A total of 2,240kg of composites goes into the Tejas fighter, but the price of these materials has risen steeply. (Photo: Gordon Arthur)
Production delays in indigenous defence equipment that uses composites are expected to continue, as India struggles with challenges associated with rising import bills and disruption to supply chains of specialised military materials during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A, which uses carbon composites in 45% of its airframe, is the first victim. The first batch is to be delivered by February 2024.
Some of the 463 vendors in the LCA programme – supplying carbon wing skins, forward fuselage, flaperons, rudder, keel beam, front fairing, upper fuselage shells, crown and side panels – are already struggling with ‘raw material
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Equipment has continued to flow into Ukraine from the European Union (EU), NATO and western countries as the war against Russia continues but other types of support with longer-term prospects are appearing.
The UK’s National Security Strategy brings together the recently released Strategic Defence Review (SDR), Strategic Security Review, AUKUS Review and Industrial and Trade Strategies. At the same time, the UK made a commitment to reach defence spending of 5% of GDP by 2035 and Germany committed to 3.5% by 2029.
The House Committee on Appropriations approved a FY2026 bill reducing investments in main defence programmes.
Holographic and 3D technologies have been lauded by some for their ability to provide technical and operational advantages for military training and planning. But is the hype truly justified?
Shephard talked to multiple experts about the most pressing concerns and considerations regarding the air defence system advocated by President Trump.
While industry reception to the SDR has been positive, questions still remain from analyst and trade associations about what this could mean for future investment and the future UK Defence Industrial Strategy.
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