• Land Warfare

  Rafael unveils new Boxer-mounted concept for Iron Dome at DSEI 2023

  12th September 2023

  Israel's Rafael has unveiled a new export concept version of the Iron Dome air defence system, based on a Boxer 8x8 infantry fighting vehicle platform. The configuration is aimed at the NATO market, especially the UK and Germany.

• Training

  Exercise Talisman Sabre 2023 is unprecedented in its scale and scope

  25th July 2023

  Australia has never before seen anything like the scale of this year's Exercise Talisman Sabre.

• Land Warfare

  Production qualification flight test completed for Precision Strike Missile from HIMARS launcher

  16th November 2023

  Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), the US Army’s next-generation, long-range precision strike missile, can destroying targets out to more than 400km.

• Air Warfare

  Ukraine lessons: is bringing an attack helicopter to a missile fight too dangerous?

  15th September 2023

  According to multiple OSINT sources, Russian forces have lost possibly as many as 200 rotary-wing aircraft since February 2022. Some of these occurred in early high-profile operations, but most have been attrition casualties during the ongoing fighting. Shephard analyses the nature of these losses, and what lessons NATO attack helicopter operators should draw.

• Training

  NATO exercise sharpens explosive defeating skills in the face of increasing threats

  13th October 2023

  The exercise took place on land and in the marine environment using EOD UGVs, submarine AUVs and special diving equipment to improve and sharpen the skills of participants.

• Defence Helicopter

  Industry awarded new contracts for Australian and US Apache attack helicopter work

  1st September 2023

  Longbow LLC and Lockheed Martin have received new contracts to supply Longbow fire control radars to Australia, and refurbish US Army Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (TADS/PNVS) equipment. Both systems equip the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.

• Air Warfare

  Airbus wins US Army UH-72A Lakota upgrade contract

  22nd August 2023

  The US Army has awarded Airbus a $27.8 million contract to modernise the Army National Guard Security & Support Battalion Mission Equipment Package (MEP).

• Training

  US Navy embraces AI to enhance training

  25th September 2023

  In a strategic move to expedite training development and analysis, the US Navy is planning to harness the power of AI.

• Land Warfare

  USMC experiments with Mission Master UGVs in Australia

  6th August 2023

  The USMC trialled Mission Master UGVs during the recent Exercise Talisman Sabre 2023 in Australia.

• Training

  German military to expand use of VBS4 for training enterprise

  13th December 2023

  The Bundeswehr's long-standing association with the VBS training solution has reached a new milestone with the procurement of the VBS4 enterprise license.

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems coalition aims to bring barrel manufacture back to UK

  12th December 2023

  The UK’s Mobile Fires Platform (MFP) requirement will replace the country’s three-decade-old AS90 howitzers and has three bidders already in place.

• Defence Notes

  World Defense Show 2024: The show’s second iteration adapts to a changing world

  13th February 2024

  Saudi Arabia’s welcomed the return of the World Defense Show with the event’s heavy focus on vehicles and CUS systems reflecting ongoing conflicts and the priorities of many national programmes.

• Defence Notes

  World Defense Show 2024: The show’s second iteration adapts to a changing world

  13th February 2024

  Saudi Arabia’s welcomed the return of the World Defense Show with the event’s heavy focus on vehicles and CUS systems reflecting ongoing conflicts and the priorities of many national programmes.

• Defence Notes

  US to increase investment in deterrence in the Indo-Pacific theatre

  18th August 2023

  The Senate Committee on Appropriations recently proposed an additional $534 million above the $9.1 billion requested in Pentagon’s FY2024 budget proposal to be invested in military capacities in the region.

• Land Warfare

  UK fleshes out Boxer programme

  24th January 2024

  ARTEC, a joint venture between Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles and Rheinmetall Military Vehicles Nederland, has produced the Boxer to meet the requirements of several militaries.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  Light Attack/Trainer Aircraft - Ghana

  In 2013, the Chief of Ghana Air Force stated that A-29 is their preferred platform and this position was also submitted to the Government. In ...

• Transport

  C-130J - USAF

  Programme Background The C-130J Super Hercules is a four-engine turboprop transport aircraft developed by Lockheed Martin to replace aging C-130 variants. The US and FMS ...

