Americas
The US Army tested a remote landmine detect and diffuse system featuring a drone and a mortar-equipped land vehicle. The Ground Obstacle Breaching Lane Neutralizer (GOBLIN) concept was designed to neutralize a mine from a standoff range, reducing risk for breaching forces. It comprises a mortar-based launcher system integrated on a vehicle platform, a small unmanned aerial system hosted detection system, and a neutralizing munition.
The US Air Force is buying add-on seekers for its Joint Direct Attack Munition-Extended Range (JDAM-ER) bombs to help the precision-guided munitions take out Russian GPS jammers in Ukraine. A $23,6-million contract was awarded to Cypress, California-based Scientific Applications and Research Associates (SARA) to deliver and integrate the Home-on GPS Jam seeker with the JDAM-ERs sent to Ukraine. Work is expected to be completed by October 1, 2025.
Middle East & Africa
According to Defense News, the United Arab Emirates seeks closer defense ties with the United States and China alike, the prospects of exporting the F-35 fighter to Abu Dhabi anytime soon may be getting slimmer. On April 23, the chief of joint operations for the UAE Armed Forces met with the commander of the Chinese Air Force in Beijing to discuss options for strengthening collaboration between their services. The meeting served as the Gulf nation’s most recent overture to China, signalling a particular interest in warplane cooperation.
Europe
The UK Royal Navy has signed an agreement to procure a fleet of Remus unmanned underwater vehicles from American defense contractor HII. The service will purchase three Remuses in their 100-meter depth (328-foot) variant and five in the 300-meter (984-foot) variant. While both have a maximum speed of 5 knots (9 kilometers/6 miles per hour), the Remus 300 model has a modular design to support users in both expeditionary and long-endurance operations.
Asia-Pacific
The US Department of State has approved a possible sale of Lockheed Martin AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATPs) for the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s (RMAF’s) Boeing F/A-18D fleet. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 7 May that 10 AN/AAQ-33 airborne targeting pods had been approved for sale, following a request from the Malaysian government. The proposed sale package, which includes technical data and publications, personnel training, software and training equipment, and related elements of logistics and programme support, has an estimated value of $80 million.
Australian officials have accused a Chinese military jet of releasing flares in close proximity to an Australian Navy helicopter on a UN mission in international waters. The incident, which occurred on May 4th in the Yellow Sea near South Korea, has been condemned as “unsafe” and “unacceptable” by the Australian government. The Australian MH-60R Seahawk helicopter, deployed from the destroyer HMAS Hobart, was conducting a routine flight as part of Operation Argos, enforcing UN sanctions on North Korea. According to Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles, the helicopter was intercepted by a Chinese J-10 fighter jet.
