• Digital Battlespace

  Thailand to upgrade more F-5 fighters

  4th August 2017

  The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has asked the government for approval to upgrade four of its ageing Northrop F-5E Tiger II fighters, including new …

• Training

  Thailand procures more T-50 trainers

  31st July 2017

  Thailand has bought eight additional T-50TH Golden Eagle advanced jet trainers from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), with an approximate $260 million government-to-government contract signed on …

• Special Operations

  Winter is here: SOF cold weather operations

  19th July 2017

  As the international coalition of Special Operations Forces continues to focus on counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency campaigns across the Middle East and North Africa, commanders are …

• Naval Warfare

  Air Power 2017: UK MPA squadrons announced

  13th July 2017

  The reformation of 120 Squadron and 201 Squadron, RAF, will see the first P-8 Poseidon MPAs operated from RAF Lossiemouth in Moray to protect the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Korea’s final Wildcats bare operational claws

  6th July 2017

  The final four of South Korea’s eight Leonardo AW159 Wildcat naval helicopters were formally declared operational on 5 July. The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) …

• Naval Warfare

  Deal inked for more Korean PKX-B craft

  30th June 2017

  South Korea is continuing to modernise its patrol boat fleet via an approximately $225 million contract with Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC), according to …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  South Korea documents alien intruder

  22nd June 2017

  South Korea has confirmed that a small UAV located in its territory on 8 June was definitely from its northern neighbour after a crash cut …

• Training

  Qinetiq to upgrade UK MoD Hebrides radars

  6th July 2017

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Qinetiq have announced a joint invest of £16.8m for two new BAE Systems tracking radars at MoD Hebrides, Qinetiq announced …

• Digital Battlespace

  Australia to upgrade E-7A Wedgetail

  7th July 2017

  The Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF's) E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control capability is set for an upgrade, the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) …

• Defence Helicopter

  CH-53K flight testing moves to Patuxent River

  7th July 2017

  The CH-53K King Stallion has completed its first long-range test flight from West Palm Beach, Florida, to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, as it …

• Land Warfare

  South Korea set to produce EVO-105

  30th June 2017

  South Korea will begin production of the EVO-105 truck-mounted howitzer next year, the country’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on 28 June. An upgraded …

• Military Logistics

  Marine Corps completes JPADS fielding

  10th July 2017

  Marine Corps Systems Command has completed the fielding of 162 Joint Precision Airdrop Systems (JPADS) to the fleet, transitioning that logistics capability from acquisition to …

• Defence Helicopter

  SKCG receives Second S-92 helicopter

  30th June 2017

  The South Korea Coast Guard (SKCG) has received its second S-92 search and rescue helicopter from Sikorsky, Lockheed Martin announced on 27 June. The unit will …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Experts focus on Korean border

  23rd June 2017

  Autonomous Device Experts is putting forward the Vivace UAS and Pathfinder seismic detection sensor for possible use by South Korea along sensitive border areas. The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MCM drone operation tested in Belgium

  28th June 2017

  ECA Group has successfully demonstrated the capability to deploy its AUVs, USVs and ROVs simultaneously to perform parallel and collaborative detection to identification mine countermeasure …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | AEW&C Aircraft [South Korea]

  The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) has a long-standing requirement for two additional AEW&C; aircraft to enhance its early warning capabilities against potential threats ...

• Data links

  Data links | AEW&C Aircraft [South Korea]

  The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) has a long-standing requirement for two additional AEW&C; aircraft to enhance its early warning capabilities against potential threats ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | AEW&C Aircraft [South Korea]

  The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) has a long-standing requirement for two additional AEW&C; aircraft to enhance its early warning capabilities against potential threats ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | AEW&C Aircraft [South Korea]

  The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) has a long-standing requirement for two additional AEW&C; aircraft to enhance its early warning capabilities against potential threats ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8 Poseidon [South Korea]

  Programme Background South Korea is facing an imminent submarine threat from North Korea. The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) is operating an aging fleet of P-3C ...

• Loitering munitions

  Small-Sized Suicide Drones [South Korea]

  Programme Background Drone Ambition As reported by Shephard, South Korea has ambitions to possess a large arsenal of drones. In May 2024, the presidential office ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk [South Korea]

  Background Requirments Seoul required UAS assets to help monitor its neighbour to the north and, increasingly, Chinese activities in waters and in the air near ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions (Special Mission Brigade) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Drone Ambition As reported by Shephard, South Korea has ambitions to possess a large arsenal of drones. In May 2024, the presidential office ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-X III Phase II (F-35) [South Korea]

  Programme Background On 14 September 2014, South Korea signed an FMS contract under the first phase of F-X III programme to supply 40 F-35As for ...

