The Defense Post

?????? The U.S. Department of State has approved a potential $91.2-million sale of precision-guided munitions to Australia. Canberra will receive 54 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems-Alternate Warhead rounds, along with telemetry kits, engineering services, and related support. “The proposed sale will support its goal of improving national and territorial defense, interoperability with US forces, and working to uplift industry as a new source of supply,” the Defense Security Cooperation Agency?stated.

?????????? The U.S. Department of State has approved a $200-million deal to aid Japan’s Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectiles program. The HVGP initiative aims to equip the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force with a high-speed weapon for air defense at long ranges. The?deal?covers necessary equipment and services, including test preparation, testing, and transportation support.

????? Traditional construction methods in the US military have long relied on concrete and steel — materials that offer durability but are increasingly more expensive and logistically challenging. To address these issues, the military is now?exploring?innovative construction solutions like mass timber and 3D printing to build facilities faster and at a lower cost. 3D printing uses digital designs to create building components layer by layer, while mass timber bonds layers of wood to create strong, sustainable materials for construction. According to?David Morrow, director of military programs for the US Army Corps of Engineers, these innovative solutions will ensure American troops have “the best facilities in the world” and that taxpayer dollars are used efficiently.

?????? Pearson Engineering Ltd will?provide?99 SLICE vehicle interface kits for Poland’s new Abrams M1A2 SEP V3 main battle tanks. SLICE will support the vehicles with engineering capabilities, allowing for rapidly attaching and operating various front-end equipment, such as a mine plow and dozer blades, for enhanced battlefield mobility. “Agility and flexibility is key when undertaking land maneuver operations. By enabling interoperability of FEE via SLICE, we hope that armed forces can deliver an overall improved engineer effect that provides the battle winning advantage,” said?Richard Beatson, Pearson Engineering Business Development Director.

?????? Taiwan’s premier said that raising defense spending to 10 percent of the island’s gross domestic product is “impossible,” despite US calls for such a hike. Taiwan is a potential flashpoint for a war between China and the US, which is the island’s most important backer and?biggest arms supplier. Beijing claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has?threatened to use force to bring the self-ruled island under control. Premier?Cho Jung-tai, asked by an opposition lawmaker if Taiwan could increase defense spending to 10 percent of GDP, or about $78.88 billion, said “it’s impossible given our current budget scale.”

???????????? Two United States Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bombers have?completed?their first-ever live weapons drop over Swedish airspace during a military exercise. Accompanied by two Swedish JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets, the bombers released GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) as they approached the Vidsel Test Range in northern Sweden. The mission was supported by US and Swedish Joint Terminal Attack Controllers on the ground, ensuring precise targeting and execution.

???? The Canadian military plans to acquire new helicopters to respond to potential crashes involving the F-35 in the Arctic. The?decision?comes amid concerns that the aircraft’s single-engine feature might be a drawback for operations in the country’s far north, where harsh weather conditions and vast, remote terrain heighten the risks associated with engine failure. According to a senior Royal Canadian Air Force officer, the new helicopters could replace the service’s current Griffon fleet in carrying out specialized missions, including emergency response.

?????? Germany’s military still has “too little of everything” despite a massive, costly overhaul that was launched after?Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?in 2022, the parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces said. “A lot has been improved and a lot has been achieved, but we are still not there and there is still a lot to do,” commissioner?Eva Hogl?told reporters, amid a push by likely next chancellor?Friedrich Merz?to massively boost defense spending. “I can say again this year that the Bundeswehr (armed forces) still has?too little of everything,” she said at the presentation of an annual report on the state of the military.

?? The German arms procurement agency has?commissioned?startup POLARIS Spaceplanes to design a hypersonic research vehicle. The contract includes follow-on options for production and flight-testing of the full-size vehicle. Apart from serving as a hypersonic testbed and experimental platform for defense and scientific research, the reusable vehicle can be used as a small-satellite launcher when using an expendable upper-stage.

????? Poland has?signed?a contract to provide locally-developed Tarantula unmanned ground systems for the armed forces. Costing approximately $13 million, the project will distribute 96 of the reconnaissance capabilities as well as ten maintenance and repair kits to support operability. ?ukasiewicz Research Network, a scientific institute in Warsaw, will lead the initiative and deliver the platforms between 2026 and 2027.