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The Iranians and Houthis have gradually extended the range of their weapons from tens to a few hundred nautical miles. Rather than employing these weapons on board ships to extend range, they can now reach beyond 200 nm, using the new ballistic anti-ship missiles, practically blocking the movements of naval vessels well beyond Yemen's coastal waters.

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.

Sig Sauer has won a 10-year contract with the U.S. Army with an initial delivery order worth $20.4 million and a ceiling value of $4.7 billion. Under this contract, the company will supply a family of weapons of up to 250,000 rifles and light machine guns. The XM5 Rifle will replace the M4/M4A1 carbine within the close combat force, and the XM250 Automatic Rifle will replace the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW). Having won the handgun contract in 2017, that makes Sig Sauer the premier supplier of small arms providers to the Army's close combat and special operations forces.

Today, the Middle East's International Maritime Exercise (IMX) 2022 began. It is the region’s largest maritime exercise and the world's largest unmanned exercise with more than 80 unmanned systems from ten nations participating.

Unlike the larger and heavier drones that operate like manned aircraft and are bound to airfields or other complex launch and retrieval systems, small UAS are optimized to work and support operators at the tactical level. Aeronautics' Orbiter family of Mini UAS (MUAS) and Small Tactical UAS (STUAS) is designed specifically for those missions.

General Dynamics Land Systems–UK today unveiled a new variant of AJAX Family of Vehicles (FoV) based on the ARES troop-carrying reconnaissance vehicle. In the Overwatch role, Brimstone is the differentiator for high intensity, peer-on-peer warfighting under all weather conditions, excellent reach, high loadout, and salvo capability.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) today unveiled details of the comprehensive trials series of Barak-ER system, tested against a range of scenarios and threats, culminated with the intercept of a ballistic missile target by the BARAK ER (Extended Range) interceptor. BARAK-ER provides wide-area protection against a range of air, sea, and ground threats, including ballistic, ground-to-ground, and cruise missiles, UAVs, and helicopters.

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. has demonstrated the SPIKE SR Short Range guided missile at the Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment (AEWE) 2021 earlier this month. The demonstration assessed SPIKE SR as a precision munition system for infantry squads, for which portability and simplicity of operation are essential.

Elbit Systems announced today that it was awarded a contract valued at approximately $172 million to supply light tanks to the Philippine Army. As the prime contractor, Elbit Systems will supply the “Sabrah” light tank solution based on the tracked ASCOD platform that is manufactured by General Dynamics European Land Systems Santa Bárbara from Spain, and on the wheeled Pandur II 8X8 platform manufactured by Excalibur Army from the Czech Republic.

The Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) has completed a successful firing of Rafael's SPIKE LR missiles in a demonstration in Slovenia, December 2020. During the demonstration, the Slovenian Army also fired SPIKE missiles using the new dismounted digital SPIKE launcher ICLU. Both launchers includes a provision for the use of the more advanced SPIKE LR2.

The first feature, ISRAEL@IDEX to be published in December 2020, provides overviews and analysis of defense-related topics relevant to the region, a listing of companies active in the defense and security sector, and the highlight of market opportunities, new products, and relevant business activities.

Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd (ST Engineering) today signed an agreement to set up a Singapore-based joint venture company (JV) with Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd (IAI). The JV named Proteus Advanced Systems will market and sell advanced naval missile systems, including next-generation anti-ship missile systems.

Israel’s Air Force (IAF) today officially inaugurated the special operations wing, a combat formation that groups the air-force operated elite units under one wing. Based in Palmachim Air Force Base south of Tel Aviv, the 7th Special Operations Wing includes the 669 combat rescue squadron, Shaldag Special Tactics Squadron, and the Tactical Air Operations Unit. The new wing will soon establish a new intelligence to provide intelligence support for the special operations. A training center scheduled to open will complete the wing’s structure in 2022.

ECA has added an Unmanned Rotorcraft to the Belgian-Dutch MCM Program. The drone will join other unmanned systems organized in a 'Toolbox', that represents the ECA Group integrated MCM capability of the Belgian-Dutch navies. The Toolbox consists of the integrated operation of remotely controlled and autonomous aerial, surface, and underwater systems.