Americas
The low-drag external fuel tanks and pylons Lockheed Martin is developing for the F-22 Raptor could be integrated with other fighter jets, such as the F-35, according to a company official. The F-22 Low Drag Tank and Pylon (LDTP) is one capability being developed for the fifth-generation aircraft to keep up with adversary advances through 2030.
According to Defense News, the US Army will grow its Patriot air and missile dense force structure, the head of Space and Missile Defense Command told reporters in an August 8 briefing. Congress requested the Army report on whether it needs more Patriot batteries in the fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act. The Army has 15 Patriot battalions across the active force with funding authorized to build one more.
Middle East and Africa
The Sudanese Armed Forces and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Republican Guard have acquired dozens each of the Calidus MCAV-20 armoured vehicles, manufactured by the United Arab Emirates. The Sudanese Armed Forces and the DRC Republican Guard’s adoption of the UAE-made Calidus MCAV-20 armoured vehicle represents a significant milestone in their efforts to modernize their defence capabilities. Both embattled countries operate the weapons carrier variant which can me armed with a variety of machine guns and cannons up to 23mm.
Europe
The German defense group Rheinmetall wants to supply more battle tanks to Ukraine. To do this, the company bought older “Leopard 1” tanks in Belgium. Now they are to be converted for use in war. The armaments group Rheinmetall is planning to export more Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine. To this end, the company has acquired around 50 older Leopard 1 tanks from the Belgian company OIP Land Systems, a company spokesman confirmed today. The “Handelsblatt” had previously reported on the business.
As Italy gets down to work with Japan on the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) with the aim of building a new sixth-generation fighter by 2035, it has boosted defense ties with Tokyo by dispatching F-35s for a first-ever training exercise in Japan. Four Italian Air Force F-35As arrived at Komatsu air base in Japan on Friday ahead the exercise, which launched on Monday, after flying from Italy with stops in Qatar, the Maldives and Singapore, where the aircraft were held up for two days by a typhoon.
Asia-Pacific
Australia could be a testing ground for US hypersonic and other long-range precision weapons under the AUKUS pact, a top Pentagon official told AFP on Wednesday. US Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth said Australia’s contribution to the three-way AUKUS agreement, which includes Britain, “doesn’t always have to be dollars.” The pact was signed in late 2021 and is seen as a way of countering China’s growing clout in the Asia-Pacific region.
Today’s Video
WATCH: Japan displays fighter jet project with UK, Italy at defence show
