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  1. Belgium approves first order of 123 Serval armored vehicles from France

    The Serval is equipped to operate within the full Scorpion information environment, using its digital architecture to exchange real-time data with Griffon, Jaguar, and digitized infantry units in Belgian and French formations. (Picture source: French Army)

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    Belgium has authorized a €1.15 billion acquisition of 123 Serval and 92 additional Griffon armored vehicles, marking the first order of the Serval from France.

    As reported by L'Echo on December 4, 2025, Belgium has decided to purchase 123 Serval armored vehicles alongside 92 additional Griffon armored vehicles for a total of €1,15 billion, marking the country’s initial procurement of the Serval. Presented during a closed parliamentary commission on military procurement on December 3, 2025, the financial distribution assigns €495,6 million to the Griffon and €656,4 million to the Serval.
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    The Serval is equipped to operate within the full Scorpion information environment, using its digital architecture to exchange real-time data with Griffon, Jaguar, and digitized infantry units in Belgian and French formations. (Picture source: French Army)

    This purchase, which represents Belgium’s first acquisition of the Serval, also extends existing agreements that already include 382 Griffon vehicles, 60 Jaguar vehicles, and howitzers procured in earlier phases. The acquisition forms part of the restructuring of the Belgian Land Component into two brigades adapted to operate Scorpion-compatible systems. The new order is integrated into Belgium’s long-term motorized capability plan that aligns equipment, communication systems, and doctrinal structures with those used by the French Army. It also occurs in parallel with Belgian requests for increased industrial returns after earlier assessments identified limited economic offsets during the first two CaMo phases. These points frame the context of Belgium’s decision to expand its fleet with a new Serval component.

    The CaMo program, established in 2019, is a bilateral modernization initiative aimed at renewing Belgium’s motorized capability while ensuring high levels of interoperability with France through common vehicles, shared architecture, and unified command and control tools. Belgium’s initial order included 382 Griffon multirole armored vehicles and 60 Jaguar reconnaissance and combat vehicles, followed by artillery systems such as new generation Caesar howitzers and Griffon MEPAC mortar carriers in the program’s subsequent phase. CaMo integrates Belgian units into the Scorpion environment, which uses the Scorpion Combat Information System and CONTACT radios to transmit tactical data across mixed French and Belgian formations. The program includes joint exercises, technical links between the armies, and the creation of Combined Arms Tactical SubGroups designed to operate interchangeably by 2027. The initiative extends beyond vehicles to align doctrines, training cycles, logistical systems, and maintenance infrastructure to create a consistent operational structure. Luxembourg participates in parts of the cooperation, while Ireland has examined the possibility of acquiring similar Scorpion vehicles within the same cooperative framework. These elements position CaMo as a long-term structural transformation rather than a single equipment order.

    As CaMo progressed, Belgium and France expanded cooperation into new areas such as combat engineering vehicles, joint development of the VBAE armored engagement support vehicle, and agreements on industrial collaboration intended to correct earlier asymmetry identified by Belgian authorities. A financial reassessment over 25 years estimated the total cost of the CaMo framework, including acquisition, maintenance, infrastructure, ammunition, personnel, fuel, and related activities, at approximately 14,4 billion euros, significantly higher than the initial acquisition sum for the first phase. Belgium emphasized that this amount represents the cumulative cost of all foreseen investments, including new garages, structural upgrades, and long-term maintenance commitments tied to the modernization of the Land Component. After negotiations, France agreed to broaden industrial participation, with Belgian firms such as FN Herstal expanding ammunition and light weapon deliveries and John Cockerill Defense providing turret systems for French vehicles. Belgium also pursued local industrial capability development for future platforms, including the potential VBAE assembly at a Belgian site. These changes place CaMo 3 within a more balanced economic structure and link the new Griffon and Serval orders to updated industrial mechanisms.

    Within the Belgian Land Component, the Serval occupies an intermediate position between heavier armored platforms and lighter protected vehicles, complementing the Griffon, Jaguar, JLTV Falcon, and the legacy Dingo fleet while filling capability gaps between these systems. The Griffon provides higher protection, greater internal volume, and heavier mission payloads for mechanized infantry, whereas the Serval offers faster deployment and reduced logistical demands for tasks that do not require a 6x6 chassis. The Jaguar, used for reconnaissance and combat roles, incorporates heavier armament and sensor suites unsuitable for the Serval’s lighter multirole profile, but both vehicles operate within the same digital architecture for coordinated actions. The JLTV Falcon, purchased for airborne and special operations, has greater mobility but lower internal capacity and a different communications baseline that limits full integration into Scorpion structures compared to the Serval. The Dingo fleet, which the Serval will partially replace, provided protected mobility but lacks the digital connectivity, modularity, and modernization potential central to Belgium’s future force design.

    The Serval itself is a 4x4 light armored vehicle that could be configured as an armored patrol vehicle, a command post platform, a reconnaissance vehicle, or an air defense carrier, depending on operational requirements. With a combat weight of roughly 17 tonnes and external dimensions around 6 meters in length, 2,5 meters in width, and approximately 2,5 meters in height, the Serval can be rapidly deployed or transported by the A400M Atlas transport aircraft. Powered by a diesel engine producing up to 300 horsepower and an estimated torque output above 1,100 newton meters, coupled to an automatic transmission, it can reach a top speed of 90 km/h, an operational range between 600 and 700 kilometers, with ground clearance close to 0,35 meters and a fording depth of about 1 meter without preparation. The Serval accommodates up to 10 personnel within an armored hull designed to protect them from small arms, fragments, and explosive threats, while its internal architecture allows for the installation of communication racks, computing units, and mission electronics.

    The Serval is fully integrated into the Scorpion digital network and uses the Scorpion Combat Information System and CONTACT software-defined radios to share real-time data with Griffon, Jaguar, and dismounted infantry units. This integration supports the transmission of positional information, threat data, target acquisition inputs, and command instructions across mixed formations operating under a unified architecture. The vehicle can host remote weapon stations or manually operated systems, depending on the user's needs, typically with options for 7,62 mm or 12,7 mm machine guns or a 40 mm grenade launcher. Like the Griffon, the Serval can also incorporate electronic countermeasures, acoustic shot detection systems, and other sensors that increase situational awareness and support survivability in contested environments. The communication and electronic suites allow the Serval to operate as a node within a distributed tactical network, enabling coordinated movement, target designation, and tactical reporting between separate units. Its systems are designed to function within larger Scorpion-equipped battlegroups and maintain compatibility with air-delivered and mounted reconnaissance assets.

    Written by Jérôme Brahy

    Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.

  2. EDEX 2025: New K10EGY resupply vehicle to allow faster reloading for Egypt's artillery units

    Within a K9 battery, the K10 can connect its conveyor arm to the rear of the howitzer, send ammunition automatically at a rate that exceeds manual methods, and complete the process quickly enough to allow the battery to displace before the enemy artillery can respond. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

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    Egypt publicly introduced the K10EGY resupply vehicle at EDEX 2025 alongside a complete K9A1EGY battery, providing the first full exhibition of its new artillery system.

    At EDEX 2025 in Cairo, Egypt presented the first K10EGY ammunition resupply vehicle (ARV) as part of a full K9A1EGY artillery battery, marking a tangible stage in the implementation of its agreement with South Korea, showing a total of six K9 howitzers supported by K10 and K11 vehicles configured for Egyptian requirements. The K10EGY was displayed to allow a complete public view of the key system that will accompany the K9A1EGY in the Egyptian Army and Navy units.
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    Within a K9 battery, the K10 can connect its conveyor arm to the rear of the howitzer, send ammunition automatically at a rate that exceeds manual methods, and complete the process quickly enough to allow the battery to displace before the enemy artillery can respond. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

    Egypt’s path to the K10EGY included evaluations of the K9 in 2010, postponements during the Arab Spring, renewed testing in 2017 against France's CAESAr, Russia's 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV, and China's PLZ-45, and successive engagements between Egyptian and Korean industry and government officials from 2021 onward. A contract valued at about $1.6 billion was signed in February 2022 for K9A1EGY howitzers, K10EGY resupply vehicles, and K11 systems, accompanied by training and industrial cooperation. Updated figures reported later indicated 216 K9A1EGY units, 39 K10, and 51 K11, with early vehicles to be produced in Korea and later series in Egypt at a localization rate expected to exceed 60 percent. Production roles include Military Factory 200 for assembly, Military Factory 100 for cannons and armored steel, and Helwan Casting Company for SMV1000 engines, with Egyptian authorities linking this effort to ambitions to export systems to regional partners.

    The K10EGY is based on the South Korean K10 ARV and adapted to operate alongside Egypt’s K9A1EGY howitzers in desert and coastal environments, with an empty weight of 41.5 tons and a combat weight of 48 tons. Its hull measures 8.5 meters in length, 3.4 meters in width, and 3.7 meters in height, with 41 centimeters of ground clearance and a tracked layout optimized for mixed terrain. A 1,000 hp diesel engine powers the vehicle, while a total track contact length on the ground of 10.4 meters improves stability and mobility on soft surfaces. The K10EGY carries 104 rounds and 504 charges, reloads itself in 50 minutes, supplies a K9EGY within 40 minutes, and transfers ammunition automatically under armor, with a top speed of 60 km/h, a controlled low speed of 24 km/h, and an operational range of 360 km, while a fording depth of 1.0 meter, and the ability to negotiate vertical slopes of 60 percent and lateral slopes of 30 percent make it suitable for mixed terrain from Sinai to the Western Desert.

    The original K10 entered service in South Korea in the mid-2000s on the K9 chassis and uses an MT881Ka 500 diesel engine, hydropneumatic suspension, and an X1100 5A3 transmission with four forward and two reverse gears. It has a combat weight of about 47 tons, a three-person crew, a top speed of roughly 67 km per hour, and a range of about 360 km, while carrying the same ammunition load and transferring up to 12 rounds per minute via an automated conveyor that connects to the K9 turret. It can load ammunition in about 37 minutes and supply it in roughly 28 minutes, allowing sustained fire missions without exposing crews to external hazards. The family includes the modernized K10 AARV, the AS10 version for Australia, the AS10C2 command proposal, the K10 VIDAR for Norway, and the K11 fire direction control vehicle used by Egypt, which combines sensors, communications, and digital fire control on the same chassis to coordinate multi-battery operations.

    Current operators of the K10 include South Korea with several hundred units across army and marine formations, Norway with K10 VIDAR, Turkey with 71 Poyraz vehicles derived from the K10 under the T-155 Fırtına program, and Australia with AS10 units linked to the AS9 howitzer program. Romania has ordered 36 K10 vehicles, and Egypt and its navy are acquiring K10 and K11 as part of the K9A1EGY structure. Variants such as Turkey’s Poyraz include an auxiliary power unit, the ability to run the ammunition transfer system without the main engine, a capacity of 96 shells, transfer of 48 shells in 20 minutes, and a 360 km range. South Korea also created the K56 ammunition resupply vehicle for the upgraded K55A1, replacing the earlier K66 transport approach and integrating a more automated loading arrangement to address manual limitations.

    Before automated resupply vehicles like the K10, crews used 5-ton trucks and loaded heavy 155 mm shells and propellant charges manually, which required lifting more than 40 kg per shell to the height of truck beds or howitzer breeches, limiting endurance and slowing rearming cycles. Experience in South Korea, including the absence of armored resupply during the 2010 Yeonpyeong incident, showed the vulnerability of manual resupply and led to deployment ratios of one K10 per two or three K9 Thunder howitzers. In operation, the K10 connects its conveyor arm directly to the howitzer and transfers ammunition automatically, allowing the unit to fire, rearm, and displace quickly, while its armored hull and 12.7 mm machine gun support movement in contested areas and allow additional functions such as casualty transport, equipment transfer, or limited defense against nearby threats.

