Main headlines from this issue

Switzerland to update Armaments Strategy

Switzerland will publish a revised Armaments Strategy in the summer of 2025. This will be followed by an update to pass the country’s offset policy into Swiss law in 2026. The updated law will merge new initiatives with existing policy and will include an ordinance and a directive containing further details related to the practice of offsets.

Denmark to update Defence Strategy, enhance industrial cooperation

Denmark will update its National Defence Industrial Strategy in 2025 and will look into how its industrial cooperation (IC) guidelines can be made more effective for Danish companies. Furthermore, the country will allow foreign companies to complete projects in Ukraine to fulfil their IC obligations to Denmark.

Canadian ITB Policy Report “insufficient”, says Auditor General

ISED, the Canadian government’s offset agency, published its Fall 2024 Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Policy Annual Report on 26 November. The following week, the Office of the Auditor General of Canada published an audit reporting that ISED does not sufficiently monitor the costs or benefits of the ITB policy.

Latvia to continue local production of Patria vehicles

The Latvian MoD signed a follow-up contract with Finnish prime Patria on 14 November for the delivery of 56 armored vehicles under the Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) programme. Defence Partnership Latvia SIA, a joint venture between Patria and the local firm SIA Unitruck, manages local production at the Valmiera facility.

Kongsberg to supply RAS systems for Indian ships

Kongsberg Maritime has partnered with Hindustan Shipyard Ltd. (HSL) to supply electric replenishment-at-sea systems for the Indian Navy’s Fleet Support Ships project. The Norwegian company will provide its technology related to the systems to be fitted on the five vessels being built locally by HSL and Larsen & Toubro.

Poland secures funding for Hanwha contracts after delays

The Polish Armament Agency has finally secured funding to procure additional Chunmoo multiple rocket launch systems and K9 howitzers from Hanwha Aerospace. On 27 November, Poland reached a USD4.2bn credit arrangement with the state-owned Bank Gaspodarstwa Krajowego to finance the purchases.