• Defence Helicopter

  MSPO 2016: Russia advances helicopter modernisation

  30th August 2016

  Russia continues to breathe new life into its various helicopter programmes, with several projects reaching key milestones recently. At the end of July, the latest …

• Defence Helicopter

  MSPO 2016: Helicopter opportunities abound

  30th August 2016

  As the defence industry roadshow rolls into glitzy Kielce, Poland for the 24th outing of the MSPO exhibition, Western companies will be closely eyeing several …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MSPO 2016: Thales hopeful for Polish Watchkeeper

  30th August 2016

  Thales remains confident its Watchkeeper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) will be successful in the Polish market, as the country reassesses its plans to procure a …

• Digital Battlespace

  Boeing to help Kiwis detect submarines

  30th August 2016

  Boeing has scooped a contract to upgrade Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Lockheed Martin P-3K2 Orion aircraft with an underwater intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance …

• Land Warfare

  Typhoon-K opens to foreign markets

  29th August 2016

  Russia-based Remdiesel, a Kamaz subsidiary, and state defence export agency Rosoboronexport have entered a joint programme for promoting the Typhoon-K (Kamaz-53949) mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  GA‑ASI UAS academy graduates first pilots

  29th August 2016

  The first cadre of aircrew have graduated from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ (GA‑ASI) UAS Flight Training Academy, it was announced on 25 August. The North Dakota-based …

• Digital Battlespace

  TACIP takes command

  26th August 2016

  Airbus Defence and Space (DS) has demonstrated the first iteration of its Tactical IP (TACIP) deployable information solution following its launch in 2015.  Current work …

• Digital Battlespace

  COMBATSS-21 for US Navy frigates

  25th August 2016

  US Navy frigates will be equipped with Lockheed Martin’s Component-Based Total-Ship System—21st Century (COMBATSS-21) combat management system under a contract announced on 23 August. The …

• Naval Warfare

  New Zealand to get new littoral ship

  25th August 2016

  The New Zealand government has approved a recommendation from the Ministry of Defence and New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) to move ahead with plans for …

• Digital Battlespace

  UltiSat awarded SS-AISR subcontract

  24th August 2016

  UltiSat has received a contract to support Lockheed Martin for the Sensor Systems - Aerial Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (SS-AISR) task order on the US …

• Digital Battlespace

  BATS radio flying toward production

  24th August 2016

  ViaSat is set to begin production of its Battlefield Awareness and Targeting System – Dismounted (BATS-D) handheld radio and expects to manufacture up to 100 …

• Defence Helicopter

  South Korea gets Apache Longbow trainer

  23rd August 2016

  Boeing has delivered an Apache Longbow Crew Trainer to the South Korean armed forces, the company announced on 22 August. The country will use the …

• Military Logistics

  US Navy focuses on alternative biofuels

  23rd August 2016

  The government of Queensland, Australia, has signed a Statement of Cooperation to work with the US Navy in support of projects that advance shared interests …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG to test new SAR capabilities

  22nd August 2016

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) Research and Development Center (RDC) will participate in the Arctic Chinook field exercise to test the Next Generation Incident Command …

• Digital Battlespace

  Aussie Hercules find missing link

  22nd August 2016

  Australia used its first Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules fitted with a Link 16 tactical data link (TDL) during air-land integration missions at Exercise Pitch Black …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BTR-MDM Rakushka

  Programme Background Since 2016, 11 battalion sets of BTR-MDMs are known to have been delivered to units of the VDV in addition to 12 platforms ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMD-4M

  Programme Background Since 2017, 11 battalion sets of the BMD-4M have been delivered to units of the VDV in addition to 27 located at the ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Wolverine / Honeybadger [US]

  Programme Background During the Modern Day Marine (MDM) exhibition, held in Washington between 10-12 May 2022, XTEND announced it would supply hundreds of Wolverine platforms ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Embarked VTOL UAV [South Korea]

  Background VTOL Development In January 2024, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced that it would commence development of a VTOL-capable rotary-wing UAV to be ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) (Tranche 2) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an organic, ...

