SkyShield, displayed at IDEX 2023, is an omnidirectional C-UAS that can detect and neutralise multiple unmanned aerial threats. (Janes/Olivia Savage)  The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has signed a contract with Edge company SIGN4L for the provision of counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UASs).  Announced by Edge on 30 January, the contract includes the provision of the vehicle-based SkyShield and the NavControl-G jammer.  SIGN4L had not responded to Janes at the time of publication regarding the number of units being supplied and the delivery...

The VMIMS (seen here at DefExpo in October 2022) consists of a modified MDSL ALSV 4×4 armoured vehicle fitted with a two-door cab and an Alakran-L deployable mortar system equipped with an 81 mm mortar. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)  Milanion NTGS, the UK manufacturer of the Alakran deployable mortar system, has said deliveries of the Indian Army's Vehicle Mounted Infantry Mortar System (VMIMS) are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024.  The announcement coincided with the Indian Army's first public display of the system at the 75th Republic Day...

The M10 Booker combat vehicle will equip US Army infantry BCTs starting in 2025. (US Army/Bernardo Fuller)    The US Army's first M10 combat vehicle is scheduled to be delivered in February,   Janes  learnt at Defence iQ's International Armour Vehicles (IAV) 2024 conference held in London from 22 to 25 January. The first phase of low-rate initial production (LRIP 1) of the M10 began in the first quarter (Q1) of fiscal year (FY) 2023, following a USD1.4 billion contract award to General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) in June 2022...

The Hawkei (seen here in a four-door configuration) is one of the platforms from the Thales Australia portfolio that will be offered for the Light Protected Mobility aspect of the LMP. (Thales)    Thales intends to offer its Bushmaster and Hawkei wheeled protected patrol vehicles for elements of the British Army's Land Mobility Programme (LMP),   Janes  learnt at Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicle (IAV) 2024 conference held in London from 22 to 25 January.   The heavier Bushmaster will be pitched for the Medium Pr...

The CV9035NL mid-life upgrade has a new turret with a pop-up ATGM launcher, a mast-mounted commander's sight, and a hard-kill active protection system. Although the first production-standard vehicles have yet to be delivered, the RNLA is considering further upgrades for some of its subsystems. (Dutch MoD)  The Royal Netherlands Army (RNLA) is considering multiple engineering change proposals for its CV9035NL mid-life upgrade (MLU) infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), Janes learnt at Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2024 conferen...

General Dynamics submitted one ARV prototype to the USMC for testing in 2023. (General Dynamics Land Systems )    The US Marine Corps (USMC) is planning to select one to two companies for the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase of the advanced reconnaissance vehicle (ARV) programme, a USMC official in charge of ground combat told   Janes  .     Testing for the ARV ended in November 2023 following trials on a platform command, control, communications, and computers/unmanned aircraft system (C4/UAS) pro...

The Spanish Army is planning to upgrade the firepower, mobility, protection, command, control, and communications of its Leopard 2E fleet by 2032 under a three-phase modernisation programme. (Janes/Patrick Allen)    Spain is making progress on several armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) modernisation programmes and intends to start a three-phase programme to modernise its Leopard 2E main battle tank (MBT) fleet,  Janes  learnt at Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2024 conference held in London from 22 to 25 January...

The Nurol Makina Ejder Yalçın is one possible contender for the LMP that was displayed at IAV 2024. A UK subsidiary of the company was formed in 2023 to market the company's products to the UK. (Janes/Sonny Butterworth)  Details of the British Army's Land Mobility Programme (LMP), including the number of vehicles required and procurement timelines, were revealed at Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2024 conference held in London from 22 to 25 January.  The LMP aims to simplify the British Army's armoured vehicle fleet by redu...

An Ajax armoured vehicle displayed at Defence iQ's IAV 2024 conference held in London from 22 to 25 January. (Janes/Nicholas Fiorenza)  The British Army only has confirmed funding for 18% of its GBP44 billion (USD55.9 billion) Equipment Plan 2023–33, British Army's Chief of the General Staff General Patrick Sanders told Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicle (IAV) 2024 conference held in London from 22 to 25 January.  He also spoke of the need for the British Army to have a strength of 120,000 personnel, comprising regular soldiers, rese...

Kintsugi plans to bring out a road-legal concept of the Magnus hybrid propulsion vehicle by 2025. (Janes/Amit Kalra)  United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based artificial intelligence (AI) electric solution provider Kintsugi unveiled its Magnus tactical ground vehicle concept on the opening day of the Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (UMEX) 2024 show held in Abu Dhabi from 23 to 25 January.  The Magnus concept is being developed by Kintsugi subsidiary Eneron. Kintsugi corporate communications manager Waleed Alblooshi told Janes, “Leveraging...

