SPRINGFIELD, Va. -- "Our troops need equipment that is more effective -- lighter, faster and smaller. That is going to be a theme of mine," said the commander of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command. 
 

A branch of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force has been equipped with an integrated individual soldier combat system to "adapt to future informatized warfare," which has been hailed as the strongest individual firepower in the world, media reported on Thursday. 
 

Overcoming multiple competitors, Rheinmetall has won the first request for proposals for preliminary studies relating to European Union defence research financed by the EU's European Defence Union. 
 

BRUSSELS --- The European Defence Fund continues to deliver with another set of EU-funded defence research projects. The Fund, launched by President Juncker in June 2017, is a catalyst for the creation of a strong EU defence industry. It boosts defence capabilities and builds new partnerships across borders. 
 

The Latvian MOD signed on Monday (February 12th) a contract in the amount of 108 million Euros, with EuroSpike GmbH, for production and delivery of a variety of Spike family missiles. 
 

BALTIMORE --– The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) selected Northrop Grumman Corporation as a Phase 1 Swarm Systems Integrator for the Agency’s OFFensive Swarm-Enabled Tactics (OFFSET) program. As part of the program, Northrop Grumman will launch its first open architecture test bed and is seeking participants to create and test their own swarm-based tactics on the platform. 

SMi Reports: Registration for the 4th annual Future Soldier Technology conference and exhibition closes in just over 4 weeks. SMi Group's 4th annual Future Soldier Technology conference and Dismounted Soldier Situational Awareness focus day will commence in London on 12th, 13th and 14th March 2018. The event has already attracted a global audience of experts from the military, research and industry. Nations attending include: Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom, USA and more. 

FORT POLK, La. --- Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 1st Security Forces Assistance Brigade familiarized themselves and qualified with the XM17 handgun at the Joint Readiness Training Center here, Jan. 19-20. 
 

On January 22 the French contingent beginning their service with the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group will be introduced at a ceremony at the Lithuanian Great Hetman Jonušas Radvila Training Regiment in Rukla. 
 

KIEV --- The Ukrainian army is preparing to adopt for service the Javelin advanced anti-tank missile system, a senior Ukrainian military official said on Wednesday. 
 

BEIJING --- PLA Daily published on Page 8 of its Wednesday edition a letter sent by a soldier to the newspaper calling for improvement of the combat boots. 
 

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Raksha Mantri Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, met today and simplified ‘Make II’ procedure, which prescribes guidelines to be followed to develop and manufacture defence equipment through Indian Industry. 
 

HOHENFELS, Germany -- For the first time in nearly 15 years, 7th Army Training Command's Joint Multinational Readiness Center will soon begin observing, coaching and training Soldiers using the FIM-92 Stinger Man-Portable, Air Defense Missile System during future exercises. In preparation for this, approximately 50 Observer Coach/Trainers, known as OC/Ts, attended their own training on the Stinger system at the Hohenfels Training Area, Jan. 10. 
 

SMi is thrilled to announce Brigadier James Daniel MBE, Head Soldier, Training and Special Programmes from Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S UK MoD), will be delivering the host nation opening address this March in London, at 2018’s Future Soldier Technology conference.

As the only meeting solely dedicated to enhancing soldier modernisation programmes, Future Soldier Technology 2018 will provide a unique opportunity to see how emerging technologies and materials are used to overcome challenges in soldier modernisation programmes, from across the world. Building on the successes of last year’s meeting, Future Soldier Technology 2018 will also include a dedicated pre-conference focus day on Dismounted Soldier Situational Awareness, on 12th March 2018.

BRUSSELS --- A grant agreement worth a total of €0.95 million was signed on 20 December 2017 for the Strategic Technology Foresight action to be carried out under the EU Preparatory Action in the field of defence research. The grant agreement was signed between the European Defence Agency (EDA) and the winning consortium led by Engineering Ingegneria Informatica S.p.A. 
 

MOSCOW - The preliminary tests of Russia's high-tech membranous invisibility cloak for the country's defense and interior ministries have been passed successfully, the head of the Russian Foundation for Advanced Research Projects (FPI), Andrei Grigoriev told Sputnik. 

SMi Reports: A new brochure has been released for SMi’s 4th annual Future Soldier Technology conference and focus day A new brochure has been released for the conference and focus day on Future Soldier Technology, taking place in London, United Kingdom on the 12th, 13th and 14th March 2018. Since the last design, event organisers SMi Group are delighted to announce that Glenair have confirmed their participation as Gold Sponsor and there have also been six additional sponsors sign up: 3M, BAE Systems, Domo Tactical Communications, Microflown AVISA, Source Virtus Soldier System and UltraLYNX.

Rheinmetall is introducing the latest version of the cutting-edge Vario-Ray LowProfile to the US market. The latest version of Rheinmetall’s Vario-Ray LowProfile (VR-LP) is a compact laser aiming and illuminating device that was designed and developed by Rheinmetall Soldier Electronics (RSE) in Stockach, Germany. 

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. --- The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) is the first unit to receive the Army's new Modular Handgun System that began fielding the M17 and M18 pistols, Nov 28. 
 

SMi Reports: Senior Military confirmed to present at 2018’s Future Soldier Technology Conference and Focus Day Conference organisers SMi Group have released a brochure for the upcoming, 4th annual Future Soldier Technology conference, returning to London, UK on the 13th and 14th March 2018. Building on the successes of last year’s meeting, Future Soldier Technology 2018 will also include a dedicated pre-conference focus day on Dismounted Soldier Situational Awareness, on 12th March 2018. Future soldier programmes continue to be critically important for dismounted infantry operations around the world. As militaries are expected to operate in a diverse range of environments – from artic to urban landscapes – developing the materials, technologies and systems that enable soldiers to survive and thrive has become ever more important.