Japan’s new defense whitepaper issues warnings over Taiwan’s security, climate change

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  5 juillet 2019 | International, Autre défense

  Building on a successful fifteen-year relationship, Her Majesty’s Armed Forces awards a new framework contract with Rheinmetall in the field of infantry ammunition

  On 6 June 2019, Rheinmetall AG and Defence Equipment and Support, the UK's defence procurement agency, signed a new framework agreement to enable the repeat procurement of infantry ammunition. The framework agreement will represent the default source of supply for specific impact rounds, ammunitions and grenades in the next 5-7 years and has an estimated throughput of up to €100 million (£90m). Rheinmetall continues to expand its role as a major supplier of ammunition. Only a few days ago, the Dutch armed forces also renewed a partnership agreement for the supply of ammunition with the Düsseldorf-based specialist for security and mobility technology, which runs through to the end of 2030. The contract, which has now been renewed with the British procurement authorities, establishes Rheinmetall as the preferred supplier of 25 infantry ammunition products produced by four manufacturing locations in Germany and Switzerland. Simon Valencia, Sales Director Rheinmetall Weapon and Munitions UK commented “we are delighted to be able to renew our long standing supply agreement with the UK MoD and provide the British Armed Forces with high quality, reliable, products that have been proven both operationally and in training for the last fifteen years. This new contract provides the UK MoD with value for money and continued confidence in re-supply of assured munitions products. The UK MoD is a key strategic partner for Rheinmetall and this new contract supports Rheinmetall's continued growth into the UK Defence Market”. Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) is currently is the process of negotiating a portfolio of framework agreements with defence suppliers to enable repeat procurement of in-service munitions. The contract with Rheinmetall Defence is the first contract DE&S has agreed with the munitions industry on framework terms and marks a positive step change in the way UK MoD engages with industry. https://www.rheinmetall-defence.com/en/rheinmetall_defence/public_relations/news/latest_news/index_20864.php

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  11 juin 2020 | International, Aérospatial

  French aviation rescue plan bets on defence helicopters, drones and tankers

  The French government has pledged to buy new military heavy-lift helicopters and accelerate plans for naval drone, ISTAR and tanker aircraft programmes as part of a wider economic stimulus package, worth €15 billion ($17 billion), aimed at protecting the country's aviation industry from faltering under the strain of COVID-19. Based on the PlanAero initative, a decision to specifically issue the defence industry with funding of €600 million means that eight H225M rotary platforms will be ordered, while orders for three A330 MRTT and one Beechcraft King Air 350 ALSR will be expedited. VSR700 rotary-wing UAS and Aliaca mini drone plans have also been brought forward. The H225M order confirms that Paris will opt for it as a replacement for legacy French Air Force Puma helicopters while the new A330 MRTT arrangements will lead to retirement of the A340 being reset from 2028 to this year. A310s will similarly be taken out of service in 2021 – two years earlier than scheduled. The ALSR is under contract with Thales and Sabena Technics with a host of additional French suppliers contributing to the programme, including Ecrin, Aquitaine Electronics, Arelis, Avantix, Elvia and Protoplane, although a 9 June announcement from the French Ministry of Armed Forces does not mention a delivery date for the aircraft. PlanAero unmanned details include the addition of a second VSR700 demonstrator as part of the French Navy's SDAM programme but new commitments for the effort and the navy's SMDM mini drone programme stop short of exact order quantities. SDAM has been contracted to Airbus and Naval Group who have designed the in-development VSR700 from the Cabri G2 light helicopter, while SurveyCopter supplies the Aliaca for SMDM. 'This additional SDAM demonstrator will enable the programme to further secure the next steps, and in particular the development of technologies and the refinement of specifications to meet the French Navy's operational requirements,' an Airbus spokesperson told Shephard. The VSR700 is due to enter service in 2028 and boasts a 500-1,000kg MTOW capability. In November 2019, Airbus announced the platform had undergone tethered flight testing with future free flight trials anticipated. A VSR700 demonstrator phase. to include ship-based flights off French Navy frigates, has been laid out as part of risk reduction activities that were originally due to be completed by 2021. Shipborne deployments from the future FTI medium frigate are a longer-term target. Following on from France's aviation support plan, the European Commission warned on 10 June that budgetary pressures stemming from COVID-19 could impact member states, calling on them to 'spend better together'. In a joint statement Josep Borrell, VP of the European Commission and Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for the Internal Market, said that common capabilities, critical technologies and infrastructure must be strengthened but they questioned if Europe had given itself 'the means to do so'. https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/defence-helicopter/french-aviation-rescue-plan-bets-defence-helicopte/

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  16 juin 2020 | International, Terrestre

  GDLS secures USD2.5 billion contract for US Army Stryker DVHA1

  by Ashley Roque The US Army has awarded General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) with a USD2.5 billion contract to produce Stryker Double V-Hull A1 (DVHA1) vehicles. Service plans call for fielding 331 Stryker DVHA1s to the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division and this new contract covers seven years of work that will be completed by May 2027, according to Ashley John, the public affairs director for the army's Program Executive Office for Ground Combat Systems. “[This contract] includes a new hull configuration, increased armour, upgraded suspension and braking systems, wider tyres, blast-attenuating seats, and a height management system,” John told Janes on 15 June. In addition to increasing the chassis payload capacity from 55,000 to 63,000 lb, the DVHA1 upgrades include replacing the 350 horsepower Caterpillar C7 engine with a 450 horsepower Caterpillar C9 engine, replacing a 570 amp alternator with a 910 amp alternator capable of supporting electrical power required for future network upgrades, and more, according to the 2019 Director, Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) report. Meanwhile, the army is also in the midst of a competition to pick a vendor to outfit Stryker DVHA1 vehicles with 30 mm cannons under the Medium Calibre Weapons System (MCWS) effort. Last year, the army awarded six companies – EOS Defense Systems, GDLS, Kollsman, Leonardo DRS, Pratt Miller, and Raytheon – with contracts valued at up to USD150,000. Each company was also given a Stryker DVHA1 and an XM813 cannon, and tasked with building a ‘production-representative vehicle' that integrates a government-provided weapon station onto the vehicle. https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/gdls-secures-usd25-billion-contract-for-us-army-stryker-dvha1