• Defence Helicopter

  US DoD retains civilian airlift contractors in Afghanistan

  7th November 2013

  The US has extended three civilian contracts for helicopter air transportation in Afghanistan worth $272.9 million, it has emerged. On 1 November, the US Department …

• Naval Warfare

  Northrop Grumman wins US Navy AN/SPQ-9B radar award

  7th November 2013

  Northrop Grumman will supply AN/SPQ-9B radar systems for the US Navy’s amphibious and Arleigh Burke class ships under a contract award worth $20.4 million. The …

• Land Warfare

  MEADS achieves new programme milestone

  7th November 2013

  The Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) has marked a new milestone with the successful interception of two simultaneous targets attacking from opposite directions during …

• Defence Helicopter

  Philippine Air Force selects AW109 Power helicopters

  7th November 2013

  AgustaWestland will supply eight AW109 Power light twin-engine helicopters to the Philippine Air Force under a contract announced on 6 November. The aircraft will be …

• Land Warfare

  Hearing protection fielding to US Army

  6th November 2013

  Danish voice communications company, Invisio, will be equipping units with the US Army with soldier hearing protection systems. A spokesman told Shephard on 5 November …

• Defence Notes

  D&S 2013: UK looks to reinvigorate Thai ties

  6th November 2013

  After a period of neglect, the UK is looking to bolster its military and defence industrial ties in Thailand as part of a wider strategy …

• Land Warfare

  Polaris ATVs selected for USSOCOM

  6th November 2013

  Polaris Defense has been awarded a $30 million blanket purchase agreement (BPA) by US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to provide two and four seat MRZR …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Triton UAV wings demonstrate strength capabilities

  6th November 2013

  The structural strength of the wings for the US Navy’s MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has been shown to exceed the navy’s requirements in …

• Digital Battlespace

  India launches mission to Mars

  5th November 2013

  India has successfully launched its first interplanetary Mars orbiter satellite to research the Martian atmosphere. The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), or Mangalyaan, was launched on …

• Defence Helicopter

  Rockwell Collins to develop DVEPS for US Army

  5th November 2013

  Rockwell Collins will develop the Degraded Visual Environment Pilotage System (DVEPS) for the US Army’s Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) helicopters. The company was awarded …

• Defence Notes

  US defence companies report declining sales

  4th November 2013

  US prime defence contractors have reported declining sales for the third quarter of 2013 as some of their businesses are affected by the current budget …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bell Helicopter vs the Islamic Republic of Iran

  4th November 2013

  A US court of appeal has dismissed efforts by Bell Helicopter to revive a failed lawsuit against Iran, whom it attempted to sue for selling …

• Defence Helicopter

  Brazil orders additional S-70B helicopters

  4th November 2013

  Sikorsky will supply two S-70B helicopters to Brazil as part of a foreign military sale (FMS) between the US and Brazilian governments. Sikorsky was awarded …

• Digital Battlespace

  P-8A Poseidon deliveries continue on schedule

  4th November 2013

  The US Navy has taken delivery of the 12th production P-8A Poseidon aircraft from Boeing on schedule on 25 October. The aircraft will join other …

• Defence Notes

  D&S 2013: Saab eyes further opportunities across Asia

  4th November 2013

  Saab is using Defence & Security 2013 as an opportunity to show its continued commitment to Thailand, which has become its base of operations in …

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 ...