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Archive: News & technical articles


Russian blockade runners in the Baltic Sea

Am 21. März 2024 kam es im Fehmarnbelt zu einer auffälligen Passage dreier ostwärts laufender russischer Schiffe. Die Fregatte „Neustrashimiy“ eskortierte zwei Frachter, die „Sparta IV“ und die „Ursa Major“. Eine Bewegung, die aufgrund der Sanktionen und der aktuellen geopolitischen Lage Bedeutung erfährt. Beide Handelsschiffe könnte man als moderne Blockadebrecher bezeichnen. „Sparta IV“ pendelte bisher […]

Heavy weapons carrier infantry approved for the medium forces of the army

Der Haushaltsausschuss des Deutschen Bundestages hat am 20. März die Beschaffung von 123 schweren Waffenträgern Infanterie und einen Vertrag zu deren logistischer Unterstützung genehmigt. Dafür werden insgesamt 2,7 Milliarden Euro aus dem Sondervermögen Bundeswehr bereitgestellt. Da beide Verträge bis 2030 laufen, ist ab 2028 eine Finanzierung aus dem Kernhaushalt des Einzelplans 14 vorgesehen. Die Beschaffung […]

British “Chinook” procurement project underway

Der britische Verteidigungsminister Grant Shapps hat sich diesen Monat zu den 14 im Jahre 2021 in den USA bestellten Transporthubschraubern vom Typ Boeing CH-47 „Chinook“ wie folgt geäußert: „Die Beschaffung dieser ‚Chinook‘-Hubschrauber ist ein wichtiger Meilenstein in unseren Bemühungen, die Agilität der britischen Streitkräfte zu modernisieren und zu verbessern, und unsere Fähigkeit, schnell auf Situationen […]



Rheinmetall erweitert Portfolio um elektrische Hybridfahrzeuge

Die niederländische Rheinmetall-Tochter Rheinmetall Defence Nederland hat das niederländische Startup-Unternehmen REEQ übernommen. Der Kaufpreis wurde nicht kommuniziert. Die 2018 gegründete REEQ stellt vollelektrisch angetriebene, leichte taktische Fahrzeuge her und arbeitet u.a. mit der Verteidigungsindustrie und dem Motorsport zusammen. Nach Angabe vor Rheinmetall besteht die Fahrzeugflotte von REEQ derzeit aus einem Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), einem […]

Nachfolge der Walrus-Klasse – Beschaffungsentscheidung in den Niederlanden zugunsten Frankreich

Die Spatzen pfiffen es seit Tagen von den Dächern, nun ist es Tatsache: im Vergabeverfahren zum Ersatz der Walrus U-Boote hat sich der Entwurf der Naval Group durchgesetzt. Im Juni 2023 wurden drei Bieter in die engere Wahl gezogen (wir berichteten). Die Vergabeentscheidung ist vorläufig, da die jetzige Entscheidung im Ministerrat einer parlamentarischen Billigung bedarf. […]

Royal Navy operiert fortgesetzt im Roten Meer

Wie das Verteidigungsministerium in London diese Woche berichtet, befindet sich „eines der modernsten Kriegsschiffe Großbritanniens“ – der Lenkwaffenzerstörer HMS „Diamond“ (D34) – auf dem Weg ins Rote Meer, „um die globale Schifffahrt vor Huthi-Angriffen zu schützen.“ Der auf Luftverteidigung ausgelegte Zerstörer ist das dritte Schiff der „Daring“-Klasse (Type 45), der 2011 in Dienst gestellt worden […]



Increased capacity for artillery ammunition

The war in Ukraine was a determining element at the technology group Rheinmetall's annual press conference on March 14th. This war was the trigger for the 100 billion euro special fund, which represents the boom in demand for defense goods and the increased acceptance of the defense industry. Behind this is also the awareness of deficits in equipment and ammunition. The […]

Maritime safety belt for an axis of disorder

The naval exercise “Maritime Safety Belt 2024” is currently taking place in the Gulf of Oman; up to twenty Chinese, Russian and Iranian naval units are expected to take part. The exercise began on March 11th in Chabahar, Iran, where it will end on March 15th. The Russian Pacific Fleet introduces its flagship, the Slava-class cruiser “Varyag” and the […]

New SIPRI study on global arms trade

The Swedish peace research institute SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) has presented its latest figures on the international arms trade: According to this, the states in Europe increased their imports of large weapons systems in the five-year period 2019-2023 compared to the previous half decade 2014-2018 with an increase of 94 percent almost doubled. This happened above all under the impression of the Russian […]