    Worldwide, few armies field fully automated tracked ammunition resupply vehicles for 52 calibre howitzers, as earlier concepts associated with systems like XM2001 Crusader or AS90 did not progress to serial production, and some countries still use trucks or semi-automated cranes. Efforts in the United States to improve ammunition vehicles for the M109A7 and Russian work on resupply options for Koalitsiya SV indicate broader interest, but these remain at a limited scale compared to the number of fielded 52 calibre guns. Egypt’s decision to adopt the K9A1EGY, K10EGY, and K11 together, assemble them domestically, localize components such as engines, cannons, fire control systems, and armored steel, and present a complete battery at EDEX 2025 highlights its intent to integrate these systems into national artillery doctrine, border security, and coastal defense roles.

    Written by Jérôme Brahy

    Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.

  3. Latest-Generation Infantry Fighting Vehicle Borsuk IFV Enters Service with the Polish Army

    The Borsuk IFV is Poland’s next-generation amphibious infantry fighting vehicle, equipped with a remote-controlled 30mm turret, Spike-LR anti-tank missiles, and advanced digital systems, designed to replace the aging BWP-1 and enhance frontline mobility, firepower, and NATO interoperability.

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    The Polish army took delivery of its first 15 Borsuk infantry fighting vehicles from HSW on December 4, 2025. The milestone signals a decisive step in Warsaw’s plan to build one of Europe’s most modern and heavily protected armored fleets.

    Poland’s defense ministry confirmed on December 4, 2025, that Polish Company Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW) has officially transferred the first tranche of Borsuk infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) to the Polish Army, a long-awaited milestone in a program that has drawn close attention across NATO. Polish officials described the handover as the start of a sustained fielding effort that will eventually push hundreds of new tracked vehicles into frontline battalions. Early production models reportedly align with the configuration validated during recent trials, incorporating an unmanned turret, a 30 millimeter cannon, and an active protection suite that Polish officers say reflects lessons from contemporary high-intensity warfare.
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    The Borsuk IFV is Poland’s next-generation amphibious infantry fighting vehicle, equipped with a remote-controlled 30mm turret, Spike-LR anti-tank missiles, and advanced digital systems, designed to replace the aging BWP-1 and enhance frontline mobility, firepower, and NATO interoperability. (Picture source/copyright: Army Recognition Group)

    The handover of the Borsuk tracked IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) by the Polish Army marks the first fulfillment of a production contract signed in March 2025, covering an initial batch of 111 vehicles as Phase One. This contract marks only the opening phase of a broader framework agreement. The framework foresees nearly 1,400 vehicles on the Borsuk chassis, including not only infantry-fighting variants but also specialized versions for command, reconnaissance, recovery, and engineering support, all based on the Universal Modular Tracked Platform (UMPG).

    The total value of the framework agreement, signed between the Polish Armaments Agency and Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW), exceeds 10 billion euros, making it one of the largest single defense contracts ever signed in Poland. The acquisition is financed entirely through national funds under Poland’s Homeland Defense Act, which significantly raised defense spending in the aftermath of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The contract not only supports the Polish Army's modernization but also secures long-term stability for domestic defense manufacturers, especially HSW and its numerous subcontractors across the Polish defense industrial base.

    Development of the Borsuk IFV began in 2014 under the direction of HSW SA. The project was in cooperation with the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBiR). The vehicle was conceived as a next-generation amphibious infantry fighting vehicle to meet the operational demands of Poland’s future battlefield. It was designed to meet the needs of mobility, survivability, and networked lethality. Early prototypes underwent extensive testing from 2018 onward. This included mobility trials, amphibious evaluations, and live-fire testing with the ZSSW-30 turret system.

    The Borsuk IFV was officially unveiled at MSPO 2022, where its advanced configuration drew significant attention from both NATO and international observers. By 2023, it had completed its qualification tests and was approved for serial production. The signing of the 111-unit production contract in 2025 was the culmination of more than a decade of national design, engineering, and doctrinal development work, involving input from frontline mechanized units and the Armament Inspectorate.

    Designed to replace the obsolete BWP-1, the Borsuk IFV represents a significant upgrade across all key performance areas. It features a remote turret, modular armor with upgrade options, and strong amphibious capabilities for water crossings with full combat load. The IFV’s advanced fire control and networking allow for high targeting accuracy and full NATO system integration.

    From a strategic standpoint, the delivery of these first serial‑production Borsuks sends multiple signals. For Warsaw, it demonstrates commitment to strengthening national defense while anchoring procurement in the domestic industry. For allies and potential adversaries alike, it signals a substantial upgrade in Poland’s mechanized capabilities amid heightened tension in Eastern Europe. For HSW and the broader Polish defense sector, the ramp‑up validates years of R&D and investment, and sets in motion one of the largest armoured vehicle production efforts in recent European history.

    Industry sources tell Army Recognition that serial production has been steadily ramping up since the third quarter of 2025. HSW has implemented parallel investment in workforce expansion and supply chain localization to meet the aggressive delivery schedules. The production line is reportedly now operating under a dual-shift model. It is expected to build up to 100 vehicles annually once peak efficiency is reached by mid-2026.

    Military officials speaking on background emphasized that the Borsuk program is not simply a replacement initiative. It is a doctrinal retooling of Poland’s mechanized forces. The new platform enables greater digital integration, better sensor fusion, and compatibility with NATO C4ISR networks. Trials conducted earlier this year involved joint exercises with U.S. Stryker and Bradley formations. These trials validated interoperability across key NATO formations stationed on the alliance’s eastern flank.

    At a time when European defense spending is surging in response to the war in Ukraine, Poland’s Borsuk rollout signals both resolve and autonomy. The fact that the Borsuk is an entirely indigenous vehicle, developed and manufactured in Poland, underscores Warsaw’s intent not only to rearm but also to build sovereign industrial capabilities that can support the alliance in the long term.

    Sources close to the Polish Ministry of National Defence confirm that deliveries will accelerate in 2026, with the first full battalion to be declared operational by the end of Q2. Additional contracts for medical, recovery, and reconnaissance variants are expected to be finalized in the first half of 2026, based on operational feedback from units that have received the initial vehicles.

    The coming year is critical: continued production momentum and successful troop integration will consolidate Poland’s emergence as a leader in tracked infantry vehicle modernization in Europe. This focus has prompted interest from NATO countries seeking technical insights, potentially laying the groundwork for exports and future cooperation.

    Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
    Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.

  4. EDEX 2025: Egypt Reveals Full K9 Artillery Battery With K10 and K11 in Major Modernization Step

    A full Egyptian K9A1 artillery battery with six K9 howitzers, supported by K10 resupply and K11 fire direction vehicles, displayed at EDEX 2025 in Cairo, showcasing Egypt’s expanding partnership with Hanwha Aerospace and its modernization of long-range fire support capabilities (Picture source: Army Recognition Group).

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    Egypt displayed a full K9A1EGY artillery battery at EDEX 2025, marking the most visible milestone yet in its multibillion-dollar deal with South Korea. The program strengthens Egyptian long-range firepower and supports a major domestic push to localize advanced defense production.

    Egypt’s artillery modernization plan moved from contract to real hardware at EDEX 2025 in Cairo, where a complete K9A1EGYbattery appeared publicly for the first time. The display, which included six howitzers supported by K10 ammunition vehicles and the Egypt-specific K11 fire direction platform, reflects what officials describe as steady progress on a 1.6 to 1.7 billion dollar package signed in 2022. The program blends imported systems with extensive assembly at Military Factory 200, a structure that Egyptian planners say is designed to build long-term industrial capacity rather than simply buy foreign guns.
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    A full Egyptian K9A1 artillery battery with six K9 howitzers, supported by K10 resupply and K11 fire direction vehicles, displayed at EDEX 2025 in Cairo, showcasing Egypt’s expanding partnership with Hanwha Aerospace and its modernization of long-range fire support capabilities (Picture source: Army Recognition Group).

    The Egyptian K9A1 EGY retains the core architecture of the Korean K9 Thunder, a 155 mm, 52 calibre tracked howitzer that carries 48 rounds and can deliver three shells in 15 seconds, six to eight rounds per minute in intense fire, then two to three for sustained missions. With standard NATO ammunition, it reaches about 30 to 40 km, while base bleed and rocket-assisted projectiles push ranges beyond 50 km. The 47-ton chassis uses a 1,000 hp diesel engine and hydropneumatic suspension, giving a top speed of around 67 km per hour and genuine cross-country mobility suited to Sinai and Western Desert terrain.

    Behind the guns, the K10 ammunition resupply vehicle is the quiet enabler of high-tempo fires. Based on the same chassis, it carries up to 104 rounds of 155 mm ammunition and 504 propellant charges and can automatically transfer roughly 10 to 12 rounds per minute under armour through a powered conveyor bridge, matching the K9 rate of fire while keeping crews protected. The K11 fire direction control vehicle, developed specifically for Egypt, also rides on a K9 hull and hosts advanced sensors, communication suites, and digital fire control to coordinate multiple batteries for simultaneous engagements over land or coastal sectors.

    Strategically, the artillery package is as much an industrial project as a fire support upgrade. Most K9A1EGYsand associated vehicles will be assembled at Egypt’s state-owned Military Factory 200 near Cairo, with local partners such as Arab International Optronics producing key fire control electronics and a planned localization rate rising above 60 percent over the coming years. This structure embeds South Korean technology into Egypt’s long-standing Abu Zaabal industrial complex and aligns with Cairo’s drive to become a regional artillery hub and exporter.

    Operationally, a six-gun K9 battery with dedicated K10 and K11 support gives Egypt a self-contained, fast-moving fires unit able to deploy, compute firing data, and deliver precision salvos within a minute of halting, then displace before counter battery radar can respond. In Sinai, such batteries can overwatch border security operations or reinforce air and missile defense by striking launch sites and assembly areas. Along the Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts, they offer a flexible tool for coastal defense and denial of amphibious approaches, particularly when linked to UAVs and ground surveillance radars.

    In the global market, the K9 family now competes directly with Germany’s PzH 2000, France’s CAESAR, and the U.S. M109A7 Paladin. The PzH 2000 matches K9 in protection and range, reaching up to about 54 km, but is heavier and more expensive. CAESAR offers road mobility and lower operating costs, yet trades away tracked protection. The Paladin, still widely fielded, uses a 39 calibre gun with a shorter effective range, generally around 22 to 30 km, although U.S. industry is now testing 52 calibre upgrades partly in response to systems like the K9. For Egypt, the K9 battery provides a modern, export-proven solution that blends high-end fires with industrial leverage and deepens ties with a rising Asian defense supplier.

  5. EDEX 2025: Egypt Reveals X29 Weapon Station With Thales FZ275 Long-Range Guided Rockets

    X29 remote weapon station with 12.7 mm gun and twin FZ275 laser-guided 70 mm rockets, offering remote day/night precision fire out to 7 km (Picture source: Army Recognition Group).

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    Egypt’s Arab International Optronics introduced a new version of its X29 remote weapon station at EDEX 2025 in Cairo, pairing a 12.7 mm M2 heavy machine gun with Thales FZ275 laser-guided rockets. The upgrade highlights Egypt’s push to field affordable, longer-range precision firepower for static defense sites and mobile platforms.

