• Defence Notes

  Forewarned is forearmed: Poland fast-tracks procurement and surges defence spending

  23rd March 2022

  Long-standing concerns over potential Russian aggression meant that Poland was already positioned to react to the invasion of Ukraine by raising defence spending and procuring new equipment.

• Land Warfare

  US Army 2SBCT fields Strykers upgraded with CROWS-J and CROWS

  21st February 2022

  With the upgrade, the unit is the most modernised Stryker brigade in the US Army. CROWS and CROWS-J improve crew safety and survivability by allowing for Soldiers to engage threats from inside the Stryker.

• Land Warfare

  Will US Army go hybrid-electric in next JLTV buy?

  18th February 2022

  The US Army has allocated $7.3 billion to purchase 15,425 JLTVs, potentially including hybrid or electric-drive vehicles to reduce fuel consumption.

• Land Warfare

  Ukraine to receive ex-Dutch sniper rifles

  23rd February 2022

  The Netherlands is the NATO member state to announce a military aid package for Ukraine, to include either Accuracy International or Barrett sniper rifles, or a combination of both.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Singapore Airshow 2022: Singapore Army Intelligence trains with Anafi USA

  15th February 2022

  Quadcopter is used in Singapore to train troops in safe UAV operations.

• Digital Battlespace

  Russian EW: underused or a Potemkin capability?

  1st March 2022

  Have Russian EW capabilities been overestimated at this early stage of the war in Ukraine?

• Land Warfare

  Brazil to announce preliminary results of SPH tender this year

  14th February 2022

  Brazil plans to overhaul its self-propelled artillery capabilities with a tender for 36 howitzers; contenders include Nexter and Elbit.

• Land Warfare

  Czechs fix bayonet to latest BREN assault rifle

  23rd February 2022

  Czech infantry are equipped with a new bayonet for their CZ BREN 2 rifles.

• Defence Notes

  Ukraine invasion should prompt geostrategic rethink by outgunned and outnumbered UK (Opinion)

  25th February 2022

  The need for the UK to respond to the Russian invasion of Ukraine risks making the ‘Global Britain’ defence strategy appear a case study in hubris.

• Defence Helicopter

  FARA fly-off on track but only if T901 engine tests keep pace

  4th March 2022

  As General Electric prepares to test imminently a fully assembled T901 engine for the first time, the US Army will monitor developments closely as it sticks to a plan of holding a Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) fly-off in 2023.

• Defence Notes

  Ukraine invasion has potential ramifications for Latin American procurement

  23rd March 2022

  Central and South American militaries may have to reconsider their procurement habits in view of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

• Land Warfare

  Guarani programme expands with two new variants

  14th February 2022

  The Brazilian Army is currently working alongside around 100 national suppliers to design and produce 6x6 heavy mortar and engineering versions of Guarani vehicle.

• Land Warfare

  PT Pindad in the thick of action with tanks, APCs and ammunition

  2nd March 2022

  PT Pindad is pursuing cooperation with partners in Belgium, the Czech Republic, France and Turkey as it seeks to fulfil requirements from the Indonesian Army.

• Land Warfare

  Green agenda shapes US Army vehicle plans

  10th February 2022

  Released on 8 February, the service’s first Climate Strategy stated that fully electric light-duty non-tactical vehicles should be fielded by 2027 and all-electric non-tactical vehicles by 2035.

• Land Warfare

  Iraq receives ex-Bulgarian T-72s and BMP-1s

  14th February 2022

  Ex-Bulgarian armoured vehicles were reportedly ordered by Iraq in June 2021 under a $245 million contract for Apolo Engineering.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  J-10 [China]

  Programme Background The aircraft performed its maiden flight in 1998 and entered service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) in 2004. According to ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Data links

  Data links | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Corvettes

  Jiangdao Class (Type 056)

  Programme Background The Type 056 corvette is referred to by the Chinese as the new-generation light guided-missile frigates. They have been built for the People's Liberation ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Rapid Minelayers Procurement (1-4) [Taiwan]

  Development and Procurement Four new rapid minelayers are being built for the Taiwanese Navy in a bid to counter the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Rapid Minelayers Procurement (5-10) [Taiwan]

  Programme Background Requirements The revelation of a Chinese bridge-barge landing system for amphibious operations, designed for a Taiwan invasion, has underscored the need for Taipei ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Kalyani M4 (India)

  Programme Background In the wake of border clashes with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 2020, the Indian Army has accelerated several of its ...

