The Pakistan Air Force has announced hypersonic ballistic missile capabilities. In a press release, the PAF revealed that the weapon is part of a wider defense modernization effort aimed at countering evolving threats in the region. Hypersonic ballistic missiles can travel at speeds above Mach 5 or five times the speed of sound. While some existing ballistic...
Category: National Security
German Armed Forces Awards Rheinmetall $380M Puma IFV Ammunition Supply Contract
The German armed forces has ordered $381.1 million worth of 30 mm DM21 ammunition from Rheinmetall for its Puma infantry fighting vehicle’s main armament, an MK30-2/ABM cannon designed to fire airburst rounds. The ammo deliveries are scheduled to start from 2024 up to 2027, with follow-up orders expected. The Puma IFV’s combination of high rapid-fire...
4 New Vessels Beef Up Turkish Navy Fleet
The Turkish navy has acquired four new ships including the frigate TCG Istanbul, which, according to manufacturer STM, was 80 percent locally made. The other new vessels are the cargo ship TCG Derya, the logistics support ship TCG Lt. Arif Ekmekçi and the armed unmanned surface vessel Marlin. The navy commissioned the ships in a...
UK Advances DragonFire Laser-Directed Weapon Development
The development of the United Kingdom’s DragonFire laser-directed energy weapon advanced another step with the prototype’s first high-power firing against aerial targets completed at the Ministry of Defence’s Hebrides Range in Scotland. The U.K. Defence Science and Technology Laboratory with the DragonFire partners, composed of MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ, conducted the trial following earlier tests...
Canadian Navy Takes Command of Multinational Maritime Task Force in Persian Gulf
Canada has assumed command of Combined Task Force 150, a unit of Combined Maritime Forces that conducts maritime security operations in sea areas outside the Persian Gulf. The Royal Canadian Navy took over from its French counterpart on Wednesday, in which Capt. Yannick Bossu welcomed his successor, Capt. Colin Matthew, during a turnover ceremony. Under...
Dassault Seals $5.5B Deal to Equip France With Additional 42 Rafale Fighters
France has ordered 42 new Rafale fighters from Dassault Aviation to increase its existing fleet of 192 aircraft. Under the $5.5 billion deal, Dassault will deliver the combat planes between 2027 and 2032. According to French Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu, the additional Rafales will modernize the French military’s operational capabilities and bolster the country’s...
Ukrainian Troops Get Support From Milrem Robotics TheMis Unmanned Ground Vehicles
The THeMIS unmanned ground vehicles from Estonian manufacturer Milrem Robotics have delivered “the most important benefit” of avoiding casualties in the Ukrainian armed forces, according to Juri Pajuste, in charge of the company’s Ukrainian program. The ground-based armed drone is used for anti-tank mine clearing and unexploded ordnance removal, as well as transporting equipment to areas...
UK, India Eye Increased Industry Ties to Support Defense Cooperation
The United Kingdom and India said they will work more with industry partners to support the two countries’ increasing defense cooperation. The two sides agreed to deepen their strategic collaboration during Indian Defense Minister Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh’s visit to the U.K. on Wednesday. According to the British Ministry of Defence, experts from both...
Lockheed Moves Closer to In-Country Manufacturing for Polish PAC-3 Missile Project
Lockheed Martin has moved closer to its goal of in-country manufacturing in Poland for the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile system, with several milestones under the Polish PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement program completed in 2023, a company executive said. Anna Ortylewski, Lockheed’s Polish PAC-3 MSE program head, added that the year’s program gains also support PAC-3’s...
Australia Joins Military Exercise Focused on Indo-Pacific Anti-Submarine Mission Capabilities
The Royal Australian Air Force sent two P-8A Poseidon aircraft and 51 airmen to the Sea Dragon 2024 exercise that the U.S. Navy is hosting at Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, from Jan. 8 to 24. The exercise, which also includes representatives from the United States, India, South Korea and Japan, is focused on anti-submarine...