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[BravoZulu]

Belgium:
The first Lockheed Martin F-35A for the Belgian Air Component touched down at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona on December 3.

This marked the beginning of a new era for the Belgian Air Component as they transition from the F-16 Fighting Falcon to the advanced F-35A Lightning II.

The arrival represents a significant leap forward for the Belgian Air Component, equipping them with fifth-generation fighter capabilities.

 

[Hiryu2.0]

Sweden is urgently buying 15 000 Colt M4A1 machine guns from the United States for its army.
The purchase comes against the background of an agreement signed in 2023 for the AK 24 machine rifle (Automatkarbin 24), developed and manufactured by the Finnish company Sako.
By the end of this year, Sweden should have received around 7,300 new AK 24 machine guns to start equipping mechanised units of the Swedish Army and Navy.
However, the Finnish weapons cannot be delivered at the required pace because the direct purchase from Sako has been challenged by the German competitor Heckler & Koch. ----But also because the development of the weapon that was bought from Finland is not complete - the weapons that Sako delivers already today do not meet the Defense standard and will have to be sent back to the manufacturer to be upgraded.
"We must supply the armed forces with weapons immediately."
"In addition to the normal procurement, this temporary order has been created to ensure that any shortages can be covered," says Jonas Lötsne, head of the military equipment department at the Swedish Defence Logistics Agency.
Sweden has therefore decided to buy directly from the US military.

https://www.dagensps.se/varlden/nya...fGlPoviY2_F-piUfeI_aem_vEvHbT4eKTreLPrDW_n2kA

 

[haze99]

Sweden goes US!

Sweden will urgently buy 15 thousand assault rifles from United States

Sweden will urgently purchase 15,000 assault rifles from the United States for its army

mil.in.ua

A misnomer in the title, the M-4 is the carbine version of the M-16A2 or M-16A4 rifle. So I gather Stockholm is buying M-4A1 or M-4A2 carbines, yes?

 

[Mike1976]

Sweden goes US!

Sweden will urgently buy 15 thousand assault rifles from United States

Sweden will urgently purchase 15,000 assault rifles from the United States for its army

mil.in.ua

A misnomer in the title, the M-4 is the carbine version of the M-16A2 or M-16A4 rifle. So I gather Stockholm is buying M-4A1 or M-4A2 carbines, yes?

"Assault rifle" is a purpose rather than a technical designation, most journalists don't know the difference between the two. An assault rifle is a select-fire weapon firing an intermediate cartridge. The emphasis is here on the "assault" rather than the "rifle" bit which can be a 20" M16A4 or an 8" Sig Rattler. It doesn’t say anything about the length of the weapon overall or of the barrel.

The rifle pictured as the AK 24 definitely isn't a Colt, it's from the original contract with Sako. They can't produce quickly enough though.

Sweden Signs Agreement For More Sako AK 24 Rifles

The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has requested an additional 22,500 AK 24 (Automatkarbin 24) rifles for the Swedish Armed Forces.The supplier is the Finnish company Sako, owned by Beretta Holding.The AK 24 is an automatic carbine in caliber 5.56mm that is adapted for both right-...

www.thefirearmblog.com

 

[Redav]

Portuguese Navy Awards Türkiye’s STM Contract to Build Multirole Logistics Support Ships - Naval News

On December 17, 2024, the Portuguese Navy and Türkiye's Defence Industry Presidency signed a contract for the construction of two replenishment vessels for the Portuguese Navy.

www.navalnews.com

 

[CemalPasha]

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[muck]

Portuguese Navy Awards Türkiye’s STM Contract to Build Multirole Logistics Support Ships - Naval News

On December 17, 2024, the Portuguese Navy and Türkiye's Defence Industry Presidency signed a contract for the construction of two replenishment vessels for the Portuguese Navy.

www.navalnews.com

View attachment 510366

@Redav What's the price tag for them? I've read incredible rumours that Portugal may only be paying €50 Million a pop.

 

[Redav]

@Redav What's the price tag for them? I've read incredible rumours that Portugal may only be paying €50 Million a pop.

Yep. That's the official version

 

[muck]

How is that even possible? A ship of that size?

 

[BravoZulu]

How is that even possible? A ship of that size?

It's not possible, not from Turkey anyway and not from China even.....there be skullduggery afoot

 

[Mike1976]

It's not possible, not from Turkey anyway and not from China even.....there be skullduggery afoot

An obligatory long-term exclusive maintenance contract that they get bent over the barrel for?

 

[muck]

Maybe the wannabe Sultan has revived the Ottoman custom of forced labour?

 

[BravoZulu]

Austria will buy 12 Italian Leonardo M-346FA jets to serve in both a training and defense role, Austria’s defense minister has said.

A contract for the buy is currently being negotiated on a government-to-government basis between Vienna and Rome, the Austrian defense ministry said in a statement, which added that funding was already budgeted for.

https://aviationweek.com/defense/ai...as formally said it,joint purchase with Italy...

 

[Balint]

Today, 31 December, an example of the LYNX KF-41 tracked infantry fighting vehicle was delivered to the Army Multifunctional Testing Center (CEPOLISPE) in Montelibretti (Rome).

RID Rivista Italiana Difesa - Il primo LYNX KF-41 è in Italia: sarà oggetto delle sperimentazioni dell'EI

Il primo LYNX KF-41 è in Italia: sarà oggetto delle sperimentazioni dell'EI

www.rid.it

 

[muck]

Germany moves closer to a significant increase in military spending. In the wake of a similar pledge of the conservative party, the German Greens have now announced they want to increase defence spending to 3.5% of Germany's GDP, which in the current year would amount to USD165 billion. With that, the two parties most likely to govern Germany from February onwards support a massive spending hike. (Source)

 

[IDF_TANKER]

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[Redav]

How is that even possible? A ship of that size?

I have no fvckin idea honestly

 

[Mike1976]

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No surprise given the Dutch army has already bought it and the equipment is getting more and more the same.

From what I heard there were German officials present at the Dutch evaluation of the system.

 

[Mike1976]

Regarding missiles, the first launchers which the Dutch ordered arrived with 8 tubes for the EXTRA rocket. I assume more economical 160mm rockets will be bought as well and eventually maybe Predator Hawk (not sure if these can be exported in their original form as their range exceeds treaty limits).

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[Mike1976]

Deep precision strike maritime - Confidential
Ballistic missile defence - Confidential (likely SM-3)
Maritime tactical land attack - For marines, Unknown, attached army M142???
Rocket artillery - 20x M142
PzH2000 - Operational increase from 35 to 45
AD batteries - Increase from 1 to 2
F-35 - Increase from 46 to 52
Deep precision strike air - Confidential
MQ-9 - Increase from 4 to 8 and may be armed
C-130 - Increase from 4 to 5
Counter-UAV - Unknown
Ammunition and other stocks - Confidential

Thought I'd update this as more details have emerged:

Deep precision strike maritime - Tomahawk
Ballistic missile defence - With near certainty SM-6
Maritime SAM - Barak-ER
Maritime tactical land attack - Harop
Rocket artillery - PULS
PzH2000 - Operational increase from 35 to 45
AD batteries - Increase from 1 to 2, more Patriots
F-35 - Increase from 46 to 52
Deep precision strike air - JASSM-ER
MQ-9 - Increase from 4 to 8 and may be armed
C-130 - the 4 aircraft are being phased and replaced by 5 Cambraer C-390
Counter-UAV - Unknown
Ammunition and other stocks - Confidential

Fire Support Command is being disbanded and the brigades will revert to having organic barrel and tube artillery support.