• Uncrewed Vehicles

  International UAV test site consortium launched

  28th February 2014

  Four international UAV test centres have joined forces to form the International Consortium of Aeronautical Test Sites, it has been revealed. The organisation was officially …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  HAV sets test programme for end of 2014

  28th February 2014

  Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) expects to initiate a full flight test programme of its airship concept by the end of the year, officials have revealed. …

• Military Logistics

  RAAF C-17 Globemaster fleet achieves FOC

  28th February 2014

  The Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF’s) C-17A Globemaster fleet has reached Final Operational Capability (FOC), with the six-strong aircraft fleet operated by Number 36 Squadron …

• Defence Helicopter

  Rolls-Royce to produce additional V-22 engines

  28th February 2014

  Rolls-Royce will produce AE 1107C engines for the US Marine Corps MV-22 aircraft fleet under a $90.1 million contract awarded by Naval Air Systems Command. …

• Defence Helicopter

  RAN’s MH-60R Romeo helicopter fleet taking shape

  27th February 2014

  The third and fourth MH-60R Romeo helicopters to be produced for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) by Lockheed Martin have left the company’s facility in …

• Defence Helicopter

  Slowdown in bookings for Airbus Helicopters

  27th February 2014

  Net bookings for Airbus Helicopters dropped from 469 units in 2012 to 422 in 2013 while annual revenues remained stable with a marginal increase to …

• Defence Notes

  UK and US extend science and technology partnership

  27th February 2014

  UK and US defence departments signed a communiqué on 26 February to increase transatlantic collaboration in science and technology initiatives. Philip Dunne, UK Minister for …

• Digital Battlespace

  Boeing P-8A Poseidon enters full-rate production

  26th February 2014

  The US Navy has placed an order with Boeing for 16 additional P-8A Poseidon aircraft, pushing the programme from preliminary low-rate production into full-rate production. …

• Land Warfare

  FN Herstal expands small calibre ammunition range

  26th February 2014

  FN Herstal has expanded its small calibre ammunition range with the introduction of three new products, the FN 9mm EP duty ammunition, the FN 9mm …

• Land Warfare

  Carl-Gustaf to become US Army Program of Record

  26th February 2014

  Saab’s Carl-Gustaf man-portable weapon system is to become standard-issue to the US Army’s Light Infantry units following its selection as a Program of Record by …

• Defence Helicopter

  Heli Expo 2014: MD Helicopters showcases MD530G armed aerial scout

  26th February 2014

  MD Helicopters (MDHI) has used Heli Expo 2014 to showcase the new MD 530G armed aerial scout, the next model in a line of purpose-driven …

• Defence Helicopter

  Hagel outlines Pentagon budget proposals

  25th February 2014

  US defence secretary Chuck Hagel has outlined the FY2015 budget which will see the retirement of several weapon systems and shrinking of the US Army …

• Digital Battlespace

  Commercial EMS demand forces DoD policy review

  25th February 2014

  The US DoD is to reassess its electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) operational procedures following a government-led directive to open up more of the spectrum to commercial …

• Defence Helicopter

  Heli-Expo 2014: Bell bullish about future of military products

  24th February 2014

  Bell Helicopter is taking the planned retirement of the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior and TH-67 Creek fleets on the chin and remains bullish about its future …

• Digital Battlespace

  Australia secures Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft deal

  24th February 2014

  The Australian government has agreed to purchase eight P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft as part of deal worth some A$4 billion (US$3.5 billion), the defence …

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...