• Defence Notes

  China tests reusable spacecraft in secretive ‘star wars’ programme

  10th September 2020

  On 4 September China successfully tested in space a new ‘reusable experimental spacecraft’, nomenclature unknown, after launching it from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raptor develops passive digital night vision system

  5th August 2020

  Raptor Photonics has launched a new passive digital short-wave infrared (SWIR) night vision system called Owl 640 N. The compact and low-power system was developed for …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Airbus delays UK Zephyr HAPS flight tests

  7th August 2020

  COVID-19 restrictions have forced Airbus Defence and Space to postpone Zephyr High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) Operational Concept Demonstrator (OCD) flight trials, which were originally scheduled for summer …

• Land Warfare

  New AM General owners will not alter HMMWV contracts for US Army

  13th August 2020

  The prospective new owners of AM General, the supplier of High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), have shed little light on the possibility of changes …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Airbus VSR700 prototype completes first autonomous free flight

  28th July 2020

  The prototype of the VSR700 UAS has carried out its first free flight, manufacturer Airbus Helicopters announced on 28 July. The geofenced VSR700 performed a ten-minute …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  China accelerates maritime UAS development

  17th July 2020

  A Chinese emphasis on UAVs for maritime and shipborne use is evident, with a new full-scale rotorcraft mock-up appearing on the navy’s first Type 075 …

• Land Warfare

  Russia sheds more light on Strela

  14th August 2020

  The Military Industrial Company (Voyenno-Promishlennaya Kompaniya, VPK) in Russia has revealed details about its Strela (‘Arrow’) light air-transportable armoured car. A base model, its amphibious …

• Air Warfare

  Japan researches future fighter technologies

  22nd July 2020

  Japan has not produced fighters since 2011, when the last F-2 was delivered. Therefore, Japanese companies such as Sumitomo Electric that produced radar domes and …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raptor launches VIS-SWIR camera for integration with EO systems

  3rd July 2020

  Northern Ireland-based Raptor Photonics has launched a low-power (8W) version of its Owl 1280 visible shortwave infrared (VIS-SWIR) camera with high-definition serial digital interface (HD-SDI) …

• Land Warfare

  Danish MoD awards $23.5 million helmet contract

  31st July 2020

  The Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (DALO) has awarded Galvion a $23.5 million contract to procure helmets for the national armed forces. The company …

• Land Warfare

  Pakistan finally fields upgraded Al-Khalid tank

  4th August 2020

  On 28 July the Armoured Corps of the Pakistan Army held a rollout ceremony for the upgraded Al-Khalid-I MBT at a Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) …

• Defence Notes

  China, computer chips and supply chains

  20th August 2020

  On 14 September 2019, the Islamic Republic of Iran launched an audacious unconventional military attack on critical infrastructure facilities in Saudi Arabia, at Abqaiq and …

• Military Logistics

  Singapore seeks future air power generation with smart airbases

  24th July 2020

  While the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) builds up its future fleet with new platforms such as the F-35B and A330 MRTT, it has …

• Naval Warfare

  Black Scorpion mini torpedo in qualification phase

  9th July 2020

  The Black Scorpion mini torpedo is currently undergoing a qualification phase ahead of introduction into the market, although officials from manufacturer Leonardo do not anticipate …

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems proposes Beowulf for CATV

  21st July 2020

  In response to an RfP issued in June 2020, BAE Systems has submitted a proposal to the US Army to deliver two prototype vehicles under …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Tanks

  VT5 [Bangladesh]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh MoD issued an RfI for a new light tank and a related ARV in September 2017. This will be easier to ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  PMV (S) [India]

  Programme Background Requirement The PMV programme is aimed at improving the Indian Army's capability in manoeuvre warfare. Since the mid-2010s, The Indian Army has been seeking to modernise ...

• Tanks

  VT5 [Bangladesh - Forecast]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh MoD issued an RfI for a new light tank and a related ARV in September 2017. This will be easier to ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  PMV (HA) [India]

  Programme Background Requirement India's PMV programme is aimed at improving the Indian Army's capability in manoeuvre warfare. Since the mid-2010s, The Indian Army has been seeking to modernise ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  B1 Centauro Replacement [Spain]

  Programme Background The Spanish Army entered the B1 Centauro into service between 2000 and 2006. Manufactured by the Italian Iveco and Oto Melara consortium CIO, the ...

• Tanks

  Future Ready Combat Vehicle MBT (India)

  Programme Background At least three RfIs have been published for the FRCV requirement, but the programme has struggled to get off the ground. The FRCV ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  New Generation Light Armoured Vehicles - Wheeled [Türkiye - Batch I]

  Programme Background The NGLAV is an umbrella programme that will be composed of three phases and 2962 units of tracked and wheeled vehicles. Phase I ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  New Generation Light Armoured Vehicles - Wheeled [Türkiye - Future Orders]

  Programme Background The NGLAV is an umbrella programme that will be composed of three phases and 2962 units of tracked and wheeled vehicles. Phase I ...

