• Air Warfare

  A welcome observer? Workshare wrangles loom as Belgium joins SCAF future fighter effort

  12th September 2023

  Of the three major Western next-generation fighter programmes, the (arguably) French-led SCAF has received the least attention in English-speaking media. As Belgium gains observer status on the programme, what will this mean for the workshare arrangements between France, Germany and Spain?

• Naval Warfare

  Keel laid for first Polish SIGINT ship

  31st July 2023

  The keel laying for the first of two new signals intelligence (SIGINT) ships for the Polish Navy was completed on 27 July 2023.

• Air Warfare

  Saab receives new missile pylon for testing and evaluation on Gripen E

  20th July 2023

  Saab has taken delivery of MELP5 hardware for test-firing Meteor missiles on the Gripen E fighter aircraft.

• Naval Warfare

  Saab's C718 expeditionary submarine offered for Dutch Navy's sea denial capability

  3rd August 2023

  Swedish shipbuilder Saab Kockums is offering a new expeditionary submarine design as a contender for the Dutch MoD’s Walrus Submarine Replacement Programme.

• Land Warfare

  UK inks agreement for Swedish Archer guns and buys Carl-Gustaf M4 recoilless rifles

  30th March 2023

  The defence ministers of the UK and Sweden have signed a letter of intent for a contract to supply the British Army with 14 Archer self-propelled guns and announced a deal for Carl-Gustaf M4 recoilless rifles.

• Naval Warfare

  New Exocet variants secure anti-ship missile capability for the future

  16th October 2023

  MBDA and the French Navy have completed the test firing of a new Exocet MM40 Block 3c anti-ship missile (AShM) from Aquitaine-class frigate FS Alsace.

• Air Warfare

  Eurofighter Typhoon sales: what a difference a decade makes

  18th September 2023

  In the second week of August, BAE Systems released a statement confirming that 12 of 24 Typhoon Tranche 3 models had now arrived in Qatar. Despite this favourable export news, the aircraft’s industrial future remains somewhat clouded.

• Naval Warfare

  New Swedish Navy ship class to enter service around decade’s end

  27th June 2023

  Four new ships for the Swedish Navy should enter service around the end of the decade, according to fresh information from Stockholm.

• Air Warfare

  Saab debuts deployable digital tower to support dispersed operations

  16th June 2023

  Saab has debuted a new modular quick-to-deploy digital tower for deployable air traffic control management.

• Digital Battlespace

  Germany signs contract for new SIGINT ships

  10th July 2023

  Germany has signed a contract with NVL Group for three fleet service ships, providing the country with new naval SIGINT capabilities in the Baltic and beyond. The ships will gradually replace Germany's existing Oste-class boats.

• Naval Warfare

  Canada in talks with six countries over future submarine needs

  31st July 2023

  The Canadian Patrol Submarine Programme (CPSP) is in its options analysis phase that includes engagement with potential builders to determine next steps.

• Air Warfare

  Tactical advantage – is the best replacement for a C-130 another C-130?

  18th September 2023

  While designs like the Embraer C-390 have chalked up some export successes, Shephard analyses whether a true competitor (or successor) to Lockheed's C-130J currently exists. Or will the Hercules production line simply remain open for decades to come?

• Training

  Boeing launches T-7 Red Hawk EMD phase with US Air Force test flight

  30th June 2023

  The successful test of the T-7A Red Hawk trainer jet by Boeing and the US Air Force is a significant milestone for the beleaguered T-X programme.

• Air Warfare

  US approves $5.6 billion F-35 jet sale to Czech Republic

  30th June 2023

  The F-35 deal for the Czech Republic will include a spare Pratt & Whitney engine, weapon systems, electronic warfare and communications kit and other equipment.

• Defence Notes

  India makes multiple orders, with an emphasis on indigenous production

  13th April 2023

  India awards multiple contracts for desperately needed equipment for all three armed services.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Special operations vehicles

  Death Adder RTV 2

  Programme Background The 2nd Commando Regiment currently operates an RTV designed and manufactured by Australia's Bale Defence. These were delivered between 2014 and 2015. Intended ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Death Adder RTV 2 (Options)

  Programme Background The 2nd Commando Regiment currently operates an RTV designed and manufactured by Australia's Bale Defence. These were delivered between 2014 and 2015. Intended ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-130H Replacement [Sweden]

  Programme Background Requirements Sweden has five C-130H aircraft (designated Tp-84) and one KC-130H. Two C-130Es bought in the 1960s have retired, but the six H ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye (Sweden)

  Programme Background Between 2021-25, the Swedish government plans to increase their spending on national defence by more than 40%, it announced in early 2021. In ...

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS 39E/F Gripen (Brazil)

  In 2016, Gripen’s Project and Development Center was opened in Sao Paulo to allow Sweedish and Brazillian engineers to work together in the Gripen development ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye (4-5) [UAE]

  Programme Background The United Arab Emirates Air Force is taking delivery of three GlobalEye (known also as Global 6000) aircraft from Saab. The UAE signed a contract ...

