Anthony Capaccio, Bloomberg
The U.S.

BAE Systems demonstrated its new counter unmanned aerial systems AMPV during a live fire in Kingman, Arizona. (BAE Systems)

The newly designed 120 mm mortar variant of the Armoured Multi Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) will make its debut at the Association of the United States Army’s (AUSA’s) Warfighter conference in July 2024, Bill Sheehy, AMPV programme director at BAE Systems

told
Janes
on 30 November.

We’re excellent at Command and Control, we just need more hulls to command and control

If nothing else, the U.S. Military is still the master of command and control structures and relationships. It is grand, operational art not matched by the Chinese. The Chinese mimic the efforts with partners like Venezuela or Iran or Zimbabwe, but they are going through the motions and everyone is play acting without knowing what they are doing.
Effectively integrating partner nations into these Coalition Task Forces is pure wizardry.

The world’s largest arms companies have seen a 3.5% dip in revenues despite increased demand from Ukraine, according to SIPRI.
The post Signal: arms revenues dip amid production issues – study appeared first on Army Technology.

Each holiday season the Army shuts down basic training and advanced individual training schools. The Army is the only branch of the military that honors the Holiday Block Leave for all recruits who are in basic training. This allows the drill sergeants and instructors to have a break during Christmas and prepare to come back for the New Year ready to train.
Get answers to all your questions about the Army Holiday Block Leave.
The Army Holiday Block Leave is 10 days
The 10-day break generally starts a week before Christmas and lasts until a week after Christmas.

To enhance regional security, the US State Department has approved the sale of AN/TPQ-50 radar systems to the UAE.
The post Radar technology heads to the United Arab Emirates in $85m deal appeared first on Army Technology.

With many of its European allies, including Norway (pictured), fielding the F-35A, Portugal is now eyeing the type also. (Royal Norwegian Air Force)
The Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II aircraft could emerge as the next combat aircraft in the inventory of the Portuguese Air Force (FAP).
The Chief of Staff of the FAP, General João Guilherme Rosado Cartaxo Alves, described the F-35A as the preferred choice to replace the Lockheed Martin F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon on 27 November.

HENSOLDT and BAE Systems joined together in a strategic alliance for a British Ministry of Defense contract.
Development of the Striker II helmet-mounted display for the Typhoon fleet
The strategic collaboration between  HENSOLDT and BAE Systems has been reinforced by a contract awarded by the British Ministry of Defence. This collaboration focuses on developing the  Striker II helmet-mounted display for the Royal Air Force’s Typhoon fleet.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have confirmed, according to AP and AFP reports, that the death tolls in Gaza provided by Hamas are accurate.
These reports, citing unnamed IDF officials, indicate that the number of civilians killed exceeds that of Hamas operatives. These comments come from an unofficial briefing for foreign journalists led by military officers.
An anonymous IDF official, quoted by the AP, estimates that since the start of the war on October 7, at least 15,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in Gaza. Of these deaths, more than 5,000 are attributed to Hamas terrorists.

The Israeli army plans to pump seawater into the Hamas tunnel system in Gaza, but this plan has many potential humanitarian risks.

On December 3, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that they had discovered 800 paths leading down to the Hamas tunnel system since launching the campaign in the Gaza Strip. Israeli engineers disabled 500 tunnel doors by detonating or sealing them and destroyed many kilometers of the armed group’s main tunnel route.

The US Air Force said the Bell Boeing CV-22B involved in the mishap was an aircraft from the 353rd Special Operations Wing. The unit operates its CV-22Bs from Yokota Air Base near Tokyo. (US Air Force)
A Bell Boeing CV-22 Osprey of the US Air Force (USAF) has crashed in Japanese waters.
In a statement later on 29 November US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) said the CV-22B Osprey from the 353rd Special Operations Wing was involved in the “mishap”.

More US attack submarines such as USS
Asheville
are planned to call in Australia under the AUKUS agreement.
(US Navy)
US, UK, and Australian leaders noted their AUKUS agreement Pillar 1 milestones and plans on 1 December, even as the US struggles to reach its own desired submarine production rate.

An Embraer rendering of the KC-390 shows the aircraft with the emblem of the Republic of Korea Air Force’s 251st Tactical Air Support Squadron (of the 5th Tactical Transport Wing), which is based at Gimhae, near the southern city of Busan. (Embraer)
The South Korean government has announced that it has selected the Embraer KC-390 Millenium transport aircraft for its Large Transport Aircraft-II (LTA-II) acquisition programme.

