• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall receives US military orders

  18th December 2014

  Rheinmetall has been selected to supply advanced infantry and screening smoke munitions to the US armed forces. The company’s subsidiary, American Rheinmetall Munitions (ARM), has …

• Defence Helicopter

  Taiwan introduces first UH-60Ms

  17th December 2014

  Taiwan is standing up its first four Sikorsky UH-60M helicopters at Guiren Air Base, after they arrived from the US on 3 December. Destined for …

• Land Warfare

  Pearson to assess Challenger 2

  17th December 2014

  Pearson Engineering has been selected by the UK Ministry of Defence to assess up to 60 of the British Army’s Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank …

• Land Warfare

  Saab eyes future ATGM after Roquette success

  17th December 2014

  Saab is looking to provide its new extended-range (ER) and high explosive (HE) capabilities to current users of the AT4 anti-tank guided missile as well …

• Land Warfare

  USMC issues armour challenge

  17th December 2014

  A new stand-alone armour system to provide protection against heavy machine guns (HMGs) is being sought by the USMC. In cooperation with the US Defense …

• Defence Notes

  Russian defence companies see growth, for now

  16th December 2014

  Russian defence companies saw a 20% rise in sales last year, according to a new report analysing the world’s top 100 arms producers. Several Russian …

• Defence Helicopter

  India to launch Mi-17 and Ka-226T production

  16th December 2014

  India will begin licensed production of the Mi-17 and Ka-226T helicopters, following a political agreement reached as Russia chases a lucrative Indian military helicopter tender. …

• Land Warfare

  Russian MoD set to buy more Verba MANPADS

  16th December 2014

  The Russian Ministry of Defence is set to buy more 9K333 Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPAD). A source at the Russian MoD told Shephard that …

• Digital Battlespace

  ADF orders Harris Falcon III wideband tactical radios

  16th December 2014

  Harris Corporation will deliver Falcon III tactical radios to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) under an order from the Australian Defence Materiel Organisation as part …

• Naval Warfare

  Lockheed Martin to continue building MK41 VLS

  16th December 2014

  LOCKHEED Martin will continue building MK 41 Vertical Launch Systems (VLS) for the US Navy under a $235 million contract award announced on 15 December. …

• Digital Battlespace

  MUOS radio terminal support facility opens

  15th December 2014

  A new radio terminal development and certification facility has been opened by Lockheed Martin to support the US military in maximising utilisation of the Mobile …

• Land Warfare

  Aussie Land 400 initiated

  15th December 2014

  Australia’s Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) has kick-started the Australian Army’s massive Land 400 Phase 2 vehicle acquisition programme. In an announcement on the 10 December …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems to acquire Eclipse Electronic Systems

  12th December 2014

  BAE Systems has entered into an agreement with Esterline Corporation for the proposed acquisition of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Eclipse Electronic Systems. The company announced the …

• Land Warfare

  UK re-starts long-range jungle recce course

  12th December 2014

  The British Army has completed a four-week long pilot long range reconnaissance patrol course (LRRPC) in the jungles of Brunei after a hiatus of more …

• Military Logistics

  European F-35 MRO&U capability assigned

  12th December 2014

  F-35 aircraft and engine Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul and Upgrade (MRO&U) capability for operators in the European region will be performed by Italy, the UK, Turkey, …

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 ...