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Rheinmetall Defence UK Signs the Armed Forces Covenant, Demonstrating Ongoing Commitment to the Armed Forces Community

Wednesday, September 18th, 2024

Rheinmetall Defence UK is proud to announce its formal commitment to supporting the UK Armed Forces by signing the Armed Forces Covenant. This important step highlights Rheinmetall Defence UK’s dedication to recognising and honouring those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, as well as their families, in the workplace and beyond.

The signing took place on 12 September at Rheinmetall House in Bristol, where Director Land Equipment (DLE) Major General Lizzie Faithful-Davies joined Rebecca Richards, Managing Director of Rheinmetall Defence UK, to officially sign the Covenant. This partnership underscores Rheinmetall Defence UK’s ongoing dedication to supporting the Armed Forces community through meaningful actions and initiatives.
By signing the covenant, Rheinmetall Defence UK pledges to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, ensuring that no member of the Armed Forces community faces disadvantage in society, and that all are treated with respect and fairness. This commitment includes providing paid leave for employees who are Reservists or Cadet Force Adult Volunteers, allowing them to attend essential training exercises, and continuing to support Armed Forces charities through donations and fundraising efforts.
Rheinmetall Defence UK is also committed to fostering an inclusive recruitment process that actively supports the employment of veterans, service spouses, and partners, recognising the unique skills and experiences that they bring to the company. By offering flexible working arrangements for Reservists and providing opportunities for Cadets through insight days and other engagement activities, Rheinmetall Defence UK is reinforcing its long-term support for the Armed Forces community.
Rebecca Richards, Deputy CEO at Rheinmetall Vehicle Systems International, expressed her enthusiasm for the company’s commitment, stating: “We are delighted to have signed the Armed Forces Covenant, recognising our commitment to supporting those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, as well as their families. Our commitment includes allowing paid leave for employees who are Reservists or Cadet Force Adult Volunteers to attend training exercises, continuing to support Armed Forces charities, and ensuring our recruitment process supports the employment of veterans, service spouses, and partners. Signing this covenant reinforces our gratitude for the service and sacrifices of the Armed Forces community and demonstrates Rheinmetall Defence UK’s unwavering support for their welfare, both within our organisation and in society.”

By signing the Armed Forces Covenant, Rheinmetall Defence UK is joining thousands of organisations across the UK in publicly committing to support those who protect our nation. The company looks forward to continuing its partnership with the Armed Forces, supporting veterans, Reservists, and their families, and upholding the principles of the Covenant in all its operations.

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D&M Holding Announces Expansion of WRE Primer Facility and New Smokeless Propellant Factory

Wednesday, September 18th, 2024

D&M Holding Company Announces Expansion of Current White River Energetics Primer Facility and New Smokeless Propellant Factory

DES ARC, Ark. (September 17, 2024) – D&M Holding Company, Inc. (D&M), an ammunition and energetics engineering company, is investing $70 million to expand its current White River Energetics (WRE) ammunition primer and energetics facility in Des Arc, Arkansas, and build a single-base, smokeless propellant factory.

“Currently, there is a worldwide shortage of smokeless propellant that is affecting munitions availability globally,” said Dan Powers, President and CEO of D&M Holding Company, Inc. “This will be the first single-base propellant factory to be built in the United States in over 50 years.”

White River Energetics currently has 125 employees at the Des Arc facility, with 73 new employees added in the past year. The expansion will create 100 new jobs and increase the Des Arc campus from 14,000 square feet to over 100,000 square feet of manufacturing space. Construction on the expansion is underway and expected to be completed in Q1 2026.

“We are proud of all the people and employees who have worked tirelessly to support WRE and make this happen,” said BJ Rogers, Vice President of Operations, D&M Holding Company, Inc. “Having grown up in Des Arc, I’m personally proud to see the successes that have been made with primers and look forward to continued success in the future production of propellant.”

This expansion will enable WRE to scale its energetics and primer manufacturing to meet customer demand as well as develop new products. “This expanded campus also provides a facility for R&D and for training for our customers for whom we are building factories around the world,” said James Jones, Vice President of Business Development, D&M Holding Company.

D&M and WRE supports domestic and international clients in the defense and sporting markets through its development of turnkey factories, and its manufacturing and distribution of energetics for various types of ammunition, including primers for small and large caliber pistols and rifles. For more information visit D&M Holding Company and White River Energetics.