• Corvettes, Frigates

  Luleå Class [Sweden]

  Programme Background Requirements The Swedish Navy currently operates a total of five Visby-class corvettes and two older Gävle-class corvettes, which first entered service in the late 1980s. ...

• AEW&C

  Saab 340 AEW [Poland]

  Programme Background Requirement Purported as a response to Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the Polish Air Force is understood to have a requirement for a ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Horizon 2 - Multirole Fighter Programme [Philippines]

  Programme Background Requirement The Philippines wants a fighter able to perform score missions such as air-to-air combat, air-to-ground tasks and reconnaissance, including over water. It ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Blekinge Class (1-2) [Sweden]

  Programme Background Timeline A contract worth SEK7.6 billion ($872m) for two A26 submarines for the Royal Swedish Navy (RSwN) was awarded to Saab Kockums in ...

• Corvettes

  Visby Class Replacement Programme

  Programme Background The current Visby class corvettes had a staggered entry into service with the first entering service in 2002, the second pair in 2009 and the last ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Type 206/209 Replacement (PLOTEOS) [Colombia]

  The 2042 "Plan de Desarrollo Naval" (Naval Development Plan) outlines the intention to procure four new SSKs for the Colombian Navy. Saab, Navantia and Naval ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Type 206/209 Replacement (PLOTEOS) [Colombia]

  The 2042 "Plan de Desarrollo Naval" (Naval Development Plan) outlines the intention to procure four new SSKs for the Colombian Navy. Saab, Navantia and Naval ...

• Trainer

  MFI-395 Super Mushshak

  The TAF deliveries will mark the first NATO customer operating the platform. The deal is believed to be worth more than $50 million. According to the ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Next Generation Trainer/Light Combat Aircraft [Austria]

  Austria plans to replace its Saab 105 training fleet, which was retired from service in 2020. On 27 August 2024, Austrian Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner announced ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  Carl-Gustaf M3

  The Carl-Gustaf M3 is the third generation of the 84mm shoulder-fired recoilless antitank gun, first fielded by the Swedish Army in 1946. Since then, it ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  Carl-Gustaf M4

  The Carl-Gustaf M4 is a fourth-generation, lightweight 84mm recoilless rifle developed by Saab Dynamics in September 2014. It is a highly versatile shoulder-launched weapon system ...

• Land: infantry weapon simulators

  Carl-Gustaf Sub-Calibre Training Ammunition

  Saab’s 84mm Carl-Gustaf shoulder-fired multipurpose weapon system has been sold to customers in more than 40 countries, including US Special Operations Command and the US ...

• Land: infantry weapon simulators

  Carl-Gustaf Full-Calibre Training Ammunition

  Saab’s 84mm Carl-Gustaf shoulder-fired multipurpose weapon system has been sold to customers in more than 40 countries, including US Special Operations Command and the US ...

• Land: infantry weapon simulators

  SAVIT

  The Small Arms Virtual Indoor Trainer (SAVIT) is a modular system that can be combined in several configurations depending on customer requirements and training objectives. ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  STC Rocket DFWES

  The STC Rocket Direct Fire Weapon Effect Simulator (DFWES) is intended for tactical training in the field of antitank groups in infantry regiments equipped with ...

• Individual assault/anti-tank weapons

  Spike SR

  Part of Rafael's Spike missile family, the fire-and-forget, man-portable Spike Short Range (SR) EO-guided missile system has operational capabilities in all weather conditions. Although the ...

• Land: fire control systems

  Vingmate SL 1000

  The Vingmate SL1000 FCS, introduced at Eurosatory 2016, is designed for use with shoulder-launched antitank weapons, such as the AT4, Carl-Gustaf, Panzerfaust and RPG-type weapons, ...

• Land: fire control systems, Weapon sights for day use

  FCS12

  The FCS12 is a fire control system designed for use with crew-served weapons such as the Carl-Gustaf, MK19 and GMG. It consists of an eye-safe ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  LAV

  Developed by the Defence Division of Komatsu in the late 1990s, the Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) is a 4x4 APC designed to provide protected mobility ...

• EO/IR systems

  LEO-III

  The LEO-III, or LEO-III HD, was an airborne observation system with HD sensors and video outputs. It was a COTS, gyro-stabilised platform containing a multi-sensor HD ...

• Trainer

  Saab 105/SK60

  The Saab 105 is a high-wing, twin-engine jet trainer/light attack aircraft developed by Saab in the 1960s. The platform entered service with the Swedish Air ...

• AEW&C

  Saab 340 AEW

  The Saab 340 AEW is an aerial early warning aircraft based on the Saab 340 airliner. It is designated as S-100B Argus in Swedish service. ...

• Combat Search and Rescue

  Saab 340B+ / SAR-200

  The Saab 340B+, known also as SAR-200, is a search and rescue aircraft based on the Saab 340 regional airliner.  It is powered by two CT7-9B turboprop ...

• AEW&C

  Saab 2000 Erieye

  The Saab 2000 Erieye is an aerial early warning aircraft developed based on the Saab 2000 regional aircraft. It is fitted with an Erieye PS-890 ...