The New Zealand government has confirmed the acquisition of new Lewis Machine & Tool (LMT) assault rifles in an announcement on 8 December.
Some 8,800 of these 5.56mm weapons, to be known locally as the Modular Assault Rifle System - Light (MARS-L), will replace the Steyr AUG A1 in NZ Army service that were introduced in 1988. Minister of Defence Gerry Brownlee commented, ‘It gives our personnel a weapon they can rely on in any situation.’
The MARS-L, believed to be based on the CQB16 rifle, includes optical day and night sights, a detachable 40mm grenade launcher and ancillaries such as
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The contract follows news released in 2023 that a first customer had taken into service Pearson Engineering’s new Slice system enabling the interoperability of Front-End Equipment (FEE) between main battle tanks and dedicated engineering vehicles.
When compared to some other wheeled artillery systems Archer has the advantage of quicker deployment and relocation as the complete fire mission is carried out without the crew leaving the protected cab at the front.
The system had been previously proven to work against rotary and fixed-wing kamikaze drones, with Aselsan now working on new capabilities for Gökberk to counter UAV swarms.
Poland’s old Russian 122mm 2S1 self-propelled (SP) artillery system is being replaced by Krab and K9 SP artillery systems which both fire standard NATO 155mm ammunition.
EMOC can be fitted with an 81mm or a 120mm smooth bore barrel and when in the travelling position is horizontal. For firing, it is deployed over the rear arc until the baseplate contacts the ground.
Leopard MBTs are German-made main battle tanks that have been in service since the Cold War and have undergone several upgrades to remain competitive in modern warfare. This article traces the history and development of the Leopard 1 and 2, its variants, its operational service and its future prospects.
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