    At the Egypt Defence Expo in Cairo, Arab International Optronics showed a noticeably evolved X29 remote weapon station that now carries Thales’s FZ275 laser-guided rockets above a 12.7 mm M2 machine gun. Company representatives described the hybrid system as a practical step toward giving Egyptian forces a compact precision strike tool that can be locally produced. The turret photographed on the AIO stand reflects a growing focus on cost-conscious guided effects, a trend defense officials in several regions have been watching closely.
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    X29 remote weapon station with 12.7 mm gun and twin FZ275 laser-guided 70 mm rockets, offering remote day/night precision fire out to 7 km (Picture source: Army Recognition Group).

    At its core, the X29 remains the in-house designed remote weapon station that first appeared at EDEX 2021, developed by Arab International Optronics, a joint venture pairing Thales and Egypt’s National Service Products Organisation. The original X29 was conceived primarily for static base protection and could mount either a 12.7 × 99 mm M2HB or a 14.5 mm KPVT heavy machine gun, with a non-stabilized mount but a sophisticated electro-optic package and automatic video tracking. The new configuration keeps that architecture but adds two side-by-side 70 mm rocket tubes over the gun, turning the system into a compact precision strike node.

    The turret displayed at EDEX couples the M2 heavy machine gun with the Thales FZ275 Laser Guided Rocket. The FZ275 is a 70 mm semi-active laser-guided munition with a range from about 1.5 km out to 7 km and a circular error probable of around one meter at 6 km, using four folding canards for control. Its 4.1 kg high-explosive prefragmented warhead offers a lethal radius of roughly nine meters against soft targets and light armor, providing an effects envelope previously reserved for higher cost anti-tank missiles.

    The X29’s optronics appear unchanged but are central to the new concept. The remote station combines a 1920 × 1080 day camera with 30× optical zoom and an uncooled 640 × 480 thermal imager operating in the 8–14 μm band. The day sight can detect a vehicle out to about 8 km in a narrow field of view, while the thermal channel provides reliable human detection beyond 2.5 km. A laser range finder with roughly 4.5 km range and ±1 m accuracy underpins the ballistic computer and the laser designation solution for the FZ275. The turret traverses a full 360 degrees with elevation from roughly minus 20 to plus 45 degrees, and the weapon station weighs around 170 kg without armament, light enough for installation on light armored vehicles, fixed towers, or small surface platforms.

    From an operational standpoint, the X29 and FZ275 pairing offers a layered engagement scheme. The 12.7 mm gun delivers suppressive and point fire against infantry, light vehicles, and close drones out to 1.5 to 2 km, while the guided rockets extend precision strike to 7 km against command posts, radar sites, parked aircraft, or light armored vehicles, exactly the target set the FZ275 was developed for in recent land applications and counter-UAS studies. Because both weapons are aimed through the same electro-optic head, the gunner can confirm identification at long range, laser the target, and hand off a guidance cue to the rocket with minimal timeline between detection and engagement.

    The system is clearly designed with remote and unattended operations in mind. Control is performed from a protected shelter or vehicle interior, with automatic video tracking, burst selection, and a shot counter already fielded on earlier X29 units. The EDEX brochure highlights the ability to interface the station via cable or radio with long-range surveillance cameras and radar, hinting at integration into a wider border security or coastal defense network. In practical terms, a platoon of such turrets could protect air bases, energy infrastructure, or canal approaches while keeping personnel under armor or underground.

    Industrial cooperation is the other story behind the turret on display: AIO brings local mechanical production, electronics, and optics, while Thales Belgium contributes its FZ rocket family and guidance know-how. A similar logic has emerged in other European partnerships where the FZ275 is being integrated onto remote stations to create cost-effective precision and counter-drone solutions. For Egypt, the X29 rocket-armed variant anchors that same technology on a domestically controlled platform, opening export prospects in Africa and the Middle East for customers who want guided effects but cannot afford top-tier missile systems.

    Compared with established Western remote stations such as Rheinmetall’s Fieldranger Dual or Kongsberg’s Protector family, which can integrate 12.7 mm guns and anti-tank missiles on fully stabilized mounts, the Egyptian X29 remains a simpler and likely cheaper proposition aimed at static or low mobility roles. Its advantage lies not in multi-axis stabilization but in combining a mature heavy machine gun with a relatively lightweight, long-range precision rocket that closes the gap between unguided 70 mm rounds and full-scale missiles. For many countries, that balance of cost, local industrial content, and credible precision lethality may prove attractive as the global market for land remote weapon stations continues to expand.

    For potential foreign users, the X29 with FZ275 rockets could be installed on border outposts, desert surveillance towers, light armored trucks, or even unmanned ground vehicles, creating a modular fire support package that can be slaved to national surveillance networks. In an era of saturated drone and missile threats, Egypt’s new hybrid turret shows how a mid-tier defense industry can leverage targeted cooperation with a European prime to field a distinctive and exportable precision weapon system.

  6. EDEX 2025: Egypt Examines New K11-N and K12 Variants as Hanwha Pushes Mobile Coastal Defense

    Hanwha’s new K11-N coastal defense FDC vehicle and K12 recovery vehicle expand the K9 artillery family into a mobile land-sea fire support ecosystem (Picture source: Army Recognition Group).

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    Hanwha Aerospace introduced the K11 N coastal fire direction vehicle and the K12 recovery vehicle during EDEX 2025 in Cairo. The additions expand the K9 ecosystem into a mobile coastal defense role with new sensor and support capabilities.

    Hanwha Aerospace used this year’s EDEX exhibition in Cairo to quietly unveil two new tracked prototypes that extend the K9 artillery line into coastal missions, according to information shared at the event. The company presented the K11-N, a navalized fire direction and surveillance vehicle equipped with a mast-mounted radar and electro-optical suite, along with the K12 recovery vehicle that is designed to keep Egypt’s growing K9 fleet moving in rough littoral terrain.
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    Hanwha’s new K11-N coastal defense FDC vehicle and K12 recovery vehicle expand the K9 artillery family into a mobile land-sea fire support ecosystem (Picture source: Army Recognition Group).

    The K11-N builds on the land-based K11 FDCV, itself a derivative of the K10 ammunition resupply vehicle that shares the K9 Thunder chassis and automotive systems. The original K11 was designed for Egypt as a tracked command, reconnaissance, and communications node for K9 batteries, replacing towed fire direction shelters with an armored, mobile post that can keep pace with the guns. For the naval K11-N variant shown at EDEX, Hanwha adds a telescopic mast fitted with a surface search radar and a stabilized electro-optical and infrared sensor head, turning the vehicle into a littoral surveillance and fire control platform able to track ships from the shoreline.

    The concept hinges on the maturity of the K9 gun system. The 155 mm/52 caliber K9A1 already offers ranges beyond 40 km with extended range shells and has been demonstrated firing precision munitions such as the Excalibur round out to roughly 50 km with very high accuracy. In a coastal role, the K11-N would detect, classify, and continuously track surface targets, then pass refined target coordinates and course updates over the artillery network to multiple K9 batteries. With GPS-guided projectiles, the guns can engage maneuvering corvettes, landing craft, or logistics vessels with repeated salvos while the K11-N updates the aim point between shots.

    Compared with classic coastal artillery bunkers, the K11-N and its K9 partners can shoot and scoot, relocating after each mission to avoid counterfire or air attack. Compared with anti-ship missile batteries, guided 155 mm shells give commanders cheaper volume fire against dense amphibious formations or swarming small boats while still leaving the same guns available for land fire support when required. For Egypt, a K11-N/K9 architecture could cover key choke points along the Mediterranean coast and the Suez approaches without building a new missile infrastructure.

    The K12 Recovery Vehicle, also shown in model form on the Hanwha stand, is meant to keep this artillery ecosystem moving. Using the same K9 tracked chassis, the K12 adds a heavyweight crane, a front-mounted earthmoving blade, and a high-capacity winch, mirroring the layout of Western armored recovery vehicles but tailored to the weight and geometry of the K9 family. In the field, a K12 would be able to recover bogged or battle-damaged howitzers, change powerpacks forward, and clear rubble or beach obstacles for artillery deployment, allowing coastal batteries to operate closer to surf zones or in heavily urbanized terrain.

    For export customers beyond Egypt, the industrial logic is straightforward. More than ten nations have already selected the K9 as their main self-propelled howitzer, giving Hanwha a ready market for plug-in specialist variants that reuse the same logistics chain, training base, and depot infrastructure. Countries with long, vulnerable coastlines, such as Poland, Norway, Vietnam, or emerging Indo-Pacific clients, could use the K11-N as a mobile maritime sensor to cue both artillery and other effectors like drones or coastal missiles, while the K12 offers organic recovery support for dispersed K9 battalions without buying separate tank-grade ARVs.

    Direct competitors are limited. Most modern self-propelled howitzer fleets rely either on generic army coastal radars or on naval sensors ashore rather than a purpose-built tracked FDC vehicle designed from the start for ship tracking and artillery cueing. European systems like PzH 2000 or Archer can, in theory, be networked into coastal defense architectures, but they are not paired with a dedicated maritime sensor vehicle in the way Hanwha is now proposing for the K9. The K11-N and K12, therefore, signal Hanwha’s ambition to turn the K9 family into a full-spectrum fire support ecosystem for land and sea rather than simply another gun on tracks.

  7. EDEX 2025: Hanwha Develops Unmanned Counter-Drone Launcher With Interceptor Drones on 6x6 Carrier

    Prototype unmanned 6x6 launcher carrying seeker-equipped interceptor drones with a 30-minute endurance and 100-kilometer range, designed for counter drone missions and operated remotely to reduce crew risk while providing mobile, networked air defense (Picture source: Army Recognition Group).

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    Hanwha is developing a prototype unmanned counter-drone launcher that pairs guided interceptor drones with a low-profile 6x6 robotic vehicle. The concept points to how South Korea plans to fight in drone-heavy battlespaces shaped by lessons from Ukraine.

    Hanwha is quietly moving a next-generation counter-drone system toward maturity, according to discussions with Army Recognition during the first week of December in EDEX 2025 in Egypt. The prototype, shown as a detailed scale model, blends a bank of guided interceptor drones with an unmanned 6x6 carrier that uses onboard sensors to feed targeting data to a nearby command post. Company representatives said the launcher is designed to operate as a dispersed robotic outpost that can push forward with mechanized units and engage hostile drones without exposing crews to increasingly lethal loitering munitions.
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    Prototype unmanned 6x6 launcher carrying seeker-equipped interceptor drones with a 30-minute endurance and 100-kilometer range, designed for counter drone missions and operated remotely to reduce crew risk while providing mobile, networked air defense (Picture source: Army Recognition Group).

    The system centers on a bank of launch canisters mounted on a low-profile 6x6 vehicle. Each tube carries a small fixed-wing drone with roughly 30 minutes of endurance and a claimed range of about 100 kilometers. The drones are fitted with a nose-mounted seeker, allowing them to home directly on hostile unmanned aircraft instead of relying solely on ground-based cueing. According to Hanwha representatives, the vehicle itself is designed to be unmanned and equipped with modern sensors feeding targeting data and situational awareness to a nearby command post, which handles mission planning and firing decisions.

    Operationally, that combination of unmanned carrier and guided interceptor drones turns the launcher into a roaming counter-drone outpost. Hanwha has already field tested 6x6 unmanned ground vehicles for reconnaissance and support roles in the Republic of Korea Army, including an Unmanned Surveillance Vehicle with autonomous navigation, obstacle avoidance, and a 100-kilometer cruising radius. Those same mobility and autonomy features would allow the drone launcher variant to move with mechanized formations, screen flanks, or quietly occupy forward hide positions, then launch interceptors to thin out hostile quadcopters and loitering munitions before they reach high-value assets.

