US improving extended-range 105 mm artillery round

 

The US Army is in the process of releasing an improved 105 mm artillery round that would cut down the number of projectiles and charges needed for M119 towed howitzer operations and increase lethality against light to medium targets.

The effort is intended in part to reduce the logistics burden of the army's 105 mm howitzer units with the type of light forces that operate in Afghanistan's mountainous terrain specifically in mind.

According to Audra Calloway, a spokesperson for the army's Program Executive

Boeing Received Seven Contracts Of P-8A Poseidon Aircraft By US Navy

Boeing on Nov. 3 received a $1.7 billion low-rate initial production (LRIP) award from the U.S. Navy for seven additional P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft. LRIP-II is the follow-on to an initial LRIP-I contract awarded in January to provide six Poseidon aircraft. Overall, the Navy plans to purchase 117 Boeing 737-based P-8A anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare,

Hybrid Cellular Capability for Soldier Networks

 

Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) One Force communications solution successfully linked soldiers' smart phones and tablets during the recent U.S. Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment (AEWE) at Fort Benning, Ga. It was the first time that data, voice and video over the hand-held commercial devices were simultaneously transmitted over both 3G and military tactical radios without any interruptions in service. 

Soldiers were able to see everyone's position in the group, talk over the networks, exchange data messages and view live streaming video from an unmanned aircraft system (UAS). They were also able to collaborate on their devices using a feature called "white boarding," which is similar to the tool that diagrams replays on televised football games. Pictures drawn on one smart phone or tablet were immediately communicated

Amstaf Robot Capabilities

 

A new robot at the show is new weaponized version of the Amstaf from Automotive Robotic Industries (ARI). The company has already displayed the security guard version in the past, and the system is currently being evaluated for airport security missions. Amstaf on Guard provides a robotic, autonomous platform that can be configured with mission specific sensors, supporting perimeter defense elements such as a smart fens, radar and

New Rapid Intervention Vehicle

 

IsraelDefense has learned that the new Rapid Intervention Vehicle, a patrol version of the "Storm 3" jeep, developed by Automotive Industries Ltd. (AIL), has recently entered into operational use.

As in the "Storm 3," the vehicle is based on the Chrysler chassis; beyond that there are many differences between the two. The rapid intervention vehicle is wider, but its height is only 1.65 meters

Double-V-Hull Strykers

 

Over a year after receiving the first order for the new Double-V hulls (DVHs) version of its 8×8 Piranha vehicle design, production and modification of the new vehicles are running at full steam.

Following an order for 550 LAV III vehicles worth over one billion US$ from Canada, General Dynamics Land Systems won other orders this month, an award

LAV III combat vehicle will be upgrade

 

The Canadian government announced on 21 October that it had awarded a CAD1.06 billion (USD1.05 billion) contract for comprehensive upgrades to the Canadian Army's LAV III combat vehicle fleet to General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada.

The project will modernise 550 vehicles with new survivability, mobility and firepower components that will keep the fleet up to

Visual Threat Training Simulators

 

The simulators, which combine interactive computer scenarios with advanced tutoring methodologies, are also available to other branches of the military. BAE Systems is demonstrating VTRAT’s full capabilities at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition this week in Washington.

“The VTRAT program provides critically important

Rapid DNA Biometrics

 

Northrop Grumman and teammate IntegenX has announced that they have won an award on the Biometrics Operations and Support Services - Unrestricted (BOSS-U) contract vehicle to supply IntegenX's RapidHIT 200 Human DNA Identification System to the U.S. Army Biometrics Identity Management Agency.

The RapidHIT 200 Human DNA Identification System automates and accelerates

Europe needs a permanent military headquarters

 

Last week - France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland wrote a letter to Catherine Ashton suggesting a permanent civil-military European Union headquarters. British Foreign Minister William Hague suggested, before the summer break, that this would be a wasteful duplication of scarce resources - to much delight in the Eurosceptic press.

New Joint Forces

Air Marshal Sir Stuart Peach is to become the first head of the UK's Joint Forces Command (JFC), it has been announced.

The JFC is due to be set up next year following recommendations by Lord Levene's Defence Reform Unit (DRU), and is due to be fully operational by April 2013.

Sir Stuart will be in charge of