• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Unmanned ACTUV becomes Sea Hunter

  8th April 2016

  DARPA’s prototype anti-submarine warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) was christened on 7 May in Portland.  It marks the next development stage for the programme …

• Naval Warfare

  BAE Systems to build more Mk 41 canisters

  8th April 2016

  BAE Systems has been awarded a $38.2 million contract modification from the US Navy to supply additional missile canisters for the Mk 41 Vertical Launching …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus tests HFI concept for Germany

  8th April 2016

  Airbus Helicopters has conducted the first testing phase of a research and technology study for a Hostile Fire Indication (HFI) concept for the German armed …

• Naval Warfare

  Sevastopol to host specialist dive unit and training centre

  8th April 2016

  The Russian Ministry of Defence has approved a project for a new training centre and military unit to be based at Cape Chersonese in Crimea’s …

• Military Logistics

  Austria selects WEW’s FDR

  8th April 2016

  WEW’s Fuel Dispensing Rack (FDR) has been selected for a multi-million euro contract by the Austrian armed forces to meet its requirement for mobile refuelling …

• Land Warfare

  Raytheon-DRS receive 3rd gen FLIR EMD contract

  7th April 2016

  A Raytheon and DRS Technologies team have received $56 million from the US Army to engineer, develop and manufacture the third-generation, forward-looking infrared (FLIR) night …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Cubic WBLOS in MQ-8C assessment

  7th April 2016

  A Cubic-developed Wide Band Line of Sight (WBLOS) data link system that was integrated into the Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout UAS has successfully completed …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Cyberhawk conducts boiler inspection

  7th April 2016

  Cyberhawk Innovations has completed the inspection of a Bulgarian company’s commercial internal steam boiler using a remotely operated UAS, it announced on 5 April. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Pakistan boosts Viper order

  7th April 2016

  Pakistan will now receive an extra nine new-build Bell Helicopter AH-1Z Viper attack platforms from the US, according to a US Department of Defense announcement …

• Land Warfare

  Estonia sharpens its spears

  7th April 2016

  The US and NATO are starting to ramp up weapon supplies to the Baltic states in response to Russian activity in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Singapore to replace US-based Chinooks

  7th April 2016

  Singapore will replace the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF) fleet of six Boeing CH-47D Chinook helicopters. The replacement will only affect the Peace Prairie …

• Training

  ADF extends BAE trainer support

  7th April 2016

  BAE Systems Australia has received a two-year contract extension from the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to continue providing through life support for the Navigation Trainer …

• Digital Battlespace

  Space Fence advances

  6th April 2016

  Lockheed Martin's Space Fence is taking a step closer to reality with the recent opening of the Space Fence Integrated Test Bed (ITB) site in New …

• Defence Helicopter

  Vikhr-1 ATGMs for the Russian Ka-52 fleet

  6th April 2016

  The Kalashnikov Concern reported on 5 April 2016 that it had finalised the delayed contract for the delivery of Vikhr-1 anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) to …

• Land Warfare

  Analysis: Azerbaijan and Armenian land forces

  6th April 2016

  Hostilities between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorni Karabakh enclave have re-ignited with exchanges of fire over the border. According to officially-released data, during the …

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 ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams [Poland]

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

• 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]

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

• 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

  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 ...

• Main battle tanks

  Leopard 2A4 [Czech Republic]

  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 2022, ...

• 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 ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Chios class LST replacement [Greece]

  Background Requirements The Hellenic Navy’s Chios-class tank landing ship platforms have been in service for almost 30 years. Shephard estimates they will start reaching their out-of-service date (OSD) ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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. ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Project Air 7003 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Land: RWS

  R400 Slinger

  The R400 Slinger is a counter-uncrewed aerial system (C-UAS) remote weapon system (RWS) being developed in Australia. The development is a response to growing international ...

• 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 ...