The Indian Army has reportedly contracted two local firms to develop a Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) system prototype. The potentially 4,800 Indian rupee ($580 million) project includes the production of 200 launchers and 1,200 missiles by a Hyderabad-based public sector company and a Pune-based private firm, Asian News International revealed, citing sources. A majority of the launchers would go to the Indian Army and a smaller number to the Indian Air Force, the outlet added. Similarly, the army would receive 700 missiles and the air force the rest. Another VSHORAD Project In paralle ..read more

Leonardo has signed a deal to deliver 24 M-346 transonic jets to the Nigerian Air Force. The contract will see the company deliver the aircraft in tranches of six, with the first batch expected to arrive by the end of 2024. The M-346 will be integrated as an advanced pilot training capability, as well as a multi-role aircraft for close air support, air interdiction, and tactical reconnaissance. Leonardo will provide maintenance support for the fleet for a minimum of 25 years. The group will also actively coordinate with the force in the program’s pilot and engineer training efforts. Nigeria’s ..read more

The Philippines wants to purchase more defense systems from Israel as it seeks to bolster its military readiness amid increasing tensions with China. The southeast Asian nation has reportedly submitted a shopping list of weapons to Jerusalem, which includes different types of missiles and sensors. Israeli defense sources also said Manila wanted to procure advanced command-and-control systems and long-range radars to better monitor its territory. The Philippines is no stranger to Israeli systems, as it operates 155-millimeter self-propelled howitzers made by Israeli defense giant Elbit Systems ..read more

Russia’s alleged “top secret” electronic warfare (EW) weapon is being held responsible for multiple flight jamming incidents recently recorded across NATO’s eastern flank. Thousands of British holiday flights are said to have fallen victim to dangerous electronic attacks by Moscow, mostly targeting GPS systems. According to reports, the “Tobol” EW system based in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad could be interfering with signals on civilian planes, causing them to malfunction. Almost 4,000 flights have experienced radar jamming in the area in recent months, according to a report by The Sun ..read more

Ukrainian drones attacked oil facilities in western Russia overnight, defense sources in Kyiv confirmed Wednesday, in the latest aerial assault by Kyiv aiming to dent Russian military logistics. Kyiv has stepped up aerial attacks on Russian energy facilities over recent weeks in the hopes of crippling Moscow’s ability to attack Ukrainian cities or gain more ground in the industrial east. Officials in the western Russian regions of Smolensk and Lipetsk first announced the attacks, blaming Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles for starting blazes at energy sites. “The fire is localised. There is no ..read more

South Korea is considering prohibiting the use of iPhones and smart wearable devices inside military buildings due to increasing security concerns. A group of unnamed high-ranking military officials told The Korea Herald that these devices could be used to acquire sensitive information through features such as voice recording. Such information may include formal military communications, such as meetings, office conversations, business announcements, and consultations with the public. Private phone calls inside military buildings could also be vulnerable to potential leaks because of iPhones an ..read more

Austrian arms manufacturer Steyr has signed a contract to supply Germany’s armed forces with the GL-40 low- and medium-velocity grenade launcher. The order calls for 4,776 of the 44mm portable launchers, according to German outlet Hart Punkt. The grenade launchers are designed as both a standalone device and as an attachment on rifles such as the G95K and the Steyr AUG assault rifles. They are also expected to be used on the force’s upcoming G95KA1 and G95A1 guns, some of which are expected to be handed over this year. Steyr’s Portable GL-40 Launcher Steyr’s GL-40 launcher is designed with an ..read more

Some Ukrainian soldiers now prefer using Soviet-era assault rifles over Western models due to the worsening ammunition shortage. American-born Jonathan Poquette, who serves as a sniper in Ukraine under the 59th Motorized Brigade, told Business Insider that his unit prefers AK-74 rifles because of the greater chance of finding suitable ammo on the battlefield. He said the Russians often use guns with 5.45×39-millimeter rounds, which are compatible with many of the Soviet-era weapons in the Ukrainian military inventory. Poquette explained that Western rifles use NATO-standard 5.56×45-millimeter ..read more

The Lithuanian Ministry of Defence has delivered an Aero Vodochody L-39ZA Albatros light attack training aircraft to Ukraine. Delivered as disassembled parts, the plane was handed over as part of the country’s latest tranche of military aid to Kyiv. The ministry shared that the platform was previously used by the Lithuanian Armed Forces as a training aircraft to ensure the combat readiness of fighter pilots. ????Today, another shipment of Lithuanian military aid reached Ukraine. We delivered a disassembled light attack aircraft L-39ZA "Albatros" to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. L-39ZA "Albatros ..read more

Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah movement said it fired a fresh barrage of rockets across the border on Wednesday after a strike blamed on Israel killed two civilians. The group had already fired rockets at northern Israel late on Tuesday “in response” to the civilian deaths. Hezbollah has exchanged near-daily fire with the Israeli army since its ally Hamas carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, triggering war in Gaza. It has stepped up its rocket fire on Israeli military bases in recent days. Hezbollah fighters fired “dozens of Katyusha rockets” at a border village in nort ..read more