Wednesday, April 09, 2025

World Defence News

 

At the SOFINS 2025 exhibition held at Camp de Souge near Bordeaux, the French company SEAair Solutions unveiled the ARROW vessel, a new-generation autonomous surface system designed for both military and civilian maritime missions. The project is based on a major innovation: the integration of retractable, autonomously controlled hydrofoils that allow the vessel to operate faster, over longer distances, and with significantly increased discretion. Read more. 

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During a port tour on April 9, 2025, Twitter user モリジュン (Morijun) posted several images taken at a Japanese naval base, possibly Yokosuka, showing what appeared to be a new variant of a railgun installed on the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s experimental ship JS Asuka (ASE-6102). The images depicted a turret with an angular design, consistent with prior official reports indicating that Asuka had hosted the first shipboard firing test of a railgun in 2023.
 

At the SOFINS 2025 exhibition, the Spanish company NTGS (New Technologies Global Systems) presented the Alakran system, a lightweight vehicle-mounted mortar solution designed to provide high-mobility indirect fire support to deployable units. Considered one of the lightest in its category, the system is compatible with both 81 mm and 120 mm mortars.
 

Before the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, KNDS France's monthly production of CAESAr self-propelled howitzers was limited to just two units. This modest figure reflected an industrial model based on scheduled orders and a pace tailored to the needs of the French Army. However, since the Russian invasion in February 2022, the European strategic environment has shifted dramatically, emphasizing the need for industrial responsiveness and the ability to deliver equipment rapidly.
 

On April 9, 2025, the Turkish company Aselsan completed the temporary acceptance of the Barbaros-class frigates mid-life upgrade (Barbaros-MLU) project, which is described as the world’s most comprehensive modernization of a MEKO-class frigate. The project, launched by the Turkish Presidency of Defence Industries, aims to improve the operational capabilities of the Barbaros-class frigates, which play an important role in the Turkish Naval Forces' defense strategy.
 

On March 22, 2025, the USS Spruance, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, departed Naval Base San Diego, heading toward the southern U.S. border. A week earlier, the USS Gravely had already been deployed to the Gulf of Mexico. These two movements mark an unprecedented concentration of naval assets for a border security mission.
 

As reported by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) on April 8, 2025, Algeria has begun operating the Russian-made Sukhoi Su-35 fighter aircraft, with satellite imagery captured on 10 March 2025 confirming the presence of one such aircraft at Ain Beida/Oum el Bouaghi Air Base in northeastern Algeria, a fact that we had already reported. The aircraft bears Algerian roundels on the upper port wing. Read full defense news at this link...

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On April 8, 2025, the Philippine Navy officially welcomed its newest combat vessel, the future frigate BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG06), during an arrival ceremony held at the Naval Operating Base Subic, in the province of Zambales. The event, presided over by Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr., was attended by several civilian and military officials, highlighting the strategic importance of this ship in enhancing the country’s maritime capabilities. Read more.
 

In a context marked by the reemergence of high-intensity conflicts and growing technological competition among major powers, the United States is accelerating the modernization of its land forces, particularly in the field of artillery. Among the innovations currently under development is the Scorpio-XR, a long-range precision-guided munition designed by BAE Systems. It aims to provide U.S.
 

On April 8, 2025, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) achieved a new milestone in the development of its autonomous air combat ecosystem by successfully launching the high-speed Super Şimşek drone mid-flight from its stealth UCAV ANKA III.
 

As reported by the Liberty Times on April 4, 2025, the Taiwanese Navy deployed Hsiung Feng II (HF-2) and Hsiung Feng III (HF-3) anti-ship missiles to multiple locations across the Hengchun Peninsula in southern Taiwan. This action followed a significant multi-service military exercise east of Taiwan, designated Strait Thunder 2025A, conducted by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command.
 

As reported by Hammer of War on April 2, 2025, a recent video from the ongoing civil war in Sudan shows a unit of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) operating an Iranian-origin Type 72Z main battle tank, also known as the T-72Z, Safir-74, or Al-Zubair I in Sudanese service. The footage also reveals soldiers employing a Chinese-made DJI drone and another equipped with night vision goggles.
 

On April 9, 2025, Patria confirmed it had signed a supply agreement with Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH and Rheinmetall Hungary to deliver at least 24 Patria NEMO 120 mm turreted mortar systems. These systems will be integrated into a new Lynx KF41 variant for the Hungarian Armed Forces under the framework of the country’s ongoing ZRINYI defence modernisation programme.
 

The Force Supply Ship (BRF) Jacques Stosskopf, the second unit in a series built for the French Navy under the “Flotte Logistique” (FLOTLOG) program, is scheduled to depart from Saint-Nazaire on April 9, 2025, for its first sea trials. This step marks a new phase in deploying this new generation of French support ships, designed to sustain naval operations over extended periods.
 

American Company General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace have taken a major step forward in strengthening international defense cooperation with the signing of a new collaboration agreement focused on the joint development and production of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).
 

On April 8, 2025, the Turkish company Havelsan expanded its activity in the commercial aviation training sector by continuing the development and delivery of Boeing-type specific training devices. These devices are intended to support Boeing 737MAX operators as they scale their operations in 2025 and beyond. The company’s training infrastructure is also relevant for airlines and simulator training centers taking delivery of new aircraft during this period. Read full defense news at this link...
 

At SOFINS 2025, the exhibition dedicated to special forces and held at the Souge military camp in Bordeaux, the Army Recognition team met with three European defense companies presenting their latest technologies. NTGS, Aerix Systems, and Bittium each introduced solutions designed to meet current operational demands, combining mobility, precision, and next-generation connectivity. Discover their presentations in our exclusive field report video. Read more.
 

