Ajax, like many UK programmes, uses imported steel. (Photo: Crown Copyright)
The UK’s steel industry is in a state of flux with government support crucial to keeping it afloat and ensuring factories remain viable. The ongoing uncertainty is also raising questions over the potential impact on equipment made for British armed forces.
The industry has struggled to deal with being locked out of the EU common market, although this has been recently resolved, as well as US tariffs, Chinese oversupply and operational challenges.
The latter resulted in a £500 million (US$653 million) bailout for Tata Steel by the UK government to help it progress a project to install an electric arc furnace
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The Common Armoured Vehicle System is continuing to rack up orders as the British Army looks likely to become an operator of the vehicle, while Italy and Ireland are also contenders.
As the US Department of Defense looks to counter the growing threat of uncrewed aerial systems to improve homeland security, the DroneHunter acquisition could point to future commercial innovation.
The selection of Hanwha’s K239 Chunmoo long-range precision fires system, with a contract expected to be signed on 30 January, makes Norway the second European country to choose the system. It is expected an operational system will be in service within four years.
This year has begun with main battle tanks taking the lead while orders for large logistics and support vehicles continued from last year. Additionally, two of the British Army’s most significant contracted vehicle programmes, Ajax reconnaissance vehicle and Challenger 3 tank, continued to make news in January.
Canada is improving its Leopard main battle tank fleet but before this is fully completed, it is expected to begin looking for new vehicles.
A surge in aerial threats – from advanced missiles to low-cost drones – is reshaping the way militaries approach air defence, driving demand for flexible, multi-layered solutions.
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