• Training

  I/ITSEC 2022: Virtual Flag exercise enhances Five Eyes training capabilities

  22nd November 2022

  Virtual Flag is one of the US DoD's largest exercises, allowing three other Five Eyes allies, Australia, Canada and the UK to train in a live, virtual and constructive environment from anywhere on the planet.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2022: KMW supplies vehicle exit trainer to Sweden

  1st December 2022

  The Swedish Army is acquiring an Archer self-propelled howitzer cabin egress trainer, expanding use of the KMW system already used by CV90 armoured vehicle crews.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2022: Hadean, British Army to showcase CTTP pathfinder progress

  21st November 2022

  The pathfinder agreement between the British Army and Hadean sought to transfer large portions of land-based physical training into a single synthetic environment. If the progress achieved is significant, this could be a big victory for distributed computing technologies in the defence sector.

• Land Warfare

  Indecisive India issues RfP for carbines

  6th December 2022

  India's perennial struggle to select a carbine stutters forward again with the issue of an RfP.

• Land Warfare

  German Ringtausch continues as Greece swaps ex-GDR armour for Marders

  24th November 2022

  Germany's Ringtausch scheme to supply armoured vehicles to countries donating their own equipment to Ukraine now sees Berlin handing over the first Marder IFVs to Greece

• Land Warfare

  L3Harris enables better communication for British soldiers

  29th November 2022

  L3Harris has secured a £90 million contract to provide AN/PRC-163 radios to the British Army.

• Air Warfare

  The 5 most significant air stories of 2022

  30th December 2022

  Several key developments emerged in the air domain in 2022, with major announcement coming toward the end of the year - we collected the five most significant ones.

• Air Warfare

  Philippines awaits next T129 and S-70i helicopters

  30th November 2022

  Additional T129 Atak and S-70i helicopters from Turkey and Poland respectively will be arriving in the Philippines soon.

• Land Warfare

  Evotex Thebe RWS moves ahead

  5th October 2022

  Evotex aims soon to install its Thebe RWS aboard a Twiga Nyati 4x4 MRAP vehicle.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  How autonomous architectures can push utility of UAVs to new heights

  8th December 2022

  Autonomous architectures can help UAS teams operate in contested airspace and reduce workload burdens.

• Land Warfare

  Bangladesh welcomes home its first VT5 light tanks

  18th November 2022

  The Bangladesh Army continues to modernise with the arrival of light tanks, rocket artillery and man-portable rocket launchers from various sources.

• Land Warfare

  US Army increases situational awareness of soldiers with AI

  16th November 2022

  The US Army has signed an agreement with MarshallAI to develop an AI to process battlefield data on behalf of the soldier.

• Defence Helicopter

  Algeria expresses interest in AW249 while AW139 deal remains in limbo

  12th December 2022

  Leonardo and Algeria hope to seal the AW139 deal in 2023 while Italy and the North African country further strengthen defence ties.

• Defence Helicopter

  Demand for MH-60R helicopter 'never higher', Lockheed Martin says

  27th October 2022

  Norway, Sweden and Spain are three European countries interested in buying the US MH-60R maritime helicopter.

• Defence Notes

  Off-ramps for China? Sorry, that ship has sailed (Opinion)

  20th October 2022

  The US in particular has got itself into a difficult position because politicians and military leaders continually appeased China and the burgeoning PLA.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Indiza (South Africa)

  Programme Background Trials The South African National Defense Force (SANDF) is known to have begun trialling the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Indiza ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Indiza - Additional Units (South Africa)

  Programme Background First Procurement After trialling the platform, in September 2019 the South African Army chief confirmed the Indiza had been procured to support SANDF peacekeepers ...

• Military UAS - mini

  ECAC/2022/199 [South Africa]

  Programma Background Two Tenders In March 2023, DefenceWeb reported that the South African Army's tender ECAC/2022/154 was put on hold due to bidders failing to ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | SAS Drakensberg Replacement [South Africa]

  The South African Navy needs to replace the SAS Drakensberg Combat Support Ship (CSS), which entered service in 1987. In October 2023, the South African Navy Chief ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | SAS Drakensberg Replacement [South Africa]

  The South African Navy needs to replace the SAS Drakensberg Combat Support Ship (CSS), which entered service in 1987. In October 2023, the South African Navy Chief ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Project Hoefyster (South Africa)

  Programme Background History The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) first formulated operational requirements for a new ICV in 1995, but modernisation of South Africa's ...

