With tactical communications equipment worth millions of dollars flowing in from contracts awarded over the past two years, the ADF’s aspirations for fully networked, deployable battlegroups, are approaching realisation.

With the selection of Hawkei as the preferred solution for the Manufactured and Supported in Australia (MSA) option of Land 121 Phase 4, Thales is focusing on the development of a production-ready vehicle for the Australian requirement, with export planning in the marketing phase.

Army has been working hard over the last decade in Afghanistan, East Timor, Iraq and the Solomon Islands just to name a few. But what will the organisation have to do to prepare for the coming decade of theatres?

British military vehicle company Supacat has announced plans to set up a new subsidiary in Australia to pursue further sales to the ADF under Project Redfin and emergent opportunities in the wider Asia-Pacific region.

Parliamentary Secretary for Defence, Senator David Feeney, and Commander 2nd Division, Major General Craig Williams AM, have announced major reforms for Army Reserve under Plan Beersheba at Simpson Barracks in Watsonia, Melbourne.

As always, the pre-Christmas flurry of project approvals has not failed to disappoint. From Chinooks to vehicles, the government has taken the chance to clear the decks before beginning 2012.

The next stage of Project Land 125 Ph.3C has got under way with approval for an $8 million investment in an upgraded Austeyr rifle design.

A program to upgrade Bushmaster vehicles with better protection against Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) has been completed.

Thanks to a discovery while researching synthetic aperture radar, detecting improvised explosive devices will now be easier according to a group of US Navy scientists.

Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare has announced upgrades worth a million dollars to combat helmets worn by soldiers in Afghanistan which includes new padding and harnesses.

A third Australian Police Force has requested an opportunity to trial the Metal Storm MAUL 12-gauge weapon system following an announcement that two other Forces had committed to trial the new weapon.

Reports indicate that Defence is seeking urgent requirement approval for the purchase of mine detecting vehicles under JP 154 Phase 3 for use in Afghanistan to counter roadside IEDs.

Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare last week announced that four Bushmaster ambulances have been delivered to the Air Force Health Services Wing at RAAF Base Amberley.

The Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare has announced the next stage of the project to update the Austeyr rifle used by Australian soldiers.

The first truck mounted 105-millimetre howitzer was revealed to the media for the first time on September 22 at the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan, Seoul.

Supacat announced yesterday the operational launch of Supacat in Australia and the launch of Supacat Team Australia, to bid, build and deliver the JP2097 Ph 1B (REDFIN) program.