• Frigates

  Daegu Class (FFX Batch II) [South Korea]

  Programme Background The Incheon and Daegu classes are part of a re-capitalisation effort to replace the older Pohang-class corvettes and Ulsan-class frigates with a new FFX class ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker (North Macedonia)

  Programme Background In its Long-Term Defence Capabilities Development Plan (LTDCDP) published in 2019, the North Macedonian MoD outlined plans to acquire Light Armoured Vehicles (LAVs) ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  KAAV II

  Programme Background The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) operates one Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship and has launched another to support provide operational lift for the ROKMC. ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Light Protected Mobility Vehicles [North Macedonia]

  Programme Background The acquisition of an LPMV to equip the North Macedonian Armed Forces' Light Infantry Battalion Group (LIBG) is considered the most urgent priority for ...

• AEW&C

  AEW&C Aircraft [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirement The requirement was initially reported in 2016 when it was noted as being part of a long-term development plan, however, reports from ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-5 Replacement [Mexico]

  Background  Mexico's last fighter aircraft capability rested with their fleet of eight F-5E and two F-5F Tiger IIs platforms from Northrop Grumman; the units were retired ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Surface-to-surface missiles

  Hwasong-7 (Nodong-1)

  The Hwasong-7 is a North Korean tactical ballistic missile based on the Hwasong-6. It has the NATO reporting name Scud D. It was designed with ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Drone Killer

  The Uconsystem Drone Killer was unveiled in October 2015 and was developed in response to a UAV threat from North Korea, which saw four North ...

• Surface-to-surface missiles

  Hwasong-6

  The Hwasong-6 is a North Korean tactical ballistic missile based on the Hwasong-5, which itself is based on the Soviet R-17 Elbrus. Its NATO reporting ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Gumdoksuri Class (PKX-A)

  The Gumdoksuri-class fast attack craft, also known as the PKX-A-class, was designed to replace the Republic of Korea Navy's ageing fleet of Sea Dolphin-class vessels ...

• Artillery rockets

  K33

  K33 is a 130 mm unguided artillery rocket developed by South Korean Hanwha for the K136 Kooryong MLRS and currently in use with the K239 ...

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

  Saetbyol-4

  North Korea unveiled two drones at the Weapons and Equipment Exhibition 2023 in Pyongyang on 2 August  One drone, which appears to be called the Saetbyol-4, ...

• Destroyers

  Sejong the Great Class (KDX-III/HDD-10000) Batch 1

  The Sejong the Great-class destroyers were built for the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) as the third iteration of its KDX continuous destroyer construction programme ...

• Light UGVs

  SCOBOT 200

  The SCOBOT 200 is a larger, two-tracked version of the SCOBOT 100 (see separate entry). It can be used for EOD tasks. It was tested ...

• Destroyers

  Maya Class (27DD)

  The Maya-class (27DD) destroyers are the latest in a long line of modern destroyer classes for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). Well aware of ...

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

  Saetlbyol-9

  North Korea unveiled two drones at the 2023 Weapons and Equipment Exhibition in Pyongyang on 2 August 2023. One drone, the Saetlbyol-9, or Morning Star-9,  ...

• Corvettes

  Hainan Class (Type 037)

  The Hainan-class (Type 037) class is a range of corvette-sized vessels, mostly in service with the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, which cover a range ...

• Frigates

  Krivak Class

  The Krivak-class (Project 1135) frigates first entered service in 1970 and various types of the class have entered service, particularly the Indian Navy's Talwar-class (see ...

• Anti-ship missiles

  HY-2/C-201

  The HY-2/C-201, NATO reporting name CSS-C-3 Seersucker, is a Chinese liquid-fuel rocket-powered anti-ship cruise missile developed as an evolution of the earlier HY-1 missile. The ...

• Anti-ship missiles

  SSM-700K Haeseong (C-Star)

  The SSM-700K Haeseong, also known as the C-Star, is a surface-launched, anti-ship cruise missile. It was designed as a replacement for the Hae Ryong anti-ship ...

• Guided munitions

  GBU-28

  The Guided Bomb Unit-28 (GBU-28) is a special weapon designed to penetrate hard, deeply buried targets. The GBU-28 is a 4,700 lb. laser-guided conventional munition ...