Italian Army advances plans for 155m wheeled artillery fleet
With a requirement for 60 systems, the Italian Army is preparing to complement its tracked artillery with a modern wheeled solution based on domestic industry.
Defence and security company Saab has received an order from the UK MoD to provide Counter-IED (Counter-Improvised Explosive Device*) training for the British Army in the UK and abroad. The duration of the contract is 1 year and the order sum amounts to approximately MSEK 120 (app. £ 11 million).
“Saab has developed a new modular training system to meet the evolving need to train troops in counter-IED. The system will be used prior to and on operations in remote environments with embedded personnel. I am fully convinced that this capability will save lives,” says Gunilla Fransson Head of business area Security and Defence Solutions within Saab.
Saab will employ its newly developed instrumented training system called ATES C-IED to deliver the training. ATES C-IED is a fully instrumented tactical engagement system developed to meet the training needs of current and future improvised explosive devices threats and the wider aspects of counter insurgency. Saab will provide a managed training service with field teams comprising subject matter experts to support the use of ATES C-IED and delivery of post-action analysis. The system supports the rapid adaptation of TTP:s (Tactics, Techniques and Procedures) and equipment necessary for units to remain “steps ahead” of potential adversaries.
In September 2009, Saab and the UK MoD started to address a critical need which would help enable the British Army to address the C-IED threat more effectively. By December 2009, Saab recognized that most of the training and evaluation capability already existed. The shortfall was based on the need for objective evidence about the use of the Hand Held Metal Detectors. By using existing technology in an innovative manner, Saab was able to integrate a prototype module in less than 53 days. With a better understanding of the need the MoD were able to set a Concept Demonstrator Demonstration contract on Saab. Over the months of September and early October 2010, Saab trained 1612 personnel from 16 Air Assault Brigade before their deployment on operations.
* An improvised explosive device is a homemade bomb, frequently used by terrorist or guerilla forces. The Counter-IED training is aimed at preparing the soldiers for finding such devices and rendering them harmless.
Source: Saab
With a requirement for 60 systems, the Italian Army is preparing to complement its tracked artillery with a modern wheeled solution based on domestic industry.
Air defence radars have become more important assets in the past year with incursions in NATO countries on Europe’s eastern flank highlighting the need.
The first ground launch of the SM-2 could offer Canberra a path to expand its missile defence capability by adapting systems already fielded across the ADF.
The US Army's market survey into available 81mm and 120mm mobile mortar systems was launched only a few days after the UK suspended Project Stokes, an almost identical plan, “pending future decisions on prioritisation, resourcing and funding”.
The UK’s Land Mobility Programme Light Mobility Vehicle requirement is designed to replace the British Army’s ageing fleet of Land Rovers with a vehicle with a Gross Vehicular Mass of less than 3,500kg. It could be for as many as 6,000 vehicles.
At FIA 2026, MBDA launched its Counter Mass Interceptor (CMI) which the company says is a mass-producible, low-cost effector for fire-and-forget engagements at range and altitude.