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...
Tag: Defense Security Cooperation
German Armed Forces Acquire $54M Worth of BIRDIE Decoy Flares From Rheinmetall
The German armed forces has acquired decoy flares that can protect aircraft from Rheinmetall. The defense technology company secured a contract valued at about $54 million for over 470,000 units of the Bispectral Infrared Decoy Improved Efficiency product line. According to the deal, Rheinmetall will deliver two variants of the BIRDIE products to the Bundeswehr: the...
NATO Outlines Vision for Quantum Technology Use in Defense, Security
NATO has published a summary of its quantum strategy, which outlines the alliance’s vision of using the technology for defense and security purposes. The military alliance’s foreign ministers approved the plan in November to ensure that the bloc is ready for quantum’s anticipated benefits and downsides. Under the strategy, the organization also seeks to be...
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...
US, Partner Nations Unveil New Programs to Boost Ukraine’s Armor, Drone Capabilities
The U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group has launched new projects to further build up Ukraine’s armor and drone capabilities. At a news briefing on Tuesday, Celeste Wallander, assistant secretary for international security affairs at the Pentagon, said the capability coalition will advance efforts by the UDCG to build a Ukrainian force that can repel Russia’s...
AUKUS Investor Group Identifies Potential Topics Ahead of First Meeting
Investors from Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States are banding together to increase collaboration and accelerate capability delivery to warfighters. The AUKUS Defense Investor Network, a group of investors representing about $265 billion in venture capital, is set to hold its first meeting in early February. Heather Richman, chairperson of the U.S. DIN,...
Saab, MBDA Collaborate to Develop Advanced Anti-Tank, Air Defense Capabilities
Saab and MBDA have signed letters of intent to strengthen their collaboration in advancing anti-tank and air defense capabilities. The companies finalized the agreement on Wednesday to support a new strategic partnership that France and Sweden sealed the day before as part of French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Sweden. The two countries identified...
UK, International Allies Participate in Joint Exercise Bersama Lima in Malaysia
Members of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force participated in a three-week joint exercise held in Malaysia. Exercise Bersama Lima, which commenced on Oct. 4, saw troops from the U.K., Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand conduct combat air simulations, beach landings, jungle warfare training and coordinated naval gunfire support....
UK’s Virtual ‘Hangar’ for Tactical Aircraft Concepts Enters Beta Testing
The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory said Tuesday that it will start conducting initial operational analysis of the Aviation Concepts Environment in December. The ACE was developed in collaboration with QinetiQ Training and Simulation to provide a virtual “hanagar” as a centralized repository of concepts from across the Ministry of Defence and industry to address challenges...
Austria Acquires $570M Worth of Rheinmetall Skyguard Tactical Units to Strengthen Air Defense
German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall has secured a contract to modernize Austria’s Skyguard air defense systems. The company signed the contract valued at $570 million with the Austrian defense ministry in Vienna. Klaudia Tanner, Austrian minister of defense, was present during the event. “In this flagship project, Austria is at the absolute forefront of anti-aircraft and counter-drone defense in...