• OPVs

  Project Biro (1-3) [South Africa]

  Programme Background Three multi-mission inshore patrol vessels (MMIPVs) have been procured for the South African Navy under Project Biro. Based on Damen's Stan Patrol 6211 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Milkor 380 [South Africa]

  Programme Background According to Milkor, as reported by defenceWeb, during its successful showing of the UAV at AAD 2022, an MoU was signed with the South ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  Project Kiepie [South Africa]

  Programme Background South African Air Force has been planning to replace 47TP (DC-3)s and C212s since mid-2010s. However, budget issues put this replacement programme behind the other ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  SAS Drakensberg Replacement [South Africa]

  Programme Background Requirements The South African Navy needs to replace the SAS Drakensberg Combat Support Ship (CSS). SAS Drakensberg was launched in 1986 and commissioned ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | C-130 Replacement [South Africa]

  The South African Air Force (SAAF) is actively exploring options to replace its ageing fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130BZ Hercules transport aircraft, which have been ...

• Data links

  Data links | C-130 Replacement [South Africa]

  The South African Air Force (SAAF) is actively exploring options to replace its ageing fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130BZ Hercules transport aircraft, which have been ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | C-130 Replacement [South Africa]

  The South African Air Force (SAAF) is actively exploring options to replace its ageing fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130BZ Hercules transport aircraft, which have been ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  RG32M Replacement [Ireland]

  Programme Background Ireland currently maintains a small army designed for home defence. It is only deployed abroad as part of operations authorised by the UN. ...

• Main battle tanks

  Project Aorta

  During the 1990s, the SANDF envisioned the procurement of 282 new MBTs to replace the Olifants then in service. Should a similar tender be initiated ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Wheeled assault guns

  Rooikat

  The 76mm-armed Rooikat 6x6 armoured car was developed in 1976-89 for the South African Army and the first of 240 vehicles was delivered in 1989. The ...

• Trucks and utility vehicles - 4x4

  SAMIL 50

  Like other vehicles in the South African Military (SAMIL) series the SAMIL 50 all-wheel-drive 4x4 truck was developed in the 1980s to meet the requirements ...

• Trucks and utility vehicles - 4x4

  SAMIL 20

  The all-wheel-drive 4x4 SAMIL 20 is the smallest member in the South African Military (SAMIL) truck range developed in the 1980s to meet the requirements ...

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

  Indiza

  The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Indiza small fixed-wing mini-UAV started its development in 2017 and was deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo ...

• Naval guns

  Denel 35mm Dual Purpose

  The Denel 35mm Dual-Purpose is a naval dun system developed by South African Denel. The Denel 35mm comprises two Denel GA35 cannons and the non-deck-penetration ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Casspir

  Originally adopted by the Apartheid-era South African Police for COIN operations in Namibia, the Casspir is generally regarded as having pioneered the development of the ...

• Patrol boats

  Warrior Class (Stan Patrol 6211)

  Under Project Biro, the South African Navy is acquiring three new multi-mission inshore patrol vessels. The project is expected to run for approximately seven years, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Oryx

  The Oryx is a medium-sized utility helicopter based on the Airbus SA 330 Puma. It was manufactured to meet South African military requirements during the ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Umkhonto-IR Block II

  The Umkhonto-IR Block II is a South African-developed medium-range surface-to-air missile. It was designed for all-around defence against simultaneous air attacks from multiple targets. The ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Skua

  The Skua is a high-speed aerial target in service with the South African National Defence Force since 1994.

• Trucks and utility vehicles - 6x6

  SAMIL 100

  The all-wheel-drive 6x6 SAMIL 100 is the largest member of the South African Military (SAMIL) truck series developed in the 1980s to meet the requirements ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  AML

  Panhard developed the 4x4 AML (Auto Mitrailleuse Légère) in 1956-1960 to meet a French Army requirement for a fast, long range light armoured car which carried ...

• Land: air defence radar

  RSR 320 – DBRXL

  The RSR 320 – DBRXL 3D ground-based dual-band radar is based on the ESR 220 Thutlwa local warning radar already in service with the South ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Ratel

  The Ratel Infantry Combat Vehicle (ICV) was developed to meet the specific operational requirements of the Apartheid-era South African military for a highly mobile, reliable ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Maatla 4x4

  Paramount's Maatla 4x4 is a Light Protected Vehicle (LPV) aimed at the African off-road armoured vehicle market. Announced at the African Aerospace and Defence Expo (AAD 2022) in ...