Author: Michael

An artist’s impression of the Boeing P-8A Poseidon in Royal Canadian Air Force colours and markings. (Boeing)
Canada has issued a letter of request (LOR) to the US government for the Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime multimission aircraft (MMA).
The Canadian government announced the LOR on 27 March, saying it is seeking 16 aircraft for its Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA) requirement to replace the ageing Lockheed CP-140 Auroras of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).

“A request for information (RFI) was released in February 2022 to obtain information from industry.

HNLMS
De Zeven Provinciën
pictured in the Atlantic in May 2021 during Exercise ‘At-Sea Demo/Formidable Shield 21′. ASD/FS-21 served as a ‘graduation exercise’ for the new MBMD capability.
(US Navy)
Some two decades after entering service, the Royal Netherlands Navy’s (RNLN’s) four De Zeven Provinciën-class air defence and command frigates (luchtverdedigings en commandofregatten: LCF) are receiving a package of improvements intended to sustain and enhance their operational capability into the 2030s.

An infographic released by the Singapore Ministry of Defence, which depicts the MRCV as a mother ship for various unmanned systems. (Singapore Ministry of Defence)
Singapore has awarded its state-linked defence prime ST Engineering with a contract to design and build six multirole combat vessels (MRCVs).
The award was announced by the Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) in a 28 March news release, but no contract value was provided.

The Republic of Korea Army is moving to replace its ageing fleet of Sikorsky CH-47D helicopters with the newer ‘F’ version. Pictured above, members of the US National Guard conduct sling-load training with a CH-47D in 2016. (US Army National Guard photo/Capt Brian Hare)
The South Korean government said it has finalised the acquisition of Boeing CH-47F heavy-lift transport helicopters for the Republic of Korea (RoK) Army.
South Korea has been seeking to acquire 18 CH-47F helicopters to replace the army’s ageing fleet of CH-47D Chinooks.

The US Marine Corps’ unfunded priorities list include a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship. (HII)

The six US military services have told Congress they have identified more than USD12.6 billion in “unfunded priorities”, or necessary programmes that did not receive funding in the US Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget request, according to documents obtained by
Janes
.

The US Marine Corps’ unfunded priorities list (UPL) totals USD3.7 billion, including USD1.

The Netherlands Marine Corps’ existing fleet of 12 LCVPs will be replaced by 20 new landing craft, comprising a mix of eight LACs and 12 LCMs. (Netherlands MoD)
The Dutch Ministry of Defence (MoD) has outlined plans for the replacement of the Netherlands Marine Corps’ landing craft vehicle personnel (LCVP) vessels from 2025.

In a 23 March report to the Dutch parliament’s House of Representatives, State Secretary of Defence Christophe van der Maat said the existing fleet of 12 LCVPs

would approach the end of their service lives in 2024.

A model of the Medium Power Radar (MPR) Arudhra displayed by BEL at Aero India 2023 held in Bangalore in February. BEL will manufacture and supply an undisclosed number of MPRs to the IAF under a contract worth INR28 billion. (Janes/Prathamesh Karle)
The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed two separate contracts with public sector undertaking (PSU) Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) to procure multiple units of a radar and a radar warning receiver for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

A file image of USS
Chinook
patrolling in the Persian Gulf. The vessel was retired on 28 March 2023 with its sister ship, USS
Monsoon
. Both are being transferred to the Philippines.
(US Navy)
The Philippine Navy is set to receive two more Cyclone-class coastal patrol boats that were formerly in service with the US Navy (USN).

The vessels, USS
Monsoon
and USS
Chinook
, were retired by the USN’s Fifth Fleet on 28 March at a decommissioning ceremony in Manama, Bahrain.

China showcased the HQ-9B surface-to-air missile weapons system at Airshow China 2022. The country has deployed the upgraded system with eight smaller missiles in PLA’s Central Theater Command. (Future Publishing via Getty Images)
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has deployed the upgraded HQ-9B medium-range, medium-altitude air-defence system in an anti-aircraft brigade of Central Theater Command (CTC).
Video footage released by PLA-affiliated broadcaster js7tv shows the PLA deploying and testing the HQ-9B surface-to-air missile (SAM) system in the CTC.

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded General Dynamics (GD) Land Systems a $15m contract modification on 27 March for the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) system already in production.
Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan; Anniston, Alabama; and Lima, Ohio, with an estimated completion date of 24 March 2024.
The MPF system was purpose-built for the US Army’s Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs) to provide them with decisive lethality, mobility, and survivability with upgraded capabilities on the multi-domain battlefield.