Americas
A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has urged President Joe Biden to deliver more capable US weapon systems to Ukraine, including the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). Led by Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO-06), a coalition of For Country Caucus members wrote in a letter that Russian forces have moved key assets out of the range of HIMARS missiles, necessitating a longer-range strike capability for the Ukrainians. With a range of 320 kilometers, the ATACMS can strike four times further than the HIMARS-launched Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System, which Ukraine has deployed since last year.
The US Space Force has awarded L3Harris Technologies a $29 million contract to design a sensor payload for a satellite-based missile warning and tracking system operating in medium-Earth orbit (MEO). L3Harris will design the payload for Epoch 1 of the Resilient Missile Warning and Missile Tracking (MW/MT) MEO effort.
Middle East & Africa
Finnish Defense Forces Logistics Command has ordered 91 6×6 vehicles from Patria under the Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) programme led by Finland, the company announced in a press release. The order includes spare parts, tools, and operation and maintenance training, with an option for up to 70 armoured personnel carriers (APCs) in addition to the 91 vehicles. Deliveries are scheduled to begin later in 2023.
The German government will ask its lawmakers to release advance payment of up to 560 million euros this week, in order to buy Israel’s Arrow 3 missile defense system. This, according to a Reuters report from Friday, which relies on exclusively seen documents. In total, Germany is expected to pay almost $4.3 billion for this system, an exo-atmospheric interceptor for long-range threats developed by Israel Aerospace Industries. According to Reuters, Germany hopes to strike a deal by the end of 2025, and receive the systems by the end of 2025. Originally, the deal was supposed to close for about 3 billion euros.
Europe
More than 250 aircraft and 10,000 personnel began a two-week military exercise on Monday involving NATO nations and Japan, in what host nation Germany bills as the largest deployment of aircraft in the alliance’s history. Planning for the training began in 2018. But it comes as fighting escalates on NATO’s doorstep in Ukraine, where Kyiv’s forces, backed by arms from Western allies, are mounting an offensive to reclaim territory captured by Russia since the invasion ordered last year by President Vladimir V. Putin.
Asia-Pacific
India successfully flight-tested its next-generation ballistic missile, paving the way for its induction. The Agni Prime’s first pre-induction night launch followed its three developmental trials, validating accuracy and reliability, the Indian Ministry of Defense wrote in a statement. “Range Instrumentation like radar, telemetry, and electrooptical tracking systems were deployed at different locations, including two down-range ships, at the terminal point to capture flight data covering the entire trajectory of the vehicle,” it added.
Today’s Video
WATCH: IAI Arrow 3 Interceptor