In June, Republican lawmakers adopted an amendment to the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act to develop a sea-launched nuclear cruise missile and recently included funding in appropriations legislation for the Department of Energy. This would override the Joseph R. Biden administration’s decision to cancel the program, announced in the 2022 Nuclear Posture Review, and it rekindled a debate on its merits.

An Australian Army AS9 Huntsman self-propelled howitzer test-fires a practice round at the Proof and Experimental Establishment in Port Wakefield. (Commonwealth of Australia)
The Australian Army test-fired artillery rounds from an AS9 Huntsman 155 mm/52 calibre self-propelled howitzer (SPH) at the Proof and Experimental Establishment in Port Wakefield in late November, the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) said in a press release on 5 December.

US Army
Problems with the launcher for the U.S. Army’s Dark Eagle hypersonic missile are what have caused the scrapping of three live-fire tests of this weapon this year, according to the service’s top procurement official. The hope is now that these issues can be fixed and the first operational examples of the Dark Eagle fielded within the next six months.

GNB image via Twitter/X
Details remain limited at this time, but Venezuelan authorities seized what’s likely a training variant of a Vympel R-73 air-to-air missile during a raid on a private residence over the weekend. The identity of the man harboring the missile, who was arrested by Venezuelan authorities, has not been released.

Top U.S. military officials are considering multiple “options on the table” to respond to the recent escalation in Houthi rebel-led attacks on commercial vessels in Middle East waters, including the setup of a new multinational maritime patrol force to expand presence in the Red Sea, Adm. Christopher Grady, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Monday.
Since Israel’s war against the Palestine-based militant group Hamas broke out following an Oct.

Twitter screencap
It’s miserable enough fighting in winter, but after an unusually warm early fall followed by brutal cold, large swaths of fields that have gone unharvested and thousands of human carcasses to feed on, troops from both sides are facing an additional scourge.
Rodents.
These Russian soldiers found out just how bad the problem was when they started up their 120-mm self-propelled howitzer 2S9 Nona-S. Scores of mice who sought refuge from the cold spewed out of the exhaust. One soldier is seen kicking at them in vain as the mice continued to pour out of the vehicle.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) reveals its new weapon, the “Gambit” hypersonic missile.

The birth of the Gambit missile
Last year, the  Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)  unveiled its new war project: the Gambit hypersonic missile in a surprise tactical maneuver. This classified program seeks to revolutionize modern warfare through advanced propulsion technology.
Aiming to dominate the skies and seas, Gambit explores an innovative method of propulsion.

(Task & Purpose composite image).
The U.S. Army fired the first shots of the annual pre-game shit-talking ahead of the 2023 Army-Navy Game. Instagram reels are flowing from the U.S. Army with no response from the U.S. Navy — yet. 
The rivalry dates back to the very first military football game on Nov. 29, 1890, where the Army and Navy played each other for the first time on “The Plain” at West Point. Tragically, the Navy beat the newly formed Army team 24 to 0.

FEDERICO PARRA/AFP via Getty Images
Mainly covered by dense rainforest, the country of Guyana, on the North Atlantic coast of South America, is not an obvious flashpoint in 21st-century global affairs. However, a referendum in neighboring Venezuela has led to genuine fears about a possible land grab by authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro, who has his eyes on a portion of Guyana containing extensive oil and mineral reserves.
The territory in question is known as Essequibo, is roughly the size of the U.S. state of Alabama at 61,600 square miles, and makes up around two-thirds of Guyana.

Getting recalled is something I would not wish upon my worst enemy. I would wish it upon my former platoon sergeant, though. F that guy, twice. Although getting green weenied on Individual Ready Reserve is no laughing matter, the memes have been fire. I’m not allowed to show my favorite one but the Squidward one below is a more PG version of it. Let’s just say a lot of YouTube channels got demonetized recently and leave it at that.

The Space Development Agency has officially begun soliciting industry bids for a new prototype constellation of satellites that will test next-generation missile tracking and fire-control technologies to address new threats.
According to a request for proposals posted to Sam.gov on Friday, the agency is looking for the “design, fabrication and launch” of four experimental satellites — or potentially eight — for its new Fire-control On Orbit-support-to-the-war Fighter program, also known as FOO Fighter or F2.

