The Brazilian Navy has organised to better modernise its forces with programmes such as the development of the Riachuelo-class submarines, the lead ship shown here. (Brazilian Navy)  The Navy Directorate-General for Material (Diretoria-Geral do Material da Marinha: DGMM) of the Brazilian Navy has designed a new plan to better organise its role in the modernisation of the service, the DGMM told Janes.  This modernisation, known as the ‘The Navy of Tomorrow', is guided by the Navy Strategic Plan 2040, which establishes strategic programmes to p...

The CT-155 Hawks are retired, and despite the RCAF's plans it remains unclear when fighter pilot training will return to Canada. (BAE Systems)  The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has retired its fleet of BAE Systems CT-155 Hawk fighter lead-in training aircraft, according to a 4 March release by the service.  The NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) operated 17 CT-155s from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, with the first delivered in 2000.  “With the Hawk reaching the end of its service life after 20 years, Canada, along with many countries is face...

Chile plans to acquire MRAP Hunter TR-12s. (Erich Saumeth Cadavid)  The Ministry of the Interior and Public Security of Chile, through the police special operations group Carabineros, has acquired four Hunter TR-12-24-type vehicles made by Colombian defence company Armor International, the company has confirmed to Janes.  The Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles will be assigned to the Public Order Control Prefecture (COP), in development of order control operations on public roads, as well as security and surveillance. The TR-12...

The US Navy is looking to decommission USS   Jackson  .  (Michael Fabey)  The US Navy (USN) wants to decommission 19 vessels during fiscal year (FY) 2025, including 10 ships before they have reached planned end of their expected service lives (ESLs), according to the Report to Congress on the Annual Long-Range Plan for Construction of Naval Vessels for Fiscal Year 2025, often called the USN's 30-year shipbuilding plan, sent to US lawmakers on 19 March.  The shipbuilding plan details the USN's long-term strategy fo...

US B-52 Stratofortress crews look at an AGM-183 ARRW during a hypersonic weapon familiarisation briefing at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, on 27 February. The yellow bands on the missile indicate that it is a live round. (USAF/Staff Sgt. Pedro Tenorio)  The US Air Force (USAF) launched the last AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) on 17 March, completing the hypersonic missile's formal test programme. ARRW has a chequered test history, and although the test likely succeeded in meeting its goals, the USAF has yet to decide whethe...

A Silvus Technologies StreamCaster MANET radio paired with an Echodyne MESA radar is demonstrated during a US armed forces readiness exercise. (Echodyne)  Mobile networking company Silvus Technologies is developing a pared down variant of its StreamCaster mobile ad hoc network (MANET) radio, specifically designed to provide networked radio communications capability for small unmanned aircraft systems (UASs).  Company officials are preparing to release “our next generation” of the small UAS-specific StreamCaster variant later this year, Silvus...

A Silvus Technologies StreamCaster radio mounted on a Ghost Robotics V60-legged unmanned ground vehicle (UGV). (Silvus Technologies)  California-based mobile networking company Silvus Technologies is working with US Army officials to provide mobile ad hoc network (MANET) radio capability to ground units on the move, a critical requirement to the service's evolving command post architecture under the Integrated Tactical Network (ITN).  The on-the-move (OTM) capability being developed by the company's StreamCaster MANET radio got a fiscal shot...

Special mission variants of Bombardier's Global and Challenger families of business jets fly in formation. (Bombardier Defense)  Bombardier has launched a new maintenance offering for government and military operators of its Challenger- and Global-series business jets. The Smart Services Defense (SSD) programme provides cost-per-flight-hour coverage of airframe system components, landing gear overhaul, and options to meet customer needs, the company said in a 19 February statement.  The programme is intended for Bombardier Defense special mis...

The armament of the T-72 MBT (pictured above) – taking part in an Indian Army exercise in November 2022 – includes a 125 mm main gun, a 7.62 mm co-axial machine gun, and a 12.7 mm gun. The Indian Army seeks to integrate the CALM system into the tank. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  The Indian Army has outlined a programme to procure canister-launched anti-armour loiter munition (CALM) systems and associated accessories to enhance the operational efficiency of the mechanised infantry.  According to an initial procurement notice issued by the Indian Army...

A model of the Gripen E combat aircraft at Saab's headquarters in Stockholm. With the type set to be in Swedish Air Force service through into the 2040s, the country is now looking at what might come after. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)  The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (Försvarets materielverk: FMV) has contracted Saab and GKN to provide it with the basis for future fighter decisions based on studies, technology development, and preparations for demonstrators.  Announced on 22 March, the awards will run for two years from the beginning...

