• Defence Notes

  China's water dragon takes to the air

  29th December 2017

  China’s first large-scale amphibious aircraft took its maiden flight from the Jinwan Civil Aviation Airport, Zhuhai, in China’s southern Guangdong Province on 24 December . The …

• Digital Battlespace

  NZDF fields networked elements during Southern Katipo

  1st December 2017

  The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) used the large-scale Exercise Southern Katipo in October-November to field elements of its Network Enabled Army (NEA) programme, ahead of …

• Land Warfare

  Russia’s Central MD receives Verba MANPADSs

  22nd December 2017

  Motorised rifle units of the Russian armed forces’ Central Military District in the Altaisky Krai region have taken delivery of the new Verba Man-Portable Air …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Kongsberg to develop new USV

  22nd December 2017

  Kongsberg is in discussion with a partner to develop a hull for a new USV that utilises the K-Mate maritime autonomous control system, with a …

• Defence Notes

  Doubt cast over UK MoD efficiencies

  18th December 2017

  The UK Defence Committee has expressed its lack of confidence in the Ministry of Defence's (MoD) ability to realise extensive efficiency targets essential for the …

• Military Logistics

  BAE Systems awarded JSS 2 contract

  19th December 2017

  BAE Systems has received a seven-year contract from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to provide combat systems support across the Royal Navy fleet, the …

• Training

  MASS to continue UK MoD training support

  15th December 2017

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has approved the take up of a two year extension to MASS’ existing Joint Warfare Support contract, the company …

• Defence Notes

  Lockheed Martin LRASM in new test firing

  20th December 2017

  Lockheed Martin has test fired production-configuration Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM) from a US Air Force B-1B bomber. The test - conducted over the sea …

• Defence Notes

  GDA 2017: Show news and highlights (video)

  14th December 2017

  As the fourth edition of Gulf Defense and Aerospace comes to a close Shephard's Grant Turnbull casts a look back at some of the main …

• Defence Helicopter

  Thales new threat warning system to enter LRIP

  20th December 2017

  Thales expects its Elix-IR threat warning system to enter low-rate initial production before the end of 2018, with helicopters seen as a major potential market …

• Land Warfare

  Morgan secures body armour contract

  14th December 2017

  Morgan Advanced Materials has received a £4.49 million contract from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to deliver hard body armour. The body armour will …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  RUAS, Bangor Uni team for Wales mapping project

  20th December 2017

  RUAS has partnered with Bangor University to work on a new project to map artificial and natural substrates at coastal locations in Wales. Bangor University …

• Digital Battlespace

  Japan makes decisions on Aegis Ashore deployment

  19th November 2017

  Japan’s MoD has decided to allocate two Aegis Ashore facilities armed with SM-3 Block IIA missiles to the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF), and to …

• Defence Helicopter

  Kuwait probes alleged graft in French helicopter deal

  21st December 2017

  Kuwait has ordered an investigation into a $1.1 billion deal to buy 30 military helicopters from France, a minister said on Wednesday, after reports of …

• Naval Warfare

  First UK P-8s under contract

  22nd December 2017

  Christmas has come early for the UK as the US Department of Defense (DoD) announced that Boeing has been awarded the first production contract for …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - micro

  Black Hornet 3 (Ukraine Aid) [UK & Norway]

  Programme Background Russo-Ukraine War Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, UAVs have proved vital to the country's defence. Consequently, as in this programme, the ...

• Military UAS - micro

  FPV Drones (Ukraine Aid) [Netherlands]

  Background Statement of Intent On 14 June 2024, the Deputy Minister for Strategic Industries Serhiy Boyev, Minister of Defence of Ukraine Rustem Umerov and the Minister of ...

• Military UAS - mini

  ISR Drones (Second Batch) (Ukraine Aid) [Netherlands]

  Programme Background First Batch On 20 March 2024, Kajsa Ollongren, Minister of Defence of the Netherlands, announced that, following a 19 March Ukraine Defense Contact ...

• Military UAS - mini

  UAVs (Ukraine Aid) [Norway]

  Background September 2024 On 3 September 2024, the Norwegian government announced that “Ukraine will get more drones donated to their frontline, and more air defence ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  GA-ASI Drone [Ukraine]

  Programme Background MQ-9A Reaper - April 2022 On 13 April 2022, Forbes reported that Ukraine was talking with GA-ASI to acquire the MQ-9A Reaper. Ukrainian officials ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Vector / Scorpion (Contracted) [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Previous Orders & Donations On 29 March 2022, the US Embassy in Warsaw announced that Quantum Systems had donated an unknown quantity of ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 300 (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (16 March 2022 & 13 April 2022) On 16 March 2022, President Biden announced $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine through ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 600 (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background $300 Million USAI (1 April 2022) On 1 April 2022, the US DoD announced a $300 million military aid package for Ukraine following ...