Sgt. Maciel Hay, a cavalry scout with the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy, completed the 5-week Army sniper course at Fort Moore, Georgia last month. Army photo.
An NCO whose high school friends called her “sniper” made good on that nickname last month when she became the first woman on active duty to graduate from the Army’s sniper course.
Sgt. Maciel Hay, a cavalry scout with the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy, completed the 5-week course at Fort Moore, Georgia last month.

USN
The U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol plane that ended up in Hawaii’s Kaneohe Bay on November 20 is finally out of the water. The plane was floated from where it had come to rest using inflatable airbags and then slowly rolled – sometimes at a pace of just five feet per hour – across those bags back onto the runway. Much of the aircraft remains intact, including its landing gear, and the Navy is hopeful that it can return to service after what are expected to be significant repairs.
U.S.

Stratolaunch
The first powered example of Stratolaunch’s Talon-A reusable hypersonic vehicle has taken to the air for a captive-carry flight under the wing of the same company’s enormous Roc, the largest plane ever flown. As we have discussed in the past, Stratolaunch is working for the U.S. military on a target that will mimic hypersonic threats to support the development of new defensive capabilities, and which is expected to be a Talon-A derivative or at least utilize some of the same technology.

On November 28, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security announced a settlement of nearly $2.1 million to be paid by London Bridge Trading Company, Ltd. for the sale of fraudulent products to the U.S. government. Based in Virginia, LBT was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Norfolk, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s Mid-Atlantic field office, the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division’s Major Procurement Fraud field office, the General Services Administration’s Office of Inspector General and the Defense Logistics Agency.

The Spanish Navy’s first S-80 Plus submarine,
Isaac Peral,
was commissioned into service on 30 November 2023.
(Janes/Kate Tringham)
The Spanish Navy’s first new S-80 Plus-class diesel-electric submarine (SSK) has been commissioned into service following the completion of sea acceptance trials.

First-of-class
Isaac Peral
(S-81) was formally commissioned during a ceremony held at the Spanish Navy’s naval base in Cartagena on 30 November.

In late-October, the US submitted a supplementary budget request that included more than $44bn in Ukraine support funding.
The post US Presidential Drawdown Authority support to Ukraine “running low” appeared first on Army Technology.

The California-based company has provided aerial surveillance advancement to the US, through its MQ-1C-25M modernised extended-range systems.
The post General Atomics secures $389m contract for Gray Eagle drones appeared first on Army Technology.

Host L Todd Wood speaks to Yifa Segal, Israeli national security and international affairs expert, former Chief of Staff to the Israeli Ambassador to the United States on current developments in the Gaza War.
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Total defence investment by EU countries, 2014–33. (Janes)
Total defence spending across the European Union (EU) in 2022 was EUR240 billion (USD260.6 billion) – a 6% increase compared to 2021 and a record high in absolute terms for the 27 countries, according to the European Defence Agency’s (EDA’s) new annual report Defence Data 2022: Key findings and analysis. However, that figure equalled only 1.5% of the countries’ collective GDP and thus fell well short of the 2% of their GDP or EUR361 billion they should have spent on defence in 2022.

A file photo of the Shadow ISTAR aircraft taken at its home base in the UK. The UK Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the Shadow ISTAR aircraft is flying in the Gaza region in support of efforts to locate hostages taken by Hamas. (Crown Copyright)
The United Kingdom has deployed surveillance aircraft to the Gaza region to help in the search for British nationals taken hostage by Hamas, the UK defence minister announced on 3 December.
Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps said, “Unarmed UK aircraft will begin carrying out surveillance flights over Gaza to help locate hostages.

A  South Korean F-35A Lightning II fighter suffered severe damage when it collided with an Eagle. The high cost of repair led to his removal from the squadron.
Catastrophic damage to F-35A fighter   after aerial encounter with eagle
The South Korean Air Force’s F-35A inadvertently entered combat with an eagle, suffering damage to 300 vital parts. The collision affected key structures such as the fuselage, engines and control systems.
The incident took place during a training mission from the Jeonju base.