• Frigates

  Jiangkai II Class (Type 054A)

  Built by Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard and Huangpu shipyards the frigates were first seen being constructed from 2005. The class is referred to as the workhorses of China's ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  VP1/Type 89 (Nigeria)

  Programme Background The Nigerian Army has an ongoing need for new armoured vehicles to replace losses incurred in its conflict with extremist organisations operating within ...

• Corvettes

  Shadhinota Class (Type C13B)

  The Shadhinota class (Type C13B) corvettes are a platform based on the Type 056 Jiangdao class used by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), built by the ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  S26T [Thailand]

  Programme Background The Royal Thai Navy has been in the process of acquiring a new submarine for a number of years. They formally selected China's ...

• Frigates

  Jiangkai III Class (Type 054B / Type 057)

  Following the rapid production and relative success of the Type 054A Jiangkai II class frigates, the Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) are developing a successor to ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• AEW&C, Transport

  Y-8

  The Y-8 (Yunshuji-8) medium-sized transport and multirole aircraft was developed by Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation and is based on the Soviet Antonov An-12. More than 36 ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Z-8

  Developed by Changhe Aircraft Industry Group, the Z-8 (known also as Z-18) is a derivative of the AC313 civil helicopter, which is itself a copy of ...

• Submachine guns

  CS/LS2

  Norinco’s CS/LS2 is a 9mm bullpup SMG designed for use with a suppressor. It has been in service with the People's Liberation Army since about ...

• Fighter - multirole

  J-8

  The J-8 (NATO reporting name Finback) is a multirole fighter domestically developed by China. It has design similarities with Soviet MiG-21 and Su-15 aircraft.  The ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  KZ-800

  China National Electronics Import and Export’s (CEIEC) KZ-800 is an airborne Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) gathering system believed to be in widespread use onboard People’s Liberation ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  Type GCZ110

  Norinco announced in 2014 that it had completed development of the Type GCZ110 armoured engineer vehicle based on a modified Type 79 tank chassis equipped ...

• Fighter - multirole

  J-10

  The J-10 (NATO reporting name Firebird) is a multirole fighter developed by China to replace second-generation J-7 and Q-5 aircraft. The aircraft is also known ...

• Tanks

  VT2

  The 125mm-armed VT2 tracked MBT, which was unveiled at DSA 2012, is the export version of the People's Liberation Army Type 96A. As of early ...

• EO/IR systems

  Loong Eye LE380

  The Loong Eye (Dragon's Eye) LE380 is a two-axis stabilised gimbal incorporating EO/IR sensors, laser designators, and laser rangefinders. Originally developed by the Luoyang Opto-Electro ...

• Fighter - ground attack

  J-16

  The J-16 is a multirole fighter developed by China. It is based on the J-11 air superiority fighter, itself a licence-built version of the Russian ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Sky Saker FX400A

  The Sky Saker FX400A is a fixed-wing drone manufactured by Norinco. Capable of hosting both ISR and attack payloads, such as the Blue Arrow 7 ...

• Air-to-air missiles, Surface-to-air missiles

  TY-90

  TY-90 is a multi-purpose, short-range, IR-guided, tactical surface-to-air missile developed by China to defend against helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and cruise missiles at low and super-low ...

• Tanks

  Type 62

  The Type 62 light tank entered production for the Chinese People's Liberation Army in 1963. Essentially a smaller, lighter clone of the Type 59 MBT, it is ...

• Medium/general-purpose machine guns

  Type 80

  The Type 80 is a general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) manufactured by Norinco in China, based on the Soviet PKM. Certified in 1980, it entered PLA ...

• Air-launched ASW torpedoes, Ship-launched torpedoes

  Yu-11 lightweight torpedo

  Yu-11 is a Chinese-made surface and air-launched lightweight torpedo to repel submarine threats from long distances.