The overlooked ally: Canadian support for Ukraine surpasses some European partners
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Canada has committed more military assistance than France in terms of GDP.
Alion Science and Technology will work with the US Department of Defence (DoD) in an engineering and science and technology expertise capacity to develop next-generation counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) capabilities. The company announced a $17.7 million task order for the work on 8 April.
The US DoD currently develops a number of systems to counter the IED threat to warfighters in theatres around the world.
Systems development focuses on applications that detect and neutralise mines, mine fields and unexploded ordnance; while technology development focuses on personnel protection, handheld detectors, wide area detection, mechanical clearance, vegetation clearance and mine awareness.
This contract will see Alion support the conception, prototyping, improving and experimenting with technologies, devices and systems, to find the next-generation solutions. This will include efforts to improve warfighters’ situational awareness, to enable soldiers to better identify, defeat and bypass explosive threats.
Terri Spoonhour, senior vice president and distributed simulation group manager, Alion, said: ‘The services we will provide under the task order will enable the DoD to detect and neutralise explosive hazards wherever our forces are deployed. This will ultimately save lives and ensure our units accomplish their critical missions.’
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Canada has committed more military assistance than France in terms of GDP.
The proposed enhancements could better position the French Army’s armoured infantry fighting vehicle for future export campaigns.
The US Army’s Medium Modular Equipment Transport Trailer (M-METT) programme is planned to provide a platform between Increment II of Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport and the Palletized Load System.
Technology that enables armed forces to leverage existing network infrastructure can be a game-changer in many combat scenarios.
An effort to develop a new European main battle tank has passed several milestones on the road to a Preliminary Design Review which is expected within two years.
The British Army’s Ajax armoured personnel carrier has a chequered history but hopes were high when Initial Operating Capability was declared last year. More problems saw operations suspended but the MoD reports it has identified the problems and short- and medium-term solutions.