    The choice to keep the carrier unmanned is more than a technology play. South Korean planners, like their Ukrainian counterparts, are watching how manned air defense crews are hunted by loitering munitions and first-person-view drones. A robotic launcher commanded from a dispersed shelter reduces crew exposure and enables more aggressive positioning, including use as a sacrificial decoy to draw enemy drones into a kill box that combines jamming, kinetic interceptors, and artillery. Hanwha is already supplying electronic jamming-based anti-drone systems to the South Korean military and has trialed hunter capture drones equipped with nets, which suggests this launcher could slot into a layered company or battalion-level counter-UAS architecture.

    For export customers, the industrial appeal lies in modularity. Hanwha has promoted its 6x6 unmanned platforms and Tigon armored carrier internationally and has even placed the Arion SMET 6x6 UGV into US Army foreign comparative testing. The new launcher could be offered on a common robotic chassis or adapted as a pod for existing manned vehicles, such as the Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher, to create mixed batteries of rockets and counter-drone interceptors. Militaries could employ it to protect air defense and artillery units, reinforce air bases and logistics hubs, or secure borders and coastal infrastructure against cheap commercial drones.

    Competing concepts already exist. Russia’s KUB-SM mounts a swarm of loitering munitions on a 6x6 truck, while China has displayed truck-based launchers for CH-901 loitering munitions. Western forces rely more on man-portable systems such as Switchblade or static counter-UAS batteries. Hanwha’s twist is to package counter-drone loitering munitions on a fully unmanned, networked ground vehicle from the outset, aligning with Seoul’s broader Dronebot combat vision and positioning South Korea as a serious competitor in the emerging market for robotic air defense.

  8. Belgium to purchase 92 additional Griffon armoured vehicles from France

    This additional purchase, valued at €1,15 billion, raises Belgium’s total Griffon fleet to 498 vehicles and expands the role of the Serval as a lighter complement for reconnaissance and rapid mobility tasks. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

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    Belgium presents a new €1.15 billion acquisition plan of 92 additional Griffon and 123 Serval armored vehicles under the CaMo framework with France, increasing Belgium’s Griffon fleet to 498 units.

    As reported by L'Echo on December 4, 2025, Belgium will purchase 92 additional Griffon and 123 Serval armored vehicles for a total of €1,15 billion, a request that was presented to the Parliament during a closed session on December 3, 2025, reinforcing the joint framework established with France under the CaMo partnership. The decision expands the total Belgian Griffon inventory to 498 vehicles and maintains the shared industrial approach that includes local integration activities at the Staden facility. The allocation includes €495,6 million for the Griffon and €656,4 million for the Serval, with the vehicles covering troop transport, command and support functions, and medical evacuation.
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    This additional purchase, valued at €1,15 billion, raises Belgium’s total Griffon fleet to 498 vehicles and expands the role of the Serval as a lighter complement for reconnaissance and rapid mobility tasks. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

    This decision follows the arrival of the first Griffon intended for the Belgian local assembly in mid-December 2024 and its formal presentation on July 15, 2025, in Staden, where the assembly facility integrates Belgian equipment and conducts painting, testing, and final adjustments. The Staden industrial site represents a €7 million investment for Belgium, with KNDS France delivering base vehicle structures and Belgian firms integrating remote weapon stations and electronic suites. The new procurement was presented to the Belgian parliament during a closed military acquisitions session on December 4, 2025, and supplements earlier Belgian orders comprising 382 Griffon, 60 Jaguar EBRC, and nine Caesar NG 155 mm howitzers. Therefore, this additional purchase raises Belgium’s total Griffon fleet to 498 vehicles and expands the role of Serval as a lighter complement for reconnaissance and rapid mobility tasks within the expanding motorized brigade. The acquisition supports Belgium’s objective of developing fully Scorpion-compatible formations that can align structurally and operationally with French land forces.

    The CaMo (for "Capacité Motorisée" or Motorized Capability) program, initiated in 2019, aims to standardize operational procedures, digital systems, maintenance concepts, and tactical structures between the Belgian and the French Armies through the adoption of the Scorpion architecture. Under CaMo, the Scorpion Combat Information System and the CONTACT tactical radio environment form the digital base enabling real-time exchange of data, command information, navigation inputs, and target reports across mixed national units. This digital integration supports the creation of Combined Arms Tactical SubGroups composed of Belgian and French elements with full interoperability scheduled for 2027. Joint activities under CaMo include shared exercises such as Celtic Uprise, bilateral training cycles, and repeated Belgian participation at French training grounds, including the recent familiarization with the Griffon weapon station or the first live-fire test of the Jaguar 6x6. CaMo also coordinates maintenance doctrines and logistical processes to ensure compatibility of spare parts, workshop procedures, and long-term support planning. Belgian personnel are integrated within French land-force structures for programming and operational coordination, while the French procurement agency places orders for Belgian vehicles under shared production logic.

    The cooperation framework has expanded beyond the original mobility component and now incorporates additional capability branches and emerging partners. In June 2024, Belgium formally joined the French EGC program to replace aging armored engineering vehicles with a new platform capable of clearing obstacles, constructing field fortifications, and supporting urban or high-intensity operations. The proposed vehicle, designated Auroch, is a 28,6 tonne 8x8 platform developed by a consortium including KNDS France, Texelis, and CNIM Systèmes Industriels, with the integration of Belgian onboard equipment under evaluation. First deliveries to Belgium and France are expected around 2030, and the program may involve OCCAR for joint management. Luxembourg has joined the broader cooperation scheme by approving the acquisition of 16 Griffon vehicles in command, JTAC, sharpshooter, maintenance, and supply configurations, while Ireland is considering adopting the Griffon, Jaguar, and Serval family following the Belgian model. The French Scorpion program, for its part, plans a total of 1,872 Griffon, 978 Serval, and 300 Jaguar vehicles, along with the upgrade of 200 Leclerc tanks and 18 DCL recovery vehicles to the XLR standard by 2030.

    Belgium’s decision to expand its Griffon fleet is part of a broader historical shift from older armored personnel carriers to digitized platforms capable of networked operations. On October 26, 2018, Belgium confirmed an initial order of 382 Griffon and 60 Jaguar for approximately €1,5 billion to replace Piranha IIIC and Dingo 2 vehicles in its motorized brigade. The deliveries were scheduled to begin in 2025 with operationalization from 2026 onward, forming the basis for a new structure centered on digitally connected maneuver units. In June 2022, Belgium added 24 Griffon MEPAC mortar carriers, followed by the signing of an agreement in December 2023 to replace the Mo-120-RT mortar systems and integrate indirect fire support into Scorpion networked formations. The expanded 2025 order raises the Griffon total to 498 vehicles across troop transport, command post, artillery observation, engineering, mortar, and medical versions, while adding the lighter Serval fleet as a complementary capability. These acquisitions also prepare Belgian armored formations for future joint projects such as the Franco-Belgian Armored Engagement Support Vehicle program.

    The origins of the Griffon trace to French efforts in the early 2000s to replace the Véhicule de l’Avant Blindé (VAB), which entered service in 1979 and no longer met evolving survivability and connectivity requirements. The 2013 White Paper outlined a need for 2,080 multirole armored vehicles and 248 reconnaissance and combat vehicles, leading France to establish the Scorpion program in 2014 to modernize its armored fleet, upgrade the Leclerc tank, and introduce a unified digital architecture. Nexter, Arquus, and Thales jointly developed the VBMR Griffon and the EBRC Jaguar, sharing 70 percent of components to reduce cost and simplify logistics, with the first procurement tranche ordered in April 2017. The Griffon was qualified on June 24, 2019, enabling initial deliveries in July 2019, followed by continuous production that delivered 339 units by the end of 2021 and 575 by the end of 2023. Future deliveries are planned to reach 1,437 vehicles by 2030 and 1,872 by 2035, including 54 Griffon MEPAC mortar carriers.

    The VBMR Griffon is a 25-tonne 6x6 multirole armored vehicle measuring approximately 7,6 meters in length, 2,5 meters in width, and 3,7 meters in height. Equipped with a 400-horsepower militarized Renault Trucks 6-cylinder engine coupled to a ZF seven-speed automatic transmission, the Griffon reaches a maximum speed of 90 km/h and an operational range of 800 km. The vehicle provides STANAG 4569 Level 4 ballistic protection along with mine, IED, fire, and CBRN protection, and can receive modular armor kits for enhanced survivability. The Griffon layout includes a six-wheel drive, a four-wheel steering system, a front powerpack, a protected cabin for the driver and gunner, and a rear compartment with anti-blast seats for eight soldiers accessed by a powered ramp. The Griffon incorporates predictive maintenance systems with sensors on suspension, brake pads, and gearbox components, feeding data into Health and Usage Monitoring Systems and Serum diagnostic tools to optimize fleet availability. Belgian variants integrate FN Herstal remote weapon stations, while shared elements include Thales optronics, Pilar V acoustic detectors, Antares 360-degree situational awareness sensors, and the Eclipse smart jammer against IED triggers.

    The equipment of the Griffon combines the SCORPION Common Vetronics suite, the SICS combat information system, and CONTACT tactical radios to support collaborative combat between vehicles and infantry. Its T1 Hornet remote weapon station can mount a 12,7 mm or 7,62 mm machine gun or a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher, while the T2 Hornet Lite equips command and MEPAC versions. GALIX smoke grenade launchers provide multispectral screening, and the integration of laser warning systems, missile approach detection, and acoustic localization allows rapid defensive reactions. The Griffon is available in multiple variants, including VTT infantry carrier subversions, EPC command post, VOA artillery observation with telescopic mast and PASEO Crystal sensors, SAN medical evacuation, GEN engineering, and the MEPAC 120 mm mortar system capable of firing up to ten rounds per minute with a 360-degree arc and automated laying. The NRBC variant remains under development for specialized reconnaissance roles.

    Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.

  9. EDEX 2025: New Sakr 105 thermobaric launcher gives Egyptian squads a stronger option for bunker reduction

    The Sakr 105 is a shoulder-mounted launcher firing 105 mm projectiles, including anti-tank and thermobaric rounds, allowing Egyptian infantry units to employ it against fortified positions, personnel in cover, or lightly armored vehicles. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

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    Egypt’s Arab Organization for Industrialization introduced the Sakr 105 at EDEX 2025 as a reusable 105 millimeter shoulder-mounted launcher intended for short-range anti-structure and anti-armor roles.

    At EDEX 2025, Egypt presented the Sakr 105, a new fully Egyptian-made shoulder-fired launcher developed by the Arab Organization for Industrialization as part of the ongoing expansion of domestically produced infantry systems. The launcher was characterized as suitable for firing both anti-tank and thermobaric projectiles and was described as either a recoilless rifle or a shoulder-fired thermobaric launcher, depending on the munition in use. Its introduction aligned with Egypt’s broader efforts to diversify its infantry support capabilities within a national defense industrial framework.
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    The Sakr 105 is a shoulder-mounted launcher firing 105 mm projectiles, including anti-tank and thermobaric rounds, allowing Egyptian infantry units to employ it against fortified positions, personnel in cover, or lightly armored vehicles. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

    The Sakr 105 displayed at EDEX 2025 is a shoulder-mounted launcher designed to fire 105 mm projectiles that include thermobaric and anti-tank types, indicating its intended role for short-range engagements against fortified positions and lightly armored targets. The complete system weighs 3.25 kg, measures 370 mm in length, provides a firing rate of three rockets per minute, and has a service life of 200 firings, placing it within the category of reusable infantry weapons rather than disposable tubes. Its minimum aiming range is 50 m, the direct firing range is 160 m, and the optical sight aiming range extends to 700 m, allowing its employment across a controlled engagement envelope typical of urban and close terrain environments. The launcher requires a backblast safety distance of 30 m and is rated for operating temperatures between minus 20 and plus 50 degrees Celsius, enabling use across multiple climates encountered by Egyptian units.

