Switzerland narrows second air defense choice to Israel or France
Switzerland has narrowed its search for a second long-range air defense system to Israelβs Barak MX and the French-Italian SAMP/T NG, and will keep its delayed order for U.S. Patriot systems, the Swiss government decided on Oct. 28, Switzerlandβs defense procurement agency armasuisse said. The Federal Council, Switzerlandβs seven-member government, picked the two finalists after [β¦]
Singapore-based BeeX used its ALPHA underwater drone to place explosive charges on a moored sea mine and a swinging steel target and then destroy both during a closed-door mine countermeasures demonstration in the United Kingdom, the company said on Oct. 27. The one-day event, held on Sept. 17 and hosted by British defense consultancy Copper [β¦]
Spanish drone maker ARMMO Defense Technologies and General Dynamics European Land Systemsβ Spanish unit, Santa BΓ‘rbara Sistemas, launched and flew ARMMOβs Bandit-X interceptor drone from an ASCOD Heavy Mission Carrier tracked armored vehicle during the ATLAS 26 counter-drone exercise in Huelva, Spain, turning the heavy vehicle into a mobile launcher for drones that hunt down [β¦]
DARPA, a central research and development organization within the United States Department of War, put four autonomous unmanned ground vehicles through their first end-to-end test at Fort Knox, Kentucky, on Oct. 15, sending them as a team from a satellite-imagery tip all the way to a simulated strike on an enemy position, with a human [β¦]
Ukraine has rejected Elon Muskβs claim that its military broke Starlinkβs terms of service by using the civilian satellite network for offensive drone strikes, with a presidential adviser saying that restrictions SpaceX placed on the service in February make such use physically impossible. Musk made the accusation on X on Oct. 24, the same day [β¦]
British defense technology company Stratonex Defence Technologies is developing a range of unmanned ground vehicles, tactical drones, counter-drone systems and military mobility platforms, with a focus on reducing the exposure of personnel to battlefield threats. The companyβs VARAN unmanned ground vehicle is among its central projects. The platform has undergone initial mobility and remote-control testing, [β¦] 
The U.S. Air Force has sent military-style cargo into space and back aboard a SpaceX Starfall capsule as it tests whether rockets could one day deliver supplies to troops anywhere on Earth within hours. The Air Force Research Laboratory flew its own cargo pods inside the capsule on a commercial rideshare launch from Cape Canaveral [β¦]
A tracked ASCOD cargo carrier from General Dynamics European Land Systems has appeared at Spainβs Atlas 26 counter-drone exercise fitted with launch containers for ARMMOβs Bandit-X interceptor drones, turning the armored logistics vehicle into a mobile platform for hunting enemy drones. A screengrab from video shared by Spanish defense watcher ArmaduraXXI shows the ASCOD-based heavy [β¦]
The U.S. Air Force plans to grow its fighter force to 1,509 combat-coded jets by 2035, with the F-35 becoming its most numerous fighter and the new F-47 taking over from the F-22, under a revised force structure plan the service sent to Congress on Oct. 16. Lt. Gen. David Tabor, deputy chief of staff [β¦]
Armeniaβs Defense Minister Suren Papikyan toured Czech aircraft maker Aero Vodochody on Oct. 20 and said L-39 Skyfox jet trainers will soon be flying with Armeniaβs armed forces. The countryβs Ministry of Defense published a photo series from the visit showing Papikyan with the new aircraft, which can also fly light attack missions. βThese marvels [β¦]
Latvian company NATRIX, already a supplier of ground drones to Latviaβs armed forces, showed its battle-tested unmanned ground vehicle to Finnish military and security officials on Oct. 8, driving it through forest terrain and hauling cargo at an unmanned ground systems demonstration in Mikkeli, Finland. The event was organized by Millog, the Finnish defense maintenance [β¦]
The U.S. Air Force has added three small companies to a contract worth up to $5.4 billion for privately flown βRed Airβ adversary aircraft and close air support training, including a firm that flies small planes made to mimic enemy drones and cruise missiles. KestrelX of Driggs, Idaho, A2G International of Melbourne, Florida, and Fleet [β¦] 
The British Army has dropped plans for armored mortar, repair and recovery, and anti-tank overwatch versions of its Boxer wheeled armored vehicle, and has ruled out using Boxer in the armored cavalry role, Defence Minister Luke Pollard told Parliament. Pollard, the minister for defence readiness and industry, gave the answers in response to written questions [β¦]