Posted in Ammo, Industry, Materials, Press Release | 1 Comment »

Australia’s Albanese Government Invests in Domestic Rocket Motor Program

Wednesday, September 18th, 2024

The Albanese Government is investing in a sovereign rocket motor program to help keep Australians safe, and generate well-paid, high-skilled jobs.

The Government is seeking options from industry to establish a manufacturing complex that will enable production of rocket motors for some of the world’s most advanced missiles in Australia.

This is backed by an initial investment of $22 million over the next three years, which will help grow Australia’s advanced high-tech manufacturing sector and boost long?range strike capabilities for the Australian Defence Force (ADF), making the nation safer.

It is underpinned by the Albanese Government’s Future Made in Australia agenda, which will improve the resilience of supply chains, provide for greater strategic sovereignty, enhance export opportunities, and deliver broad economic and employment benefits, particularly in regional Australia.

Rocket motors are a critical component of missiles and required for most guided weapons, including Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) missiles, which under the Albanese Government will be made in Australia from next year. It’s expected the rocket motor complex will begin production by the end of the decade.

The rocket motor program is part of the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise which is backed by up to $21 billion over the decade through the 2024 Integrated Investment Program.

The Albanese Government also announced today it will invest up to $60 million over the next five years to develop the next generation of guided weapon sub-systems and components, such as hypersonic and long-range strike. This will enable partnerships between industry and Defence and allow the next generation of guided weapon technologies to enter the supply chain of GWEO Strategic Partners.

This investment will also deliver industry-manufactured prototypes of the critical seeker, fuse and warhead sub-systems and aligns with the work being done as part of the Advanced Rocket Motor Technology Demonstrator program, which has leveraged collaboration from Five Eyes science and technology partners.

The rocket motor program and Advanced Rocket Motor Technology Demonstrator program are key to enhancing Australia’s national security. They are part of the Albanese Government’s ongoing commitment to delivering on the 2024 National Defence Strategy’s recommendation to invest in and uplift Australia’s domestic manufacturing capability.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery, Pat Conroy:

“Today’s announcement represents a leap forward for the Australian defence industry and continues to deliver on the Albanese Government’s commitment to providing the ADF with the capabilities it needs to make Australians safer and safeguard our national interests.

“This is another investment in a future made in Australia and the more than 100,000 Australians, including in regional Australia, that are benefiting from the Government’s commitment to grow our sovereign defence industry and sovereign industrial base.

“This program is an endorsement of Australian ingenuity. Making solid rocket motors in Australia will build on Australia’s proud history as a manufacturing nation and contribute to a future made in Australia.”

Australian Defence Media Release on behalf of:

The Hon Pat Conroy MP

Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery

Minister for International Development and the Pacific

Posted in International, Munitions, Press Release | 1 Comment »

GA-ASI Displays Future of Uncrewed Airpower at AFA ASC 2024

Tuesday, September 17th, 2024

Air Force Conference Will Feature Actual XQ-67A OBSS and Full-Scale CCA Model

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD – 16 September 2024– Are you ready to see the future of uncrewed air power? General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) announces major displays during the Air Force Association’s (AFA) Air, Space & Cyber Conference, Sept. 16–18, 2024. During the show, just outside Washington, D.C., GA-ASI will exhibit:

• The Air Force Research Laboratory’s XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station(OBSS) – the actual operational aircraftwill be parked for static display at GA-ASI’s booth #734.

• A full-scale model of GA-ASI’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), on display at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s booth #1834.

Journalists and other AFA conference attendees are encouraged to view these and other GA-ASI exhibits to get the latest on how the company’s leadership in aircraft hardware, autonomy software, and other cutting-edge capabilities make it the strongest contender to build the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) for the U.S. and its allies.

OBSS

GA-ASI built the XQ-67A OBSS as part of an Air Force Research Laboratory effort. The aircraft flew for the first time in February 2024 and completed its initial round of flight testing in June. To demonstrate the maturity of its unmanned air-to-air platforms, GA-ASI engineers performed an Agile Combat deployment to the Gaylord Convention Center of the actual operational aircraft, using common commercial support equipment, to booth #734.

CCA

In addition, GA-ASI is showcasing a full-scale model of its CCA aircraft at booth #1834. In April, GA-ASI was selected to build a production CCA for the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. Large numbers of these highly capable autonomous warplanes will fly alongside, and well ahead of, legacy human-piloted fighters to enhance their sensing, networking, and combat capabilities.

