It takes the total number of SAMP/T NG systems ordered by France and Italy to 18.

A total of eight systems will be delivered to the French Air Force while the rest will go to the Italian Army and Air Force.

France is expected to receive the first system by 2026 and the rest by 2030. Paris reportedly plans to procure four more systems by 2035.

Can Counter Hypersonics

The NG is an upgrade on the SAMP/T, which has been in service since 2010.

It provides an interception range of over 150 kilometers (93 miles) against a variety of threats, including short- and medium-range ballistic missiles and hypersonic missiles. 

A consortium of Thales and MBDA produces the system, which uses the munitions of the Aster family (A30 B1 and A30 B1NT).

Features

The system is based on the multifunction Thales GF300 rotating active electronically scanned array radar and the New Generation Engagement Module (ME-NG) developed by Thales and MBDA Italy.

The radar provides 360-degree coverage and has a detection range of 350 kilometers (217 miles).

The ME-NG is designed to integrate a diverse range of radars and munitions to cater to the needs of different nations, according to Thales.

The truck-based system can be equipped with six launchers, each carrying Aster 30 missiles.

“Thales is proud to contribute to the sovereignty of nations with its most innovative Air Defence technologies, including the New Generation Engagement Module (ME-NG) and the GF300 radar,” executive VP of Land and Air Systems at Thales Herve Dammann said.

“This contract for seven additional SAMP/T NG for France is a significant step forward in the European Air Defence. It further strengthens Thales’ role as a trusted partner of the French Air and Space Forces.”

The post France Orders Seven Next-Gen SAMP/T Air Defense Systems appeared first on The Defense Post.

The system reportedly detected and tracked the moving targets before firing AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles to complete the intercepts.

It also demonstrated its ability to operate with the Integrated Battle Command System and the Sentinel A3 air and missile defense radar to effectively neutralize the targets.

According to Leidos Vice President Dino Pusinsky, the test underscored the company’s commitment to helping the US Army stay ahead of adversaries.

It also “marks another major step forward in evaluating the overall operational capability and lethality” of the cutting-edge weapon system.

Indirect Fire Protection Capability

In September 2021, Leidos accepted a contract to develop a ground-based weapon system as part of the US Army’s Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) Increment 2 program.

The weapon is envisioned as a key component of a layered solution for protecting critical civilian and military infrastructure.

Enduring Shield is designed to bridge the gap between the service’s tactical short-range air defense systems and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.

In December 2023, the weapon showcased its ability to fire an experimental AIM-9X missile interceptor for the first time.

Leidos is now conducting hardware upgrades to further mature the system as part of a new contract awarded by the US Army.

“We believe this award will let us showcase the ability of the IFPC Inc. 2 system to transform warfighting capabilities as it progresses toward being declared operationally ready for our warfighters,” company senior vice president Larry Barisciano said.

The post Leidos’ Enduring Shield Intercepts Drone, Cruise Missile in Flight Test appeared first on The Defense Post.

Roger Hausen, now a national security expert in Brussels, told local media that the lack of ground-based air defense systems has left the country vulnerable to modern threats.

The issue could have serious implications for NATO, as Belgium hosts key infrastructure for the military alliance.

In the event of a large-scale conflict with Russia, the European nation may serve as a key logistics hub for transferring supplies from the US through the Antwerp seaport in northern Belgium.

This makes the second-largest seaport in Europe susceptible to Russian air strikes.

An ‘Urgent’ Need

The lack of air defense systems appears to be a long-standing problem in Belgium, with politicians and the public reportedly divided on the importance of addressing it.

Bart De Wever, the country’s potential next prime minister, said acquiring enough air defense weapons is an “urgent need” for Brussels.

Should Belgium decide to invest more in air defense, many experts suggest adopting a multi-layered system similar to Israel’s renowned “Iron Dome.”

They argued that while such systems are costly, they are more effective against threats like small drones compared to other air defense systems, such as the Patriot.

Potential Conflict With Russia

Earlier this year, a leaked German military document outlined a worst-case scenario of the ongoing Ukraine war, in which Moscow is pictured to win then wage another large-scale war with a NATO member.

A subsequent intelligence report claimed that Russia may launch an invasion as early as 2026, in time for the reorganization of its army.