• Loitering munitions

  Harop [Azerbaijan]

  Programme Background According to a December 2020 report by the Centre for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), Azerbaijan acquired an estimated 50 Harop loitering munitions ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Mexico]

  Programme Background In April 2016, Mexico finalised an order for seven additional UH-60M platforms. At the time of procurement, the Mexican Air Force already had ...

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

  Short Range/Short Endurance (SR/SE) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16 Block 52 Pakistan

  Programme Background The 2016 FMS was proposed to the US Congress as a way to help increase Pakistan's ability to conduct counter-insurgency and counterterrorism operations. ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1Z [Romania]

  The Romanian MoD has a long-standing requirement for new rotary platforms, including troop transport, supply and attack configurations. According to the the Military Strategy document, ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Data links

  Data links | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BTR-MDM

  The BTR-MDM Rakushka is an amphibious tracked armoured vehicle developed by Kurganmashzavod to meet the Russian Airborne Forces' (VDV) need for a new air-droppable APC. ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MDM-HF

  The MDM-3001, MDM-2201 and MDM-2501 multi-mode HF data modems provide single-tone (serial) HF data communications capability in accordance with the requirements of MIL-STD-188-110A (para 5.3). ...

• Data links

  Link 11 DTS

  The programmable Data Terminal Set (DTS) uses real-time processor architectures and signal processing algorithms. It is designed for controlled network operation in a Link 11 ...

• Data links

  MDM-2X02N

  The MDM-2X02N is a tactical data link modem that combines the functionalities of a Link 11 DTS and Link 22 signal processor controller (SPC) into ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MDM-Q9604

  Collins Aerospace’s MDM-Q9604 high-speed, high-data-rate HF modem is capable of transmitting data over a standard 3KHz single sideband at 9,600b/s or a 6kHz ISB at ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMD-4M

  The BMD-4M is based on the BMD-4, which has been in the Russian Army's airborne forces (VDV) service since 2004. It was developed to provide an ...

• Military - USVs

  High-Speed Intercept Boat

  Poly Technologies displayed its High-Speed Intercept Boat at DSA in Malaysia in 2016. 

• MPVs - 4x4

  Bars-6

  Bogdan publicly unveiled the 7t Bars-6 (Panther) 4x4 light APC at IDEX 2015, and in July 2016, the company introduced an upgraded version ready for ...

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

  Mini UAV Fixed Wing I

  The Jordan Design and Development Bureau (JODDB) unveiled the hand-launched Mini UAS (also known as Mini UAV Fixed-Wing I) at SOFEX 2016, along with a wider family ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Mysterious Bee

  The Mysterious Bee hybrid, fixed-wing/quadcopter UAV was unveiled at the Zhuhai Airshow 2016. It is designed to operate from ships, small islands, mountainous areas and ...

• Self-propelled mortars

  2S42 Lotos

  The 2S42 Lotos (Lotus) is a self-propelled artillery system that is being developed by Rostec subsidiary TsNIITochMash to replace the Russian VDV airborne forces' and ...

• Land: RWS

  Asgard RCT

  The Asgard RCT (Remote Control Turret) is the unmanned member of the Asgard 127 modular one-person turret family introduced in 2016. It is suitable for ...

• Military - USVs

  SeaFly-01

  The SeaFly-01 USV, developed by Beijing Sifang Automation, was showcased at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China in November 2016. It is designed for various ...

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

  Phoenix

  The Phoenix UAV is a delta-wing platform designed largely for civilian applications such as policing, border patrol, coast guard, fire-fighting and surveillance, as well as ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VN2C

  The VN2C 6x6 armoured vehicle was introduced at the Zhuhai Airshow in November 2016. Aimed at the export market, it appears to be an updated version ...