The Gidrán is a version of Nurol Makina's Ejder Yalçın modified for the Hungarian Defence Forces. (HDF)    Hungary has a framework agreement for Nurol Makina vehicles,   Janes  learnt at Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2024 conference being held in London from 22 to 25 January.   The agreement was signed in October 2023 for up to 600 Nurol Makina 4×4 vehicles, including the Gidrán version of the Ejder Yalçın modified for the Hungarian Defence Forces (HDF) and different versions and sizes of the Turkish c...

The GY300 can transport payloads weighing up to 300 kg. (Edge Group)  Edge Group unveiled three new autonomous platforms on the opening day of the Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (UMEX) 2024 show held in Abu Dhabi from 23 to 25 January.  In a statement issued on 23 January Edge Group said that the latest platforms are purpose-built to operate in demanding environments, covering tactical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), as well as logistics support. The three new platforms include an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV...

The Pinaka 214 mm (12-round) MBRL is an all-weather, indirect fire, free-flight artillery rocket system. The system is designed for shoot-and-scoot operations and is based on a locally manufactured Tatra 8×8 truck chassis. (BEML Limited)    The Indian Army has approved the development of advanced rockets for its Pinaka Multi‐Barrel Rocket Launchers (MBRLs),    a source at India's state-owned rocket manufacturer Munitions India Limited (MIL) told  Janes  on 24 January.   The army has granted official permission t...

Rheinmetall officially opened its new factory in Zalaegerszeg, western Hungary, on 18 August 2023, which is producing the Lynx IFV for the HDF. (Rheinmetall)    Hungary will arm its Lynx infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) with Hero loitering munitions,   Janes  learnt at Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2024 conference being held in London from 22 to 25 January. This is in addition to other ammunition for the vehicles and the 163 Lynx IFVs being produced in Hungary.   Hungary ordered Hero loitering munitio...

Brazil is evaluating two Centauro II armoured vehicles (shown at Eurosatory 2018). (Janes/Patrick Allen)  Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2024 conference being held in London from 22 to 25 January received an update on Brazil's plans to upgrade its armoured forces.  The first part of the modernisation plan consists of two parts, the first involving the upgrade of Brazil's Leopard 1A5 tanks and installing a 30 mm turret on its M113 armoured personnel carriers (APCs), and the second part the acquisition of a new tracked armou...

The tracked RCV ordered by the UAE Armed Forces is likely to be Milrem's Type-X. (Janes/Sonny Butterworth)  The United Arab Emirates' (UAE's) Edge Group announced on 24 January during the Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (UMEX) 2024 show held in Abu Dhabi that the UAE Ministry of Defence had placed an order for unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) made by its Milrem Robotics subsidiary.  Edge said in a statement that the contract covers 20 tracked robotic combat vehicles (RCVs) that it did not identify and 40 THeMIS UGVs. It added that t...

One possible additional UK Boxer variant is the MCCO, the concept demonstrator for which fitted with a launcher for eight Brimstone missiles was displayed at DVD 2022. (Janes/Christopher Petrov)    The UK plans additional variants of the Boxer armoured vehicle,  Janes  learnt at Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2024 conference being held in London from 22 to 25 January.   The first priority is to order Boxer Repair and Recovery Vehicle, Armoured Mortar Vehicle, and Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridge variants...

Trials of the Challenger 3 MBT, featuring Epsom armour, the Trophy-MV APS, a fully digitised turret, and a 120 mm smoothbore gun, will begin in the coming weeks. (RBSL)  The first prototype of the Challenger 3 main battle tank (MBT) will begin trials in the coming weeks, Janes learnt on the first day of Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2024 conference being held in London from 22 to 25 January.  The MBT will feature Epsom armour and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems' Trophy-MV (Medium Vehicle) armour protection system (APS), a...

The Land Warfare School in Skövde is one of the various centres receiving the new Leopard 2A5 MBT simulators. (Swedish Armed Forces)  The Swedish Armed Forces is procuring new Stridsvagn 122 (Leopard 2A5) tank simulators from KNDS to improve crew training.    KNDS – a joint venture between Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Nexter – will be supplying the new simulators, replacing all current turret trainers as well as the “full mission simulator” at the Land Warfare School, a spokesperson from the Defence Material Administration told...

The crew training facility, BTA 122, is one of various centres receiving new Leopard 2A5 MBT simulators, replacing existing systems such as the one pictured. (Swedish Armed Forces)  The Swedish Armed Forces is procuring new Stridsvagn 122 (Leopard 2A5) tank simulators from KNDS to improve crew training.  KNDS – a joint venture between Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Nexter – will be supplying the new simulators, replacing the trainers at the BTA 122 and TBTA crew training facilities, according to an announcement by the Swedish Armed Forces on...