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.
Rheinmetall has been awarded an order from the Czech military for the Mithras handheld illumination rocket, it announced on 6 October.
Under the order, which is worth around $807,566, the Czech armed forces will receive an initial shipment of Mithras rockets through to November 2015. The Czech Republic is the latest among several NATO nations to select the Mithras rocket.
Mithras is used for battlefield illumination and signalling purposes, with a range of 300m, 600m and 1,000m. It can carry various payloads such as coloured smoke, starburst flares, instant obscurants or smoke and parachute cartridges for infrared/visible illumination.
The rocket is self-contained and fired without a pistol or launch device. It has a triple-secured rotatable arming mechanism for handling, spin and surface stabilisation, low recoil and a negligible smoke signature. All Mithras variants feature the same fuse system.
Mithras meets the qualifications of British, German and French procurement authorities, and is currently being used in Britain, France and Scandinavia.
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.