On 19th October 2007, the DGA (the French armement procurement agency) issued a purchase order to Nexter for the delivery of 117 infantry combat armoured vehicles (VBCI). This order completes the initial order for 65 vehicles, the first 41 of which will be delivered to the French Army during the second half of 2008, in accordance with the initial schedule. These 117 vehicles will thus be produced within a period of one year, starting early in 2008, and the assembly line has the potential to provide a further substantial increase in production rate to meet any export contract requirements.
31 October 2007

In the second quarter of 2008, the US Marine Corps is expected to issue an RFP to begin replacing its aging LAV amphibious wheeled armored personnel carriers. When they do, they will be hearing from a somewhat unusual competitor. Lockheed Martin Systems Integration in Owego, NY will act as prime contractor for a bid, providing systems integration, survivability enhancements, U.S. production, communications systems integration (which Lockheed handled for the LAV-C2 variant), and support. Their partner, Patria Oyj, will supply their amphibious Armoured Modular Vehicle 8×8 APC, and the partnership may also clear the way for options like Patria's Nemo and AMOS mortar turrets to replace vehicles like the LAV-M.
29 October 2007

Turkish armoured personnel carrier patrols a road in the southeastern Turkish province of Sirnak October 26, 2007. President Abdullah Gul warned Kurdish rebels on Thursday that Turkey's patience was running out after Turkish forces said they had repelled a guerrilla attack near the Iraqi border.
26 October 2007

Ugandan African Union soldiers keep guard on top of armoured personel carrier's, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2007 as three Ugandan soldiers are flown to Nairobi, Kenya after they were injured in a mortar attack in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Thousands of Somalis have died so far this year, many of them caught in the crossfire as Islamic insurgents battle government troops and their Ethiopian allies. An Islamic alliance gained control of Mogadishu and much of southern Somalia last year, until they were ousted by Ethiopian soldiers supporting the shaky U.N.-backed government.
24 October 2007

In May 2004, the U.S. Marine Corps awarded Lockheed Martin a $43.6 million contract to provide the AN/TPS-59(V)3B Ballistic missile defence Radar System, along with associated supplies, equipment and services, to the Kingdom of Bahrain as a foreign military sale. The production line was restarted, and new radar was produced. Earlier in 2007, members of the Bahrain Defence Force were trained how to operate and maintain the system at Lockheed Martin's Radar Systems facility in Syracuse, NY. The Kingdom's TPS-59 radar proceeded smoothly through a site acceptance test in August 2007, and is now being used by the Bahrain Defence Force for air surveillance.
22 October 2007

The M109A6 Paladin addressed these issues via computerization and communications upgrades. Secure SINCGARS radios replaced the wires, while an inertial navigation systems and sensors attached to the gun automatically tell the crew where they are and where their shells are likely to land. No aiming circles. No surveyed fire points. No wire lines. Just move into the assigned position area somewhere, calculate data, receive orders from the platoon operations center, and use the automatic fire control system to send the shell on its way. Then move immediately, receive another target, lay and fire again. Improved armor protection added even more protection to the new system, and an upgraded engine and transmission made the M109A6 speedier. On-board prognostics and diagnostics were installed to improve the vehicles' readiness and maintainability. Finally, more shells were made available, as ammunition stowage was made safer, and the load was increased from 36 rounds to 39 rounds of 155mm shells.
21 October 2007

An Israeli army bulldozer is hit with a molotov cocktail thrown by Palestinian youths during an army operation in the Old City of the West Bank town of Nablus, Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2007. Israeli troops raided the West Bank city of Nablus before dawn Tuesday, and two Palestinians were shot and killed in the ensuing violence, Palestinian witnesses and doctors said.
16 October 2007

