Tag: France

France’s Nexter company has announced the receipt of an order worth €600 million from the national armament development agency (DGA) to develop and produce a more mobile and better-protected version of its Caesar truck-mounted self-propelled howitzer to be designated Caesar 6x6 Mark 2 New generation (NG).

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.

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.

Greece Orders 18 Rafales and Equip them with MICA multi-mission air-to-air missiles and Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missiles, SCALP cruise missiles, and AM39 Exocet anti-ship missiles.

Nexter Munitions successfully fired the KATANA smart artillery ammunition and tested its flight control capability during a test campaign in Sweden. During the test, the electronic and electromechanical systems were exposed to extreme physical conditions of the 155mm gun firing, demonstrating the system's endurance to realistic firing conditions.

The French Delegation for Armaments (DGA) has qualified the command post vehicle (EPC) variant of the GRIFFON vehicle, destined to equip the Scorpion regiments in the French and Belgian Armies. The SCORPION program calls for the delivery of 333 EPCs, half of which will be delivered by 2025. The arrival of the GRIFFON EPC is complementary to the GRIFFON VTT Félin, with the goal of projecting a joint battle group (GTIA) into a foreign theatre of operations by 2021.

Germany and France began to harmonize requirements and concepts, with the intention to formalize joint system architecture for their future main battle tank, currently known as the 'Main Ground Combat System' (MGCS). This future combat system is expected to succeed the Bundeswehr’s Leopard 2 and the French Army’s Leclerc beginning in 2035.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released today the findings of SIPRI Yearbook 2018, which assesses the current state of armaments, disarmament and international security. One of the key findings includes the state of world's nuclear forces as of January 2018. "All the nuclear weapon-possessing states are developing new nuclear weapon systems and modernizing their existing systems" the report stated. The inventories listed in the table above show a small decline in the U.S. and Russian inventories, as Russia modernizes its strategic weapon's arsenal, and the US phases out some of the oldest warheads, under the nuclear disarmament agreements.

Selected photos covering some of the robotics, UAVs and counter-UAV systems on display at Eurosatory 2018

Part I of 4 photographic reviews of DEFEXPO 2018 brought to you by Defense-Update.

The French defense General Armament Directorate (DGA) Ministry of Defense awarded Nexter a contract for the development, procurement, and support of the Light, Multirole Armored Vehicle (VBMR-L). Initial deliveries of VBMR-L are expected by 2022.

Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first Tiger helicopter retrofitted into the HAD version of the French Army Aviation. In the UK, after completing a modernization of Puma 2 helicopters, the company entered an agreement to support the Royal Air Force Puma 2 fleet.

In recent months Qatar defense officials were busy dealing in shopping for fighter jets to expand their minuscule air force into a significant, modern air power. If those deals are fulfilled, in less than five years the Qatari Emiri Air Force (QEAF) will increase its order of battle from the current nine Mirage 2000-5 fighters to 96 modern combat jets, armed with the latest weapons the Western world can offer.

Addressing the growing domestic and international demand for the French fighter aircraft, Dassault and the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) will soon begin a six-year development phase of the next-generation Rafale F4. The French Minister of Defense, Mr. Jean-Yves Le Drian, authorized the start of development of the next generation variant of the Rafale. The aircraft will introduce new capacities empowered by the modern missile and engine technologies.