• Frigates

  Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)

  Programme Background The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme was developed in 2003 as a cheap and fast way to increase the size of the fleet ...

• Frigates

  F125 (Baden-Württemberg Class)

  Programme Background The Baden Württemberg class (F125) frigates are in fact closer to the size of a destroyer than a traditional frigate, however, designed for ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Piranha I Replacement [Chile]

  Programme Background Chile has operated the Piranha I armoured vehicle platform for more than 40 years. During the early 1980s between 100 and 200 Piranha ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  High Mobility Reconnaissance Vehicle (India)

  Programme Background Aiming to boost mobility and enhance Recce and Command elements, the Indian Army is seeking 91 High Mobility Reconnaissance Vehicles (HMRV). Prioritising mobility and protection ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Future Infantry Combat Vehicle (India)

  Programme Background Requirement The Indian Army first identified its requirement for a new tracked IFV to replace the BMP-2 Sarath in 2009, but this initial ...

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

  Akinci [UAE]

  Programme Background Surprise Delivery Baykar, in a statement of its 2024 achievements, stated that it had delivered two Akinci UAVs to the UAE, one in ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Sovereign UAS Challenge [Australia]

  Request for Information (RFI) In July 2023, the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA) released a Request for Information (RFI) for the Sovereign Uncrewed Aerial Systems Challenge, which sought ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• UAS: communication systems

  Helix Mesh Rider

  Helix Mesh Rider is a SWaP (Size, Weight and Power) optimised mesh radio designed for uncrewed systems. Notably, it supports six frequency bands in a ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  LiteHUD

  BAE Systems' LiteHUD is a low-profile head-up display compatible with various aircraft ranging from conventional turboprops to next-generation fighter jets. 

• Data links

  Missile Data Links

  The Missile Data Links developed by the Turkish defence manufacturer Meteksan Savunma Sanayi provide a permanent and secure communication channel between the missile launcher platform ...

• Data links, UAS: communication systems

  Tove RF Datalink

  The Tove RF Data Link is a lightweight Software Defined Radio (SDR) designed for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) and Unmanned Surface ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: surveillance radar, Air: UAS radar

  Osprey 30

  The Osprey 30, also known as the Osprey, is an airborne active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar optimised for low size, weight and power (SWAP) requirements. As a multi-mode ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  Ophir IR optics optimised for 10-12µm LWIR detectors

  Ophir, addressing the new market shift in the direction of 10-12μm detectors, is offering a wide collection of lenses, optimised to meet the needs of ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  NavStorm-M

  BAE Systems' NavStorm-M is a gun-hardened, integrated anti-jamming and Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for artillery rounds, bombs, missiles, and uncrewed systems. It was revealed ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems, Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  SI-8649A/PF PicoFlexor Transceiver

  The PicoFlexor Transceiver is a miniature tactical software-defined radio (SDR) platform manufactured by Leonardo DRS. It integrates a transmitter with a high-performance SIGINT superheterodyne receiver in ...

• UAS: communication systems

  TW-880 TSM Ghost

  Designed for uncrewed applications, TrellisWare TW-880 TSM Embedded Module provides communication in a small form factor. The transceiver provides simultaneous voice, data and PLI communication ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  CamSight

  CamSight is a family of lightweight, compact core cameras to be integrated into complex optronic systems equipping UAV, UGV, and UGS systems. The CamSight optronic modules ...

• EO/IR systems

  TASE250

  Launched in 2018, the TASE250, sometimes called the TASE350 LWIR, is a dual-axis fully stabilised gimbal incorporating a daylight and an IR camera. It is particularly suited ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: EO/IR – Jamming Systems, Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  CIRCM

  The Common Infrared Countermeasure (CIRCM) system is an infrared (IR) countermeasure designed to defeat IR-guided Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs).The system is manufactured by Northrop Grumman, and ...

• Weapon sights for night use (image intensifiers)

  Merlin

  Merlin SR, MR and LR inline sights are aimed at the assault rifle, sharpshooter rifle and sniper rifle end user. They provide different size/weight/performance trade-offs ...

• Data links, Land: Radio and SATCOM, UAS: communication systems

  QNT-200

  The Collins QNT-200 is a dual-channel software-defined radio (SDR) designed for size, weight and power-constrained platforms. Using IP-based mesh networks, it offers high-bandwidth mobile networking ...

• Air: UAS radar

  OKIS Automatic Take-off and Landing System

  The OKIS Automatic Take-off and Landing System by Turkish Meteksan Defence Inc. is a radar-based system designed for the automatic take-off and landing processes of ...