damage assessment for theater operations. The system is designed to operate in day or night and under limited weather conditions. To enable the drone to fly through icing conditions...

A new active protection system developed by Rheinmetall and ADS GmbH was successfully demonstrated in live firing test earlier in the summer of 2011, validating the design parameters of the proprietary blast-based defeat mechanism in development by IBD Diesenroth for years. Since the test ADS has booked a first serial order for the system.

The Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) has passed an important milestone today, intercepting and destroying two simultaneous targets attacking from opposite directions during a stressing demonstration of its 360-degree air and missile defense (AMD) capabilities at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. Accroding to preliminary report the flight test achieved all criteria for success. The US and Germany are...

When the orders were received on the 24th of February and units began rolling forward across the border, the operational forces lacked adequate planning and intelligence and did not prepare ammunition and supplies for the battle. They were unaware of the terrain and mobility constraints expected downrange and did not prepare the equipment to deal with those obstacles. Neither they had the foresight of an alternative' plan B' in case that 'decapitation' move failed.

Finland has selected Israel's Advanced Naval Attack Missile to replace its current MTO85M system, a derivative of Swedish RBS15 that will reach the end of its life cycle in the 2020s. The new missile will be installed on existing Hamina-class missile boats and the new Squadron 2020 vessels, the first will be launched in 2019. According to the Finnish MOD, the missile will also be usable from vehicular platforms on land and against land targets.

// The UK MOD has committed £2.7 billion for continued work on the Royal Navy future attack submarines. The programme, which has been beset by difficulties since it was commissioned in 1997, is expected to cost up to £10bn for a seven-submarine fleet that is already years late. The lead submarine of this new class, HMS Astute had suffered technical problems...

The U.S. Special Operations Command has awarded the Swedish company Saab a follow-on order for additional Carl-Gustaf man-portable weapon systems and ammunition. The order has a total value of US$25.8 million for delivery next year (2013).

The Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency and Hanwha Land Systems yesterday signed a contract for the procurement of 24 K9 Thunder self-propelled 155mm L/52 Artillery Systems. The total worth of the arms package is about 1.8 Billion NOK. (US$287 million). Pre-series of the artillery system will be delivered for initial trials in 2019 with the remaining batches delivered through 2020, forming a combat-ready artillery battalion in 2021.

Start < Page 2 of 5 > Thales has developed the RBE2 AESA, an enhancement of the multi-function radar installed on the Naval Rafale. This radar is already designed to accomodate AESA front end. Thales launched the development of an AESA derivative for the Rafale in 1997, the program began developmental testing with Rafale aircraft in 2003 and 2004. As of April 2007, Thales...

India is likely to recompete the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) program, inviting bidders to compete on the production of 90 fighter jets for the Indian Air Force at a cost of around $30 billion. The RFP will likely recompete all the types that have already been evaluated by the IAF

A team from 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, complete the first Javelin missile firing in India as part of Yudh Abhyas 09 in Babina, India - October 23. Photo: US Army // // The British Ministry of Defense (MOD) is topping up the supplies of Javelin shoulder-mounted guided missiles used by the British...

Start < Page 1 of 6 > This article covers a wide range of protection systems designed for heavy, medium and light armored vehicles, including passive and reactive armour, hybrid armour, active protection systems, active armor defenses, missile defense systems, countermeasures and sensors. US, European, Russian, Chinese and Israeli systems are covered. Modern Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFV), such as the M-1A2,...