David Oliver

This was how the Bofors Test Centre’s manager, Rickard Lindstrom greeted the press at a recent demonstration of its capabilities. He asked: “What are the capabilities of a modern weapon system? To find out, you have to take it to the very edge. No...

The US Army’ 2nd Cavalry Unit stationed in Vilsek, southeast Germany is evaluating the Saab Barracuda Mobile Camouflage System (MCS) on its General Dynamics Stryker family eight-wheel drive armoured fighting vehicles. The 60-day training and evaluation, conducted alongside other NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation)...

Briefing the press on 10th May at Saab’s facility in Linköping, southern Sweden, Brigadier General Marcio Bruno Bonotto, head of the Brazilian Air force’s procurement command was full of praise for the progress being made for the production of 36 JAS-39E Gripen fighters. Speaking...

Royal Navy helicopters are equipping the Marine Nationale (French Navy) ‘Mistral’ class amphibious assault ships as part of the force’s Jeanne d’Arc (Joan of Arc) annual training exercise. Aircraft from the Fleet Air Arm’s 845 Naval Air Squadron will be a permanent presence aboard the...

The eighth of 29 Airbus Helicopters H-135T3 light utility helicopters for the rotary-wing training component of the UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) programme has arrived at Airbus Helicopters’ UK facility at Oxford Airport in central England. A $1.4 billion amendment to the UKMFTS contract...

In a recent assessment of the global market for trainer aircraft, the Teal Group, a consultancy based in Fairfax, Virginia, anticipates a global market for 2737 trainer aircraft, worth $32.3 billion over the next decade. The group’s assessment is a major increase from the...

PZL Mielec has demonstrated its M-28 Skytruck turboprop transport/freighter for an expected Brazilian army and air force requirement. A European aerospace company vying to enter the Latin American market is Poland’s PZL Mielec owned by Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky. During the LAAD 2017 exhibition held in Rio...

Orbital ATK’s AC-208B Combat Caravan-II gunship is expected to commence its first deliveries in 2017, the company has told armadainternational.com The company showcased its new AC-208B Combat Caravan-II variant during the SOFEX (Special Operations Forces Exhibition and Conference) held in Amman, Jordan. Derived from Cessna’s...

During a visit to Ukraine on 20th January the United Kingdom’s defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon met the staff of Antonov in Kiev. Sir Michael was shown the prototype An-132D turboprop transport being jointly developed by Antonov and Saudi Arabia’s Taqnia Aeronautics and King...

Uncertainty surrounds the British Army’s Mechanised Infantry Vehicle programme amid reports in October that the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) wants a single source purchase of vehicles from, as opposed to a competitive tender. The MIV programme focuses on a eight-wheel drive armoured vehicle requirement,...