The claim was supported by recent reports indicating that the Russian Navy has been training to launch nuclear-capable weapons deep into Europe.

While no specific country was mentioned, Belgium could be a likely target, given its substantial military aid to Ukraine.

The post Belgium Lacks Air Defense Weapons, Relies on F-16s: Ex-Military Official appeared first on The Defense Post.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the surface-to-air system was part of a build-up of German and European defenses launched after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the Ukraine invasion in 2022.

“Russia has been massively rearming for many years, especially in the field of rockets and cruise missiles,” Scholz said at the inauguration ceremony at a base in Todendorf near the northern city of Hamburg.

Putin had broken disarmament treaties and “deployed missiles as far as Kaliningrad,” a Russian exclave located some 530 kilometers (330 miles) from Berlin, he added.

“It would be negligent not to respond to this appropriately,” the chancellor said. “A failure to act would put peace at risk. I will not allow that.”

Scholz, who was joined by Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, said the system was part of the European Sky Shield Initiative, which also includes long-range defenses against ballistic missiles.

The German military has ordered six of the Iris-T SLM systems at a total cost of 950 million euros ($1 million) from manufacturer Diehl Defence, to be delivered by May 2027.

Iris-T Success in Ukraine

Germany, the second-largest contributor of military aid to Ukraine after the United States, has already supplied four Iris-T SLM systems to Ukraine and pledged another eight.

Ukraine’s Defence Minister Rustem Umerov was visiting Germany on Wednesday, a day after a Russian missile attack killed at least 51 people in the Ukrainian city of Poltava, one of the single deadliest bombardments of the war.

The Iris-T systems sent to Ukraine feature truck-mounted launchers that fire missiles to intercept aerial threats at a range of up to 40 kilometers (25 miles).

Scholz said that “in Ukraine, Iris-T has shot down over 250 rockets, drones, and cruise missiles to date and saved countless lives.”

The German leader said that Europe, aside from defensive systems, would also need more precision missiles of its own “so that there is no dangerous gap with Russia in this strategically important field.”

In July, Washington and Berlin announced that the “episodic deployments” of long-range US missiles, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, to Germany would begin in 2026.

Scholz stressed that “our sole concern is to deter potential attackers. Every attack on us must mean a risk for the attacker. Our concern is to secure peace here and prevent war, and nothing else.”

The post German Army Activates Air Defense System, Citing Russia Threat appeared first on The Defense Post.

For the event, the Texas-based startup deployed its Bullfrog robotic weapon system developed for autonomous scanning and neutralization of drone threats.

A live fire demonstration was held on each day of the  two-week conference, with the gun “consistently” defeating targets on single or multi-drone engagements “in rapid succession.”

The trials concluded with the technology exhibiting its “low cost, low weight, size, and power” application for accurate and effective anti-drone attacks within seconds.

ACS’ Steven Simoni commented that the tests validated the Bullfrog’s capability, which “has been a near-impossibility until now … to autonomously shoot drones out of the sky with a solution that doesn’t cost the DoD millions of dollars to procure or arm.”

“This means that there is now a solution to address the urgent threat of low-flying, cheap drones that have changed the battlefield,” Simoni explained.

‘Significant Milestone’

The company’s co-founder and CEO also expressed gratitude for having an opportunity to participate in a Joint Warfighting Concepts-related military event just two years after ACS’ launch.

The Indiana event was attended by more than 30 representatives from Pentagon stakeholders, Congress, and primary C-UAS program offices.

“We are grateful to the Defense Department for providing the opportunity to showcase our system,” Simoni stated.

“The Bullfrog system’s successful performance during the [Technology Readiness Experimentation 2024] event marks a significant milestone on the path toward deployment, supporting our mission to accelerate the defense industry’s transition to advanced, cost-effective technologies that protect US military and allies on the battlefield.”

The Bullfrog

ACS’ Bullfrog is offered in a gun turret configuration with features to address class 1 to 3 UAS platforms.

The 400-pound (181-kilogram) weapon functions in both automatic and semi-automatic modes with a less than two percent false negative rate in fully passive detection.

Additionally, its lightweight design enables users to mount the system onto NATO-standard military vehicles.