    The Arab Organization for Industrialization (AIO), which developed the Sakr 105, was established in 1975 by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates with the purpose of supervising the collective development of an Arab defense industry in response to regional military capability trends. The organization began with an initial capitalization of one billion dollars contributed equally by the four states, with the understanding that its headquarters and industrial base would be located in Egypt. Following political developments that included the Egypt-Israel peace treaty and Egypt’s subsequent period of isolation, the other member states withdrew over time and returned their shares valued at 1.8 billion dollars in 1993, resulting in AOI becoming wholly owned by Egypt while retaining its original treaty framework. AOI employs approximately 16,000 personnel, including around 1,250 engineers, and operates 12 factories and one joint venture alongside the Arab Institute for Development Technology. Its governance is overseen by a Supreme Committee chaired by the Egyptian president and including several cabinet ministers, reflecting its status as a state-owned industrial organization. AOI directs much of its output to Egyptian military requirements while assigning spare capacity to civilian sectors such as transportation, sanitation equipment, and prospective wind power initiatives. Its factories also produce artillery ammunition compatible with BM-21 Grad, D-30, M-46, tank components for M60 and M1A1 assembly, small arms such as the Misr assault rifle, and a wide range of associated military equipment.

    Recoilless rifles such as the Sakr 105 are infantry weapons designed to fire large caliber projectiles while eliminating most recoil by venting propellant gases rearward, allowing use from shoulder mounts or light tripods without the structural reinforcement required for traditional artillery. These weapons differ from rocket launchers because their projectiles are expelled entirely by the deflagration of a propellant charge rather than by rocket propulsion after launch, although some variants include rocket-assisted rounds. Recoilless systems appeared in several forms during the twentieth century, ranging from early experimental concepts to widely deployed weapons such as the M18, M20, and M40 used during the Korean War. Their portability made them valuable for airborne, mountain, and light infantry units that required direct fire capability without heavy crew-served equipment. The absence of recoil allowed larger calibers than could be carried in conventional shoulder weapons, expanding the available warhead types, including high-explosive, anti-tank, and smoke rounds. While the arrival of man-portable guided missiles reduced the prominence of large recoilless rifles in some armies, many states continue to field lighter recoilless systems for short-range engagements.

    Shoulder-fired weapons also represent a diverse category of systems operated by a single individual, including reusable launchers, disposable tubes, rocket-propelled grenades, and man-portable missiles against ground or air targets. Their defining characteristic is the ability to deliver significant firepower without vehicle mounts or multiple crew members, making them suitable for dispersed infantry operations and rapid reaction scenarios. The category includes unguided launchers such as RPG-7, AT4, and M72 LAW, as well as guided systems like FGM 148 Javelin or FIM 92 Stinger, each adapted to different tactical requirements. Many shoulder-fired systems rely on backblast or booster charges to expel the projectile safely before any main propulsion ignites, keeping recoil at manageable levels for the operator. Over time, improvements in materials, optics, ergonomics, and munition design have increased their effectiveness across varying environments. These systems remain widely produced globally because they are adaptable, relatively simple to maintain, and suitable for roles ranging from anti-structure to anti-armor and low altitude air defense.

    Thermobaric weapons, like those that could be fired from the Sakr 105, differ from conventional high-explosive munitions by dispersing a fuel cloud that ignites using atmospheric oxygen, which generates an extended-duration pressure wave that moves through available openings and enclosed spaces. The initial charge disperses the fuel mixture into an aerosol, which then ignites, producing a high-temperature fireball and pressure effect that is sustained longer than traditional explosives of comparable weight. Because the blast interacts with the surrounding environment, thermobaric munitions are particularly effective against structures, tunnel systems, bunkers, and field fortifications that are not sealed from atmospheric air. Their mechanism is based on principles similar to vapor cloud explosions observed in industrial settings, adapted into controlled military applications across several calibers and delivery systems. Multiple states develop thermobaric munitions ranging from grenades and shoulder-fired rockets to aircraft-delivered bombs, reflecting their versatility in confined or urban environments.

    Written by Jérôme Brahy

    Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.

  10. U.S. War Department launches drive for 300,000 combat drones under President Trump’s Drone Dominance Plan

    At Camp Beauregard, Louisiana, soldiers from Sioux Company, Multi-Purpose Company, 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, prepare to launch a Ghost-X Medium-Range Reconnaissance drone while operating the Soldier Borne Mission Command Surrogate system during a field training exercise.

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    The U.S. government has launched a large-scale effort to acquire more than 300,000 combat drones, according to information attributed to the assumed Department of War. Officials say the surge aims to align with President Donald J. Trump’s executive order on expanding American drone dominance and to prepare for faster shifting battlefield requirements.

    U.S. defense officials outlined a sweeping new procurement program targeting more than 300,000 combat-capable drones, describing it as the most aggressive unmanned systems push attempted to date. The announcement, attributed to the assumed Department of War publication on December 2, says the initiative stems from U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s Unleashing American Drone Dominance executive order. Planners emphasize that high-tempo drone operations, dispersed formations, and persistent surveillance needs are shaping future conflicts. Early guidance suggests that the effort will blend rapid acquisition pathways with established contracting channels, but officials have not yet detailed vendor selection or production timelines.
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    At Camp Beauregard, Louisiana, soldiers from Sioux Company, Multi-Purpose Company, 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, prepare to launch a Ghost-X Medium-Range Reconnaissance drone while operating the Soldier Borne Mission Command Surrogate system during a field training exercise. (Picture source: U.S. Department of War)

    The Unleashing American Drone Dominance initiative is a presidentially mandated effort to supply U.S. forces with hundreds of thousands of small, low-cost, lethal drones over the next two years. Backed by $1 billion in immediate funding through the administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” the program aims to transform tactical doctrine by integrating mass-produced one-way attack drones into U.S. Army, Marine Corps, and Special Operations units. The goal is to saturate the battlefield with scalable, rapidly deployable, attritable unmanned capabilities specifically designed to overmatch peer adversaries in swarm-based combat environments.

    The structure of this effort reflects both the urgency and the scale of the challenge. The War Department will execute the program in four procurement phases, also called “gauntlets” (procurement rounds), beginning in February 2026. Initially, 12 manufacturers will deliver 30,000 one-way attack drones at $5,000 each. By the final phase in 2027, five selected vendors will produce 150,000 drones at just $2,300 per unit, with total production expected to exceed 340,000 systems.

    This accelerated drone production effort is grounded in direct combat observations from Ukraine and similar conflict zones, where affordable drones have increased the vulnerability of high-value platforms. The operational takeaways are clear: conflicts are no longer fought exclusively with aircraft carriers, tanks, and fighter jets, but increasingly with large numbers of small unmanned aerial systems capable of scouting, striking, and overwhelming defenses through sheer volume over technological complexity.

    The Russia-Ukraine war has shown that drone saturation can neutralize armored columns, disrupt logistics, and expose command nodes with unmatched speed and precision. Forces have fielded commercially adapted drones in mass formations to conduct loitering strikes, drop munitions, and force adversaries to expend disproportionately expensive air defenses in response. These engagements have revealed a critical gap in the U.S. military’s readiness: the lack of a large-scale, cost-effective drone capability suitable for high-intensity, peer-to-peer warfare.

    Traditional U.S. platforms like the MQ-9 Reaper or high-end missile defense systems are not designed to withstand this volume-centric threat. Moreover, relying on multimillion-dollar interceptors to defeat drones priced under $2,000 is not a sustainable approach. The new drone acquisition effort directly confronts this asymmetry by embracing expendable platforms at scale, intended for rapid battlefield deployment in contested environments.

    Strategists intend for U.S. ground forces to conduct drone-centric operations that degrade enemy forces before contact, extend battlefield awareness, and execute saturation attacks that suppress enemy movement and air defenses. These drones do not simply support operations. They serve as integral weapons systems embedded at the tactical edge, designed for persistent deployment by dismounted units, forward observers, and mechanized formations alike.

    At the operational level, the program also addresses the need for resilience against supply chain disruptions and overdependence on legacy defense primes. By signaling stable, long-term demand and reducing regulatory barriers, the War Department aims to foster a domestic industrial ecosystem capable of rapidly scaling production outside of traditional procurement cycles. The focus is on agility, not bureaucracy. This enables faster fielding of technologies that keep pace with the evolution of conflict.

    Doctrinal transformation anchors the program. The Department of War plans to embed drone warfare into all major combat training rotations starting in 2026, signifying a force-wide transition toward autonomous and semi-autonomous operations. Forces will integrate drones not just for reconnaissance but as central elements of offensive and defensive maneuver across all echelons. This approach marks a return to quantity-driven warfare, now powered by digital lethality and decentralized execution.

    The tactical implications are significant. In future conflicts, U.S. forces are expected to operate in degraded environments where traditional air superiority may be contested or denied. In such conditions, swarms of low-cost drones can provide a critical offset, conducting deep strikes, overwhelming enemy sensors, and enabling dispersed units to maneuver under the cover of drone-enabled disruption. This creates a fluid, unpredictable battlespace where lethality is generated not by massing troops, but by massing autonomous strike platforms.

    The global security environment now features a rising number of actors deploying drone swarms in both gray zone operations and conventional warfare. China, Iran, and Russia have each demonstrated intent and capacity to field drones in volume, with increasingly sophisticated command-and-control and electronic warfare capabilities. The U.S. must respond to this evolution with more than legacy systems.

    The Unleashing Drone Dominance project does more than plan acquisitions. It fundamentally shifts how the U.S. prepares for war. By prioritizing rapid production, scalable lethality, and battlefield relevance, the initiative positions the American military to lead in the next era of conflict—where adversaries contest airspace, pursue electronic warfare, and rely on human-machine teaming as the decisive edge.

    If successful, this program will position the United States by 2027 with a highly agile, cost-effective drone arsenal capable of saturating battlefields with precision-guided unmanned firepower to deliver deterrence and dominance in future great-power conflicts.

    Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
    Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.

  11. BREAKING NEWS: U.S. Central Command Deploys First Attack Drone Task Force to the Middle East

    Low-cost unmanned combat attack drones operated by U.S. Central Command sit ready on the tarmac at an undisclosed base within CENTCOM’s area of operations, November 23, 2025. These one-way strike drones are part of a newly deployed squadron in the Middle East, aimed at enhancing regional deterrence and rapid-response capabilities.

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    The U.S. Department of War announced on December 3 that U.S. Central Command has activated Task Force Scorpion Strike, the first American military unit designed specifically for one-way attack drone operations. Officials say the move reflects a tactical shift toward massed autonomous systems for high-tempo missions in contested regions.

