Land

Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan received five of 20 upgraded Leopard 2 A4M CAN (Leopard 2) tanks between December 2010 and mid January 2011.

The ADF may acquire 265 radio-controlled IED electronic warfare (CREW) systems under FMS arrangements, in an urgent procurement for Australian troops.

Five of the six contenders for the Army’s Protected Mobility Vehicle (Light) project, Land 121 Ph 4, were on display at the Land Warfare Conference.

Force Protection’s Ocelot contender for Project land 121 Ph 4 owes much to the British Army’s Light Protected Patrol Vehicle (LPPV) program, for which it was awarded a 200-vehicle order shortly before LWC.

With speakers at the Land Warfare Conference (LWC) careful to pay obeisance to the Strategic Reform Program (SRP), both the Chief of Army and Army’s Head of Modernisation and Strategic Planning took the opportunity to highlight a greater emphasis on so-called adaptive acquisition.

The Land Environment Working Group (LEWG) took the opportunity provided by LWC 2010 to conduct their annual meeting.

Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann have handed over the first two German Puma infantry fighting vehicles for verification tests.

UK company Marshall Land Systems and Thales Australia announced in November they had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on vehicle opportunities in Australia, in particular Project Land 121 - Overlander where Thales is offering its locally designed and manufactured Hawkei.

Marshall Land Systems and Thales Australia have announced a Memorandum of Understanding on local vehicle opportunities, particularly Land 121.

Exclusive

BAE demonstrates ULW body armour

BAE Systems has demonstrated its new Ultra Lightweight Warrior (ULW) body armour system at the 2010 Land Warfare Conference in Brisbane.

Exclusive

US GAO assesses JLTV costs

The US Government Accountability Office says while Joint Light Tactical Vehicle costs are yet to be determined, the total bill could be US$18.5 billion.

Despite Defence concerns about the 'releasability' of Land 400 information, a number of possible contenders will be at the Land Warfare Conference.

Exclusive

Questions over MRAP blast testing

Force Protection has reportedly suggested that the Pentagon is not testing its vehicles' ability to withstand blasts according to the most stringent possible method.

Land 121 Project Overlander has had a bumpy ride over the last few years, with more bumps on the horizon.

In spite of a growing list of casualties, Australian troops in Afghanistan are performing with distinction and creating a reputation for both fighting ability and winning hearts and minds.

In a sombre speech opening to the Parliamentary debate on this country’s involvement in Afghanistan last month, Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Australia would remain involved in the Afghanistan war for much of this decade.