• Land Warfare

  Avon failure leaves US Army undeterred on next-gen body armour

  7th January 2022

  According to the US Army, failures encountered in tests of body armour plates from one supplier will not impact deliveries in the Vital Torso Protection programme.

• Digital Battlespace

  Sweden steps up cyber efforts

  19th January 2022

  Sweden is preparing to wage cyber war as well as cyber defence.

• Land Warfare

  Future of MRV-P remains unclear

  6th December 2021

  Procurement of the Multi-Role Vehicle – Protected was not mentioned in the recent Future Soldier plan or the earlier Integrated Review, but the MoD claims that plans have not yet been finalised.

• Land Warfare

  Northrop Grumman puts PrSM motor through its paces

  5th January 2022

  Static tests for the rocket motor bring PrSM closer to full production.

• Land Warfare

  CATV contract is to be signed this year

  4th February 2022

  An invitation to tender was sent to BAE Systems Hägglunds in December 2021 to acquire 500-900 platforms based on the latest version of the BvS10.

• Defence Notes

  Is it time for the year of the Taiwan Tiger? (Opinion)

  18th February 2022

  Taiwan is under severe threat from Chinese military action. What are some out-of-the-box measures that Taiwan and friends could take?

• Land Warfare

  Belgium acquires nine recovery armoured vehicles

  12th January 2022

  The Protected Evacuation Vehicle (PEV) will equip all three logistics battalions of the Belgium Army and will provide safe and swift recovery of ground platforms in zones of operations and conflict abroad.

• Air Warfare

  UK-Brazilian initiative targets 2026 for low-cost military eVTOL

  27th January 2022

  BAE Systems and Embraer are working on a plan to offer military users a version of a commercial eVTOL aircraft by 2026, but one major technological problem stands in the way of success.

• Air Warfare

  Asian attack helicopter programmes prove less than straightforward

  11th January 2022

  There are several ongoing attack helicopter programmes in Asia, but they are not all proceeding smoothly.

• Naval Warfare

  BrahMos finally finds an export customer

  14th January 2022

  The Philippines becomes the first customer for the BrahMos missile, which India has been diligently marketing for years.

• Land Warfare

  Czechs suffer lingering IFV headache

  20th January 2022

  In a step forward, the recently appointed Czech Minister of Defence defined the BVP replacement as a priority for the country — but in a potential step backwards, Jana Černochová decided that the MoD will reassess the acquisition of 210 new IFVs.

• Naval Warfare

  Anduril acquisition reflects growing interest in AUVs

  3rd February 2022

  The AUV space is seen as a growing sector with deterring and defeating near-peer competitors requiring undersea capabilities.

• Land Warfare

  Atlet family to enter serial production in 2022

  24th January 2022

  Future Atlet-based vehicles could be fitted with a wide range of special equipment and armaments.

• Land Warfare

  Dstl moves on with development of next-gen assault rifle

  17th December 2021

  Elements of the Future Individual Lethality System could be ready for the British Army by 2026.

• Training

  Supply chain issues cast shadow over 2022

  1st February 2022

  In the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is encouraging to see developments continue in the field of training and simulation. I/ITSEC 2021 provided the perfect opportunity to speak with manufacturers and explore the changes under way.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Medium UGVs

  Mission Master (RPV Sprial 3) [UK]

  Background First announced in April 2017 and referred to in early MOD documents as the ‘last mile resupply’ initiative, the British Army is reportedly evaluating ...

• Military UAS - micro

  First Person View (FPV) Drones [UK]

  Background Parliament Questions On 20 May 2025, Ben Obese-Jecty, Conservative MP for Huntingdon, asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many FPV drones had been procured ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (MIV) [UK]

  Background History The UK MoD announced in March 2018 that it would re-join the Boxer programme and pursue a sole-source acquisition of the 8x8 vehicle. ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Magni-X (UK)

  Programme Background On 12 January 2022, Elbit Systems UK announced it had been awarded a contract from the UK MoD's Defence Equipment & Support's Future Capability ...

• Medium UGVs

  Mission Master (RPV Sprial 2) [UK]

  Background First announced in April 2017 and referred to in early MOD documents as the ‘last mile resupply’ initiative, the British Army is reportedly evaluating ...

