• Digital Battlespace

  EW Europe 2018: US uses AI to defeat adaptive threats

  31st May 2018

  The proliferation of advanced digital radar systems is focusing military research and development efforts on technology that can identify and respond to unknown threat emitters …

• Naval Warfare

  Russian presence near UK waters increases ‘tenfold’

  24th May 2018

  Despite the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) typically keeping mum on Russian activity near UK territorial waters the secretary of state for defence Gavin Williamson …

• Land Warfare

  Qioptiq opens warehouse to support armed forces

  22nd May 2018

  Qioptiq has opened a new £3.7 million ($4.2 million) warehouse facility in St Asaph, North Wales to support the armed forces, the UK MoD announced …

• Defence Notes

  North Korea threatens to cancel US summit

  16th May 2018

  North Korea threatened on 16 May to cancel the forthcoming summit between leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump if Washington seeks to …

• Land Warfare

  Ukraine tests anti-tank missiles bought from US

  22nd May 2018

  Ukraine on 22 May carried out tests of the top of the range Javelin anti-tank missile it recently bought from the US to boost its arsenal …

• Defence Notes

  Beijing's South China Sea bombers fly in face of protests

  22nd May 2018

  China's brazen landing of nuclear-capable bombers on anisland in the disputed South China Sea is a bold power play to bolster its territorial claims while …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: ThunderDrone update

  26th May 2018

  The US Special Operations Command’s (USSOCOM’s) year-long ThunderDrone experimentation program will wrap up on 20th June 2018, SOFWERX officials have confirmed. Addressing delegates at the …

• Special Operations

  AAR to repair ISU containers for USASOC

  15th May 2018

  AAR Mobility Systems has received a $1.2 million contract from the US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) to repair 500 ISU containers for the 1st …

• Naval Warfare

  US to continue FONOP drumbeat in South China Sea

  30th May 2018

  Whilst on a flight to Hawaii on 29 May for a Pacific Command (PACOM) change-of-command ceremony, US Defence Secretary James Mattis commented to media on US …

• Defence Helicopter

  USMC receives first CH-53 King Stallion

  18th May 2018

  Sikorsky has delivered the first CH-53K King Stallion heavy lift helicopter to the US Marine Corps (USMC). The USMC plans to buy as many as …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: Pentagon fields X-MADIS to down drones

  21st May 2018

  A US military service has fielded a new technology to jam and down incoming enemy UAS. At the request of the military, the Sierra Nevada …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Alta Devices solar tech for UAV project

  17th May 2018

  Alta Devices’ flexible and lightweight solar technology has been selected by the US Naval Research Laboratory to power its Hybrid Tiger UAV, the company announced …

• Defence Notes

  US troop withdrawal not linked to Korean peace pact

  2nd May 2018

  South Korean President Moon Jae-in has dismissed claims that US troops stationed in the country would have to leave if a peace treaty was signed …

• Defence Helicopter

  US donates helicopters to Costa Rica

  14th May 2018

  The US government has formalised with Costa Rica’s Ministry of Public Security the donation of four Bell UH-1N Huey helicopters for use by the Central …

• Naval Warfare

  Tunisian Navy bolstered with locally built patrol boats

  21st May 2018

  Tunisian ship builder, Société de Constructions Industrielles Navales (SCIN), launched a locally built 27m patrol boat, the Kerkouanne, in early May in the town of …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Self-propelled guns

  Mobile Tactical Cannon [US]

  Background The US Army began using the M777 in 1995. Since then, it has served as a field artillery piece providing fire support for American ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  MCH-101 [Japan]

  Programme Background At the time of the 2023 signing , Japan had a fleet of 10 MCH-101s and three CH-101.The KHI MCH-101 helicopter is a version ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Hurkus C [Niger]

  Programme Background  In late April 2021, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) President and CEO Temel Kotil claimed in an interview with CNN Turk TV that an export customer for ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-5 Replacement [Mexico]

  Background  Mexico's last fighter aircraft capability rested with their fleet of eight F-5E and two F-5F Tiger IIs platforms from Northrop Grumman; the units were retired ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  Mistral 3 [North Macedonia]

  Background North Macedonia signed a contract for the procurement of Mistral 3 short-range air defence systems. The systems will modernise the Army and are expected ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Light Protected Mobility Vehicle (Phase 1) [North Macedonia]

  Background The acquisition of an LPMV to equip the North Macedonian Armed Forces' Light Infantry Battalion Group (LIBG) is considered the most urgent priority for the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker [North Macedonia]

  Background In its Long-Term Defence Capabilities Development Plan (LTDCDP) published in 2019, the North Macedonian MoD outlined plans to acquire Light Armoured Vehicles (LAVs) to ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AW169M [North Macedonia]

  Background Bids and suppliers Prior to Leonardo's award of the North Macedonian contract, Airbus, Lockheed Martin and Bell Helicopters had all put in bids for ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AW149 [North Macedonia]

  Background Bids and suppliers Prior to Leonardo's award of the North Macedonian contract, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, and Bell Helicopters had all put bids in for ...