The first F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Block III for the US Navy made its maiden flight on 4 June 2020. The latest order will keep the Super Hornet production line open until 2027. (Boeing)  The US Navy (USN) has placed a USD1.1 billion order for 17 new Boeing F/A-18E/F Block III Super Hornets, to procure five single-seat E models and 12 two-seat F models. Delivery is scheduled to begin in late 2026 and continue through early 2027.  The agreement includes “Phase One of the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G technical data package including the operation, mainten...

BAE Systems was confirmed as the UK shipbuilding partner for AUKUS submarines, shown here as an artist rendition. (BAE Systems)  Britian's BAE Systems will partner with Australian shipbuilder ASC to build Canberra's nuclear-powered submarines for the trilateral AUKUS defence agreement, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed on 21 March.  The partnership deal follows “months of negotiations” and could be worth “billions of pounds”, theMoD said in a release.  First announced in September 2021, AUKUS calls for the three countries – Australia...

Shown here in an artist's rendering, the Polar Security Cutter remains the US Coast Guard's top acquisition priority. (VT Halter Marine/Technology Associates)  Arctic operations remain an important focus for the US Coast Guard (USCG), Admiral Linda Fagan, USCG commandant, noted on 20 March in her State of the USCG address.  The USCG fiscal year (FY) 2025 budget request also underscored the service's growing financial commitment to the Arctic, according to budget documents released on 12 March.  “The Arctic is another region important to natio...

Taiwan's four GA-ASI MQ-9B SeaGuardians will almost certainly be used to conduct extensive surveillance and reconnaissance over the Taiwan Strait and the Bashi Channel, while monitoring Chinese aircraft incursions into the ADIZ. This is a representative photo of the MQ-9B SeaGuardian. (General Atomics)    The US Department of Defense's (DoD's) award of a second contract to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc (GA-ASI) to deliver four MQ-9B SeaGuardian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Taiwan extends the procurement deadline to 2027...

A file photo of a Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16. The Dutch government has said it will provide EUR150 million in weapons for the F-16s to be transferred to Ukraine, as part of a wider aid package valued at EUR350 million. (US Department of Defense)  The Netherlands has pledged a multimillion-euro aid package to Ukraine comprising weapons for the soon-to-be-delivered Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft, as well as providing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).  The more than...

Lithuania is purchasing omnidirectional C-UASs and individual suppressors from NT Service. The company developed a handheld jammer, displayed at DSEI 2023, called Skywiper Electronic Drone Mitigation 4 – System (EDM4S) that could be offered as part of the procurement and which is already in service with the Lithuanian military. (Janes/Olivia Savage)  Lithuania-based NT Service has been contracted to deliver counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UASs) to the Lithuanian military to meet an urgent requirement to combat ‘drones'.  The contract, va...

The US Navy wants to acquire two attack submarines, such as New Jersey shown here, per year through the 2030s. (Janes/Michael Fabey)  The US Navy (USN) intends to achieve and sustain a force-structure fleet of 350 ships after fiscal year (FY) 2037, according to the Report to Congress on the Annual Long-Range Plan for Construction of Naval Vessels for Fiscal Year 2025, often called USN's 30-yearshipbuilding plan, sent to US lawmakers on 19 March.  The USN's proposed FY 2025 budget includes procurement of six manned ships in FY 2025 and 57 mann...

A computer-generated image (CGI) showing how, under the ASCEND2LEO programme, Fleet Space's Centauri satellites are being leveraged to develop a low Earth orbit satcom system that can connect defence assets and personnel. (Fleet Space Technologies)  South Australia-based Fleet Space Technologies has demonstrated push-to-talk (PTT) capabilities using a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite as part of an Australian military project on satellite communications (satcom).  Fleet Space implemented a “software update” to its Centauri 4 satellite, currentl...

The Royal Netherlands Army's VOSS soldier system incorporates a vest, backpack, E-Lynx PNR-1000 radio, and the Raptor end-user device. It is designed for mounted and/or platoon-level infantrymen. (Netherlands Ministry of Defence)  The Netherlands Armed Forces' Improved Operational Soldier Systems (Verbeterd Operationeel Soldaat Systeem: VOSS) being delivered by Elbit Systems and Thales has ‘limitations', Janes has learnt.  Primarily, the limitations are with electronic devices such as the radios, because the requirements have changed since th...

Seen at its unveiling, the Gripen E is being offered to Thailand under a joint bid by the Swedish and UK governments. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)  The UK government is backing Saab's bid to sell the Gripen E to Thailand, the manufacturer disclosed on 20 March.    Responding to an image posted by UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Cameron on the same day, showing him climbing into a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) Gripen C during a trade visit, Saab said that Sweden and the UK would combine their efforts...