The U.S. Navy officially commissioned its 24th Virginia-class fast-attack submarine, USS Iowa (SSN 797), during a traditional ceremony on April 5, 2025, at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut. This milestone represents a strategic advancement in the ongoing expansion and modernization of the U.S. undersea fleet, at a time when global naval powers are intensifying efforts to assert dominance beneath the surface. Read full Naval News at this link ...
 

As reported by Andrei_bt on April 6, 2025, the Russian Ministry of Defense’s 38th Research Institute of Armored Vehicles (RIAV), based in Kubinka near Moscow, published an extensive research report titled “Results of Research Tests of the BMP ‘Bradley’ M2A2 ODS SA (USA)”, authored by Mushin A.V. and Konyuchenko V.V.
 

Unveiled during the first edition of the professional event COMBATERRE, held on April 4, 2025, at the Souge camp in Gironde, the French Army’s PROTEUS counter-drone system represents a reactive and modular response to the increasing threats posed by low-altitude aerial platforms.
 

The United States plans to strengthen its surveillance capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region by deploying long-range reconnaissance drones to Japan’s Okinawa Island, located near Taiwan. This decision, announced on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, by Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, comes amid a deteriorating regional security environment marked by increased Chinese military activity around the self-governed island of Taiwan and in Japan’s southern maritime areas. The deployment of the U.S.
 

On April 3, 2025, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (Försvarets materielverk – FMV) signed a contract with Thales Nederland for the procurement of the Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission Compact radar (GM200 MM/C). This agreement marks the first acquisition of a medium-range radar under Sweden’s ongoing “Sensorsystem Ny” program, which aims to establish a new system for air and surface surveillance.
 

On April 6, 2025, new imagery released by defense analyst Vivek Singh on his X account has offered a rare and revealing look into one of the most advanced strike capabilities currently in development within the Chinese military arsenal. The images depict a Chinese Xi’an H-6N strategic bomber in flight, carrying an air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM) under its fuselage, identified by NATO as the CH-AS-X-13.
 

Amid rising strategic competition with China in the Indian Ocean Region, India is preparing to take a major step forward in strengthening its naval capabilities. By 2026, New Delhi plans to commission a new naval base specifically designed to host nuclear submarines.
 

American Company Lockheed Martin has officially delivered the first TPY-4 radar system to the U.S. Air Force, marking a significant milestone in the development of the Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long-Range Radar (3DELRR) program. This delivery, announced on April 7, 2025, follows the successful completion of Early Phase Testing and signals the beginning of a new era in ground-based air surveillance capabilities for the U.S. military.
 

On April 7, 2025, Hanwha Aerospace and Huta Stalowa Wola S.A. (HSW) signed a contract for the supply of K9 Thunder chassis components and powerpacks for 87 additional Krab 155mm self-propelled howitzers. The agreement, valued at approximately $280 million, provides for the delivery of these components between 2026 and 2028.
 

Confronted with a complete absence of air defense capabilities since 2017, Belgium has now placed the acquisition of surface-to-air missile systems among its top strategic priorities. In a European context shaped by the lessons of the war in Ukraine and the growing need for a coordinated defense umbrella, Brussels is determined to catch up in securing its national airspace.
 

As loitering munitions—often referred to as "kamikaze drones"—have become key assets in contemporary conflicts, particularly in Ukraine, Germany officially announced on Friday, April 4, 2025, its decision to equip its armed forces with this type of system. This shift marks a major strategic inflection in German military doctrine, traditionally cautious when it comes to automated offensive weapons.
 

On March 3, 2025, Singapore's Minister for Defence, Dr. Ng Eng Hen, officially confirmed the purchase of eight additional F-35A fighter jets from the United States. This acquisition, announced during the Committee of Supply Debate, follows earlier procurements of 12 F-35B variants, solidifying the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF) future inventory of 20 fifth-generation fighters by the end of this decade.
 

On 26 March 2025, KNDS France and the Greek company Metlen Energy & Metals signed an exclusive partnership agreement in Athens to enable the production of the VBCI Philoctetes infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) in Greece. This agreement includes the transfer of expertise in aluminium armour and the localized manufacturing of the VBCI Mk2 welded structure at Metlen’s facilities in Volos.
 

On April 7, 2025, at the Sea Air Space exhibition, U.S. defense technology company Anduril Industries unveiled Copperhead, a new family of modular, uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs) with torpedo-like profiles. These autonomous systems are designed to be launched from larger underwater drones such as the Dive-XL, also known as Ghost Shark.
 

On April 6, 2025, the United Kingdom officially announced a milestone in the development of its hypersonic capabilities following the successful completion of a propulsion test campaign conducted in close collaboration with the United States. This technological step forward, disclosed by the UK Ministry of Defence, represents a key advance in the development of a hypersonic cruise missile intended to provide the British Armed Forces with a decisive operational capability by 2030. Read more.
 

According to official information published by the Republic of Singapore Navy on April 2, 2025, the Formidable-class frigate RSS Formidable successfully conducted a planned live firing of the Aster 15 surface-to-air missile, intercepting and neutralizing an aerial drone target off the coast of Toulon, France. This test critically validated the frigate’s weapon systems and the Republic of Singapore Navy’s (RSN) operational readiness in countering emerging aerial threats.
 

The iconic Boeing CH-47 Chinook has long been the backbone of the U.S. Army’s heavy-lift aviation fleet, and its evolution continues with the introduction of the CH-47F Block II—a formidable upgrade poised to redefine the future of rotary-wing heavy lift capabilities. As the U.S. Army gears up for multi-domain operations and demands for rapid deployment increase, the CH-47F Block II promises to deliver greater performance, survivability, and adaptability on the modern battlefield.
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