• Defence Notes

  Malaysia slashes 2017 defence budget

  25th October 2016

  The defence budget announced by Malaysia on 21 October has taken a serious slash compared to a year earlier. The amount allocated to the Ministry …

• Land Warfare

  Indo Defence 2016: Armour modernisation nears completion

  25th October 2016

  Rheinmetall is due to complete deliveries of the Leopard 2 RI main battle tank to Indonesia by March 2017. Indonesia ordered 61 Leopard RI MBTs …

• Defence Notes

  Analysis: US needs patience with Philippine president

  24th October 2016

  The Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was in Beijing last week to denounce the US and to sign 13 agreements with China on a wide range …

• Training

  USMC selects Veraxx for AH-1Z FTDs

  24th October 2016

  With the first production variant entering service in 2005 the Bell AH-1Z Viper has become a crucial part of the US Marine Corps’ expeditionary air …

• Training

  New P-8A training centre opens

  24th October 2016

  A new P-8A Poseidon training centre has opened at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, where the US Navy is preparing for the arrival of …

• Military Logistics

  Rockwell awarded JPALS subcontract

  24th October 2016

  Navigation and communication subsystems for the US Navy’s next-generation Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) will be supplied by Rockwell Collins. The company announced …

• Land Warfare

  New look for US Army assessments

  24th October 2016

  With the US Army's milestone Army Warfighting Assessment (AWA) 17.1 now underway at Ft. Bliss, Texas, participants and planners are preparing for a continuing evolution …

• Digital Battlespace

  OSI to supply bridge systems to Navantia

  24th October 2016

  OSI Maritime Systems has signed a contract with Navantia to supply two Integrated Bridge Systems (IBS) for the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN's) Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment (AOR) …

• Land Warfare

  Wanted Down Under: local businesses for Land 400

  24th October 2016

  The Australian Department of Defence announced an opportunity roadmap for local companies to work on the Land 400 Phase 2 Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle (CRV) programme …

• Defence Helicopter

  China in their hand

  24th October 2016

  Covering the entire spectrum of the supply chain, rotorcraft companies are looking towards China as the pot of gold for the black hole in finances …

• Defence Notes

  Philippines seals deal for frigates

  22nd October 2016

  Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) announced on 24 October that it had won a contract to build two frigates for the Philippine Navy (PN). The lot …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  New comms payload for Wasp aerostat

  21st October 2016

  Drone Aviation will integrate a new communications sensor into the US Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) Wasp aerostats under a contract announced on 19 October. The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US CBP flight software includes ATLC

  21st October 2016

  The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has integrated General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ (GA-ASI’s) Automatic Take-off and Landing Capability (ATLC) system …

• Defence Helicopter

  BAE Systems signs new APKWS contract

  21st October 2016

  BAE Systems has received a three-year $130 million IDIQ contract to keep the US Navy supplied with Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) laser-guided rockets, …

• Military Logistics

  Raytheon receives JPALS contract

  21st October 2016

  Raytheon will complete development of the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) under a $255 million contract from the US Navy announced on 19 October. …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - micro

  Drone40 (Ukraine Aid) [Australia]

  Programme Background In August 2022, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), a think tank, held a podcast with Ukraine's ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, in which ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel - Medium (Project Land 8710 Phase 1A) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements Australia has set out requirements for a fleet of up to 18 Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels - Medium (LMV-M) with the release of ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams [Poland]

  Programme Background Requirement Since the early 2010s Poland wanted to upgrade its Soviet-era tank fleet due to modernisation requirements, the need to increase interoperability with NATO ...

• 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 ...

• Main battle tanks

  Leopard 2A4 [Czech Republic]

  Programme Background  The Czech Republic currently operates a small fleet of T-72s, which, while undergoing upgrades and life extension programmes, are increasingly obsolete. In October ...

• Submarines: nuclear/attack

  Second Hand SSNs [Australia]

  Programme Background Timeline In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | AUKUS-SSNs (1-5) [Australia]

  In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock move, will not ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | AUKUS-SSNs (1-5) [Australia]

  In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock move, will not ...

