Poland now has all 24 of the TB2 UAVs it ordered from Türkiye, operating them across four systems based at the 12th Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Base at Mirosławiec. (Polish MND)  Poland has received the last of 24 Baykar Bayraktar TB2 armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Türkiye.  The Polish Armaments Agency (AA) announced the milestone on 16 May, saying that the last four unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), each comprising six UAVs, had been received into the 12th Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Base at Mirosławiec on the same day.  “The Secretary o...

OCCAR and MBDA have launched the HYDIS² concept phase. (MBDA)  The Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) and MBDA announced on 15 May that they signed a European Defence Fund (EDF) grant agreement and a linked procurement contract to launch the three-year HYpersonic Defence Interceptor Study (HYDIS²) concept phase on the same day. MBDA signed the agreements on behalf of the 19 industrial partners in HYDIS². In its press release, OCCAR valued the programme at EUR140 million (USD152 million), EUR80 million of which is co-funded by...

NASSCO is in line to build a new class of AS(X) submarine tenders to replace ships such as USS   Emory S Land   pictured here.  (Richard Scott/NAVYPIX)  Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) on 8 May advised its intention to award General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) a sole-source contract estimated at up to USD100 million for the AS(X) Submarine Tender Recapitalization Program design development. This is seen as the lead-in to a full detailed design and construction (DD&C) contract for t...

FGS   Karlsruhe  is the third of five follow-on K130 corvettes on order for the German Navy.   (Michael Nitz, Naval Press Service)  The third follow-on Braunschweig (K130)-class corvette on order for the German Navy was launched at NV Lürssen (NVL) subsidiary Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg on 7 May, NVL Group announced the same day.    FGS   Karlsruhe  is the third boat of the second batch of five additional corvettes for the German Navy. The German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Informa...

The Dutch MoD has leased a second ro-ro ship, named MV   Southern Rock  , which will be operated by the RNLN to secure strategic transport on a more permanent basis.  (Dutch MoD)  The Dutch Ministry of Defence (MoD) has officially put into service a second roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) ship, which it has leased from a private company as part of efforts to secure strategic transport on a permanent basis.    The ship, named MV   Southern Rock  , arrived in Dakar, Senegal, on 15 May with its first load of e...

RSS   Inimitable  , the fourth and final Type 218SG boat for the Republic of Singapore Navy, was named at Kiel yard on 22 April 2024. With a length of about 70 m and a displacement of around 2,000 tonnes, the Type 218SG is the largest submarine built by thyssenkrupp Marine Systems to date.   (tkMS)  German shipbuilder thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH (tkMS) lays claim to be the world's most successful exporter of submarines in the post-war period. Through its submarine building forebears Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Wer...

Two more Royal Navy Type 23 frigates, HMS  Westminster  (pictured) and HMS  Argyll  , will be retired from service.  (NAVYPIX/Richard Scott)    The Royal Navy's (RN's) Duke-class (Type 23) frigates HMS  Argyll  (F 231) and HMS  Westminster  (F 237) will be retired from service, the UK defence secretary has confirmed.     Speaking at the First Sea Lord's Sea Power Conference 2024 in London on 14 May, defence secretary Grant Shapps said that  Argyll  has been...

A T-45C Goshawk attached to Training Air Wing (TW) 2 receives fuel aboard the aircraft carrier, USS   George H W Bush   (CVN 77). The ship is conducting sustainment exercises to maintain carrier readiness.  (US Navy)  The US Navy (USN) fleet of Boeing T-45 Goshawk training aircraft has returned to flight following a month-long grounding, according to Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). The type was grounded on 12 April following an engine malfunction during a training flight; the crew landed safely.    “Prel...

A Brazilian Air Force P-3AM Orion. Three aircraft are to be upgraded with new wings. (Airbus Military SAS)  The first re-winged Brazilian Air Force Lockheed P-3AM Orion maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) flew on 2 May, the service announced on 13 May, a major step towards improving the P-3AM fleet's readiness rate.  Elements of the wing that were replaced during the rebuild include the top coverings, front and rear spars, and the upper panels of the central wing and fuselage structures.  Brazilian manufacturer Akaer has delivered two additional s...

Airbus UH-72 Aerial Logistics Connector cargo UAV is based on the Airbus H145/UH-72 platform. (Airbus US Space and Defense)  US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), on behalf of the US Marine Corps (USMC), has signed a Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA) contract for Airbus to demonstrate an unmanned version of its UH-72 Lakota helicopter, the company announced on 14 May.  The helicopters are under consideration for the USMC's Aerial Logistics Connector programme. The unmanned helicopters are to undergo unspecified testing for operational suitabilit...

