The German Leopard 2A7 wins against the South Korean K2 Black Panther in Norway

Like the majority of European countries, Norway embarked on a forced march in exploiting the mirage of the benefits of peace in the late 90s, when its defense effort passed, in 15 years of time down to its lowest point in 2014, from 2,8% of its GDP to just 1,4% of it. Fortunately for the Norwegian armies, these savings came after a major modernization effort was made in the 90s, with the acquisition of 74 F-16 A/B to replace its aging F-5, 5 frigates from the Fridtjof Nansen class (one of which was lost in 2019) for…

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Will South Korean tanks prevail in European armies?

Following in-depth consultation with France and the Nexter group, the Danish authorities announced on January 19 that they would transfer their entire fleet of CAESAR motorized guns, i.e. 19 8×8 systems heavier and better armored than the models in service within the Army as well as in Ukraine, in order to reinforce the defensive capacities of Kyiv. This announcement, rightly welcomed by the Ukrainian armies, given the performance of the system, is part of an unprecedented dynamic of European countries to support their ally, Sweden having promised 50 CV90 infantry combat vehicles and a number…

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After Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania are also turning to the F-16

If the United States and Lockheed-Martin have recorded many commercial successes in Europe and around the world in recent years with the F-35, while Austria, the Czech Republic and Spain are ready to join the 10 countries Europeans having already ordered the aircraft or entered into exclusive official negotiations with the United States on this subject, another American aircraft, designed in the early 70s, continues to be exported successfully: the F-16, too built by Lockheed-Martin. Thus, since 2018, the American single-engine fighter has been acquired by Morocco, Slovakia and Taiwan to the latest F-16V Block 70/72 standard equipped in particular with a…

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Why is the German European anti-aircraft shield a terrible failure for France?

On August 29, in Prague, the German Chancellor Olaf Sholz announced the launch of an initiative centered around Germany for the constitution of an anti-aircraft shield in Europe. It took less than two months for German diplomacy to give substance to this initiative. Indeed, on October 13, Germany as well as 14 other European countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Romania, United Kingdom, Slovakia and Slovenia) , have jointly signed a declaration of intent aimed at giving birth to the “European Sky Shield” programme. This undeniable success of Berlin will probably make it possible to considerably strengthen the anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense capabilities...

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MGCS: Italy, Poland, Norway and Great Britain could join the program from 2023

Resulting from a preliminary study launched jointly by France and Germany in 2012, the Main Ground Combat System program, or MGCS, was officially launched in 2017 by Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel to replace in 2035 the French Leclerc tanks and the German Leopard 2s, alongside 3 other emblematic programs of Franco-German cooperation in the defense industry, the Future Air Combat System or SCAF to replace the Rafale and Typhoon in 2040, the Common Indect Fire System or CIFS to replacing self-propelled guns and multiple rocket launchers in 2035, and the Maritime Airborne Warfare System or MAWS to…

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Can the French aeronautical industry bounce back from the success of the F-35 in Europe?

At the end of last week, and as anticipated, the Finnish authorities announced that they had selected the American F-35A fighter to succeed the F-18s within its air force, at the end of the HX competition which saw once again the American fighter to the other Western models, F/A 18 E/F Super Hornet, Gripen, Rafale and Typhoon. As in Switzerland, the conclusions presented by the Finnish authorities are final, the F-35 appearing superior to other competitors in all areas, including in the area of ​​budgetary sustainability. And as in Switzerland, many voices are now being raised to restore…

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Swiss F-35: Rising prices and falling industrial compensation

Barely 5 months after the selection of the F-35A from Lockheed-Martin to replace the F-5 and F/A 18 of the Swiss Air Force, announcements and disappointments are accumulating for manufacturers, but also for Swiss taxpayers, who will have to put their hands on the wallet much more than initially announced to acquire the 36 American combat planes. Indeed, on the occasion of the publication of the contractual data proposed by the United States in Bern within the framework of this contract, the first slippages are already apparent, and will very probably weigh heavily in the citizens' vote which is taking shape, as well as on the parliamentary inquiry…

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With the Type 212CD, the German TKMS wants to design the first truly stealthy submarine

Since the beginning of the 70s, a technological race has taken place between the designers of more and more efficient passive sonar, and the manufacturers of submarines, who were seeking to produce more and more discreet submersibles, i.e. say radiating as little mechanical or man-made noise as possible. Gradually, anti-submarine warfare saw the famous "bang" of active sonars made famous by many films, replaced by high-sensitivity hydrophones, increasingly efficient computer signal processing algorithms, and the famous "golden ears", very awkwardly honored in the film "Le chant du loup".…

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Coastal defense batteries return to center stage

Traditionally, until the mid-60s, ports and military arsenals, as well as certain strategic locations on the coast, were frequently protected by coastal batteries, both anti-aircraft and anti-ship. But the erosion of the threat, especially after the collapse of the Soviet Union, as well as the appearance and democratization of missiles on board combat ships, led many countries to do without these defenses. However, in recent years, several armies have undertaken to acquire new capabilities of this type, in particular by acquiring coastal batteries equipped with anti-ship missiles. How can we explain this return to favor of defense batteries…

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Norway gives access to the United States to certain air and naval bases

With the military reinforcement of the Russian Northern Fleet, which has recently become a military district on its own, the needs for surveillance and defense along the Arctic sea route around Norway have increased considerably in recent years. to return to levels known during the Cold War. In addition, Moscow has made significant efforts to increase its military presence in the Arctic, both to protect the deployment of its fleet of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines which, a few weeks ago, by conducting a simultaneous fire exercise led by…

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