• Naval Warfare

  New RN RIBs due from 2016

  15th December 2015

  The first next-generation Pacific 24 Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) destined for the Royal Navy will come off the BAE Systems specialist small boat production line …

• Military Logistics

  GE Aviation awarded R&D contract

  15th December 2015

  The US Army has awarded a $3.4 million contract to GE Aviation for the research and development of silicon carbide-based power electronics to support next-generation …

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed Martin receives PAC-3 contract

  15th December 2015

  Lockheed Martin has received a production and delivery contract from the US military for Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles and PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 …

• Naval Warfare

  Taiwan inaugurates South China Sea facilities

  15th December 2015

  With international attention focused on Chinese reclamation of reefs in the South China Sea in recent months, Taiwan has inaugurated new harbour facilities on Taiping …

• Training

  AVT Simulation details NAWCTSD work

  14th December 2015

  New upgrades to the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) visual/aero assessment system have been delivered to the US Naval Air Systems Command …

• Defence Helicopter

  Ka-226Ts to head to Black Sea

  14th December 2015

  Amid increased tension with Turkey, Russia will add six Ka-226T helicopters to existing forces deployed near its southern maritime borders in the Caspian and Black …

• Military Logistics

  New HC-130J for US Air Force

  14th December 2015

  Lockheed Martin has delivered a HC-130J Combat King II personnel recovery aircraft to the US Air Force, the company announced on 11 December. The aircraft …

• Training

  SEA delivers flight deck simulator

  14th December 2015

  SEA has delivered a new Flight Deck Training Simulator for the Royal Navy to train crew for the new HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers, the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Orbital ATK’s HAPS granted patent

  14th December 2015

  Orbital ATK has been granted a patent for its Helicopter Active Protection System (HAPS) by the US Patent and Trademark Office, the company announced on …

• Land Warfare

  PAC-3 MSE delivers in new test

  11th December 2015

  Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) missile has successfully engaged and intercepted a tactical ballistic missile target in US Army-led testing conducted at …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon awarded C-130 radio contract

  11th December 2015

  Raytheon will install MXF-626K VHF communications systems on the US Air Force’s C-130H Hercules fleet under a $29.6 million contract announced on 10 December. The …

• Defence Notes

  Aegis Ashore completes live fire intercept test

  11th December 2015

  The US Navy, Lookheed Martin and the Missile Defense Agency have successfully conducted the first live fire intercept test of Aegis Ashore, with a ballistic …

• Training

  NZ Army distributes simulation facilities

  11th December 2015

  The New Zealand Army is making wider use of weapon simulators as it attempts to ‘work smarter, not harder’. Burnham Camp near Christchurch received a …

• Defence Helicopter

  Japan’s SH-X merits internal investigation

  11th December 2015

  The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) had planned that development of its next-generation SH-X naval multipurpose helicopter would occur from 2015-20. However, Defence Minister Gen …

• Military Logistics

  USAF begins Airbus tanker testing

  10th December 2015

  The US Air Force has begun refuelling trials on the A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) as part of efforts to fully certify its fleet to …

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 ...