• Land Warfare

  British Army programme cuts could continue in 2025

  24th December 2024

  The six-month old Labour leadership in the UK has already made cuts and army programmes could be on the chopping block in 2025. Where might the axe fall?

• Naval Warfare

  VideoRay awarded $92 million for MK20 Mission Defender USV development

  13th May 2024

  The VideoRay Mission Specialist Defender underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) is designed to handle unexploded munitions and has seven thrusters to allow a high standard of manoeuvrability.

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall eyes German Army requirement with new artillery rocket system

  19th June 2024

  The GMARS wheeled artillery rocket launcher offers greater mobility than the tracked M270 MLRS and double the firepower of the M142 HIMARS, and can support next-generation munitions. Germany has a requirement for 70 launchers and many other NATO armies are looking to renew or supplement their indirect fire capabilities.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Aerodata to introduce MALE UAS for maritime surveillance at ILA Berlin

  3rd June 2024

  Aerodata and its partner Milkor signed a Memorandum of Understanding at last year’s Paris Air Show for the two companies to work together on the AeroForce 380.

• Land Warfare

  Hensoldt to supply TRML-4D radars for Latvia and Slovenia as part of €100 million deal

  5th July 2024

  The TRML-4D, based on the maritime TRS-4D radar, has been designed to provide similar scanning and surveillance capabilities to forces on land for air surveillance.

• Land Warfare

  More Patriot air and missile defence systems bound for Europe

  12th July 2024

  The US Army has acquired more than 1,100 launchers of which it has exported at least 200 launchers, while more than 10,000 Patriot missiles have been produced to date.

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall looks to strengthen position in US as it bids for $60 billion in contracts

  15th August 2024

  The US has major vehicle contracts looming, a challenge for the small number of large companies, but Douglas Bush, assistant secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology has identified Rheinmetall America as potential new player.

• Air Warfare

  Heron TP flies over Germany for the first time

  15th May 2024

  The Heron TP is a multi-role, advanced, long-range MALE UAS. It is faster, larger and higher flying than the Heron Mk 1 on which it is based and has been equipped with automatic taxi-takeoff and landing systems, satellite communication for extended range and fully redundant avionics.

• Air Warfare

  Airbus enters race for unmanned Wingman support fighters

  4th June 2024

  Designs for unmanned support aircraft for fighter jets are advanced with Boeing’s MQ-28A Ghost Bat beginning development in 2013 and making its first flight in February 2021 and Airbus’s effort will need to advance quickly to keep up.

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall wins $325 million artillery ammunition order

  24th May 2024

  Rheinmetall reported first quarter 2024 consolidated sales of €1.581 billion compared to the same period in 2023 of €1.363 billion and much of this has been driven by demand for artillery ammunition.

• Defence Notes

  Defence business booms and order books build on the back of Russia–Ukraine war

  9th August 2024

  The half yearly and second quarter results of defence companies show mostly substantial increases in order books and sales, as supplying Ukraine, buying new equipment and replenishing stocks boosts contracts.

• Naval Warfare

  Kongsberg, Diehl, MBDA to develop supersonic strike missile for Germany and Norway

  14th May 2024

  The 3SM Tyrfing supersonic strike missile will succeed the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) currently in use on Norwegian naval vessels from 2035, with Germany yet to announce its deployment plans.

• Land Warfare

  Challenger 3 programme promises capability upgrade as first delivery milestone approaches

  23rd August 2024

  The British Army’s Challenger 3 main battle tank (MBT) will replace existing Challenger 2s with a smaller but more capable fleet of vehicles with improved protection and notably a 120mm L55A1 smoothbore gun firing an Enhanced Kinetic Energy round. The programme is advancing rapidly with several hurdles cleared in the past year.

• Air Warfare

  Australia awards contracts for UAS platforms

  15th July 2024

  The orders break new ground for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) as they include an order for loitering munitions, the purchase of an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) and the first order for SkyMantis 2 in the region.

• Land Warfare

  European Common Armoured Vehicle System picks up speed

  16th August 2024

  The Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) programme is replacing vehicle types for three countries with Germany also considering it.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) [Spain]

  Programme Background The VAMTAC ST5 is already in Spanish service with the Spanish Army, Navy, and Air Force in various configurations. In June 2025, the ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Render Safe Sets, Kits & Outfits (RS SKO) (UAV) [US]

  Programme Background Definition The RS SKO provides capabilities needed for Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams to render safe US and foreign ordnance and improvised explosive ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Contracted)

  By March 2019, 269 of the 350 Pumas on order had been delivered to the German Army. Deliveries of the remaining 81 vehicles are scheduled ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Mine Countermeasures Platforms (1-12) [Germany]

  In 2018, the German Navy launched the process of acquiring a fleet of 11 Mine Countermeasures platforms. The German Navy's 'Force Structure Goals 2035+' foresees 12 ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Mine Countermeasures Platforms (1-12) [Germany]

  In 2018, the German Navy launched the process of acquiring a fleet of 11 Mine Countermeasures platforms. The German Navy's 'Force Structure Goals 2035+' foresees 12 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [Germany]

  Programme Background Testing Models Between April 2023 and April 2025, the German Army acquired various loitering munitions to further assess their suitability for the German ...