“We’re excited to show our industry colleagues what the future force will look like,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander.

Posted in Air Force, Press Release, Tradeshow, UAS | Comments Off on GA-ASI Displays Future of Uncrewed Airpower at AFA ASC 2024

Kongsberg to Establish Missile Factory in the U.S.

Tuesday, September 17th, 2024

KONGSBERG, NORWAY – Sept. 17, 2024 – Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace is building a state-of-the-art missile production facility in the United States to meet global demand, following expansion in Norway and the recently announced missile factory in Australia. Located near key U.S. Navy facilities, the site in James City County, Virginia will provide additional production capacity, sustainment and in-country tech refresh capabilities for Kongsberg Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) and Joint Strike Missiles (JSM).

An image from Kongsberg’s recently opened missile facility in Norway.

“The new missile production facilities in the U.S., Australia and Norway address the strong and long-term demand for our unique technology and the critical need to strengthen collective defense capabilities. Kongsberg has a proud history in the U.S. and we are delighted to continue to invest in the country to support American interests while creating jobs locally,” said Geir Håøy, CEO of Kongsberg.

This is the second new missile production facility Kongsberg has announced in as many months, and the decision to locate this facility in the U.S. was heavily influenced by the possibility that the Department of Defense could award a multiyear procurement contract to Kongsberg.

“The U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force are important customers for Kongsberg’s Naval Strike Missile and Joint Strike Missile. Their demand signals gave us the predictability we needed to make this investment in the United States,” said Eirik Lie, president of Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace. “This will allow us to better serve our allies in the U.S. and continue to expand that supply chain locally, building capacity and redundancy for these critical capabilities.”

The Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile.

Kongsberg’s investments will increase overall U.S. manufacturing capability and further increase capacity to build these advanced systems, but more importantly, it will bring this capability to the U.S.

“Kongsberg is investing in a big way in the U.S. market by making Virginia the U.S. home of our new missile factory, which will entail hiring more than 180 people. We will also be investing more than $100 million into the Commonwealth of Virginia over the next few years, in terms of property, plant and equipment,” said Heather Armentrout, president and general manager, Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Kongsberg. “This is in addition to expansion at our core U.S. production facility in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.”

The new facility in James City County will be equipped to assemble, upgrade and repair both NSM and JSM. The NSM is an anti-ship missile with superior operational performance and high survivability against all enemy defense systems. The JSM is an air-launched strike missile designed to fulfill complex missions, such as Anti-surface Warfare (ASuW) and land attack. The JSM is designed to be deployed internal to the weapons bay of the U.S. Air Force’s F-35A, a characteristic that preserves the low observability features of the aircraft throughout any strike mission. KONGSBERG’s JSM is the only long-range precision strike munition that offers that capability.

Posted in Industry, Munitions, Press Release | Comments Off on Kongsberg to Establish Missile Factory in the U.S.

Tenicor Releases Knife Sheath for RAT – First Offering in a New Line of Products

Tuesday, September 17th, 2024

After extensive development, Tenicor is excited to announce a brand-new product line, the Tenicor Knife Sheath. The initial offering of knife sheaths and storage sheaths are available for the HEADHUNTER BLADES RAT.

The Tenicor Knife Sheath (patent pending) is designed to be discreet and capable. It is optimized for inside-the-waistband carry and features a minimalist design, leveraging industrial 3D printing, that eliminates excess material, maximizing comfort and concealment.

The Sheath is ambidextrous for both right and left-hand. Proudly made in America.

tenicor.com/collections/other-goods/products/knife-sheath

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High Speed Gear Launches GEN 2 Navigator Tech Mount

Tuesday, September 17th, 2024

SWANSBORO, N.C. – September 13, 2024 – High Speed Gear® (HSG®), a leading provider of high-quality tactical gear, announces the release of the GEN 2 Navigator Tech Mount. This innovative, hands-free solution is designed to securely hold and display end-user devices such as smartphones, offering unmatched convenience and functionality for professionals in the field.

The GEN 2 Navigator Tech Mount builds upon the success of the original design with several key improvements, such as fitting larger devices, allowingcamera usage, and including a tensioner to hold the mount open and prevent bouncing. Thus, making it an essential accessory for those needing reliable device access during critical missions or demanding activities.

Key Features of the GEN 2 Navigator Tech Mount:

• Fits Most Rugged Smartphones: Accommodates smartphones in rugged cases up to 7” x 3.5” x .75”, ensuring compatibility with most common devices.

