• Military Logistics

  First Y-20s delivered to PLAAF

  17th June 2016

  The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) received its first examples of the Y-20 transport aircraft built by the Xian Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) on …

• Defence Helicopter

  Wildcats touch down in South Korea

  15th June 2016

  South Korea welcomed the arrival of its first four Leonardo-Finmeccanica AW159 Wildcat helicopters on 13 June.  The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) will operate these …

• Digital Battlespace

  Redkite WAMI sensor completes test

  13th June 2016

  MAG Aerospace and Logos Technologies have successfully tested the Redkite wide-area motion imagery (WAMI) sensor for on-demand airborne ISR services, on board a Cessna 206 turboprop …

• Naval Warfare

  Mandate extends as smuggler profits soar

  10th June 2016

  Following the decision by the European Commission to extend the mandate of the EUNAVFOR mission to the Mediterranean, otherwise known as Operation Sophia, the force …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Chinese UCAVs proliferate unexpectedly

  10th June 2016

  Chinese UCAVs capable of deadly armed missions have been turning up in odd places in recent times, including Kazakhstan and Myanmar. Kazakhstan displayed a Wing …

• Defence Notes

  NZ White Paper looks south and north

  9th June 2016

  The New Zealand government has outlined a 15-year modernisation plan through the release of its Defence White Paper on 8 June. Originally due last year, …

• Land Warfare

  Mack, JWF partner for Lakota assembly

  8th June 2016

  Mack Defense has entered into a partnership with JWF Defense Systems for the assembly of the former's Lakota 6x6 vehicle system and production of the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russia gains business in Myanmar and Korea

  8th June 2016

  Russian Helicopters has been awarded a contract to repair four attack helicopters belonging to the Myanmar Air Force. The first Mil Mi-35P will be repaired …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Eurosatory: US trials for C-UAV system

  7th June 2016

  The Anti-UAV Defence System (AUDS) will be evaluated by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as part of its Pathfinder initiative to detect and identify …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UDT 2016: Private firm to field unmanned survey fleet

  3rd June 2016

  An American company is bidding to become the second largest operator of Hugin AUVs in the world. It will begin taking delivery of its 14 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UDT 2016: Wasps, torpedoes and ASW

  2nd June 2016

  While the US Combat Terrorism Technical Support Organization (CTTSO) continues to trial three Saab Sea Wasp ROVs delivered to them earlier this year, the company …

• Defence Notes

  UDT 2016: Norway eyes Russian activity

  1st June 2016

  Russian naval presence in the North Atlantic and High North areas is beginning to bring about the revisited notion of collective defence in the maritime …

• Naval Warfare

  UDT 2016: Anti-access, area denial focus for Norway

  1st June 2016

  As UDT 2016 gets underway, the Norwegian government is recognising that maritime anti-access and sea lane denial is becoming increasingly important, as countries see their …

• Digital Battlespace

  FLIR unveils ground-surveillance systems

  31st May 2016

  FLIR Systems has released two new ground surveillance systems designed for border security and force protection, the company announced on 24 May. The first is …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  China’s unmanned plans for SCS

  31st May 2016

  Unmanned technology is set to play a pivotal role in Chinese monitoring of the South China Sea, where Beijing has been robustly claiming territory and …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Self-propelled guns

  Mobile Tactical Cannon [US]

  Background The US Army began using the M777 in 1995. Since then, it has served as a field artillery piece providing fire support for American ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  MCH-101 [Japan]

  Programme Background At the time of the 2023 signing , Japan had a fleet of 10 MCH-101s and three CH-101.The KHI MCH-101 helicopter is a version ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Hurkus C [Niger]

  Programme Background  In late April 2021, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) President and CEO Temel Kotil claimed in an interview with CNN Turk TV that an export customer for ...