    U.S. Central Command has stood up a new military unit, Task Force Scorpion Strike, a unit structured entirely around the employment of one-way attack drones, according to information released by the U.S. Department of War on December 3, 2025. Personnel familiar with the activation said the task force will operate within CENTCOM’s Middle East footprint and will draw from existing U.S. Air Force, Army, and joint unmanned systems expertise. While many U.S. drones have historically focused on surveillance or precision engagements, the new unit is tailored for disposable, rapid strike platforms that can overwhelm defenses or saturate specific targets during short-notice missions.
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    Low-cost unmanned combat attack drones operated by U.S. Central Command sit ready on the tarmac at an undisclosed base within CENTCOM’s area of operations, November 23, 2025. These one-way strike drones are part of a newly deployed squadron in the Middle East, aimed at enhancing regional deterrence and rapid-response capabilities. (Picture source: U.S. Department of War)

    Task Force Scorpion Strike is a military unit that integrates personnel and capabilities from U.S. Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT), Air Force drone operators, and Army software development teams. The unit is designed to serve as a rapid testbed and deployable strike arm for loitering munitions under real-world operational conditions. Its core mission is to deliver scalable, low-cost drone strike capability at the tactical and operational levels, leveraging artificial intelligence, autonomy, and modular launch systems. The first combat-ready squadron under the task force has now been fielded, using the Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System (LUCAS), a family of drones tailored for one-way autonomous strikes.

    These systems are built for rapid deployment and can be launched via catapults, vehicle-mounted rails, or rocket-assisted mechanisms, enabling commanders to operate with agility in austere environments. Unlike legacy drones such as the MQ-9 Reaper or RQ-4 Global Hawk, which require significant infrastructure and operator support, LUCAS drones are preprogrammed to loiter, identify targets, and strike with onboard warheads, all in a single-use mission cycle. They are designed to be expendable but effective, optimized for saturating enemy defenses, striking high-value targets, or responding quickly to emerging threats.

    “This new task force sets the conditions for using innovation as a deterrent,” said Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command. “Equipping our skilled warfighters faster with cutting-edge drone capabilities showcases U.S. military innovation and strength, which deters bad actors.”

    The concept for Scorpion Strike was born out of growing frustration with the slow pace of drone modernization amid adversary gains. Over the past decade, U.S. adversaries, including Iran, Russia, and non-state proxy forces, have demonstrated increasingly effective use of loitering munitions. Iran’s Shahed-131 and 136 drones, for instance, have been exported to Yemen’s Houthis and used by Russian forces in Ukraine with devastating tactical results. These low-cost, hard-to-stop platforms have exposed a critical gap in the U.S. force structure: the lack of an equivalent, cheap, scalable, and tactically relevant unmanned strike capability.

    The Pentagon’s traditional drone architecture, centered on expensive platforms and long-lead procurement cycles, has struggled to adapt. That calculus changed earlier this year when Secretary of War Pete Hegseth issued a formal directive to accelerate acquisition and fielding of affordable drone technologies. This resulted in the launch of the Rapid Employment Joint Task Force (RE-JTF) in September, which now oversees the synchronization of capability development across CENTCOM components. Task Force Scorpion Strike is its most tangible output to date.

    The development of attack drones within the U.S. armed forces has accelerated since 2022, when Ukraine's successful use of Turkish TB2 drones and improvised first-person-view (FPV) suicide drones reshaped battlefield expectations. Recognizing this shift, the Department of Defense began restructuring acquisition channels through the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), launching Project Artemis and other classified drone initiatives to deliver loitering munition capabilities at scale.

    LUCAS drones embody the result of that pivot. Designers in both the commercial drone sector and traditional defense primes contributed directly to these systems. They enable operation in GPS-denied environments, leveraging onboard sensors, AI-assisted navigation, and encrypted software to target, even under electronic warfare autonomously. These features make them ideal for the Middle East, where U.S. forces regularly face Iranian jamming and spoofing.

    Defense Analysts from Army Recognition Group suggest the move may mark the beginning of a doctrinal transformation across the joint force. For decades, U.S. airpower has been defined by high-cost, high-survivability systems. The success of one-way drones in modern conflicts is now pushing the Pentagon to embrace a different model, one that values affordability, attritability, and mass over legacy dominance. The Scorpion Strike concept could ultimately serve as a framework for regional drone detachments across other combatant commands, from INDOPACOM to AFRICOM, as the United States seeks to harden its forward posture with low-cost strike assets.

    With the formal stand-up of this drone squadron, the United States has entered a new phase of drone warfare. It is one shaped not by persistent surveillance or air supremacy, but by speed, saturation, and scalable lethality. And for adversaries watching across the Middle East and beyond, the implications are clear: U.S. forces will not just respond to the drone threat; they now intend to outmatch it.

    Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
    Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.

  12. EDEX 2025: Slovakia's MSM Land Systems presents upgraded ZSU-23-4 SVK anti-aircraft gun

    The ZSU-23-4 SVK Shilka retains most of the original ZSU-23-4 characteristics, such as its quad 23 mm cannon turret and the GM-575 tracked chassis, but seems to incorporate a missile launcher box on the top of the turret. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

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    MSM Land Systems rolled out the ZSU-23-4 SVK at EDEX 2025, a modernization of the Soviet-era ZSU-23-4 Shilka self-propelled anti-aircraft gun.

    At EDEX 2025, the Slovakian company MSM Land Systems presented the ZSU-23-4 SVK, a modernized Shilka self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG), as part of its broader portfolio covering repairs, modernization, and upgrades of tracked and wheeled military vehicles. The upgrade is intended to preserve the functional relevance of a military asset originally developed in the Soviet Union and still held in the inventories of numerous armed forces. The presentation positioned the ZSU-23-4 SVK within a complete industrial framework maintained by the company, signaling that existing operators of Shilka variants can rely on this modernization path to extend their operational service life.
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    The ZSU-23-4 SVK Shilka retains most of the original ZSU-23-4 characteristics, such as its quad 23 mm cannon turret and the GM-575 tracked chassis, but seems to incorporate a missile launcher box on the top of the turret. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

    MSM Land Systems is a Slovakian enterprise specializing in overhauling military tracked and wheeled vehicles, manufacturing special ISO 1C containers and vehicle superstructures, as well as maintaining NATO-compatible bridge layers and artillery systems for armed forces, police, fire, and rescue services. For instance, MSM supports and modernizes, for the Slovak Armed Forces, the BVP Šakal infantry fighting vehicle, the T-72 Scarab main battle tank, the BM-21MU and RM-70 Vampire multiple rocket launchers, the DANA M2 and DITA self-propelled howitzers, and engineering vehicles like the AM-50EX and AM-70EX bridge layers. In addition, it offers vehicles such as the Aligator Master II 4x4 and Patriot armored vehicles, as well as DECON decontamination vehicles. MSM Land Systems also serves as an authorized dealer and service center for Tatra Trucks, and belongs to the Czechoslovak Group, a multi-division industrial cluster active in defense, ammunition, mobility, aerospace, and other sectors, with about 400 employees and an annual turnover of about €48 million.

    The ZSU-23-4 SVK Shilka presented by MSM Land Systems retains most of the original ZSU-23-4 characteristics, such as its quad 23 mm cannon turret and the GM-575 tracked chassis, but seems to incorporate a missile launcher box on the top of the turret. The ZSU-23-4 SVK measures 6,54 meters in length, 3,13 meters in width, and reaches a height of 3,7 meters when the radar is raised, with a combat weight between 20 and 22 tons depending on the user's requirements. The standard crew configuration consists of four members, including driver, gunner, loader, and commander, although a three-person layout is available when a combined gunner-loader arrangement is requested. The SVK maintains a maximum speed of approximately 50 km/h, providing sufficient mobility to move with mechanized and armored units in varied terrain. The modernization allows countries to continue to assign operational tasks to their Shilka systems, which have offered, since the 1960s, a low-altitude air defense coverage for moving columns.

    The armament configuration relies on the AZP-23 mount fitted with four 23 mm 2A7M cannons firing 23×152B ammunition, with a total ammunition capacity of 2,000 rounds distributed between the upper and lower cannons. The 2A7M could fire multiple ammunition types, including armor-piercing incendiary tracer (BZT), high explosive incendiary (OFZ), and high explosive incendiary tracer (OFZT), allowing operators to tailor belts to air defense or ground support tasks. The elevation range extends from minus 4 degrees to plus 85 degrees, enabling engagement of aircraft, rotary-wing targets, elevated firing positions, and urban structures. Each cannon has a high cyclic rate of fire, and the water-cooled barrels allow sustained bursts, compared to earlier variants that experienced barrel overheating and runaway gun issues, prior to later mechanical improvements. While practical firing performance remains limited by heating cycles, ammunition consumption, and the mechanical structure of the turret, the density of fire remains the defining characteristic of the Shilka.

    The established GM-575 chassis incorporates here a 280 hp V-6R diesel engine based on the 20-liter V-2 engine lineage that powered many Soviet armored vehicles. This engine is coupled to a manual transmission with five forward gears and one reverse, with power transmitted through planetary steering mechanisms and final drives to the tracked running gear. The chassis also includes a torsion bar suspension system with hydraulic shock absorbers on selected road wheels, enabling the vehicle to negotiate 0,7 meter vertical obstacles, 2,5 meter trenches, 1 meter of fording depth, and gradients of 30 degrees. The Shilka has an operational range of about 450 km on roads and 300 km cross-country, while its fuel tanks total approximately 521 liters. The vehicle includes an NBC filtration system, internal and external communications, a gas turbine generator DG4M-1 for onboard power, infrared driving devices, a TNA-2 navigation system, and an internal layout divided between the driving compartment, the fighting compartment, and the engine compartment.

    The fire control system of the ZSU-23-4 is built around the same design that has defined the Shilka family since its introduction in the 1960s, historically employing the RPK-2 Tobol radar mounted on collapsible supports at the rear of the turret. This radar offers detection capabilities up to approximately 20 km and can track aircraft for short-range engagements despite ground clutter challenges below about 60 meters altitude. The turret is fully stabilized, allowing firing on the move, and an electromechanical fire solution calculator uses radar input and gyroscopic orientation data to compute azimuth and elevation lead angles for each burst. Limitations known from earlier models, including the need for periodic radar resets, tracking difficulties at high angular speeds, and cooling requirements for the guns, have been addressed over decades through multiple modernization paths in various countries. The ZSU-23-4 SVK could maintain the original radar layout while enabling customers to incorporate more modern optical devices, updated rangefinding solutions, or other mission-specific subsystems.

    The ZSU-23-4 was developed between 1957 and 1960, its production started in 1964, and it continues to be used until today through multiple national upgrade programs. More than 6,500 units of the original Soviet Shilka were built, and many remain in service or storage around the world. Throughout decades of use, the SPAAG has been fielded in conflicts including the Yom Kippur War, the War of Attrition, the Vietnam War, the Soviet Afghan War, the Iran-Iraq War, the Gulf War, the Chechen conflicts, the Syrian Civil War, and the Russo-Ukrainian War. Variants produced in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, Vietnam, Iran, India, and the Netherlands introduced missile launchers, passive optical tracking, digital fire control, hydrostatic transmissions, updated radars, laser rangefinders, and increased ammunition capacities. These continuous modernization efforts illustrate that the underlying architecture remains adaptable and that many operators continue to retain the Shilka, as a complement to more modern missile-based air defense systems.

    Written by Jérôme Brahy

    Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.

  13. Qatar receives first Boxer RCT30 infantry fighting vehicles from Germany

    The Boxer RCT30 IFV combines the Boxer 8×8 chassis with the RCT30 remote-controlled turret, the same used on the German Puma infantry fighting vehicle. (Picture source: X/Nicholas Drummond)

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    KNDS Deutschland delivered the first Boxer RCT30 infantry fighting vehicles to the Qatar Emiri Land Forces on December 3, 2025.

