• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Specialist solutions: the growing importance of niche UAS in defence

  31st July 2024

  DARPA and Northrop Grumman outline plans for the XRQ-73 uncrewed aerial system with hybrid-electric power, which will join the growing ranks of highly specialist UAV designs.

• Training

  Babcock to partner with companies to develop improved VR training system

  12th April 2024

  Ship and vehicle builder Babcock has been looking to build on its defence training division through new partnerships.

• Special Operations

  Explosive detector dogs sniff out demo explosives at Eurosatory

  20th June 2024

  The Ukrainian dogs carried out the demonstrations at Eurosatory’s HELPED area which focuses on humanitarian and environmental crises.

• Naval Warfare

  Insight: What is the way forward for the propulsion systems of conventional submarines?

  4th November 2024

  Recent advancements in lithium-ion battery (LIB) technology have led to a resurgence of conventional diesel-electric submarines. As a result, shipbuilders like Naval Group have opted to move away from air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems and instead focus on a range of submarines equipped with a full LIB configuration.

• Land Warfare

  Israel ramps up Arrow-4 development following Iranian attack

  19th April 2024

  Israel’s Ministry of Defense has fast-tracked the development of the Arrow-4 ballistic missile interceptor in response to recent Iranian ballistic missile attacks.

• Land Warfare

  Japan orders three Mission Master UGVs

  8th April 2024

  Part of Rheinmetall's Mission Master family, the Mission Master Silent Partner (SP) is an eight-wheeled UGV designed to fulfil various logistics and battlefield support roles. Since 2017, several countries, including the UK, Netherlands and an undisclosed Middle Eastern country, have made purchases for trials and development purposes.

• Defence Notes

  RTX’s unauthorised exports result in $200 million fine

  2nd September 2024

  According to the US Department of State, 750 company violations were recorded from 2017 to 2023.

• Air Warfare

  Mayman Aerospace’s RAZOR drone completes first round of test flights

  27th September 2024

  The successful test flights of RAZOR were undertaken at a military base in southern California, where seven autonomous mission sets were completed. Additional test flights have been scheduled for later this year.

• Digital Battlespace

  US Space Force to launch “hundreds of satellites” to better protect its assets from Russia and China

  5th August 2024

  As part of the Evolved Strategic SATCOM programme, the service intends to operate a swarm of smaller, cheaper LEO satellites.

• Digital Battlespace

  First full set of IBCS delivered with testing to start next year

  2nd July 2024

  The Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) is a C2 system designed to integrate current and future sensors. The system also improves the ability of combatant commanders and air defenders to make critical decisions using real time data.

• Land Warfare

  Malaysia’s Cendana Auto unveils two new tactical 4x4 vehicles

  6th May 2024

  Malaysia has a requirement for a light strike vehicle for the 10th Parachute Brigade and a troop transport for its infantry battalions and the two new vehicles unveiled at DSA are targeted at these requirements.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Israel’s MALE UAVs ‘must adapt’ to Iranian-made air defences

  10th April 2024

  Advancements in air defence technologies have begun to reshape aerial combat dynamics in the Middle East, as illustrated by recent events involving the Israeli Air Force and Hezbollah.

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall wins $145 million contract for subsystems to replace howitzers sent to Ukraine

  2nd April 2024

  The Panzerhaubitze 2000 (PzH 2000) was developed in the mid-1980s to meet a German Army requirement to replace its M109 SPHs and 185 were delivered. Export orders from Greece (24), Italy (70, of which 68 were produced locally) and the Netherlands (57) increased production to more than 330 systems.

• Land Warfare

  KNDS pitches new Leopard 2 variant as 'gap-filler' to MGCS next-gen tank

  19th June 2024

  The Leopard 2 A-RC 3.0 focuses on protection and firepower by taking the crew out of the turret, providing a 30mm cannon for C-UAS use and offering a 130mm or 140mm main gun option. It can be built new or delivered as an upgrade option for existing Leopard 2s to fill the 10-year gap before the Main Ground Combat System enters service.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Ukraine gets new Trinity drone donation from Quantum Systems

  2nd August 2024

  The Trinity, like the Vector, is a tactical surveying and imaging drone, used in Ukraine to assess the extent of war damage.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  Tanker Transport Aircraft [Thailand]

  Programme Background  The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) is on track to acquire their first transport tanker aircraft. The new aircraft will be designed to ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Land 400 Phase 3 (Amphibious Vehicles) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Australian DoD released the initial RfI for the Land 400 Phase 3 programme in November 2015. Following consultations with local industry, the ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Land 400 Phase 3 (Logistics, Ammunition Carrier and Mortar Carrier Variants) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Australian DoD released the initial RfI for the Land 400 Phase 3 programme in November 2015. Following consultations with local industry, the ...