• Loitering munitions

  One-Way Attack Drones (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Programme Background 2024/2025 Military Aid Package On 12 January 2024, the UK government announced it would provide Ukraine with £2.5 billion ($3.2 billion) in military ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  CV90 [Sweden]

  Programme Background As the domestic manufacturer and original operator of the CV90 IFV, Sweden has had a continuous fleet of CV90s in service since the ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) (Phase I) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) provides short-range day and night ISR to US Army units at the squad, platoon and other small ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  HIMARS [Sweden]

  Programme Background Following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sweden began a process of military modernisation, in line with trends across much of Europe.  The ...

• Military UAS - small

  Puma 3 AE (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Military Aid - $300 Million On 1 April 2022, the US DoD announced a $300 million military aid package for Ukraine to "bolster Urkaine's capacity ...

• Military UAS - micro

  5,000 Latvian UAVs (Ukraine Aid) [Latvia]

  Background Ukrainian Defence Contact Group (UDCG) In January 2024, the Ukrainian Defence Contact Group (UDCG), a multi-nation organisation that coordinates military aid for Ukraine, established a drone ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Larger UAVs [Estonia]

  Background 2026-2029 Defence Investment On 30 July 2025, the Republic of Estonia’s Minister of Defence, Hanno Pevkur, announced the approval of a development plan allocating more ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Akash-NG missile

  The Akash-NG (New Generation) missile is an advanced surface-to-air missile system developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to enhance the country's air ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  Ophir 26-105mm f/1.6 LWIR continuous zoom

  Ophir's plethora of IR optics includes a wide range of long-range zoom lenses for every application. Ophir's budget range has been extended to include a ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Vespa-15

  The Vespa-15 is a first-person view (FPV) rotary-wing UAV manufactured by a Ukrainian company.  In May 2025, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Ukraine announced it ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Black Hornet 3

  The Black Hornet 3 is the next generation of the PD-100 Black Hornet, the world’s smallest nano-UAS. This new model of the Black Hornet provides ...

• Military UAS - small

  Kazhan

  The E620 Kazhan is a Ukrainian-made rotary-wing attack drone. It is available in hexacopter and quadcopter configurations and can drop 60mm, 82mm, and 120mm mortar shells. ...

• Unguided Tank Ammunition

  DM73

  The 120mm × 570 armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot (APFSDS) DM73 is a kinetic-energy (KE) round with an enhanced propulsion unit. It is produced by Rheinmetall ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Cetus Lite

  The Cetus Lite is a fixed-wing UAV from Abris Design Group. The company describes the aircraft as a mobile system that is hand-launched. It is ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Cetus Plus

  The Cetus Plus is a fixed-wing UAV from Abris Design Group.  The manufacturer describes it as a universal UAV designed to perform various tasks like photo ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Beetle

  The Beetle is a rotary-wing octocopter from Abris Design Group. According to the manufacturer, the UAV provides photo and video ISTAR and signal relay for first-person ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Linza 3.0

  The Linza 3.0 is a rotary-wing UAV from Quantum Frontline Industries (QFI), a German-Ukrainian joint venture from Quantum Systems and Frontline Robotics. The UAV was first delivered ...

• Loitering munitions

  Anubis

  The Anubis is a medium-range loitering munition designed to destroy enemy equipment and strategic targets. Designed and produced by Airlogix, the Auterion Airlogix Joint Venture ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  CB90

  Combatboat (Stridsbåt) 90 (CB90) is a class of small, rapid attack boats designed for raiding and inshore/nearshore coastal protection operations or deploying up to 20 ...

• EO/IR systems

  USG-212

  Described as a plug-and-play turnkey solution, the USG-212 is an EO/IR camera gimbal from Ukrspecsystems. It appears to be out of production. The gimbal has ...

• Main battle tanks

  Type 10

  Mitsubishi developed the 120mm-armed Type 10 MBT to meet the requirements of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) and publicly revealed a prototype in February 2008. ...

• Military UAS - small

  P550

  Designed by AeroVironment, the P550 is a fixed-wing UAV that can host reconnaissance, EW or offensive payloads. In an April 2024 statement, AeroVironment stated that ...