Boxer RCH 155. Image – UK MoD The UK and Germany have agreed to co-develop the Boxer RCH 155, a new artillery system to address the British Army’s Mobile Fires Platform (MFP) requirement. The program seeks to procure a new 155 mm self-propelled artillery system to replace aging AS90 self-propelled howitzers, which have been in service since 1992. The Army plans to acquire 116 systems. The program was accelerated in early 2023 with a goal of fielding a system before the end of the decade as opposed to the early 2030s.  This was confirmed in a recent release by the British Army, which s ..read more

EC-130H’s newly emerging replacement, the EC-37B Compass Call. Image – BAE Systems Reflecting the vital importance of the program, the newly released FY25 U.S. defense budget includes steady funding for the evolving Compass Call electronic attack aircraft effort. For the electronic warfare platform, the Air Force funds an RDT&E program that supports operational system development, and technology enhancements that will be added to Compass Call on a regular basis. Additionally, a procurement program funds all critical software and component modifications as well as all-important, new pla ..read more

An HH-60W Jolly Green II connects with a HC-130J tanker. The final FY24 defense bill adds 10 HH-60Ws and eight C-130Js. – U.S. Air Force Aircraft and combat vehicles were among the big winners of the final FY24 defense appropriations bill, while spending on missiles and space programs saw a decline compared to the administrator’s request, according to Forecast International’s FY24 U.S. Defense Budget Spotlight. The FY24 conference appropriations bill was passed by Congress and signed into law late last month, nearly six months after the start of the 2024 fiscal year. Up to that point, the ..read more

Source: Bayhaluk/ Wikimedia Commons The Tajik parliament has ratified a defense cooperation agreement with Turkey covering the provision of security assistance to the Central Asian country.  Tajikistan and Turkey originally inked the military cooperation agreement at IDEF23, held in Turkey in July 2023. Turkish media described the deal at the time as a “military financial cooperation agreement and a cash aid implementation protocol.”  Ankara will provide up to TRY50 million ($1.5 million) over a five-year period to support Tajikistan’s purchase of Turkish military products, Tajik ..read more

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) Lawmakers finally passed much-delayed foreign assistance legislation over the weekend, including $61 billion in funding for Ukraine-related support, as well as $26 billion for Israel and $8 billion for Taiwan. The Senate will now take up the House language as early as Tuesday, and could approve the measure this week. A U.S. official told Reuters that much-needed ammunition and missiles can begin being delivered to Ukraine “within days” of the aid bill being passed into law.  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the House bill’s passage, stati ..read more

Ukrainian soldiers fire an M777 howitzer donated by the U.S. – Ukraine Ministry of Defense The House passed a series of supplemental foreign aid bills over the weekend that contain $95.3 billion in funding for Ukraine, Israel, and security in the Indo-Pacific. The move ends a prolonged standoff that began when the Biden administration first released its supplemental aid request back in October. The Senate originally passed legislation in February that would have provided $95 billion in foreign aid, as well as $20 billion in domestic border security funding, but House Speaker Mike Johnson r ..read more

A snapshot of recent news from sources around the world on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Ukrainian soldiers – Ukraine Ministry of Defense Political Developments Urkainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said the international community should be willing to provide similar protections for his country as were provided for Israel against Iran’s recent attack. Iran launched over 300 drones and missiles at Israel, most of which were shot down by a combination of efforts from Israel, the U.S., Britan, and France. Ukraine has faced a weapons shortage as Russia continues to launch aerial attacks ag ..read more

BY AUDREY DECKER, Staff Writer, Defense One The estimated lifetime cost to operate and maintain the Pentagon’s F-35s just took a big jump, even though the U.S. military is flying the jet less. The total cost of operating and maintaining the triservice jet is now expected to surpass $1.5 trillion, up 44% since a 2018 estimate, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office. The increase largely reflects the military’s decision to push the aircraft’s retirement from 2077 to 2088, but also includes other factors that are driving costs up. The Defense Department has tried to ..read more

Ghost Shark XL-AUV Prototype. Image – Anduril California-based defense startup Anduril has unveiled the prototype Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XL-AUV) for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The initiative is a collaborative effort that includes the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA) and the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG).     The partners, participating under a development contract worth A$140 million ($90.1 million), achieved a rare defense industry achievement, with prototype delivery coming only three years after i ..read more

  https://dsm.forecastinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Global_Defense_Spending_2024.mp4 Total global defense spending grew at its fastest pace in the last decade from 2022 to 2023, as governments respond to security crises unfolding around the world. Combined military outlays jumped 10.4 percent in 2023 on strong growth from nearly all of the top spenders, bringing the global total above $2 trillion for the first time. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, begun on February 24, 2022, continues to serve as a major impetus for European defense spending growth, as countries on the c ..read more