HAPS stumbles, 'super duper' missile development and Armenia-Azerbaijan clashes

In this episode of The Weekly Defence Podcast, we discuss headline news from this week; we interview Raytheon UK about Global Navigation Satellite Systems; and we talk to the Director of Army Initiatives at Viasat to find out about new technologies that could help the militaries.

Newsround (00:53)
Australia is continuing to invest in autonomous technologies with a series of new contracts for prototype UGVs. 

In the US, efforts are being made to develop and field hypersonic weapons took a step forward last Saturday, with a final captive-carry test of the ‘Arrow’ air-launched missile.

In the Middle East, the second Israeli Air Force F-35I squadron has been declared operational, following a final fitness inspection at Nevatim Airbase.

The IAF has received 20 F-35Is to date.  Shephard Defence Insight notes that the air force has a total of 50 on order for 7.8 billion US dollars.

The second Improved Kilo-class diesel-electric attack submarine for the Russian Pacific Fleet is set to begin a comprehensive series of tests.

News in Focus:
Senior Editor Naval Richard Thomas discusses the news announcement from Damen Shipyards Group which has revealed an impending redundancy of more than 1,000 employees from its sites in Romania and the Netherlands. How will this impact ongoing shipbuilding programmes?

As tensions in the Caucaus region surge between Armenia and Azerbaijan, News Editor Ben Vogel takes a look at the use of UAVs and loitering munitions by the two countries.

COVID-19 restrictions have forced Airbus Defence and Space to postpone Zephyr High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) Operational Concept Demonstrator (OCD) flight trials, which were originally scheduled for summer 2020.  Air Editor Tim Martin tells us more.

Tim also talks about the US Army intention to move to a  RQ-7B Shadow.Block III Follow-On Operational Test and Evaluation (FOT&E) phase.

Land Reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira reports on the newly approved donation by the US of M1117 ASVs to the Colombian Army.

Interview- Raytheon UK (28:34)
Richard Thomas is on the line with Raytheon UK executives: Nigel MacVean, Head of Sensors and Alan Wright, BD Executive Assured PNT. They discuss Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and Raytheon’s development of technology demonstrator. 

Industry Voice- Viasat (38:00)VP Content Tony Skinner grabs a word with Thomas Jessee, Director of Army Initiatives at Viasat Inc, to talk about new technologies the company is implementing to help militaries in the modern battlefield.