News from around the Net

IHS Jane’s – Syrian military rolls out ‘missile jammers’

Syrian Arab Army (SAA) main battle tanks (MBTs), infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), and even armed pickup trucks have started to sport home-grown devices that are said to be able to defeat the types of anti-tank guided weapons (ATGWs) used by rebel forces, including US-made TOW missile systems.

Such a device was first noted by observers in early February when one was seen fitted in front of the crew hatches on the turret of a T-72 MBT. Since then further imagery has emerged showing similar devices installed on T-55 and T-62 MBTs, a BMP-1 IFV, and a pickup truck armed with a 23 mm ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft gun.

IHS Jane’s – Thailand outlines requirement for new main battle tanks

Thailand’s military government is planning the purchase of new main battle tanks (MBTs) after deliveries of on order Oplot MBTs from the Ukraine ran into difficulties.

IHS Jane’s understands that several MBT designs are under consideration including Russia’s UralVagonZavod T-90, the K1A1 built by South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem, and the MBT-3000 – also known as the VT-4 – made by China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO).

The Royal Thai Army (RTA) stated on 10 February that it will establish a procurement committee to acquire the MBTs but stressed that details about the procurement – including the number of tanks to be acquired – have not been finalised.

Defense News – Poland, Czech Republic to jointly make APC’s

Poland’s government is planning to cooperate with the Czech Republic to jointly acquire armored personnel carriers (APC) for the Polish Armed Forces. The program will be one of the priority military procurements that will be launched by Warsaw in the forthcoming months, according to Deputy Defense Minister Bartosz Kownacki.

Other planned acquisitions for the Polish military include unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and submarines with cruise missiles, Kownacki told pro-government daily Gazeta Polska Codziennie.

According to the deputy defense minister, the procurements will significantly bolster Poland’s deterrence capacity, and they will enable the transfer of new technologies to the country’s industry.