• Frigates

  MKS 180 Programme (5-6) [Germany]

  Programme Background Requirements The MKS 180 frigate programme for the Federal German Navy reflects the desire for the German government to become more engaged on ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Zielplan Marine 2035+ (Rotary-Wing UAVs) [Germany]

  Programme Background Zieplan Marine 2035+ Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at the 2022 Bundeswehr Conference that Germany must become the "cornerstone of conventional defence in Europe". ...

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

  Vector / Scorpion (Ukraine Aid) [Germany]

  Programme Background German Enablement Initiative On 18 April 2024, Quantum-Systems announced that German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck and Ukrainian Minister of Strategic Industry Alexander Kamyshin had opened the ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Heavy-lift Helicopter STH [Germany]

  Programme Background The German government issued a tender in March 2019 for the procurement of heavy-lift helicopters under the Schwerer Transporthubschrauber (STH) program, 60 units are ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Type 212CD (1-2) [Germany]

  Programme Background Norway selected TKMS as the shipbuilder for its new class of Type 212CD submarines to replace the six Ula-class SSKs currently in service. ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Germany - Second Batch)

  Programme Background The contract award for the second batch of Pumas had been delayed until 2022 at the earliest. However, in April 2021, German media ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Type 707 (1-2) [Germany]

  Programme Background Requirements The German Navy approved an acquisition to start replacing the two ageing Rhön-class (Type 704) class single-hulled tankers, which were constructed in the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  LUCHS 2 Reconnaissance Vehicle [Germany]

  Programme Background The SPD-led approach Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany has been under consistent pressure to increase its defence spending. In the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (Skyranger) [Germany]

  Programme Background The SPD-led approach Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany has been under consistent pressure to increase its defence spending. In the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• MPVs - 4x4

  Shrek

  The Shrek is an MRAP vehicle developed by the Streit Group in collaboration with the Ukrainian Kremenchug Automotive Plant (KrAZ). It is available in three ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  German HFTS

  Helicopter Flight Training Services (HFTS) was founded by the consortium of CAE, Airbus Helicopters, Thales and Rheinmetall Defence Electronics. Each company owns a 25% share ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  DURO IIIP

  The DURO IIIP (also known as the GMTF) 6x6 is a protected, mobile off-road armoured vehicle based on the DURO (Durable, Robust) family of 4x4 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Fuchs 1

  Spanning now 8 variants, the Fuchs 1 is the German Army's longstanding wheeled armoured personnel carrier. The army received 1,125 Fuchs, with most delivered between 1979-86. ...

• Land: UGV simulators

  Remote Controlled Vehicle Simulation

  The Remote Controlled Vehicle Simulation is designed for users such as EOD forces.  Key features: use of original control devices; PC-based VR simulation; multiple scenarios ...

• Military - UUVs

  Bluefin-HAUV

  The Bluefin Hovering AUV (HAUV) is a two-man system used for ship hull and infrastructure inspection, port and harbour security and MCM. Operators are able ...

• Light UGVs

  Oto-TRP7-HS

  The Oto-TRP7-HS (Homeland Security) is a semi-autonomous, electric-powered, tracked UGV. It is designed to undertake a number of homeland security missions. 

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  Manpack-6 Bomb Ranger

  Manpack-6 is a portable jamming system that can be carried by a person in areas where there is a risk of encountering remoted controlled improvised ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Eagle V 6x6

  GDELS unveiled the fifth generation of its Eagle light tactical vehicle in both 4x4 and 6x6 models at Eurosatory 2012. The Eagle V has replaced ...

• Light UGVs

  Zeus

  NIC Instruments' Zeus UGV is a development of its First Responder (see separate entry) platform and was unveiled at Milipol Paris in November 2017. The company ...

• EO/IR systems

  Gyrocam 15DHD

  Gyrocam 15DHD is a 15in dual system that delivers HD and mid-wave thermal optics, in a modular payload that supports ISR missions. The 15DHD features ...

• Light UGVs

  Vanguard

  The Vanguard UGV is designed to provide mission support for EOD technicians in both law enforcement and the military. It can be deployed in EOD/IED ...

• Light UGVs

  Telemax tEODor PRO

  The Telemax EOD and observation robot (Telemax tEODor) PRO is designed to complement Cobham's tEODor UGV (see separate entry) by providing a smaller EOD robot ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Eagle V 4x4

  GDELS unveiled the fifth generation of its Eagle light tactical vehicle at Eurosatory 2012. The platform has replaced earlier-generation vehicles in production. More than 1,250 ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  MPV/GFF 4

  Iveco Defence Vehicles cooperated with KMW to develop the Medium Protected Vehicle (MPV). This vehicle is designed to have sufficient payload, protection, capacity and mobility to ...