• Bomber

  B-21 Raider (USA)

  Programme Background The US DoD is developing a new long-range bomber called the B-21 Raider, previously known as LRS-B. At least 100 units are expected ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-2E Replacement - Greece

  The average unit cost is estimated to be around $12 million based on the Czech Republic's $48.5 million deal for the purchase of four L-39NG ...

• Trainer

  Trainer Aircraft (1-12) [Vietnam]

  Programme Background After years of operating Russian-built military equipment, Vietnam is more willing to procure US-supplied equipment following the lifting of the arms embargo in ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawks [Greece]

  Programme Background In October 2023, Greece submitted a formal request to acquire 49 Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters as replacements for the Army's Bell UH-1s after launching ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 (Jordan)

  Programme Background Requirement The Jordanian Air Force has a requirement for training helicopters that are to be used in the King Hussein Air College. The country ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Huey II

  The last announced contract, valuing at $19 million, was awarded to Bell by US Army to supply Lebanon Air Force with there furnished Huey IIs ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA)

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA)

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

• Data links

  Data links | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA)

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA)

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA)

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  J/ALQ-8

  Like Israel, Japan elected to outfit its McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F-15J/DJ combat aircraft with an indigenous self-protection system. This takes the form of Mitsubishi Electric’s J/ALQ-8 ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Pod, Air: chaff, flare and decoy systems

  Comet

  Mystery surrounds Raytheon’s Comet infrared (IR) countermeasures pod. The system appears to have been designed to answer a 2003 US Air Force requirement for an ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  FAB-T Force Element Terminal

  The Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals - Force Element Terminal (FAB-T FET) is a nuclear-hardened SATCOM solution designed for airborne applications. Produced by Raytheon, ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  25mm PGU-48/B

  The 25mm PGU-48/B is a medium-calibre armour-penetrating round manufactured by American Rheinmetall. The US Air Force uses the PGU-48/B with its F-35 aircraft.

• Fighter - air superiority

  F-5E/F Tiger II

  The F-5E (single-seat)/F (twin-seat) Tiger II is an air superiority fighter developed by Northrop Grumman based on the original F-5 Freedom Fighter. Production of the ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  25mm PGU-23/U

  The 25mm PGU-23/U is a medium-calibre training round manufactured by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems. The US Air Force utilises it with its AC-130 and ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Warrior Systems

  General Dynamics Mission Systems is prime contractor and system integrator for the US Army’s Warrior soldier systems, which include Air Warrior, Future Force Warrior, Land Warrior ...

• Air: mission management systems

  TBMCS

  Theater Battle Management Core Systems (TBMCS) is a US joint C2 integrated BMS used to plan and execute air campaigns in theatres of operations worldwide. ...

• Trainer

  King Air trainer

  Textron / Beechcraft King Air trainers are a family twin-engine aircraft based on King Air 90, 100, 200 and 350 utility aircraft. The King Air ...

• Trainer

  T-6A/B Texan II

  The T-6 Texan II is a single-engine trainer aircraft, which was developed from the Pilatus PC-9 to meet the training requirements of USAF and USN ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-4 Phantom II family

  The F-4 Phantom II is a two-seat multirole fighter developed originally by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) to meet USN interceptor requirements. It soon became a unified ...

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

  Lynx

  The Lynx (AN/APY-8) is a synthetic aperture radar manufactured by General Atomics. It is designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance for manned and unmanned aircraft. According to ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  EMB-312 Tucano

  The EMB-312 Tucano (Brazilian designation T-27) is a trainer and light attack aircraft developed by Embraer to meet the training requirements of the Brazilian Air ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/ALQ-213(V) DAC

  Terma’s AN/ALQ-213(V) electronic warfare management unit is used extensively on General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon series combat aircraft around the world. The AN/ALQ-213(V) is ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  30mm PGU-13B High Explosive Incendiary

  The 30mm 30mm PGU-13B High Explosive Incendiary (HEI) is a medium-calibre munition manufactured by Northrop Grumman. The US Air Force uses the PGU-13B HEI with ...