• Secure, Hands-Free Viewing: When open, the mount holds the device parallel to the ground for easy, hands-free viewing, ideal for navigation, communication, or data access.

• Improved Functionality: The GEN 2 model allows full camera usage while the device remains mounted.

• Adjustable Tensioner: A new tensioner ensures the mount stays open and stable during activity, reducing bounce and improving usability.

• Silent, One-Handed Operation: The closure system can be operated silently with one hand, allowing for discreet use in tactical situations.

• Shock Cord Harness: The adjustable shock cord harness ensures a secure fit, offering superior device retention even during high-movement activities.

• Folds Flat: When not in use, the mount folds flat against the body for minimal interference and maximum comfort.

• Extended Power Options: A collapsible pocket holds a battery pack for extended device usage, keeping your tech powered on-the-go.

• Full Mini MOLLE Compatibility: The mount attaches easily to PALS webbing or belts via the included two HSGI® MOLLE clips (MOLLE area: 4 columns x 3 rows), making it adaptable for a wide range of setups.

• Built for Durability: Made in the USA and Berry Compliant, the GEN 2 Navigator Tech Mount is backed by a lifetime guarantee.

High Speed Gear emphasizes that the GEN 2 Navigator Tech Mount is not a substitute for a protective case; it is designed to be used with a device in a rugged case for maximum protection and utility.

“Our GEN 2 Navigator Tech Mount was designed to provide end-users with the hands-free convenience they need without sacrificing security or functionality,” said Daniel Chaney, Senior Designer at High Speed Gear. “Whether you’re out on patrol, in the field, or just need reliable access to your device, the GEN 2 Navigator Tech Mount ensures your tech is always within reach, while remaining protected and steady during activity.”

The GEN 2 Navigator Tech Mount reflects HSG’s commitment to enhancing mission effectiveness with gear that meets the needs of modern operators, providing secure access to essential tech without sacrificing mobility or durability.

For more information, visit www.highspeedgear.com or contact our sales team at sales@highspeedgear.com.

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Hanwha Defence Australia Chooses Safran to Integrate the PASEO Joint Fires on Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle

Tuesday, September 17th, 2024

Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA) has chosen Safran Electronics and Defense Australasia to supply the PASEO Joint Fires advanced day and night panoramic sight for integration on the Hanwha Defence Australia’s Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) under LAND 400 Phase 3.

The PASEO Joint Fires solution provides the long-range Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, & Reconnaissance sensor for the Redback IFV supplied by Hanwha to the Australian Defence Forces (ADF) under the LAND 400 Phase 3 project. The contract calls for the production and delivery of PASEO Joint Fires sensors and associated ancillaries.

This contract leverages the world leading position of the PASEO family which has sold more than 2,500 units for IFVs, Main Battle Tank and Joint Fires worldwide. It integrates high performances day and night all weather optronics sensors and offers 360° coverage with a high-rate sectorial scanning capability. The PASEO Joint Fires includes Safran’s Geonyx inertial navigation system, which provides precise and reliable positions, even if satellite navigation signals are unavailable or inaccessible (GNSS-Denied environment).

The project will continue Safran’s legacy of providing premium optronics sensor solutions for the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Safran Electronics and Defense Australasia already successfully delivered its portable optronic solutions under LAND 17 project aimed at enhancing Australian’s artillery capabilities and LAND 300 project to equip the Australian soldiers with next-generation surveillance and target acquisitions ancillaries.

As well as its onboard day and night sight MINEO integrated on the Hanwha Defence Australia’s Huntsman family of vehicles under the LAND 8116 Phase 1 project. Safran Electronics & Defense Australasia benefits from Safran’s international know-how and network to support its local customers. It will leverage its extensive sovereign optronic engineering and sustainment capability to allow Hanwha Defence Australia and the ADF to achieve their capability outcomes. Anthony Bianco, Safran Electronics and Defense Australasia, Head of Sales and Marketing

“We are delighted to continue to support Australian Defence and HDA with yet another trusted and battle proven optronic solution where we will be supporting the design, integration and sustainment in country. It will be critically important that this superior capability is delivered to Australian Defence as we have done for Army over the last five years.”

”We are proud to continue our relationship with Safran Electronics & Defense Australasia across both our Huntsman and Redback vehicles for our Australian customer,” Acting Managing Director Mr Dean Michie. “In today’s congested and contested battlespace, their technology is a key offering on our vehicles.”

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