• Military UAS - small

  Tactical UAVs [North Macedonia]

  Background European Peace Facility (EPF) The EPF, established in 2021, operates separately from the EU budget. Between 2021 and 2027, the EPF has a financial ...

• Military UAS - small

  Small Surveillance Drones [Denmark]

  Background Second Agreement on the Arctic and North Atlantic In October 2025, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland announced the second agreement of the Arctic and ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [Netherlands]

  Background Dutch and American collaboration On 16 October 2025, the Dutch MoD announced a Letter of Intent (LOI) had been signed to join the USAF’s ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian [Denmark]

  Background Arctic Capability Package In February 2021, Denmark published the Arctic Capability package, a commitment to invest in new technologies, particularly uncrewed systems, to improve surveillance ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker [Greece]

  Background The Greek Army currently operates a number of outdated vehicles, the majority of which are older American platforms like the M113. As part of ...

• Military UAS - small

  Air-Launched Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (ALUAV) [India]

  Background  Origins The development programme has its origins in the US-India Defence Technology and Trade Initiative signed between the nations in 2006 and renewed in 2015. This ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Major networking projects

  BCS

  Battle Control System (BCS) is a USAF Acquisition Category 1 major automated information system programme that provides air sovereignty C2 for the North American Aerospace ...

• Major networking projects

  BCS-F

  Battle Control System-Fixed (BCS-F) is a replacement for the fixed sites for the Region/Sector Air Operations Center, also known as Region Air Operations Center-Air Defense ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  TW-860 TSM Sprit

  TrellisWare TW-860 is a MANET-capable software-defined radio designed specifically for body wearable applications. It provides voice and data connectivity in a small form factor, featuring ...

• Light UGVs

  PackBot

  PackBot, previously designated 510 PackBot, is a tracked, tactical, mobile UGV with forward-articulated flippers that can perform multiple missions. PackBot is being delivered to customers ...

• Land: air defence radar

  JLENS

  The Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System (JLENS), often referred to as the "Spy Balloon", was a tethered aerial detection system ...

• Frigates

  GMF 140

  The GMF 140 is a concept frigate designed by Rheinmetall Naval Systems. It is initially being marketed towards North American procurement as a next-generation integrated air ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  TW-135 TSM Shadow

  TrellisWare TW-135 is a MANET-capable, high-power radio designed for manpack, vehicular, fixed-site and airborne applications. Marketed as a networking radio, it provides high-speed voice, video ...

• Ultra-light UGVs

  FirstLook

  The Endeavor Robotics (now FLIR Systems) FirstLook is a tracked, compact, rugged, expendable and lightweight robot that provides situational awareness, performs persistent observation and investigates ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Saetlbyol-9

  North Korea unveiled two drones at the 2023 Weapons and Equipment Exhibition in Pyongyang on 2 August 2023. One drone, the Saetlbyol-9, or Morning Star-9,  ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Predator XP

  The Predator XP is an updated unarmed version of the original Predator UAV that the US government has licensed for sale to a broader customer ...

• Fighter - ground attack, ISR/special mission

  Hürkuş-C

  The Hürkuş-C is a light attack and reconnaissance aircraft developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries based on the Hürkuş trainer to meet the requirements of the ...

• Trainer

  T-34 Mentor

  The T-34 Mentor is a trainer aircraft developed by Beechcraft (now Raytheon) to meet the requirements of the USAF and USN to replace the North American ...

• Loitering munitions

  PS Killer (PSK)

  The PS Killer (PSK) is a throw-and-forgot loitering munition developed by an American startup, XDOWN.  Uniquely, the system is shaped like a size 7 American football and is ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F/A-18A/B

  The F/A-18 Hornet A and B aircraft, or F-18A/B ('CF-18' in Canada and 'EF-18' in Spain), were the first models in the USN’s line of ...

• Surface-to-surface missiles

  Hwasong-7 (Nodong-1)

  The Hwasong-7 is a North Korean tactical ballistic missile based on the Hwasong-6. It has the NATO reporting name Scud D. It was designed with ...