• 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 ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  Mistral 3 [North Macedonia]

  Background North Macedonia signed a contract for the procurement of Mistral 3 short-range air defence systems. The systems will modernise the Army and are expected ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Light Protected Mobility Vehicle (Phase 1) [North Macedonia]

  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 the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker [North Macedonia]

  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) to ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AW169M [North Macedonia]

  Background Bids and suppliers Prior to Leonardo's award of the North Macedonian contract, Airbus, Lockheed Martin and Bell Helicopters had all put in bids for ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AW149 [North Macedonia]

  Background Bids and suppliers Prior to Leonardo's award of the North Macedonian contract, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, and Bell Helicopters had all put bids in for ...

• Military UAS - small

  Tactical UAVs [North Macedonia]

  Background European Peace Facility (EPF) The EPF, established in 2021, operates separately from the EU budget. Between 2021 and 2027, the EPF has a financial ...

• Military UAS - small

  Small Surveillance Drones [Denmark]

  Background Second Agreement on the Arctic and North Atlantic In October 2025, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland announced the second agreement of the Arctic and ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [Netherlands]

  Background Dutch and American collaboration On 16 October 2025, the Dutch MoD announced a Letter of Intent (LOI) had been signed to join the USAF’s ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian [Denmark]

  Background Arctic Capability Package In February 2021, Denmark published the Arctic Capability package, a commitment to invest in new technologies, particularly uncrewed systems, to improve surveillance ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker [Greece]

  Background The Greek Army currently operates a number of outdated vehicles, the majority of which are older American platforms like the M113. As part of ...

• Military UAS - small

  Air-Launched Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (ALUAV) [India]

  Background  Origins The development programme has its origins in the US-India Defence Technology and Trade Initiative signed between the nations in 2006 and renewed in 2015. This ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Major networking projects

  BCS

  Battle Control System (BCS) is a USAF Acquisition Category 1 major automated information system programme that provides air sovereignty C2 for the North American Aerospace ...

• Major networking projects

  BCS-F

  Battle Control System-Fixed (BCS-F) is a replacement for the fixed sites for the Region/Sector Air Operations Center, also known as Region Air Operations Center-Air Defense ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  TW-860 TSM Sprit

  TrellisWare TW-860 is a MANET-capable software-defined radio designed specifically for body wearable applications. It provides voice and data connectivity in a small form factor, featuring ...

• Light UGVs

  PackBot

  PackBot, previously designated 510 PackBot, is a tracked, tactical, mobile UGV with forward-articulated flippers that can perform multiple missions. PackBot is being delivered to customers ...

• Land: air defence radar

  JLENS

  The Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System (JLENS), often referred to as the "Spy Balloon", was a tethered aerial detection system ...

• Frigates

  GMF 140

  The GMF 140 is a concept frigate designed by Rheinmetall Naval Systems. It is initially being marketed towards North American procurement as a next-generation integrated air ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  TW-135 TSM Shadow

  TrellisWare TW-135 is a MANET-capable, high-power radio designed for manpack, vehicular, fixed-site and airborne applications. Marketed as a networking radio, it provides high-speed voice, video ...

• Ultra-light UGVs

  FirstLook

  The Endeavor Robotics (now FLIR Systems) FirstLook is a tracked, compact, rugged, expendable and lightweight robot that provides situational awareness, performs persistent observation and investigates ...

• 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,  ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Predator XP

  The Predator XP is an updated unarmed version of the original Predator UAV that the US government has licensed for sale to a broader customer ...

• Fighter - ground attack, ISR/special mission

  Hürkuş-C

  The Hürkuş-C is a light attack and reconnaissance aircraft developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries based on the Hürkuş trainer to meet the requirements of the ...

• Trainer

  T-34 Mentor

  The T-34 Mentor is a trainer aircraft developed by Beechcraft (now Raytheon) to meet the requirements of the USAF and USN to replace the North American ...

• Loitering munitions

  PS Killer (PSK)

  The PS Killer (PSK) is a throw-and-forgot loitering munition developed by an American startup, XDOWN.  Uniquely, the system is shaped like a size 7 American football and is ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F/A-18A/B

  The F/A-18 Hornet A and B aircraft, or F-18A/B ('CF-18' in Canada and 'EF-18' in Spain), were the first models in the USN’s line of ...

• 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 ...