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.
Sener's experience with UGV technology includes the ALANO 6x6 platform developed to meet a Spanish Army requirement for squad load carriage. (Photo: Sener)
A multidisciplinary team, led by Spain's Sener Aerospace and Defense, has been selected to run the European Defence Fund's (EDF's) COMMANDS project.
COMMANDS (Convoy Operations with Manned-unManneD Systems) is part of the EDF's 2021 funding round, and aims to explore solutions to challenges in the use of unmanned ground systems (UGS) in swarming combination with crewed military vehicles and airborne systems. The formal go-ahead was given in December 2022.
COMMANDS involves 21 consortium partners from ten countries and aims to explore a system of systems able to provide intelligent and effective cooperation between the different assets, identifying technological gaps and to widen the scope of independent European military operations supported by uncrewed or remotely piloted vehicles.
The results will inform both upgrades to current ground vehicles in EU states' inventories for specific missions, and technology integrated in future platforms under development.
The European Commission has awarded €24.8 million of funding to COMMANDS, which has a total cost of €26.8 million over a three-year execution period.
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.