    On December 3, 2025, KNDS Deutschland delivered the first Boxer RCT30 infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) to Qatar, marking the start of fleet introduction for the new configuration. The Boxers will be assigned to Qatar's mechanized units, which already operate 62 Leopard 2A7+ tanks, 24 PzH 2000 howitzers, 14 Dingo 2 MRAP vehicles, and 6 Wisent 2 armored recovery vehicles. Officials familiar with the program noted that the Boxer RCT30 had previously been presented with counter-drone features at DIMDEX 2024 in Doha.
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    The Boxer RCT30 IFV combines the Boxer 8×8 chassis with the RCT30 remote-controlled turret, the same used on the German Puma infantry fighting vehicle. (Picture source: X/Nicholas Drummond)

    During the DIMDEX 2024 exhibition in Doha, held from March 4 to March 6, Qatar displayed a Boxer RCT30 equipped with a passive radio frequency sensor, and a Qatari general stated that ten of these vehicles will be delivered to the Qatar Emiri Land Forces (QELF). According to KNDS personnel present at the exhibition, this sensor detects the emissions of commercial drones operating in the vicinity and identifies their location. The positional data generated by the sensor is then transferred to the RCT30 fire control system, so the turret can adjust its aim for aerial engagements using the 30 mm programmable air burst ammunition. In addition to the RF sensor, the system incorporates an automatic detection function using software that analyzes the feed from the turret’s electro-optical cameras to locate drones that may not be visible to the crew. This provides the Boxer with two independent detection pathways for identifying small aerial threats.

    The Boxer RCT30 is a variant of the Boxer armored vehicle that combines its 8×8 chassis with the RCT30 remote-controlled turret, the same used on the German Puma infantry fighting vehicle. The RCT30 is a fully stabilized, unmanned medium caliber turret equipped with the MK30-2 30 mm cannon that uses a dual-feed mechanism to switch between ammunition types without interruption. The cannon has a cyclic rate of approximately 200 rounds per minute and fires 30×173 mm ammunition, including armor-piercing, high-explosive, and air-burst programmable (ABM) types. Elevation angles typically range from around minus 10 degrees to plus 45 degrees, enabling ground support roles and low altitude aerial engagements depending on integration.

    The turret rotates through a full 360 degrees using an electric drive system designed for continuous traverse while the host vehicle is moving. Ammunition storage for the turret is housed inside an armored compartment with around 200 ready rounds, depending on configuration, separated from the crew. Weapon control uses electrically driven components instead of recoil-driven loading, for consistent operation in varying environmental conditions. The cannon also uses an inductive programming system, placed at the barrel interface, to set a detonation timing for air burst rounds. The turret itself is built around armored housings that protect the weapon cradle, drive modules, sensors, and ammunition container from fragments and small-caliber fire.

    The Boxer RCT30 IFV is based on the standard Boxer 8×8 drive module, which uses a protected steel hull combined with modular armor and a specific mission module. Depending on configuration, the Boxer drive module for IFV variants reaches a combat weight approaching 36.5 to 38.5 tonnes, supported by an independent double-wishbone suspension system designed for high mobility over varied terrain. The vehicle is powered by an MTU 8V199 diesel engine delivering between 530 kW and 600 kW, depending on A2 or A3 drive module integration, paired with an automatic transmission providing multiple forward and reverse gears to maintain speed across off-road surfaces.

    Maximum road speed typically reaches more than 100 km per hour on the lighter configurations, while operational range can exceed 650 km depending on mission weight. The 8×8 driveline includes differential locks on all axles and steering on the first two axles, allowing a reduced turning radius for an armored vehicle of its size. Ground clearance varies depending on configuration, but remains sufficient for obstacle negotiation, such as trenches and vertical steps. The platform is equipped with central tire inflation, run-flat inserts, and pneumatic braking with anti-lock control to manage movement under load. Fuel capacity distributed across multiple tanks ensures continued operation following partial damage to the system.

    The Boxer platform was developed as part of a larger multinational program based on a protected 8×8 wheeled chassis divided into a drive module and interchangeable mission modules that can be swapped relatively quickly. Production of the Boxer is performed by ARTEC GmbH, whose parent companies are KNDS Deutschland and Rheinmetall Land Systeme in Germany, with additional industrial contributions from Rheinmetall Defence Nederland and manufacturing lines in Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The Boxer drive module has evolved through A0, A1, A2, A3, B0, and C0 configurations, with differences in engine output, weight limits, suspension upgrades, and compatibility with heavier mission modules, for tasks such as command post, ambulance, cargo, driver training, repair, joint fire support, reconnaissance, mortar carrier, howitzer, and air defense modules. Each Boxer mission module is designed to be attached or removed using four connection points (later increased to six in newer drive modules) and can be replaced within a short timeframe. Within this global program, national IFV variants have become more prominent, such as the Ukrainian AiTO30 FDC, the Australian Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle, the Lithuanian Vilkas, or the German sWaTrgInf Heavy Weapons Carrier.

    In Germany, the Bundeswehr has identified a requirement for 148 Boxer vehicles equipped with turreted IFV configurations for its new medium brigades, and the RCT30 has been reported as the preferred option because it allows transport of a full infantry squad while maintaining the turret characteristics of the Puma. The Netherlands confirmed on September 17, 2024, that its 13th Light Brigade would also receive Boxer RCT30 IFVs, with 72 units planned and an option for 48 additional vehicles. Ukraine has received nine Boxer RCT30-equipped vehicles designated AiTO30 FDC for counter-drone protection of artillery units, confirming that the turret can support multiple missions beyond standard infantry operations. These programs share the same technical requirements: an unmanned stabilized turret, a 30 mm cannon, a coaxial machine gun, integrated electro-optical sights, and fire control systems compatible with programmable ammunition. This means that Qatar may benefit from common logistical pathways for maintenance, ammunition procurement, and software updates for fire control systems.

    Written by Jérôme Brahy

    Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.

  14. Germany Strengthens European Air Defense Capabilities With Israeli Arrow 3 Hypersonic Missile Interceptor

    Germany has declared its Arrow 3-based Arrow Weapon System operational, making it Europe’s first exo-atmospheric long-range ballistic missile interceptor and reinforcing continental air and missile defense. (Picture source: German MoD / Israeli MoD / U.S. Navy)

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    Germany has declared initial operational capability for its Arrow 3 missile defense system at the Schönewalde Holzdorf air base. The move gives Europe its first exo-atmospheric interceptor and strengthens the continent’s protection against long-range missile threats.

    On December 3, 2025, at the Schönewalde/Holzdorf air base south of Berlin, Germany formally declared initial operational capability for the Arrow Weapon System Germany (AWS-G), the German configuration of Israel’s Arrow 3 ballistic missile defense system, as announced by the German MoD and Israeli MoD. This marks the first time a European nation fields an exo-atmospheric interceptor designed to neutralize long-range ballistic missiles in space, closing a strategic gap in Europe’s air and missile defense architecture that NATO has warned about for years. The system’s entry into service comes against the backdrop of Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine and increasingly explicit nuclear and missile signaling from Moscow, which have pushed Berlin to overhaul its defense posture after decades of underinvestment. With Arrow 3 now operational on German soil, Berlin is positioning itself as a central provider of protection not only for its own population and infrastructure, but also for neighboring allies across the continent.

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    Germany has declared its Arrow 3-based Arrow Weapon System operational, making it Europe’s first exo-atmospheric long-range ballistic missile interceptor and reinforcing continental air and missile defense. (Picture source: German MoD / Israeli MoD / U.S. Navy)

    The Schönewalde/Holzdorf deployment represents the first operational Arrow site in Germany and the first time the system has been handed over to and operated by a foreign armed force. At the ceremony, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius emphasized that AWS-G adds “the outermost layer” to German air defense, giving the Bundeswehr, for the first time, an early-warning and interception capability against long-range ballistic missiles aimed at German territory. The initial battery, comprising radar sensors, launchers and trained crews, provides a limited but real protective coverage while further components are integrated and personnel are certified. Berlin plans to field Arrow at three locations, in the north, center and south of the country, and to reach full operational capability around 2030, at which point the system will form the top layer of a national and allied missile shield.

    Technically, Arrow 3 is an exo-atmospheric, hit-to-kill interceptor designed to engage medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in the mid-course phase of their trajectory, at altitudes above 100 kilometers and at ranges of up to roughly 2,400 kilometers. An operational battery is built around multiple towed erector-launchers, each mounted on a two-axle trailer carrying six sealed missile canisters that are raised to the vertical position and stabilized by hydraulic jacks before firing, giving the unit a salvo capability against several incoming threats in very short succession. The interceptor itself has two powered stages and is optimized for pure hit-to-kill engagements outside the atmosphere, using solid-fuel propulsion, thrust-vector control and a high-resolution electro-optical seeker to maneuver in space and collide directly with the target warhead instead of relying on fragmentation. Coupled with the Super Green Pine (EL/M-2084) long-range warning and fire-control radar, the Golden Citron battle management center and the Hazelnut Tree launcher control architecture, the system can launch interceptors into a designated volume of space even before the precise impact point of the hostile missile is known and is designed to cope with salvos of multiple ballistic missiles within seconds. This exo-atmospheric engagement is intended to minimize the risk that debris or the remnants of a nuclear, chemical or biological payload fall over populated areas. In German service, AWS-G integrates Arrow 3 launchers, long-range radar and battle management systems with the Luftwaffe’s broader Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) architecture, which already includes U.S. Patriot and German-made IRIS-T SLM batteries for lower-altitude threats.

    The industrial and political dimension of the program is equally significant. Arrow 3 is jointly developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, with Boeing and several Israeli firms,  including Elbit Systems, Tomer and Rafael, responsible for major subsystems such as the radar, command-and-control suite and interceptor components. For Germany, the procurement is valued at roughly €3.3–3.8 billion, depending on the elements counted, and is widely described as the largest defense export contract in Israel’s history. At the handover ceremony, Israel’s defense ministry leadership underlined the historical symbolism of a system engineered in response to Israel’s own existential missile threats now serving to protect German cities and infrastructure, a message framed explicitly in light of the Holocaust and the transformation of Israeli-German defense relations over the past decades. The deal also reinforces trilateral ties between Berlin, Jerusalem and Washington, given U.S. funding and technology embedded in Arrow 3 and the need for American export approval.

    Strategically, Arrow 3 responds to a concrete operational gap highlighted by the war in Ukraine. Since February 2022, Russia has repeatedly used ballistic missiles against Ukrainian targets, including systems that fly on steep trajectories and reach altitudes beyond the reach of most European air defenses. NATO analyses have long described the absence of a high-altitude ballistic missile shield over central Europe as a “strategic gap,” particularly in light of Russian systems capable of operating well above 100 kilometers and carrying conventional or potentially nuclear payloads. Germany’s central geographic position makes it a critical logistical hub for moving NATO reinforcements and supplies toward the eastern flank; securing this “land bridge” against long-range missile strikes has become a core requirement of the alliance’s new defense plans. By giving Berlin an exo-atmospheric interception capability, Arrow 3 plugs this gap and is intended to deter adversaries by complicating any calculus of missile coercion against European capitals and infrastructure.