FILE: An Air Force CV-22B Osprey. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo).
The remains of five American flyers have been found in the submerged wreckage of a CV-22B Osprey that crashed last week in coastal waters of Japan, according to U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command.
A total of eight crew members were aboard the Osprey when it went down on Nov. 29 near Yakushima, Japan. The body of one of the airmen aboard was recovered in the initial hours of the search and remains the only person on board whose identity has been released. Air Force Staff Sgt.

The JF-17 Block III, with its refined design, dramatically reduces its radar cross-section thanks to the extensive use of composite materials and advanced avionics.

 The Pakistan Air Force begins the introduction of the advanced JF-17 “Thunder” Block III, marking a milestone in its combat capabilities.

JF-17 Block III Deployment Raises PAF Capabilities
The  Pakistan Air Force (PAF)  has launched its latest weapon in the air arsenal: the  JF-17 “Thunder” Block III, developed by the  Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) /Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC).

Russian electronic warfare equipment is reducing the effectiveness of Western weapons received by Ukraine, causing Kyiv to try to attack the complexes and catch up technologically.

In early November, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) video appeared online showing an attack that blew up three antennas on the roof of an apartment complex. The Ukrainian UAV commander announced that he had destroyed the Russian Pole-21 electronic warfare system on the eastern front near Donetsk.
The attack shows that Kyiv is urgently trying to destroy Moscow’s technology.

Despite concerns over submarine-building capacity to meet AUKUS Pillar 1 needs, AUKUS countries are moving ahead with Pillar 2 efforts. (Janes/Michael Fabey)
While questions remain about the ability of Australia, the UK, and the US (AUKUS) to meet submarine requirement commitments for their AUKUS Pillar 1 agreement, the trio of defence partners detailed more specific Pillar 2 ambitions on 1 December.

Israel could be affected by a recent legal petition filed in the Netherlands courts. Human rights lawyers seek to stop the export of F-35 fighter aircraft parts, which could be used in operations against Gaza.
These organizations argue that the delivery of components for the F-35 would imply the complicity of the Netherlands in possible war crimes if used by Israel in its fight against Hamas.
The goal is for the District Court of The Hague to issue a court order prohibiting the departure of these pieces, currently stored in Woensdrecht.

Noah Robertson, DefNews
SIMI VALLEY, Calif.

Luckenbaugh, NDM
At 7:28 pm Pacific Time on Sept.

IntEng
America calls and raises the AI bet with the B-21 Raider stealth bomber.

Bryan Clark, The Messenger
The B-21 Raider’s first flight last month was a noteworthy milestone for U.S.

Roger Thompson, RCD

The need to buy weapons around the world continues to increase, but the revenue of defense corporations in 2022 will decrease due to limited production capacity.

A report released today by the Stockholm Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) shows that the world’s top 100 defense companies earned a total of $597 billion in arms sales and related services in 2022, a decrease of 3.5% compared to last year.
The statistics were released in the context of global geopolitical tensions and the Russia-Ukraine conflict continuing to drive demand for military equipment procurement around the world.

The Israeli army announced airstrikes on more than 200 targets in the Gaza Strip, including weapons trucks and weapons warehouses of Hamas.

According to a December 4 announcement by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the targets hit by airstrikes included a school in the city of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, where the force said it had the infrastructure of Hamas inside, including tunnels containing many explosives and weapons.
The IDF also conducted airstrikes on other targets in the Gaza Strip, including a weapons truck, a rocket launch site and a Hamas weapons depot.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket (pictured) launched South Korea’s first military reconnaissance satellite on 1 December. The satellite is expected to strengthen the RoK Armed Forces’ early warning capabilities against potential North Korean threats. (SpaceX)
South Korea has launched its first military reconnaissance satellite using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
The Falcon 9 rocket carrying the reconnaissance satellite was launched from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on 1 December, South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced on 2 December.

A mock-up of the Eurodrone displayed at the Paris Air Show 2023. Japan has now joined the programme as an observer. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)
Japan has attained official observer status on the Eurodrone project, the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) announced on 30 November.
The letter of approval was presented in Berlin by OCCAR Executive Administration Director Joachim Sucker to the Japanese Ambassador to Germany, Hidenao Yanagi.

The deal is Thales’ ninth acquisition in the digital security area over the last nine years, and the second largest in after Gemalto.
The post Signal: Thales completes acquisition of Imperva in cybersecurity push appeared first on Army Technology.