The "Future Rapid Effects System" (FRES) is the UK's new transformational armored vehicle system, meant to fulfill many of the same kinds of roles as the Stryker Family of armored wheeled vehicles and/or the Future Combat Systems Manned Ground Vehicle family. Current estimates indicate a potential requirement for over 3,500 FRES vehicles, though DID readers are advised that in practice, actual numbers bought tend to fall short of intended figures for early-stage programs. FRES was spawned by the UK's withdrawal from the German-Dutch-UK Boxer MRAV modular wheeled APC program, in order to develop a more deployable vehicle that fit its exact requirements. Those initial requirements were challenging, and experience in Iraq and Afghanistan has led to some partial revisions. The UK MoD has taken some criticism for its selection of wheeled APCs as its infantry fighting vehicle choice, and even more criticism for making the Boxer MRAV one of the finalists after spending all those years and sterling on FRES development. The MoD is defending its choices, however, as the "Trials of Truth" get set to go in November 2007, and the program's "system of systems integrators" are announced.
12 October 2007

A Turkish army tank is seen stationed near Cizre, some 35 kilometers from Turkish-Iraq border on Monday, Oct. 8, 2007, a day after Kurdish rebels killed 13 Turkish soldiers in southeastern province of Sirnak at the Turkey-Iraq border.Turkey has been pressing Iraq and the United States to hit bases of the rebel Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, in northern Iraq, and has considered a military operation across the border to root out the insurgents.
11 October 2007

In July 2006, "The 2006 Saudi Shopping Spree : A Hardened, Networked National Guard" explained the SANG's importance within the Saudi political structure, and covered a $5.8 billion request for LAVs wheeled armored personnel carriers, weapons, and C4ISR equipment to modernize that force. That official DSCA request has yet to be followed by a contract; when we talked to GDLS in October 2007, they said that negotiations were underway, and that they expect to complete a deal some time in 2008. In the mean time, a second request for LAVs, Hummers, trucks, and weapons has been submitted. At $600+ million, the October 2007 request on behalf of the Saudi Ministry of Defense and Aviation is comparatively small. Barring some unforseen Congressional resolution within 30 days, the clock can begin ticking on negotiations for a second set of LAVs and related equipment for different branch of the Saudi armed forces.
10 October 2007

Taiwanese military military vehicles and armoured parade past guests during the R.O.C., Republic of China, National Day celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2007. Fighter jets streaked across overcast skies Wednesday as Taiwan held a National Day military parade for the first time since it halted such displays of war-fighting prowess in 1991 to ease tensions with rival China. See pictures gallery, lot of pictures available.
10 October 2007

Soldiers of the German armed forces Bundeswehr stand of on the banks of the River Elbe at the site of an accident where a German Army tank being transported by ferry across the river, fell into the water, near the eastern German town of Stendal October 9, 2007. One soldier was missing, while three other members of the crew of the Leopard II AS6 M tank escaped injury, police said.
09 October 2007

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced on Oct 8/07 that Britain will buy another 140 blast-resistant Mastiff vehicles for use in Iraq and Afghanistan. The MoD intends to finalize the deal for this additional set vehicles "in the next few weeks," and has set aside GBP 100 million (about $200 million) for this purpose. This order would bring the total number of Mastiffs ordered to 248, with additional buys of blast-resistant vehicles scheduled via Britains’s MPPV program.
08 October 2007

In September 2006, “Up to $750M in Weapons & Support for Iraq” described Iraq's order for a number of American small arms, as well as helicopters and blast resistant vehicles. About a year later, we have a follow-on order that extends a number of the trends that request started. While the temptation exists to focus on the helicopters, blast-resistant vehicles, small arms, et. al., that would be a mistake. This is an extremely important contract for Iraq's armed forces, and none of those systems are the reason why.On Sept 25/07, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced [PDF format] Iraq's formal request for vehicles, small arms, ammunition, explosives, and communications equipment as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $2.257 billion. The request includes: M16A4 123,544 Assault rifle, 12,000 M4 Carbines, Munitions, upgrade and refurbishment of 32 additional UH-I HUEY helicopters to the UH-II configuration, 336 BTR-3E1 amphibious armored personnel carries,55 ILAV Badger wheeled armoured vehicle, 980 M1151 Humvee, jeeps and trucks.
07 October 2007

Pakistani lawyers attack an armored car BRDM-2 as they demonstrate against Pakistan's military ruler President Gen. Pervez Musharraf in Peshawar, Pakistan on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007. Lawmakers were voting Saturday in a presidential election that Musharraf is expected to sweep, although he could yet face disqualification by the Supreme Court.
06 October 2007