In what circumstances does the US President decide to go “hands on” for offsets as a foreign policy tool? This is the central question that Brian Hobbs, an independent consultant with expertise in defence exports, explores in his latest book, US Defense Industry Offsets: The Presidential Exception for National Security, published as a part of the Routledge Advances in Defence Studies book series.
South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace and Spain’s Indra Group have signed a binding agreement to jointly develop and manufacture a Spanish variant of Hanwha’s K9 self-propelled howitzers locally for the Spanish Armed Forces. Through the agreement, signed on 24 March, Indra formalised Hanwha as the technology partner that would provide the platform for Spain’s artillery modernisation plan.
Boeing Defence Australia has entered a strategic partnership with Rheinmetall to offer Germany the MQ-28 Ghost Bat unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) previously developed by Australia. Rheinmetall will act as the system manager in Germany and will tailor the UCAVs to the Bundeswehr’s requirements in partnership with Boeing Defence Australia.
Belgian Defence (the Belgian armed forces) has awarded US space and defence company Redwire a contract to build and deliver MATTEO, the country’s first national security satellite. Redwire will cooperate with Belgium’s Aerospacelab to jointly develop the satellite.
Estonia’s Frankenburg Technologies signed a long-term cooperation framework agreement with Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) relating to counter-unmanned aerial systems, while Milrem Robotics signed an MoU with PGZ to explore potential areas of collaboration, with a focus on unmanned ground vehicles.
In an attempt to sell more land platforms to Brazil, BAE Systems Hägglunds, the Swedish arm of the British prime, has partnered with Knightec Group Brazil, to locally manufacture gear housings for its BvS10 amphibious all-terrain vehicles through a transfer of technology.