• Tanks

  Main Battle Tank Upgrade [Australia]

  Programme Background Between 2006 and 2007, the Australian Army received 59 M1A1 AIM SA Abrams MBTs under Project Land 907 Phase 1. These vehicles were planned to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  DEF129 (Small UAS) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Australian Army identified a need for a small UAS to provide an organic ISR capability to units operating at the tactical ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Project Land 400 Phase 3 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement: 2015 RfI The Land 400 Phase 3 programme will procure a new tracked IFV to replace the Australian Army's legacy fleet of ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Eitan 8x8 [Israel]

  Programme Background Due to the provisions of the US Foreign Military Financing (FMF) system, there is a chance that the Eitan could be mass produced ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV - Additional Order 1 (US - USMC)

  Programme Background The Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked ...

• AEW&C

  E-7 Wedgetail (737) - UK

  Programme Background Seeking to replace its six ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AEW&C;, the British Royal Air Force awarded Boeing a £1.89 billion contract in 2019 covering the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Land 400 Phase 2 - Boxer CRV [Australia]

  Programme Background History The Land 400 Phase 2 programme will procure a replacement for the ASLAV, a derivative of the General Dynamics Land Systems Light Armoured Vehicle ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV - Additional Order 2 (US - USMC)

  Programme Background The Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV - Additional Order 3 (US - USMC)

  Programme Background The Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  DEF129 (Tactical UAS) [Australia]

  Programme Background Programme Announcement The Australian Army announced the Project Land 129 Phase 3 programme in 2017. This announcement led to the release of an industry ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Apache Adjacent UAVs [Australia]

  Background Requirement As reported by Shephard from the Australian International Airshow 2025, Australia requires a platform to support the manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) alongside the repoed 29 Apache AH-64E ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Infrastructure - shelters/accommodation

  Deployable Shelter Systems

  Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group provides integrated deployable shelters for C2, ground control of unmanned systems, C4ISTAR and laboratories. Examples include the Watchkeeper UAV GCS, ...

• Major networking projects

  Project Marshall

  The Joint Military Air Traffic Services project was initiated by the UK MoD in November 2005 to identify and evaluate options for the future delivery ...

• Infrastructure - shelters/accommodation

  Deployable Hospital Systems

  Marshall has two types of deployable field hospitals. The first is a shelter-based solution, whose users include the Norwegian Armed Forces. The Mobile Deployable Hospital ...

• Land: vehicle surveillance/target acquisition systems

  Hawkeye Land Surveillance Systems

  Launched at DSEI 2015, the Chess Dynamics Hawkeye family of multi-sensor surveillance systems is designed to provide short- to extended-range optical surveillance and target acquisition ...

• Naval guns, Land: RWS

  DragonFire

  Dragonfire is a new laser weapon system built for the UK MoD, receiving £30 million of funding in early 2017. The design of the gun ...

• Infrastructure - shelters/accommodation

  Workshops

  Marshall offers a range of integrated, shelter-based workshops. These include several systems now in UK service: the Deployable Machine Shop fitted with the tools needed ...

• Transport

  C-130J Super Hercules

  The C-130J Super Hercules is the latest model of the C-130 Hercules four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. The C-130J primarily performs the tactical portion of ...

• Land Ops

  ESS Land Ops goggles provide eye protection and fog-resistance for ground troops and are authorised by the US Army for use over prescription eyewear. Land ...

• Land: air defence radar, Land: indirect fire location radar

  KRONOS Land

  KRONOS is a mobile multifunctional C-band radar system designed by Leonardo to support air and coastal defence tactical operations.  The system simultaneously performs surveillance, dedicated target ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  Land 125

  In 1994, Australia initiated Project Wundurra to develop an integrated soldier combat system, and by 2005 this had evolved into the multi-phase Land 125 programme ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Land Ceptor

  MBDA Land Ceptor is a medium-to-long range ground-based air defence missile system based on the Common Anti-Air Modular Missile (CAMM) family of surface-to-air missiles developed ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Superav Land

  The Superav Land 8x8 is a modular vehicle with a large diameter turret ring that can be adjusted to fit a wide variety of remote-controlled ...

• Land: RWS

  RCG30

  The Mechatronics division of Denel Land Systems unveiled its RCG30 unmanned turret at the African Aerospace & Defence exhibition in September 2018. Armed with a ...

• Artillery rockets

  EXTRA

  EXTRA is an Israeli 306 mm GPS/INS guided artillery rocket developed by IMI (Now a subsidiary of Elbit Systems as Elbit Systems Land) for use ...

• EW test systems

  CEESIM

  The Combat Electromagnetic Environment Simulator (CEESIM) family of simulators is designed for use in development, T&E;, maintenance and training support of airborne, land, shipboard and ...