• Main battle tanks

  Viatura Blindada de Combate-Carro de Combate (VBC-CC) [Brazil]

  Programme Background Several key technical requirements have been outlined by the Brazilian MoD. Among the most important are that the platform should weigh less than ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  HIMARS (Batch 2) [Australia]

  Programme background Prior to selecting HIMARS in January 2023, Australia did not operate an MLRS system. However, the effectiveness of Ukrainian HIMARS convinced the Australian government ...

• Military - USVs

  Bluebottle USV (16-55) [Australia]

  Programme Background Timeline The RAN purchased a number of the 6.8m-long Bluebottles, including five under an A$4.9 million ($3.3 million) contract signed in November 2022. ...

• Medium UGVs

  Mission Master (RPV Sprial 2) [UK]

  Background First announced in April 2017 and referred to in early MOD documents as the ‘last mile resupply’ initiative, the British Army is reportedly evaluating ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A1 Abrams (Ukraine Aid) [Australia]

  Programme Background Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Australia has been amongst the various Western allies providing Ukraine with military aid. Prior ...

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 ...

• Unguided Tank Ammunition

  120mm KE DM63 / DM53 A1 Tank Ammunition

  The 120mm kinetic energy tank ammunition is manufactured by Rheinmetall. There are several variations of the ammunition, including the DM63, which can be fired from ...

• Unguided Tank Ammunition

  120MM HEAT-TP F1A

  Franco-German KNDS-Nexter produce the 120mm High-Explosive Anti-Tank Training-Purpose F1A (HEAT-TP F1A) round to enable reduced-cost training for Main Battle Tank crews. 

• Main battle tanks

  M1/M1A1 Abrams

  The 105mm-armed M1 Abrams tracked MBT was introduced into US Army service in 1980 as a replacement for the 105mm-armed M60 MBT. In April 1991, ...

• Unguided Tank Ammunition

  120mm PELE Tank Ammunition

  The 120mm Penetrator with Enhanced Lateral Effect (PELE) tank ammunition is an inert round produced by Rheinmetall. It is suitable for use against semi-hard targets ...

• Light mortars

  60mm Mortar Ammunition

  US-based LD Systems' 60mm Mortar ammunition fulfils the NATO standard for lightweight mortar ammunition.

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  120mm L55A1

  The 120mm L55A1 is a smoothbore high-pressure gun based on the L55 tank gun. The L55A1 has been qualified and in service since 2019. It ...

• Naval: RF/IR/acoustic decoys

  Nulka

  The Nulka is an active anti-ship missile decoy originally conceived in Australia, and developed under a joint Australian-US programme. BAE Systems Australia is prime contractor, while ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  120mm L55 Tank Gun

  The 120mm L55 is a smoothbore tank gun produced by Rheinmetall. It is designed for use on the Leopard main battle tank, to which it ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A2 SEPv3

  The M1A2 System Enhancement Package 3 (M1A2 SEPv3, also known as M1A2C) is the latest production-standard variant of the Abrams MBT. Designed primarily to address ...

• Unguided Tank Ammunition

  M1147 Advanced Multi-Purpose (AMP)

  The M1147 Advanced Multi-Purpose (AMP) is a 120mm tank round developed by Northrop Grumman Defence Systems. Various customers, including Bahrain, Israel, and the US, use the tank ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  Next Generation Combat Vehicle Ammunition

  The Next Generation Combat Vehicle Ammunition (NGVA) is a family of ammunition being developed by the US Army's Armaments Center and manufactured by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  CVTESS

  Saab's Combat Vehicle Tactical Engagement Simulation System (CVTESS) is a laser-based simulator which supports every version of the Abrams Main Battle Tank and the Bradley ...

• Submarines: nuclear/attack

  SSN AUKUS

  The SSN-AUKUS will be the submarine design resulting from the AUKUS trilateral pact between Australia, the US and the UK. Expected to incorporate technology from ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  Spike LR2

  The Spike LR2 (also known as NT-S) is Rafael's fifth-generation anti-tank guided missile system. It is a long-range, multi-purpose, multi-platform weapon designed for infantry, armored ...