Europe

Rheinmetall has unveiled a new member of the company’s Lynx combat vehicle family. Described as the mechanized fire support variant of the Lynx KF41 IFV, the Lynx 120, comprises a turret concept that mounts the proven 120mm smoothbore cannon with the Lynx KF 41 chassis.

Rheinmetall and its partner UVision have won the first order from a major European NATO military force for HERO loitering munitions. The customer, a special forces unit, placed an initial order for Hero-30 combat and training munitions, simulator, training courses as well as integrated logistics equipment and support. This first order is worth a figure in the single-digit million-euro range with possible additional orders that might be expected. The exact number of munitions to be supplied is classified. The order was placed in July 2022, with delivery scheduled to take place by 2023.

Rheinmetall Defense has introduced another variant of its Skyranger air defense weapon system, the Skyranger 30 HEL - a mobile, hybrid solution mounting the company's 30mm AHEAD with a laser onboard. As a hybrid solution, the Skyranger 30 HEL is designed to thwart the full range of current and future airborne threats. The interplay of a 30mm automatic cannon, guided missiles, and a high-energy laser (HEL) results in a mix of effectors unique in this combination. The Skyranger HEL was presented in public for the first time at a counter-drone event held last year by the Swiss procurement agency armasuisse in Bure, Switzerland.

The MSPO 2022 defense expo in Kielce, Poland, provided a view into the significant modernization and transformation the Polish Army is going through. Positioned at the eastern edge of NATO, Poland, and the Baltic states could be facing the brunt of a Russian onslaught if hostilities would spill beyond Ukraine. That's why the country is beefing up its military, modernizing its armed forces, and replenishing hardware handed over to Ukraine with new equipment.

BAE Systems is developing a new type of depth charge designed for deployment from UAVs. The weapon consists of a small cylindrical container packing an explosive charge and a triggering mechanism activating the blast at the designated depth. The weapon is in an advanced development phase and has already attracted customer interest, for its ability to enhance counter-diver security in coastal and shallow waters.

Patria and the U.S. Army have entered into an agreement for a feasibility study of incorporating a turreted, breech-loaded 120 mm mortar weapon system in U.S. mortar carriers. The evaluation will assess the integration of carrier weapon platforms and fire control systems and the use of current U.S. 120 mm mortar ammunition in a breech-loaded system.

Depleting stocks of Precision Guided Munitions (PGM) used by European Air Forces in Libya is expected to trigger demand for affordable guided weapons. This article examines the operational advantages and weaknesses of the various weapons, and how it reflects in their costs

Dassault Aviation has begun testing an upgraded variant of the Rafale  configured to carry an expanded configuration of weapons and fuel. This configuration will enable the French strike fighter aircraft to attack more targets and conduct counter-air missions at longer range. At present, the French military remains the single user of this impressive, but controversial jet fighter, since it failed...

Nexter-KNDS unveiled today an innovative concept for a large caliber gun system for main battle tanks designed to overmatch the heavy threats expected in the 2040-2050 timeframe. The "Autoloaded and SCALable Outperforming guN" (ASCALON) concept is designed to cope with the latest generation of heavy armor while staying ahead of the threats of the next half-century.

Israel's defense company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. has completed the acquisition of the British defense specialist company Pearson Engineering Ltd. The acquisition was executed under a stock purchase agreement (SPA), transferring 100% of the ownership. The acquisition includes Pearson's metalworks subsidiary company Responsive Engineering Ltd.

The Israeli and German Defense Ministries have signed an agreement to equip the German Leopard 2A7A1 tanks with the TROPHY Active Protection System. The government-to-government (G2G) agreement covers the supply of APS to equip 17 tanks making a single company of the German Army.

209 of the 218 new Lynx infantry fighting vehicles recently ordered by Hungary will be equipped with Rheinmetall’s StrikeShield hard-kill active protection system (APS). These APS will be supplied by Rheinmetall Protection Systems GmbH. The new protection systems at a cost of €800,000 per unit.

BAE Systems introduced today the fifth evolutionary variant of the CV90 infantry fighting vehicle that embeds many of the upgrades and modifications designed through the evolution of the vehicle family.

Nexter Munitions is introducing the SHARD as an improved Armor-Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) tank ammunition for the NATO standard 120mm smoothbore tank gun. Following completion of design optimization in 2021, and industrial qualification in 2022, SHARD will be ready for mass production by the end of 2022.