• Defence Notes

  Access updates from the World Defense Show 2024

  2nd February 2024

  Keep up to date with the latest news and developments from World Defense Show 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

• Air Warfare

  World Defense Show 2024: Leonardo and Saudi Arabia to explore defence solutions together

  5th February 2024

  Saudi Arabia and Leonardo have agreed to explore collaboration opportunities in the defence sector, including airframe maintenance, assembly of helicopters and next-generation technology initiatives.

• Naval Warfare

  Indra wins Saudi Arabian ship contract from Lockheed Martin

  7th February 2024

  Spanish defence firm will equip ships set for Saudi Arabia with electronic defence systems.

• Naval Warfare

  Turkish Gür-class submarines set for upgrade

  20th February 2024

  The Turkish Navy has four Gür-class submarines with the first vessel laid down in February 2000 at Gölcük Naval Shipyard. The submarines were commissioned between April 2006 and June 2008.

• Defence Notes

  Sweden commits US$684.7 million in equipment and funds to Ukraine

  20th February 2024

  Sweden has announced another package of support for Ukraine, following hot on the heels of Canada’s additional support announced this week and last week’s support from the UK and the EU.

• Naval Warfare

  HMS St Albans returns to service after upgrade

  7th March 2024

  Of the 16 Type 23s built, 12 are still in service with the Royal Navy and will be replaced by the Type 26 frigates, while the other three have been sold to the Chilean Navy and are in service as the Cochrane-class.

• Land Warfare

  Production ramps up for Swiss Piranha 120mm mortar

  7th December 2023

  The Swiss Army has ordered 48 Piranha 3+ vehicles equipped with RUAG Cobra 120mm mortars, which can fire up to 10 rounds per minute and have a range of 9,000m. The vehicles have a Scania diesel engine, a Kongsberg RWS with a 12.7mm MG and an applique passive armour package.

• Air Warfare

  UK NMH programme will not see helicopters delivered to British Armed Forces until 2027

  1st March 2024

  Airbus, Leonardo and Lockheed Martin have progressed through to the Invitation to Negotiate phase of the New Medium Helicopter competition, but the initial goal of introducing new helicopters by 2025 remained unattainable.

• Air Warfare

  RAF fighter pilot training situation is “unacceptable” for UK taxpayer, says industry official

  14th March 2024

  While the head of the Royal Air Force admits the ongoing issues with the service's ability to train its fighter pilots, no concrete plans were put in place to resolve the problem. What steps could the RAF take to ensure the readiness of its pilot force for future challenges?

• Defence Notes

  Ireland commits to major equipment procurement schedules

  23rd November 2023

  The Irish Defence Forces has a range of challenges to overcome including discontent in sections of the forces, a need for cultural change, pay rates and equipment shortfalls. An implementation plan released 21 November has, however, provided projected timelines for change and procurement.

• Air Warfare

  Singapore announces F-35A order as it looks to diversify its future fighter fleet

  28th February 2024

  Singapore’s announcement of the procurement of eight F-35As has solidified the country’s commitment to enhancing national security and has seen it join select nations in operating multiple variants of the Lockheed Martin fighter aircraft.

• Land Warfare

  Romania cleared for US$2.5 billion Abrams main battle tank order

  10th November 2023

  The Romanian MoD has approved more than a billion dollars in spending for M1A2 tanks in May 2023 to help the Romanian Army replace its small fleet of Russian-built T-series MBTs.

• Land Warfare

  Swiss join new-generation Patriot missile club

  1st November 2023

  US officials have finalised an agreement for Switzerland to buy Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles.

• Land Warfare

  Norway orders more NASAMS to replace donations to Ukraine

  31st January 2024

  NASAMS was originally developed by Kongsberg and Raytheon to meet the requirements of the Royal Norwegian Air Force and was the first application for the surface-launched Raytheon’s AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile.

• Air Warfare

  Poland buys air and surface radar systems for $1.2 billion

  8th February 2024

  Poland has remained steadfast in its commitment to bolstering its defence capabilities as it secured a freshly approved Airspace and Surface Radar Reconnaissance deal.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | European Patrol Corvette (EPC)/Buques de Protección Marítima (BPM) [Spain]

  The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is being developed by a joint venture between Italy's Fincantieri, France's Naval Group (named Narviris), and Spain's Navantia. The corvette ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | European Patrol Corvette (EPC)/Buques de Protección Marítima (BPM) [Spain]

  The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is being developed by a joint venture between Italy's Fincantieri, France's Naval Group (named Narviris), and Spain's Navantia. The corvette ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [France]

  The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is being developed by a joint venture between Italy's Fincantieri and France's Naval Group (named Narviris) and Spain's Navantia. The corvette ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [France]

  The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is being developed by a joint venture between Italy's Fincantieri and France's Naval Group (named Narviris) and Spain's Navantia. The corvette ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [Italy]

  The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is being developed by a joint venture between Italy's Fincantieri, France's Naval Group (named Naviris), and Spain's Navantia. The patrol-type vessel ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [Spain]

  The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is being developed by a joint venture between Italy's Fincantieri and France's Naval Group (named Narviris) and Spain's Navantia. The corvette ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [Italy]

  The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is being developed by a joint venture between Italy's Fincantieri, France's Naval Group (named Naviris), and Spain's Navantia. The patrol-type vessel ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [Spain]

  The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is being developed by a joint venture between Italy's Fincantieri and France's Naval Group (named Narviris) and Spain's Navantia. The corvette ...

