The Prime Minister has announced the biggest investment in the UK’s Armed Forces since the end of the Cold War, confirming an injection of £16.5 billion over four years. Combined with the manifesto commitment of a 0.5% uplift, the total increase for Defence is a substantial £24.1 billion. Today’s announcement funds a generational modernisation of the Armed Forces so they can defend the UK against future threats, while cementing Britain’s role as a leader in NATO and stimulating thousands of highly skilled jobs across the UK.

France, Germany, Greece, Italy and the United Kingdom announced the launch of a multinational project on Next Generation Rotorcraft Capabilities on 19 November 2020. The project is dedicated to the modernization of existing rotorcraft fleets and is one of NATO’s High Visibility Projects (HVP). A significant number of medium multi role helicopter capabilities currently operated by Allies will reach the end of their life cycle in the 2035 – 2040 period and beyond, with the subsequent need for replacements.

The German parliament’s budget committee on Thursday approved a €2.3 billion ($2.7 billion) contract to buy 31 NH90 helicopters for the German Navy, Reuters reported citing a parliamentary source. The information was later confirmed by the German Ministry of Defence.

The helicopters, dubbed Sea Tiger, are the second naval variant of the NH90 helicopter to be bought by the German Navy, and will replace its fleet of 24 elderly Westland Sea Lynx Mk. 88 helicopters currently in service in the anti-submarine role. The first NH90 naval variant, dubbed Sea Lion, is being procured in 18 units to replace the Navy’s Sea Kings.

After several months of intensive negotiations between Airbus Defence and Space and OCCAR, the European Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (MALE RPAS) Programme has taken a decisive step forward with the completion of the negotiation phase for the Stage 2 Contract.
 

On Nov. 18, the U.S. government and Lockheed Martin submitted an F-35 proposal to the Swiss government in support of Switzerland's New Fighter Aircraft (NFA) competition. The F-35 proposal is a total package offering that includes up to 40 F-35A aircraft, a sustainment solution tailored to Swiss autonomy requirements, and a comprehensive training program.

During a visit to the Dassault Aviation plant in Seclin, in northern France, the French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, today announced the upcoming notification of the contract for the "Albatros" Maritime Surveillance and Intervention Aircraft (AVSIMAR) program, which will be based on the Dassault Aviation Falcon 2000LXS.
 

The final Post-event Overview of IDEE ‘Hemus 2020’ and its accompanying events confirms in numbers its outright success and growth despite the complex epidemic and economic situation worldwide.

BOURGES, France --- French Minister for the Armed Forces Florence Parly has announced that MBDA is to develop the Future Tactical Air-to-Surface Missile (MAST-F) program as the main French Army air to ground armament for the Tiger combat helicopter.
 

On 12 th November, the Pakistan Navy commissioned its new Corvette – a Damen OPV 1900 – named PNS Tabuk at the Port of Constanta, Romania. The ship is part of a two vessel order with Damen, signed by the Pakistan Ministry of Defence in 2017. Both ships are built at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania. The first vessel, PNS Yarmook, joined the Pakistan Navy’s fleet in February this year.

The Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO), in the Directorate of Defense R&D (DDR&D), of the Israel Ministry of Defense, delivered to the U.S. Army the first Multi-Mission Radars (MMR) manufactured by ELTA Systems, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). In August 2019, the United States and Israel signed an agreement for the procurement of two Iron Dome Defense System batteries (IDDS-A), which contain MMR radars produced by ELTA. On September 30 th , 2020, the first radar was officially handed to the U.S. Army. The second radar will follow shortly. The MMR radars delivered within the framework of this agreement, will be employed in the defense of US troops against a variety of ballistic and aerial threats.