• Military UAS - small

  Black Hornet 3 PRS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army operated approximately 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS between 2013 and 2017, when the decision was made to retire ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, LTVs - 4x4

  Supacat HMT 400 & 600 [UK]

  Background Programme requirements The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated in a Contract Notice that it had a requirement for at least 70 new HMT platforms with ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  HMT Extenda [UK]

  Background Programme requirements The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated in a Contract Notice that it required at least 240 new HMT platforms to mitigate ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Ajax [UK]

  Background Under its $4.3 billion production contract, GDUK will provide 589 Ajax to the British Army. These will be delivered in six different variants: 245 ...

• Military UAS - small

  Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Project [UK]

  Programme Background Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Project The British Army launched the RAS project to provide the "direction required to exploit emerging technologies to ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Multi-Role Vehicle (Protected) (MRV-P) Package 1 (UK)

  Programme Background Requirement The MRV-P programme was intended to procure replacements for a diverse fleet of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles purchased during the wars in Iraq ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Land Ground Based Air Defence (SHORAD) [UK]

  Background In November 2023 the UK published the Land Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) Prior Information Notice which informed industry of the future direction of the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, LTVs - 4x4

  Supacat HMT 400 [UK]

  Background Programme requirements The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated in a Contract Notice that it required at least 240 new HMT platforms to mitigate a shortfall ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Recce Strike Vehicle 4x4 [UK]

  Background Under Project Niala, the British Army has sought a new recce strike vehicle to augment the operations of 11th Brigade. This sits outside of ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  British Army Apache Training Facilities

  Aviation Training International (ATIL) – a Leonardo Helicopters/Boeing joint venture formed in 1998 - was selected to provide the attack helicopter training service to the ...

• Main battle tanks

  Challenger 1

  420 Challenger 1 MBTs were delivered to the British Army between 1983 and 1990. Developed from the Shir 2 MBT originally designed for Iran, the ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  HIDAS

  Leonardo’s Helicopter Integrated Defensive Aids System (HIDAS) combines laser, missile and Radar Warning Receivers, and a Chaff and Flare Dispensing System (CFDS). The system is ...

• Unguided Artillery Ammunition

  L52 Smoke

  The L52 Smoke is a 105mm smoke artillery round manufactured by BAE Systems.  The British Army uses it in its L118 Light Guns.

• Unguided Artillery Ammunition

  L21 High Explosive (HE)

  The L21 High Explosive (HE) is a 155mm artillery shell manufactured by BAE Systems. The British Army uses the L21 with its Archer artillery systems.

• Towed guns

  105mm Light Gun

  The 105mm Light Gun was designed and manufactured by Royal Ordnance Nottingham (now BAE Systems), with the first guns introduced to the British Army in ...

• Main battle tanks

  Challenger 2

  The 120mm-armed Challenger 2 MBT was introduced into British Army service in 1994 as a replacement for the Challenger 1, which was successfully employed in ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  FV432 Mk 3 Bulldog

  The FV432 Mk 3 Bulldog is an upgraded version of the long-serving FV432 family of tracked vehicles, of which approximately 3,000 were delivered to the British ...

• Unguided Artillery Ammunition

  L17 Inert

  The L17 Inert is a 155mm training artillery round manufactured by BAE Systems.  It is in service with the British Army, where its Archer artillery systems use ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  Buffalo MPCV

  The Buffalo Mine-Protected Clearance Vehicle (MPCV) is in service with the armed forces of Canada, France, Italy, Pakistan, the UK and the US and has ...

• Subsystems: software

  Exonaut Software Suite

  Since 2000, 4C has been developing the Exonaut software suite. The products within the Exonaut suite can either be used standalone or as part of ...

• Self-propelled guns

  AS90

  The AS90 155mm/39cal tracked SPH was designed and built by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering (acquired by BAE Systems in 1999) to meet the requirements of ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  Instrumented Ground Combat Training Systems

  Cubic supplies combat training systems for CTCs, homestations and forward-deployed environments. The systems are designed to support missions including force-on-force, urban operations, joint, combined arms ...

• Main battle tanks

  Olifant

  The Olifant (Elephant) is a South African variant of the British Centurion MBT. Development of the Centurion began in 1943. It was introduced into service ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  Trojan

  In 2001, Vickers Defence Systems (now part of BAE Systems) received a £250 million ($300 million) UK MoD contract to build 66 Engineer Tank Systems ...