The US Army is investing in Humvees again: 126 million for new upgraded vehicles

Humvee

The US Army continues to believe in the time—tested "workhorse" - the Humvee. AM General has received a major order: a modified contract worth $126.5 million to continue the supply of advanced highly mobile multi-purpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWV), namely the M1165A1B3 model. This is not just another batch, but part of a large-scale fleet renovation program. Thanks to this change (it carries the number P00023 to the main contract W912CH-24-F-0229), the total value of the contract with AM General jumped to an impressive $ 3.05 billion. The money will be used to finance additional supplies of these upgraded Humvees, which, despite the new JLTVs, are still in demand for a variety of tasks. All production and assembly work will take place at AM General's main plant in South Bend, Indiana, where these machines have been built since the 1980s. Deadlines are tight: all deliveries for this modification must be completed by August 28, 2027. This decision underscores that even in the era of new technologies, the army needs reliable, proven and easily maintained vehicles in combat.

South Korea is reinforced: the old air defense system has become a "Blue Sword" — now it catches both planes and missiles

South Korea has seriously upgraded its air defenses. The old Cheongung-I system (which translates to "Blue Sky") has been completely upgraded, and now it has become Cheongung-II — much more powerful and intelligent. Now it's not just an anti-aircraft gun, but a real multi-purpose system capable of intercepting both enemy aircraft and ballistic missiles, including those that can come from North Korea.

This was officially announced on Monday by the Office of Defense Procurement Programs (DAPA), the main supplier of weapons to the South Korean army. According to them, the updated system has already begun to enter the army and is undergoing initial deployment. It will be fully operational at 100% by 2027.

What's cool about Cheongung-II? First, she sees further and more accurately: improved radars and guidance systems allow her to detect targets earlier and react faster. Secondly, the new interceptor missiles can operate at different altitudes, from low-flying drones to medium-range ballistic missiles. This is critically important considering how many times North Korea has tested missiles in recent years.

In addition, the system is better integrated with other components of South Korea's air defense, including the American THAAD and Patriot complexes, which creates a multi-layered defense. If one system misses the target, the other will intercept it.

This modernization is a direct response to the growing threat from the north. Cheongung II is not just an upgrade, but a step towards full independence in defense matters. Seoul is becoming less dependent on other people's technologies and is building its own reliable protection system.

The US Army will begin production of the IFPC Increment 2 system in 2026

 

IFPC Inc 2

The U.S. Army plans to begin production of the Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) Increment 2 mobile air defense system in early 2026, with initial operational availability by mid-2027. This system is designed to protect key military installations and infrastructure from a wide range of aerial threats, including subsonic cruise missiles, drones (UAS), as well as rocket, artillery and mortar attacks (RAM).

IFPC Inc 2 fills the critical gap between short-range systems and strategic missile defense capabilities, providing flexible and scalable protection. It includes a Multi-Mission Launcher (MML) mounted on a mobile platform capable of launching various types of interceptors, including the AIM-9X Sidewinder, AGM-114L Hellfire and Israeli Tamir missiles used in the Iron Dome system.

The system integrates with the control architecture of the Army Integrated Air Defense and Missile Defense System (AIAMD) and uses the Sentinel A4 radar, which provides 360-degree detection and high-precision tracking of low-flying and low-visibility targets. The program also includes the development of variants with high-energy lasers and powerful microwave systems as an addition to kinetic interceptors.

Despite the delays in testing, the U.S. Army intends to ensure the deployment of the first IFPC Inc 2 battalion by 2027, including plans to deploy the systems to Guam in the Pacific Ocean. This will significantly increase protection against modern and future aerial threats, especially in the face of the growing threat from hypersonic and cruise missiles.

The first combat delivery of the new Challenger 3 tank to the British Army is scheduled for 2027 due to delays in the supply chain

 

Challenger 3

The British Army expects the first combat delivery of the new Challenger 3 tank in 2027. However, due to delays in the supply chain that occurred during the implementation of the program, there is a possibility of postponing this deadline.

The Challenger 3 is the next generation of the British Army's main battle tanks and is designed to replace the aging Challenger 2 tanks. As part of the program, launched in 2021, 148 Challenger 2 tanks will be upgraded to the Challenger 3 level. The updated tanks will receive new turrets, 120 mm smoothbore guns, active Trophy protection systems and improved digital control systems.

Despite the supply problems that have arisen, the program continues to move forward. A successful Critical Design Review was conducted in early 2023, and prototypes were tested in Germany in April 2024.The prototypes are currently undergoing field testing, and the next phase of testing is scheduled for the second quarter of 2025.

Delays in deliveries may affect the tank's commissioning schedule, pushing it back to a later date. This, in turn, may affect the combat readiness of the British army and its ability to carry out tasks within the framework of NATO.The British Ministry of Defense and Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL), responsible for the modernization of the tanks, are making additional efforts to eliminate delays and ensure timely commissioning of the tank.