Air Force supports aid flights for Gaza

The German government has decided to actively participate in the airlift for Gaza, which was launched by Jordan. This step is in response to the urgent plight of the population in Gaza, who are suffering from acute shortages of essential goods such as food and medicine. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced today that the Air Force has commissioned […]

Spain orders 155mm artillery ammunition

The Spanish government has ordered Rheinmetall, the world's largest manufacturer of artillery ammunition, to supply a total of 94,200 155mm caliber projectiles, the company announced yesterday. The framework agreement concluded for this has a volume of around 208 million euros. The artillery shells are scheduled to be delivered to the Spanish army between the end of 2024 and the end of 2025.

Minister Pistorius in the Arctic Circle

As part of his trip to Scandinavia, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius visited, among other things, the northernmost NATO ally in Europe this week: Norway. The first stop there was the municipality of Kirkenes on the Barents Sea and the border guard station on the frozen Pasvik River in the extreme northeast. Russia begins on the other bank. Norway and the largest country in the world share a […]



Netherlands: Surprising announcement about naval armament projects

With two A-letters, which in the Netherlands means the announcement of an armaments project to parliament, within a week, a major overhaul is emerging for the neighboring country's navy. It began with the announcement of new frigates to replace the existing air defense and command frigates of the four “De Zeven Provinciën” class – in […]

VBCi MkII infantry fighting vehicle for Qatar

At the DIMDEX arms trade fair in Doha/Qatar, KNDS-Nexter presented the VBCi MkII (Véhicule Blindé de Combat d'Infanterie) infantry fighting vehicle in a version that could meet the needs of the Qatari armed forces. Nexter says it wants to build on the partnership established with AMX tanks and various wheeled vehicles. With the delivery of the wheeled tanks, Nexter wants to […]

Infantry Squad Vehicle is desert tested

The Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) from GM Defense, a subsidiary of General Motors, demonstrated its performance under the prevailing environmental conditions during summer testing in the United Arab Emirates. This emerges from a statement from the company on March 6th. The vehicle has covered almost 2,000 kilometers with maximum payload on highways, sand dunes, soft sand tracks [...]



Jägerbataillon 91 is practicing on the NATO eastern flank

The Jäger Battalion 91 from Rotenburg (Wümme) in Lower Saxony is currently on the 1,600 kilometer long land march through Poland to the Pabradė military training area in Lithuania, which is in the immediate vicinity of the Belarusian border. The battalion moves to its location in the Baltics with all of its weapon systems, vehicles and without any further logistical support. With […]

Rheinmetall starts producing artillery rockets

As the first order success for Rheinmetall as part of its strategic portfolio expansion to include rocket artillery, the company reports a major order for the production of artillery rockets from a NATO country. The 300 million euro order will be carried out under the responsibility of the new Spanish acquisition Rheinmetall Expal Munitions, writes Rheinmetall in a press release. The subject matter of the order is […]

The Houthis, Aspides and world trade: What is the situation in the Red Sea?

With the sad fate of the bulk carrier “Rubymar” sealed, the Houthis are recording the first “real” success in their campaign against free shipping in the Red Sea, which has been running since November 27, 2023. “Rubymar” sank on the afternoon of March 2nd. It was hit on February 18 by one of two missiles fired at it by the Houthis […]



All-round vision system for Boxer RCH 155 wheeled howitzer

For the first time, a weapon platform will be equipped with Hensoldt's SETAS (See Through Armor System) all-round vision system. As the company announced on March 1, KNDS-Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) has ordered 54 SETAS systems for integration into the RCH 155 wheeled howitzer. The order value is in the double-digit million euro range. Ukraine receives – financed from the Federal Government’s training initiative […]

More Skynex air defense systems for Ukraine?

Rheinmetall has announced another order to supply two Skynex air defense systems to a European customer. The order is worth in the lower three-digit million euro range and, like the first order, includes the integration of HX trucks. In December 2022, Rheinmetall provided a very similar message about a delivery order for two Skynex systems, which [...]

“Hessen” with first kill marks

Shortly before midnight Central European Time, the frigate “Hessen” had its first successful launch under wartime conditions – i.e. not in a training environment. According to reports from the operational command (X, formerly Twitter), Hessen only picked up a second drone a short time later. Both were successfully fought. No information was given about the type of drone. According to data from […]




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