• Defence Notes

  LAAD 2017: Gripen incoming

  6th April 2017

  The first flight of the Brazilian Air Force's new Gripen E fighter will take place in the second quarter of 2017.Mikael Franzen, DG of Gripen …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Subscale LightningStrike completes flight test

  6th April 2017

  Aurora's XV-24A LightningStrike VTOL XPlane subscale demonstrator has completed its flight test programme at Webster Outlying Field in Southern Maryland in the US, the company …

• Defence Helicopter

  LAAD 2017: Airbus bullish about market status

  5th April 2017

  Airbus has said it remains committed to its regional footprint in South America through its array of current and future programmes.Mesrob Karalekian, VP for Latin …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Exocetus eyes new markets after acquisition

  7th April 2017

  Following on from the acquisition of the rights to the Coastal Glider AUV, officials at Exocetus Autonomous Systems are looking to expand usage in the …

• Land Warfare

  ​LAAD 2017: Guarani slows down

  5th April 2017

  As the Brazilian defence budget gets more constrained the army is being forced to delay it major programmes.The VBTP-MR Guarani 6x6 armoured vehicle programme is …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Milipol Asia 2017: Jaeger UGV ready for sale

  5th April 2017

  ST Kinetics' new line of Jaeger 6 UGVs is now ready for sale, it was revealed at the Milipol Asia-Pacific 2017 show in Singapore.At 2.4m …

• Digital Battlespace

  Milipol Asia 2017: Drone Dome operational in Asia

  5th April 2017

  Fearing copycat weaponised UAVs such as those used by ISIS, and learning from security breaches in various countries, many potential Asian customers are considering Rafael's …

• Military Logistics

  Antonov AN-132D takes flight

  3rd April 2017

  The Antonov AN-132D transport aircraft has completed its first flight, Ukroboronprom announced on 31 March. The AN-132D has been developed using components from Honeywell, Pratt …

• Defence Helicopter

  CH-53K reaches production milestone

  5th April 2017

  Despite some bumps in the road, the Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion has been approved for production by the Pentagon.First launched in 2003, the Heavy Lift …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris anticipates Australian Land 2072 contract

  5th April 2017

  Communications systems currently constitute the majority of Harris Corporation's business in Australia, with Harris actively working towards the award of a multi-million dollar contract under …

• Naval Warfare

  Boeing wins P-8A Poseidon aircraft order

  4th April 2017

  Boeing has been awarded a $2.2 billion contract to produce at least 17 P-8A Poseidon aircraft for the US Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force …

• Defence Helicopter

  HAL receives Dhruv order, increases sales

  3rd April 2017

  Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is in receipt of an order for 32 Dhruv Mk III helicopters, according to a contract signed on 30 March, buoying …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ​SOFINS: Long endurance UAV to protect air bases

  3rd April 2017

  The French military presented the hydrogen fuel cell-powered Long Endurance Multi-Mission (LEMM) multi-rotor UAV, which is claimed to have 'an unprecedented endurance within its class'.At …

• Defence Helicopter

  US military helicopters face design hurdles

  4th April 2017

  Various design challenges with several of the Pentagon's key helicopter programmes has resulted in unexpected modifications, a new report has found.The CH-53K, Combat Rescue Helicopter …

• Special Operations

  ​SOFINS: French Navy SF showcases commando craft

  2nd April 2017

  The French Navy Special Forces (SF) displayed its Embarked Commando Craft for Multiple Uses (ECUME) rigid-hull inflatable boat (RHIB) at the SOFINS exhibition.Developed by Zodiac …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BTR-MDM Rakushka

  Programme Background Since 2016, 11 battalion sets of BTR-MDMs are known to have been delivered to units of the VDV in addition to 12 platforms ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMD-4M

  Programme Background Since 2017, 11 battalion sets of the BMD-4M have been delivered to units of the VDV in addition to 27 located at the ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Wolverine / Honeybadger [US]

  Programme Background During the Modern Day Marine (MDM) exhibition, held in Washington between 10-12 May 2022, XTEND announced it would supply hundreds of Wolverine platforms ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Embarked VTOL UAV [South Korea]

  Background VTOL Development In January 2024, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced that it would commence development of a VTOL-capable rotary-wing UAV to be ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) (Tranche 2) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an organic, ...

