• Land Warfare

  Excalibur successfully fired from PzH2000 howitzer

  10th December 2013

  Testing to assess Excalibur’s compatibility and performance with the PzH2000 self-propelled howitzer has been completed at Yuma Proving Ground by the US Army and Raytheon. …

• Land Warfare

  Puma AIFV completes hot climate testing

  10th December 2013

  Germany’s Puma armoured infantry fighting vehicle (AIFV) have completed hot climate trials, it has emerged. Two of the new AIFVs were flown to the UAE …

• Defence Notes

  European ‘go-it-alone’ defence approach a major weakness, report says

  9th December 2013

  In the run-up to the European Council meeting on defence, a report from the EU Parliament has highlighted the costs resulting from the lack of European …

• Defence Notes

  Boeing, Saab team for USAF T-X programme bid

  9th December 2013

  Boeing and Saab have teamed to offer a solution for the US Air Force’s upcoming competition to replace its T-38 aircrew training system. The companies …

• Digital Battlespace

  New NATO deployable comms nears completion

  9th December 2013

  A Polish signals battalion will become the first NATO unit to receive the NATO Rapid Reaction Force Deployable Communication Information Systems (NRF DCIS), Cassidian has …

• Land Warfare

  French Army selects MMP weapon system

  6th December 2013

  The French DGA has announced that the French Army will deploy the MMP (Missile Moyenne Portée) weapon system from 2017 onwards. The MMP will replace …

• Naval Warfare

  Selex wins ANZAC-Class frigate communications work

  6th December 2013

  Selex ES will provide and support modernised communications systems for the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) eight ANZAC-Class frigates as part of a $188 million contract …

• Land Warfare

  Thales Australia announces Jamaica Bushmaster order

  6th December 2013

  Thales Australia will supply 12 Bushmaster vehicles to the Jamaican Defence Force under a new contract announced on 6 December. Jamaica has signed for the …

• Land Warfare

  Commercial industry drives UGV technology

  6th December 2013

  Frost & Sullivan has predicted that despite significant opportunities there will only be a limited proliferation of unmanned technology in the ground vehicles market in …

• Defence Notes

  ECS developing USMC simulation training system

  5th December 2013

  Engineering & Computer Simulations (ECS) is developing a new training system for the US Marine Corps that utilises a Ship on Land Virtual Environment (SOLVE) …

• Land Warfare

  GDLS to continue Stryker ECP upgrade R&D work

  5th December 2013

  General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) will continue research, development and testing work in preparation for the Stryker Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) upgrade programme under a …

• Land Warfare

  IITSEC 2013: Land simulation to up game

  5th December 2013

  Simulation specialists have responded to calls from a senior US government official to further enhance training aids in the land environment to compete with levels …

• Defence Notes

  IITSEC 2013: Presagis to reduce integration costs

  5th December 2013

  Presagis, a modelling and simulation software company, has released updated versions of all its main products to achieve a 50% reduction in integration costs. At …

• Defence Helicopter

  Saudi helicopter renewal gathers momentum

  5th December 2013

  Northrop Grumman has announced its industry team that will compete for the US Army’s Integrated Maintenance Support Services (IMSS) programme. The IMSS programme will help …

• Defence Helicopter

  Brunei takes delivery of first Black Hawks

  4th December 2013

  The Royal Brunei Air Force received its first four Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk helicopters on the 3rd December, it has emerged. Launching the first day …

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 ...