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[muck]

Some major news from Germany:

According to 'hartpunkt', Germany plans to raise two additional mechanised divisions till 2035. The magazine reports that to that end, contracts are being prepared for some 10,000 armoured fighting vehicles: 5,000 Patria 6×6 and Piranha 6×6 armoured personnel carriers, 2,500 Boxer AFVs in various configurations, 1,000 Leopard 2 MBTs, and 900 infantry fighting vehicles. (Source)

Citing a government source, 'Bloomberg' has confirmed this report is true. (Source) The Merz administration has green-lit 60 major procurement projects for 2025, including the following:

• 20 Eurofighter Typhoon (Tranche 4)
• 1,000 Leopard 2 MBTs
• 1,000 Boxer and Puma infantry fighting vehicles
• 5,000 Boxer armoured carriers
  • of which at least 600 Skyranger 30 self-propelled anti-air guns
• 3,500 Patria 6×6 armoured carriers
• drones and loitering munitions for "several billion euros"

I'll post the entire list when it arrives.

Moreover, it's been revealed today that Germany will ditch the old Flecktarn camouflage pattern in 2028 for the new Multitarn, a pattern which hitherto had been reserved for special forces use. (Source)

 

[Mike1976]

Moreover, it's been revealed today that Germany will ditch the old Flecktarn camouflage pattern in 2028 for the new Multitarn, a pattern which hitherto had been reserved for special forces use. (Source)

Haha. One aspect that never fails to make me laugh is the assurance that one uniform can cover all terrains. Like NFP (Netherlands Fractal Pattern) can do it all! ... so of course it comes in green, tan, multitone, arctic and navy variants

 

[Mike1976]

UK Military Explores High-Altitude Balloons to Expand Strategic Intelligence Reach

UK Military Explores High-Altitude Balloons to Expand Strategic Intelligence Reach

armyrecognition.com

 

[Mike1976]

French Navy Trials Swedish CB90 Patrol Boats for Coastal Defense Upgrade

French Navy Trials Swedish CB90 Patrol Boats for Coastal Defense Upgrade

armyrecognition.com

 

[Mike1976]

Leonardo Takes Over Iveco Defence Business in €1.7 Billion Deal Reshaping Europe’s Land Systems Strategy

Leonardo Takes Over Iveco Defence Business in €1.7 Billion Deal Reshaping Europe’s Land Systems Strategy

armyrecognition.com

 

[Mike1976]

Some major news from Germany:

Citing a government source, 'Bloomberg' has confirmed this report is true. (Source) The Merz administration has green-lit 60 major procurement projects for 2025, including the following:

• 20 Eurofighter Typhoon (Tranche 4)
• 1,000 Leopard 2 MBTs
• 1,000 Boxer and Puma infantry fighting vehicles
• 5,000 Boxer armoured carriers
  • of which at least 600 Skyranger 30 self-propelled anti-air guns
• 3,500 Patria 6×6 armoured carriers
• drones and loitering munitions for "several billion euros"

With 3,500 Patria's I assume some will be Patria NEMO as the Bundeswehr was already looking at a Fuchs (successor) based mortar carrier?

 

[muck]

Haha. One aspect that never fails to make me laugh is the assurance that one uniform can cover all terrains. Like NFP (Netherlands Fractal Pattern) can do it all! ... so of course it comes in green, tan, multitone, arctic and navy variants

Yep. Flecktarn also works much better in Central and Eastern Europe.

With 3,500 Patria's I assume some will be Patria NEMO as the Bundeswehr was already looking at a Fuchs (successor) based mortar carrier?

I'd suppose so.

 

[muck]

The German Bundeswehr is seeing a major recruitment momentum and, as of July, has enlisted 28% more recruits than in 2024. Applications for service in the armed forces have also increased by a third. (Source)

 

[Mike1976]

Eurosam new Aster B1NT missile proves long-range air defense capability with second successful live-firing test

Eurosam new Aster B1NT missile proves long-range air defense capability with second successful live-firing test

armyrecognition.com

 

[Mike1976]

Breaking News: First Deployment of Spanish F/A-18 Fighter Jets to Iceland for NATO Air Policing Mission

Breaking News: First Deployment of Spanish F/A-18 Fighter Jets to Iceland for NATO Air Policing Mission

armyrecognition.com

 

[Redav]

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[Mike1976]

Germany Deploys New PEGASUS Electronic Surveillance Aircraft to Strengthen Air Force Capacities

Germany Deploys New PEGASUS Electronic Surveillance Aircraft to Strengthen Air Force Capabilities

armyrecognition.com

 

[BravoZulu]

Spain is no longer considering the option of buying U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets and is choosing between European-made Eurofighter and the so-called Future Combat Air System (FCAS), a defence ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The spokesperson was confirming an earlier report by El Pais newspaper that the government had shelved plans to buy the F-35.
The government had earmarked 6.25 billion euros ($7.24 billion) in its 2023 budget to buy new fighter jets, El Pais said.
But the Spanish government's plan to spend most of the additional 10.5 billion euros for defence this year in Europe made it impossible to acquire the U.S.-made fighter jets, the newspaper reported.
Spain's Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced plans earlier this year to increase spending on defence to meet the current NATO target of 2% of gross domestic product in 2025. However he has refused to raise spending to 5% in the longer run despite U.S. pressure on all NATO allies to do so
https://www.reuters.com/business/ae...ters),ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.

 

[Mike1976]

Yeah well who needs safe national airspace or air support for the troops. Just wait a decade, maybe two. In the mean time those filthy Americans will provide the support you need free of charge. Don't worry, be happy.

That'll teach that Twuuuhuuump!

 

[Picanha]

Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin succesfully tested GMARS in White Sands proving ground.

GMARS can deliver 2 ATACMS with increased range of over 400km 4 x PrSM or 12 GMLRS either standard or extended range.

Mounted on MAN HX trucks.

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[Mike1976]

Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin succesfully tested GMARS in White Sands proving ground.

GMARS can deliver 2 ATACMS with increased range of over 400km 4 x PrSM or 12 GMLRS either standard or extended range.

Mounted on MAN HX trucks.

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That is incorrect, or rather it is a marketing ploy, the range isn't increased for ATACMS which is still ~300km. The maximum range of the longest range projectiles currently capable of being fired from GMARS is ~400km as that is the range of the new PrSM. The range of any projectiles is determined by the capabilities of the projectiles, not that of the launcher.

 

[Picanha]

Thanks for the correction in the video it seemed the 400km was referring to the ATACMs...

 

[muck]

Yeah well who needs safe national airspace or air support for the troops. Just wait a decade, maybe two. In the mean time those filthy Americans will provide the support you need free of charge. Don't worry, be happy.

That'll teach that Twuuuhuuump!

Spain does have a functioning air force, though … From what I can gather, their land forces need new tech way more desperately than their air force needs Fat Amy. Not sure what triggered you here.

 

[Mike1976]

Spain does have a functioning air force, though … From what I can gather, their land forces need new tech way more desperately than their air force needs Fat Amy. Not sure what triggered you here.

They're talking about a new jet that won't be introduced until the early 2040s at best. Do you think they can keep flying those F-18s until then and at what enormous cost per hour?

Retraining everyone on let's say leased Gripens is going to cost a fortune for a moderate increase in capability at best. This is a step sideways, not forward.

 

[muck]

They have Typhoons, though. And FCAS (much like Tempest) greatly benefits from the Typhoon's evolution, so it would make sense for them to invest their money in new Typhoons instead. Surely, a 4.5 Gen fighter will serve Spain just fine for another decade or two.

Obviously, this is all contingent on Dassault not sabotaging the programme any more…