• Loitering munitions

  Harop [Azerbaijan]

  Programme Background According to a December 2020 report by the Centre for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), Azerbaijan acquired an estimated 50 Harop loitering munitions ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Mexico]

  Programme Background In April 2016, Mexico finalised an order for seven additional UH-60M platforms. At the time of procurement, the Mexican Air Force already had ...

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

  Short Range/Short Endurance (SR/SE) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16 Block 52 Pakistan

  Programme Background The 2016 FMS was proposed to the US Congress as a way to help increase Pakistan's ability to conduct counter-insurgency and counterterrorism operations. ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1Z [Romania]

  The Romanian MoD has a long-standing requirement for new rotary platforms, including troop transport, supply and attack configurations. According to the the Military Strategy document, ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Data links

  Data links | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BTR-MDM

  The BTR-MDM Rakushka is an amphibious tracked armoured vehicle developed by Kurganmashzavod to meet the Russian Airborne Forces' (VDV) need for a new air-droppable APC. ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MDM-HF

  The MDM-3001, MDM-2201 and MDM-2501 multi-mode HF data modems provide single-tone (serial) HF data communications capability in accordance with the requirements of MIL-STD-188-110A (para 5.3). ...

• Data links

  Link 11 DTS

  The programmable Data Terminal Set (DTS) uses real-time processor architectures and signal processing algorithms. It is designed for controlled network operation in a Link 11 ...

• Data links

  MDM-2X02N

  The MDM-2X02N is a tactical data link modem that combines the functionalities of a Link 11 DTS and Link 22 signal processor controller (SPC) into ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MDM-Q9604

  Collins Aerospace’s MDM-Q9604 high-speed, high-data-rate HF modem is capable of transmitting data over a standard 3KHz single sideband at 9,600b/s or a 6kHz ISB at ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMD-4M

  The BMD-4M is based on the BMD-4, which has been in the Russian Army's airborne forces (VDV) service since 2004. It was developed to provide an ...

• Military - USVs

  High-Speed Intercept Boat

  Poly Technologies displayed its High-Speed Intercept Boat at DSA in Malaysia in 2016. 

• MPVs - 4x4

  Bars-6

  Bogdan publicly unveiled the 7t Bars-6 (Panther) 4x4 light APC at IDEX 2015, and in July 2016, the company introduced an upgraded version ready for ...

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

  Mini UAV Fixed Wing I

  The Jordan Design and Development Bureau (JODDB) unveiled the hand-launched Mini UAS (also known as Mini UAV Fixed-Wing I) at SOFEX 2016, along with a wider family ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Mysterious Bee

  The Mysterious Bee hybrid, fixed-wing/quadcopter UAV was unveiled at the Zhuhai Airshow 2016. It is designed to operate from ships, small islands, mountainous areas and ...

• Self-propelled mortars

  2S42 Lotos

  The 2S42 Lotos (Lotus) is a self-propelled artillery system that is being developed by Rostec subsidiary TsNIITochMash to replace the Russian VDV airborne forces' and ...

• Land: RWS

  Asgard RCT

  The Asgard RCT (Remote Control Turret) is the unmanned member of the Asgard 127 modular one-person turret family introduced in 2016. It is suitable for ...

• Military - USVs

  SeaFly-01

  The SeaFly-01 USV, developed by Beijing Sifang Automation, was showcased at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China in November 2016. It is designed for various ...

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

  Phoenix

  The Phoenix UAV is a delta-wing platform designed largely for civilian applications such as policing, border patrol, coast guard, fire-fighting and surveillance, as well as ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VN2C

  The VN2C 6x6 armoured vehicle was introduced at the Zhuhai Airshow in November 2016. Aimed at the export market, it appears to be an updated version ...