The recent mid-July announcement of a 1.9 Billion Euro (US$2 Billion) contact award to Rheinmetall calls for the delivery up to 3,508 Caracal air assault vehicles for the German and Dutch armies. This procurement is the latest in the trend to provide light and special forces with enhanced ground mobility essential to their effective tactical employment and even survival on the current and future battlefield. The compact and lightweight Caracal 4×4 is based on the proven G-Class wagon from Mercedes-Benz with a lightweight, modular superstructure by ACS Armoured Car Systems. It’s modular design ..read more

The Armée de Terre could procure a COMINT capability mounted on a tactical UAV in the future which could help counter-insurgency, and search and rescue missions. Officials from Thales have told Armada that the Armée de Terre (French Army) is interested in procuring a tactical Communications Intelligence (COMINT) capability to equip the company’s SpyRanger series Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The officials were speaking during this year’s Paris Air Show held in the city between 19th and 25th June. The COMINT system takes the form of a swapable payload which can be installed in the nose of t ..read more

A new French language work examining Operation Desert Storm is a welcome addition to the literature on this enduring conflict. The understandable dominance of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic on the editorial schedules of news organisations has quietened what would have otherwise been a cacophonous commemoration of Operation Desert Storm’s pearl anniversary. The Gulf War and its legacy continues to enthral and fascinate 30 years since a US-led coalition evicted Iraq from its occupation of Kuwait. The Armada offices have been fortunate in receiving copies of books, both new and reissued, focusing ..read more

Published in the Modern Soldier Compendium 2019/2020 – Body armour and helmet designs are advancing to give today’s soldiers lighter and better protection. Soldier survivability is a priority. It is not just the desire to reduce or eliminate the injury or death of one’s people but also the adverse impacts that casualties have on the unit’s ability to successfully execute its assigned mission. At the small infantry unit – typically between nine and 13 – each soldier has a key role to play and each casualty will have an impact on overall team cohesion and effectiveness. Looking strictly at prote ..read more

The German Army is acquiring MDBA’s Enforcer anti-armour missile to equip its combat forces. The Enforcer was selected following a competitive selection, the “Leichtes Wirkmittel 1800+”, seeking a lightweight weapon for engaging moving targets at 1800 meters and beyond. This contract addresses the Bundeswehr requirements for a day/night, precision-guided, shoulder-launched weapon system capable of defeating current and future threats at an effective range of 1,800 – 2000 m. Enforcer incorporates features and performance essential on the battlefield. At 11 kg (24.2 lbs) for the sight and ready ..read more

Saab’s Carl-Gustaf system is a flexible and reliable weapon system. Since its introduction in 1948, it has been an unparalleled and supremely successful solution to the challenges faced by ground forces, including Special Forces. The everyday life of a soldier within a Special Forces unit consists of challenging military operations with a wide range of tasks, from defeating armoured vehicles to taking down structures and buildings to defeating an enemy infantry unit on the battlefield. Being flexible is a key for successful Special Forces operations. This is where Saab’s Carl-Gustaf M4 system ..read more

Digital technology advances are offering huge potential for special forces personnel. The war in Ukraine has witnessed special operations forces (SOF) being deployed to great effect as force multipliers across the contemporary operating environment, with some explosions behind Russian lines being attributed but not confirmed to Ukrainian special forces. Members of the international SOF community gathered in Tampa, Florida in May for the annual SOF Industry Conference (SOFIC) as the conflict in Ukraine continued to rage. Much of the conversation focused on special operations against peer advers ..read more

The attack on the MV Mercer Street by Iranian ‘one way explosive UAVs’ illustrates how loitering munitions are now being widely considered for battlefield use. On 29 July, the commercial vessel MV Mercer Street was attacked as it transited through international waters in the North Arabian Sea. According to the US State Department, the vessel was attacked by “one-way explosive UAVs”. The attack killed two innocent people onboard the vessel and was conducted by Iran with a “lethal capability (that) it is increasingly employing throughout the region”. The attack illustrates the growing proliferat ..read more

Next generation communications including software defined radios will ensure special forces can use voice and data across a full spectrum of missions. In line with emerging requirements to maintain critical levels in connectivity across contested operating environments, special operations forces (SOF) around the world are working closely with industry partners to identify suitable solutions to ensure tactical communications at the ‘edge’. Only when SOF units are assured levels in primary, alternative, contingency and emergency (PACE) communications can they effectively conduct the full spectru ..read more

“The military working alongside and through proxies will be how we operate on any operation [similar to Inherent Resolve] around the world. Lessons learned in this operation will be a signpost to how [such] operations will work in the future,” said Major General Kevin Copsey, deputy commander – Strategy, Combined Joint Task Force, Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq. Gen Copsey was addressing delegates attending the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) virtual conference, Lessons from Operation Inherent Resolve: From Ensuring the Enduring Defeat of ISIS to Stabilising the Region, held on Wedn ..read more