Leonardo's SkyTender C-UAS software aims to optimise the deployment of C-UAS. (Leonardo)  Leonardo Canada – Electronics has debuted a new counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) planning and assessment tool designed to enable rapid site evaluation and optimisation prior to equipment deployment.  Known as SkyTender, the software toolset has been evolved from the outputs of a Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) contract awarded to Leonardo in March 2022 under the Innovative Solutions Canada programme. The company has subsequently ‘p...

A mock-up of the Eurodrone seen at the Paris Airshow in 2023. The project has now passed its preliminary design review, paving the way for its critical design review later in the year. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)  The Eurodrone project has passed its delayed preliminary design review (PDR), the lead contractor Airbus Defence and Space (DS) announced on 16 May.  The milestone was completed alongside programme partners Dassault and Leonardo, as well as the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR).  “The PDR proves that the initial design...

The Standard Missile (SM)-3 Block IIA missile, pictured above launching from the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii, is jointly developed by the US and Japan. The MDA said the GPI joint development will be pursued in a construct similar to that used for the SM-3. (US MDA)  Japan and the US have firmed up their co-operation to jointly develop a Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI).  According to the Japan Ministry of Defense (MoD), the two countries signed a partnership agreement on 15 May to promote collaboration on research and development of...

One of the last C-130Js in RAF service made its farewell flypast in June 2023. The MoD is continuing its search to find buyers for this and 14 other surplus airframes. (Crown Copyright)  The UK is continuing its search to find buyers for its fleet of retired Lockheed Martin C-130J/C-130J-30 Hercules airlifters, with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) telling Janes that it has identified several potential buyers.  The Royal Air Force (RAF) retired one ‘short' C-130J (C5 in UK service) and 13 ‘stretched' C-130J-30 (C4) airframes on 31 March 2023...

Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft on the ramp at Nellis Air Force Base in the US. Consortium partner BAE Systems has confirmed that the country is looking to increase its fleet with additional aircraft. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)  Italy is set to buy additional Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft, with government approval to be sought in the third quarter (Q3) of 2024.  Consortium partner BAE Systems confirmed the potential sale, which   Janes   first reported from the IQPC International Fighter conference (IFC) in Novem...

The US Navy is trying to develop directed energy systems like HELIOS to counter low-end threats. (Lockheed Martin)  While underscoring effective US Navy (USN) surface-fleet operations in the Red Sea since October, Rear Admiral Fred Pyle, USN surface warfare director, acknowledged a need to not only replenish weapons stocks but also to find additional options to defend forces against low-end threats.  Speaking on 14 May during a Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) event on Red Sea surface warfare operations, Rear Adm Pyle sai...

With the Eurofighter Typhoon set to remain in global service through into the 2060s, the LTE package is an essential element in maintaining the capabilities of the jet while also attracting new and follow-on customers. (Leonardo)  The NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) has launched the activities phase of the Eurofighter Long Term Evolution (LTE) project, awarding its first contracts to industry.  Speaking at BAE System's Warton production facility in northern England on 14 May, David Hulme, Eurofighter programme director...

The Romanian Air Force is to equip its F-16s with the AIM-9X Block II air-to-air missile. (Romanian Air Force)  The United States has approved the sale of 300 RTX AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles to Romania, announcing a potential USD340.8 million sale on 14 May.  The US Department of State approval covers the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) of the missiles for the Romanian Air Force (RoAF) fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16AM/BM Block 15 Mid-Life Update (MLU) combat aircraft, as well as training missiles, related equipment,...

A keel-laying ceremony for the Italian Navy's new large oceanographic ship was held on 14 May. (Fincantieri)  Fincantieri held a keel-laying ceremony for the Italian Navy's new large oceanographic ship (Nave Idro-Oceanografica Maggiore: NIOM) in Riva Trigoso on 14 May, the shipbuilder confirmed the same day.    The vessel is being procured as part of the Italian Navy's hydro-oceanographic fleet renewal programme. It is intended to replace the navy's ageing 83 m research and survey ship   Ammiraglio Magnaghi  (A 5303) – which h...

The Malaysian Army Aviation is currently equipped with two helicopter types: the Agusta A109LOH (background) and the MD Helicopter MD530G (in foreground). The army lacks a medium rotary-wing utility and transport capability. (Janes/Akhil Kadidal)  The Malaysian Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) is planning to review the leasing of four Sikorsky UH-60A Black Hawk utility helicopters from a private company over delays in delivery of the aircraft.    Speaking to  Janes  on 9 May    during the recently concluded Defence Servic...