• Corvettes

  European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [France]

  Programme Background Requirements The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is one of the new PESCO (Permanent Structured Cooperation on Defence and Security) projects. PESCO was established ...

• Corvettes

  European Patrol Corvette (EPC)/Buques de Protección Marítima (BPM) [Spain]

  Programme Background Requirements The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is one of the new PESCO (Permanent Structured Cooperation on Defence and Security) projects. PESCO was established ...

• Corvettes

  European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirements The 2021-2023 Documento Programmatico Pluriennale (DPP) - a multi-year defence planning document from the Italian MoD - includes a plan to acquire eight "Patrol Ships", ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) - (Greece)

  Programme Background EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) was announced in early 2022 and the project contract was awarded ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) - (Italy)

  Programme Background EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) was announced in early 2022 and the project contract was awarded ...

• OPVs

  Polish Coast Guard OPVs

  Programme Background The Polish Coast Guard is acquiring a new offshore patrol vessel (OPV) intended for the control of the external borders of the European Union. ...

• Main battle tanks

  Main ARmoured Tank of Europe (MARTE) [Finland]

  Programme Background Participants MARTE was announced in July 2025 as a consortium led by KNDS Deutschland and Rheinmetall. This consortium, under the joint venture MARTE ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  ArmoURed Infantry Ground Assault (AURIGA)

  The ArmoURed Infantry Ground Assault (AURIGA) is an IFV being developed with funding from the European Defence Fund (EDF). It aims to develop a next-generation IFV ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  IRIS-T SLM

  The IRIS-T SLM (Surface Launched Medium-Range) is a surface-to-air missile system developed by Diehl Defence as part of the IRIS-T family of missile systems. Several countries ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Tryzub Laser

  Ukraine's Tryzub (Trident) laser was revealed during the European Defence Industry: Prospects for Cooperation with the Ukrainian Defence Industry conference in 2025. Video footage from ...

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

  LOTUS

  The LOTUS, Low Observable Tactical Unnamed System, is a tactical UAV especially designed for border patrol ISR operations.  The development of the project is funded by ...

• Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  Sky Buzzer

  Hensoldt’s Sky Buzzer is a towed anti-radar decoy originally developed by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS). The system is designed to protect ...

• Major networking projects

  Ballistic Missile Defence

  In early 2010, NATO acquired the first phase of an initial theatre ballistic missile defence capability to protect alliance forces. 

• Land: air defence radar

  APIS

  APIS is a passive high-resolution primary radar system developed by Indra. It is the first passive system in the world capable of offering images using ...

• Major networking projects

  IABMS

  Integrated Air Battlespace Management System (IABMS) is a modular real-time air defence and C4I system of systems that has been fielded and implemented at fixed, ...

• Main battle tanks

  EMBT

  KNDS (KMW + NEXTER Defense Systems) presented its first joint product, the EMBT (European Main Battle Tank) demonstrator, at the June 2018 Eurosatory defence exhibition. The EMBT mounts ...

• EO/IR systems

  NightHawk2-UZ

  The NightHawk2-UZ is a dual EO-IR stabilised camera turret from NextVision designed for long-range observation applications that demand low weight. The 350g sensor's IR camera has a 1280x720p ...

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

  Astero

  Manufactured by Nordic Wing, the Astero is a fixed-wing mini UAV designed for ISR missions. The drone is equipped with a NightHawk 2 camera. In the ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  DRASS Combat Management System

  The Italian company DRASS is developing its proprietary combat management system for use in compact submarines. The development of this CMS suite was first unveiled in ...

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

  Talarion

  The Talarion is a next-generation MALE UAV for reconnaissance, detection, classification and tracking of targets (land and sea) as well as detection, recognition and identification ...

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

  Linza 3.0

  The Linza 3.0 is a rotary-wing UAV from Quantum Frontline Industries (QFI), a German-Ukrainian joint venture from Quantum Systems and Frontline Robotics. The UAV was first delivered ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  CAMM-MR

  The CAMM-MR (Common Anti-Air Modular Missile - Medium Range) is being developed collaboratively by MBDA and Poland's PGZ to enhance medium-range air defence capabilities, with ...