Less than two years after construction began, the Gowind offshore patrol vessel, L'Adroit, has been made available to the French Navy by its builders DCNS.

Harris Corporation has received a $66.3 million order from the US Army to provide Falcon III AN/PRC-117G multiband manpack radios in support of the modernisation of tactical communications.

Raytheon IDS has been awarded a $42.6 million US Navy contract to provide 100 MK54 kits for US fleet inventory and in support of foreign military sales.

Raytheon Company successfully fired nine rounds in US Army lot acceptance tests, which means the Excalibur Ia-2 precision-guided projectile is ready for use in Afghanistan.

The Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP has been announced as British Secretary of State for Defence, taking over the role from Dr Liam Fox who resigned his post last week.

A review of single-source military equipment contracts has found that the UK Government could potentially save hundreds of millions of pounds by introducing new rules for industry.

Austal's US shipyard has celebrated the official start of fabrication for the third Joint High Speed Vessel, one of seven Austal-designed 103 metre Vessels under contract with the US DoD.

Defpro.com reports that on September 27th the third Oceangoing Patrol Vessel, FRIESLAND, left the Damen Shipyard in Galati, Romania for her Sea Acceptance Trials.

Avon Protection has received a further award with the US DoD for the supply of M50 JSGPM masks valued at approximately $19m and for delivery in its 2012 financial year.

Grob Aircraft has secured a new customer in Asia by winning the competition to supply the Indonesian Air Force with its future trainer aircraft with deliveries to commence in 2012.

Defpro.com reports that the official roll-out of the RBS15 Mk3 heavy anti-ship missile for the German Navy took place at a ceremony at the naval base Kiel on September 22.

Elbit Systems Ltd. announced recently that it has successfully concluded customer acceptance tests of first 30mm unmanned turret UT30BR, integrated into the Brazilian IVECO 6X6 Guarani vehicle.

Two 47 metre high speed catamaran ferries departed Austal's Henderson shipyard this week bound for Guadeloupe, where they will shortly commence operations.

In its inimitable manner Defpro.com reports that another chapter has been opened in the row between Teheran and Moscow over the delivery of Russian built S-300 air defence systems to Iran.

General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada announced it will offer the Piranha 5 vehicle with Rheinmetall's LANCE 30mm Modular Turret System for the Canadian Close Combat Vehicle Program.

UK Defence Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, has announced a contract award for 14 new Chinook helicopters, the RAF's workhorse on the front line in Afghanistan.