The Bullfrog combines computer vision, artificial intelligence, and the M240 machine gun to enable precision firing using 7.62-millimeter rounds.

The post Texas Startup Demos Anti-Drone Gun appeared first on The Defense Post.

The ministry told lawmakers in its latest budget report that it is eyeing a fivefold increase in its Stinger stockpile, from 500 missiles to 2,485.

It also plans to purchase 549 launch systems and 549 identification friend-or-foe (IFF) transponders.

To fund the potential procurement, the ministry is reportedly requesting 69 billion New Taiwan dollars ($2.2 billion) — a significant increase over the 13 billion New Taiwan dollars ($405 million) previously sought.

Taipei initially aimed to acquire 545 Stingers from the US, along with 193 launch systems and 193 IFF transponders for its army and navy.

The ministry said Washington has authorized the changes.

Due to Heightened Tensions

The decision to expand Taipei’s Stinger missile stockpile is driven by the alarming rise in tensions across the Taiwan Strait, according to a Taiwanese defense official.

He noted that Beijing’s provocative incursions into Taiwan’s exclusive zone highlight the need to bolster the country’s air defense capabilities.

China views Taiwan as part of its territory and has expressed intentions to unify it with the mainland, with force if necessary.

In 2019, the US State Department said it had approved Taiwan’s request for 250 Block I FIM-92 Stinger missiles worth $224 million.

Washington also pledged to send Stinger missiles to the island nation in 2023 as part of a $500 million military aid package.

Combat-Proven Solution

The Stinger man-portable missile offers a short-range air defense against low-flying enemy aircraft.

It can be fired by a single operator, but military units often use a spotter for more accurate target identification.

The weapon uses infrared homing to track and follow targets, and it is also capable of identifying friendly aerial vehicles to avoid unnecessary attacks.

Raytheon said its Stinger missile has been combat-proven in four major conflicts, including the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The post Taiwan to Buy Nearly 2,000 More Stinger Missiles as China Row Escalates appeared first on The Defense Post.

It includes replacing the target’s Trident C4 first stage solid rocket motor with a Peacekeeper SR119 motor, extending its range, lift capability, and payload capacity.

The retired SR119 second stage motor was modified for the purpose with minimal design change, Northrop explained in a press release.

A static fire of the motor was conducted in 2022 and initial integration “pathfinding operations” in June 2024, in collaboration with the MDA and the US Air Force Rocket Systems Launch Program.

The tests validated the motor’s ability to serve as the first stage in the redesigned target vehicle.

Redesigning Through Virtual Reality

Virtual and augmented reality were leveraged during the vehicle’s redesign, “animating the vehicle’s factory integration and field operations, known as pathfinding,” Northrop explained.

It is the first time virtual and augmented reality were leveraged in target programs by the company.

“Pathfinding provides a lower risk setting to fully vet new integration, stacking and test operations on inert hardware,” the firm added.

“Virtually simulating the vehicle’s pathfinding operations further buys down risk, enhances end-to-end test capability and optimizes processes to deliver the critical capability with agility.”

To Test US Missile Defense 

The redesigned target completed the critical design review earlier this month, with the first flight slated to take place in late 2025.

It will simulate long-range ballistic missile threats during future missile defense testing, including the Ground-based Midcourse Defense System and Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System.

“Our approach to building target vehicles enables us to pair new and proven technologies together to create the best solution to meet customer needs,” Northrop Grumman’s director of targets Robin Heard said.

“It’s about finding the right balance of affordability and innovation – combining capable, government-owned surplus motors and sophisticated front ends to simulate current and emerging threats.”  

Northrop is the prime contractor for the ICBM target vehicles, delivering 25 vehicles and supporting the launch of 10 in the last 13 years.

The post Northrop Redesigns ICBM Target Vehicle for Greater Range, Lift  appeared first on The Defense Post.

Oslo requested 100 AMRAAM-ERs and four AMRAAM AIM-120C-8 guidance sections for an estimated $405 million.

The potential purchase also includes AMRAAM containers and support equipment, spare parts, consumables, accessories, and repair and return support.

For Norwegian NASAMS

The AMRAAM-ER is intended to supplement and replace Air Intercept Missile 120B (AIM-120B) AMRAAMs being used for the ground-based air defense system Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS).