    Within Germany’s own “Zeitenwende” rearmament agenda, AWS-G is one of the flagship programs financed from the €100 billion special defense fund set up after Russia’s invasion. It complements ongoing investments in Patriots, IRIS-T, F-35s and heavy transport helicopters, and is slated to be a cornerstone of the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI), a German-led framework that now brings together more than twenty European countries to co-ordinate ground-based air and missile defense. Once all three Arrow sites are active, Germany intends to integrate their surveillance and engagement capabilities into NATO’s integrated air and missile defense command structure, enabling shared early-warning data and potentially providing coverage arcs that extend beyond German borders to partners such as Poland, the Czech Republic and the Baltic states. This approach seeks to make AWS-G not just a national asset but a contribution to the alliance’s collective shield.

    The deployment also sends a political signal to Moscow and to European publics. In the days surrounding the Arrow ceremony, Russian President Vladimir Putin again framed Europe as “on the side of war” because of its support for Ukraine and claimed that Russia was “ready” if Europe wanted a conflict, rhetoric that reinforces NATO capitals’ perception of a persistent missile and nuclear intimidation campaign. By visibly investing in a system that has already demonstrated real-world intercepts against Iranian and Houthi ballistic missiles threatening Israel, Germany is signaling that long-range coercive strikes on European territory will face a growing set of defenses. At the same time, the decision to buy a non-European system underlines the urgency Berlin sees: instead of waiting a decade or more for a wholly European exo-atmospheric interceptor, Germany opted for a field-proven solution that could be delivered and brought to IOC within just a few years.

    The Arrow 3 deployment raises broader questions about Europe’s long-term missile defense posture and industrial strategy. Israeli and U.S. partners are already working on Arrow 4, a future interceptor aimed at more complex ballistic threats, while Russia continues to develop new missile systems, including hypersonic glide vehicles and advanced cruise missiles that may stress existing defenses. European states are simultaneously upgrading other high-end systems such as the Franco-Italian SAMP/T and exploring new sensors, space-based early-warning and directed-energy concepts, creating a layered, multinational defense architecture in which AWS-G is one critical component among many. For Germany, maintaining this system over its life cycle, training sufficient crews and aligning rules of engagement within NATO will be as important as the hardware itself if Arrow 3 is to provide credible protection under crisis conditions.

    The activation of Arrow 3 in Schönewalde/Holzdorf marks a turning point in how Germany and its allies think about protecting European airspace against ballistic missile threats. A capability that until recently existed only on Israeli territory and in NATO planning documents is now physically deployed in the heart of Europe, tied into German and alliance command structures and backed by a unique triangle of German, Israeli and U.S. cooperation. It signals that Berlin is prepared to invest heavily in shielding its population, infrastructure and the alliance’s logistical backbone from the kind of high-end missile attacks seen in Ukraine and the Middle East, and that Israel’s combat-tested missile shield has become an integral part of Europe’s security architecture. Beyond the symbolism, the challenge from today onward will be to translate this initial operational capability into a robust, fully integrated shield by 2030, and to keep pace with adversaries who are already working on the next generation of offensive systems.

    Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group

    Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.

  15. EDEX 2025: Pakistan Displays Battle-Proven Safrah Drone Jamming Gun With 1.5 km Disruption Range

    Safrah is a man-portable directional jammer that cuts drone control, video, and GPS links out to 1.5 km, forcing hostile UAVs to land or return home for frontline or perimeter defense (Picture source: Army Recognition Group).

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    Pakistan’s National Electronics Complex of Pakistan introduced its Safrah anti-UAV gun at EDEX 2025, highlighting a 1.5-kilometer jamming range and commercial drone disruption capabilities. The system’s reported operational use along Pakistan’s western border has spurred export interest from African buyers, positioning Safrah as an emerging player in the fast-growing counter-drone market.

    A new handheld counter-drone weapon from Pakistan drew steady interest at EDEX 2025 in Cairo, where defense officials and industry representatives examined the Safrah anti-UAV gun during its public showing on the GIDS stand. Citing official data shared by the National Electronics Complex of Pakistan on 2 December 2025, the system is built to sever control and navigation links on commercial unmanned aircraft using focused high-gain jamming antennas. Pakistani officials say the gun has already been fielded on the country’s western border earlier this year, giving Safrah a measure of real-world credibility that many emerging counter-UAV products still lack.
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    Safrah is a man-portable directional jammer that cuts drone control, video, and GPS links out to 1.5 km, forcing hostile UAVs to land or return home for frontline or perimeter defense (Picture source: Army Recognition Group).

    Safrah is built around three integrated high-gain antennas that project focused jamming energy out to 1,500 meters, a range comparable to the engagement envelope of many quadcopter and light fixed-wing drones. NECOP lists three primary bands: 1560 to 1620 MHz targeting satellite navigation, 2.4 GHz, and 5.8 GHz for standard command and video links. Each band is powered by a 30-watt transmitter, giving the operator enough energy to overpower commercial drone radios without resorting to bulky backpack amplifiers. The gun weighs about 9 kilograms without its tripod, measures 110 by 27 by 14 centimeters, and is powered by two swappable batteries that deliver roughly 40 minutes of continuous jamming or 70 to 80 short engagements.

    Effectively, Safrah is designed to cut all communications between the drone and its controller, immediately halting live video feed and forcing the aircraft either to land or to execute its built-in return to home function. NECOP stresses that the system can tackle drones using frequency hopping, which is increasingly common in racing and first-person view platforms adapted for attack roles. Radiation levels are kept within non-hazardous limits, a key requirement for law enforcement and military personnel who may need to operate the gun for extended periods in confined urban areas.

    Pakistani officials report that Safrah Drone Jamming Guns have already been deployed along the country’s western border, where they disrupted a series of kamikaze drone attacks earlier in 2025, preventing casualties and infrastructure damage. The same reporting notes that the system’s performance has triggered export interest, with initial orders coming from African customers, positioning Safrah as one of Pakistan’s first combat-proven counter-UAV products to reach the global market.

    On the EDEX floor, NECOP engineers framed Safrah as a tactical tool for platoon and company-level protection. In practical terms, a country acquiring the gun would typically pair it with radar or electro-optical detection, cueing the operator to shoulder the weapon, track the drone through the 9x day optic, and squeeze the trigger when the aircraft enters the 1.5-kilometer engagement zone. The tripod seen in Cairo enables semi-permanent coverage of a vulnerable sector, for example, a base entrance, ammunition dump, or temporary command post, while retaining the option to rapidly detach and deploy the gun with a dismounted patrol.

    The official material highlights border, perimeter, and airport security, VIP convoy protection, and event security as primary application areas, all of which mirror the scenarios that now drive global counter-drone demand. For many countries with stretched air defense budgets, Safrah offers a relatively low-cost, man-portable effector that can be fielded with military police, gendarmerie, or critical infrastructure guards after minimal training. Its reliance on replaceable batteries rather than dedicated generators simplifies sustainment for customers in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, where logistics chains are often fragile.

    In comparative terms, Safrah sits in the same class as DroneShield’s DroneGun Tactical, which weighs about 7.3 kilograms and offers long-range disruption across multiple ISM and GNSS bands with IP54 environmental protection. Chinese integrated detection and jamming guns from manufacturers such as TATUSK advertise similar 500 to 1,500 meter jamming ranges with 30-watt amplifiers, but add onboard drone detection sensors and mapping tools at the cost of higher system complexity. Safrah lacks organic detection yet compensates with a straightforward, rugged design, clear band selection, and hard-earned operational pedigree on an active border.

    For nations now racing to build layered counter-UAV architectures, the Safrah anti-UAV gun showcased at EDEX 2025 offers a practical directional effector that can be slotted beneath higher-end radars and kinetic interceptors. Its blend of focused jamming power, combat use in Pakistan, and visible push for exports indicates that NECOP and GIDS intend to position Safrah as a workhorse tool for militaries and security agencies confronting the drone threat with limited budgets but urgent operational needs.

  16. EDEX 2025: Egypt Presents New K11 Fire Control Vehicle With First Full K9A1EGY Howitzer Battery

    The 37-ton K11 Fire Control Vehicle is a tracked, armored command post for Egypt’s K9A1EGY howitzers, using a digital fire direction suite to coordinate up to six guns. Powered by a 1,000 hp diesel engine, it provides mobile, protected command and control alongside frontline mechanized units (Picture source: Army Recognition Group).

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    Egypt publicly introduced its new K11 Fire Control Vehicle in Cairo, displaying it alongside the first complete K9A1EGY self-propelled howitzer battery at EDEX 2025. The rollout signals that Egypt’s multibillion-dollar K9 program with South Korea has shifted from the contract stage to an operational artillery network.

    During the Egypt Defence Expo 2025, known as EDEX 2025, on 1st December 2025, Egypt publicly rolled out its new K11 Fire Control Vehicle as part of the first complete K9A1EGYself-propelled howitzer battery shown in Cairo. The tracked command post stood in line with six K9A1EGY guns and a K10 ammunition vehicle, confirming that the Korean Egyptian artillery package has moved from contract signature to fielded capability. For Egyptian artillerymen, the K11 now acts as the digital brain of the 155 mm K9 network.
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    The 37-ton K11 Fire Control Vehicle is a tracked, armored command post for Egypt’s K9A1EGY howitzers, using a digital fire direction suite to coordinate up to six guns. Powered by a 1,000 hp diesel engine, it provides mobile, protected command and control alongside frontline mechanized units (Picture source: Army Recognition Group).

    Built on the K9chassis, the K11 displayed in Cairo weighs 37 tons and measures 7.5 m long, 3.4 m wide, and 3.7 m high, with 41 cm of ground clearance. Mobility figures match the gun platform: a 1,000 hp diesel engine pushes the vehicle to 60 km/h with a 360 km road range, while it can ford 1.5 m of water and climb 60% gradients and 30% side slopes.

    Those numbers sit inside a much larger industrial story. Egypt’s K11 is part of the K9 package signed with Hanwha Aerospace in early 2022, a deal valued at roughly 1.6 to 1.7 billion dollars that covers hundreds of K9 howitzers, K10 ammunition vehicles, and a planned fleet of around 51 K11 fire direction vehicles under a technology transfer scheme with state-owned Factory 200. Open sources point to an Egyptian requirement for about 216 K9A1EGY guns and 39 K10EGY vehicles, giving the country one of the largest K9 fleets outside South Korea.

    The K11 itself is a clean sheet command post tailored to Egyptian doctrine. Publicly available material and Korean industry reporting describe a tracked fire direction control vehicle carrying an indigenous command and control suite, able to command the fire of six K9A1 howitzers per vehicle by fusing target data, friendly positions, and meteorological inputs and sending firing solutions digitally to the guns. A December 2024 contract for K11 tactical control and K9A1 fire control computers, with deliveries through 2028, underpins a multi-year production run that will gradually localize assembly and integrate Egyptian optronics and radios into the vehicle’s mission systems. Reporting from EDEX 2025 confirms that at least one full battery with a K11 has already been handed over to the Egyptian Armed Forces.

    The K11 gives Egyptian artillery commanders a hardened, mobile nerve centre that can sit close to the gun line rather than in soft-skinned tents or trucks. Multiple operator consoles inside can manage fire missions from target detection to battle damage assessment, pulling in data from counter battery radars, unmanned aerial systems, or coastal surveillance networks, and then allocating missions across the six K9s under its control. Because it uses the same tracked chassis as the howitzer, the command post keeps pace with mechanized brigades in Sinai or along the Red Sea coast and enjoys comparable protection against fragments and blast. For export customers, the K11 is presented as a ready-made fire direction solution for K9 users that lack modern C2 vehicles, offering a heavier and more survivable option than the lighter command posts typically paired with rival PzH 2000 or Caesar gun systems.

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