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a NATO Ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe,” the Defense Security Cooperation Agency stated.

The principal contractor will be RTX Corporation in Tucson, Arizona, and there are no known offset agreements with this potential sale.

AMRAAM-ER Variant Tested

Raytheon earlier this year tested an upgraded AMRAAM-ER variant featuring AIM-120C-8 guidance section for NASAMS.

It also features Nammo’s more robust 10-inch rocket motor, and Kongsberg’s 10-inch Control Actuator System, called the Norwegian Propulsion Stack.

Raytheon and Kongsberg have been developing the AMRAAM-ER variant since 2015. The extended range variant features a greater range and altitude than its predecessors.

The post US Approves Sale of 100 AMRAAM Missiles for Norwegian NASAMS appeared first on The Defense Post.

The trial, which took place in a region bordering Russia, saw Norwegian soldiers from a new air defense unit called BLV shooting the weapon upwards.

It was not immediately clear what was used as a representative target or if the missile was able to achieve all its test objectives.

However, the Norwegian military said the Piorun provides a “significant boost to our layered air defense” and will cause enemies to reconsider entering the country’s airspace.

“For the enemy, this means that they must deal with such a threat. They have to fly higher, fly on the flanks, or maybe they won’t even dare to fly at all,” Finnmark Land Defence Commander Colonel Jørn Qviller said.

The Norwegian Army's first live-fire test with the new MANPADS enhances our defence against drones and helicopters. Now deployed in Finnmark, with plans to expand, Piorun forces enemies to reconsider entering Norwegian airspace. A significant boost to our layered air defence. pic.twitter.com/4igv4uEv7H

— Norwegian Armed Forces | Forsvaret (@Forsvaret_no) August 16, 2024

First Layer of Defense

The Piorun (lightning in English) will become a part of Oslo’s layered approach to neutralizing low-flying enemy helicopters and drones.

It is designed to form the first layer of defense, with the aim of forcing enemies to alter their tactics or abandon their missions.

The weapon can be operated by a single soldier and has a fire-and-forget feature to avoid enemy counter-fire.

It can reportedly hit targets up to 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) away at altitudes reaching 4 kilometers (2.5 miles).

The Norwegian Armed Forces began receiving the man-portable systems in December 2023 and has since stationed them in the northern region of Finnmark.

After the live-fire test, the country plans to distribute the infrared-guided missile to other army divisions.

The post Norway’s Piorun Air Defense System Completes First Live-Fire Test appeared first on The Defense Post.

In a report at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, he said most of the targeted sites were civilian infrastructure, while only 5,676 belonged to the military.

He also specified that a total of 9,590 missiles and 13,997 drones were used to attack Ukraine, of which 2,429 missiles (25 percent) and 5,972 drones (43 percent) were successfully intercepted.

Notably, 111 of these attacks involved Moscow’s Kinzhal hypersonic missile, and Kyiv’s air defenses were able to shoot down 25 percent of them.

Efficiency Rates

Among the weapons used by Moscow, the Ukrainian military registered relatively high efficiency rates in taking down cruise missiles and drones.

Syrskyi said 67 percent of Kalibr, Kh-555/101, and R-500 air-launched cruise missiles failed to reach their targets due to Ukraine’s countermeasures.

Nearly 9,000 of 13,315 Iranian Shahed-136 drones launched by the Russian military were also neutralized for an efficiency rate of 63 percent.

But if Kyiv was successful in taking down some Russian weapon systems, it appeared to be having a hard time intercepting anti-aircraft, ballistic, and air-to-surface missiles.

So far, its efficiency rate in shooting down Kh-59s, Kh-35s, Kh-31s, and similar air-to-surface missiles is only 22 percent.

Moreover, it also only neutralized 4.5 percent of the 1,388 Iskander, Tochka-U, and KN-23 ballistic missiles fired by the invading forces.

Meanwhile, S-300 and S-400 air defense missiles appeared to be most effective for Russia as only 0.63 percent of them were destroyed out of the 3,008 times they were launched.

The post Ukraine Says Nearly 12,000 Facilities Hit by Russian Strikes Since 2022 appeared first on The Defense Post.