• Digital Battlespace

  Let there be Li-Fi, says US Army

  26th April 2021

  US Army Europe and Africa embarks on the first large-scale deployment of Li-Fi communication technology.

• Land Warfare

  Lithuania and Taiwan to receive more Javelins

  29th April 2021

  Existing FMS customers will obtain additional FGM-148 Javelin ATGM systems.

• Digital Battlespace

  Australia fields trailer-mounted SATCOM

  20th May 2021

  The Australian Army's communications upgrade continues with the release of SATCOM terminals mounted on trailers.

• Digital Battlespace

  India faces calls to shake up its space capabilities

  15th May 2021

  There is growing demand for India to enhance its space force structure to meet military needs.

• Training

  US Army ready to adopt AR for medic training

  23rd April 2021

  The US Army is investing in VR/AR/MR to improve the training that is on offer for its combat medics.

• Naval Warfare

  Indian Ocean – the dragon’s new swimming hole

  16th April 2021

  The Indian Ocean region is hotting up as an arena for great power competition, as China boosts its presence there.

• Land Warfare

  Delayed Canadian LAV recce system back on track

  6th May 2021

  The LRSS has suffered delays because of the bankruptcy of a subcontractor to DRS that was supposed to provide the telescopic mast system for the LAV surveillance system.

• Land Warfare

  Sweden orders BvS10

  4th May 2021

  BAE Systems and the Swedish army have signed a contract for the delivery of 127 BvS10 all-terrain vehicles.

• Land Warfare

  Russia promotes Uran — but to what purpose?

  21st April 2021

  Russia wants to expand its fleet of robotic ground vehicles and is setting up a unit equipped with combat UGVs – but doctrine and CONOPS require more work.

• Special Operations

  MRZR spotted on Singaporean roads

  4th May 2021

  The MRZR series of all-terrain vehicles has been spotted in Singapore.

• Special Operations

  French SOF awaits next VPS 2 batch

  28th April 2021

  An extra 35 special patrol vehicles were ordered for French SOF because of delays in the VLFS programme.

• Digital Battlespace

  Radars look over the horizon in the High North

  7th May 2021

  Rezonans-N radar installations will include surveillance of vast areas of airspace over Norway and Finland.

• Naval Warfare

  Indonesia trials maiden Tank Boat

  11th May 2021

  The first 'Tank Boat' does not look as much like a tank as the initial mock-up did, as the prototype has only a 30mm cannon as its armament.

• Land Warfare

  Czech IFV tests begin

  27th April 2021

  Testing of IFV contenders for the Czech Army programme begins, marking another step in the progress of the acquisition project that had looked vulnerable to cancellation as recently as last year.

• Land Warfare

  UK MIV hull production set to begin

  22nd April 2021

  The manufacturing of the first Boxer 8x8 hull in the UK represents the first time a new armoured vehicle will be built in the UK for a decade. It re-establishes an industrial sovereign capability that was abandoned in 2009-2010 but requires considerable investment in facilities, technology and skills to develop.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  J-10 [China]

  Programme Background The aircraft performed its maiden flight in 1998 and entered service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) in 2004. According to ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Data links

  Data links | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Corvettes

  Jiangdao Class (Type 056)

  Programme Background The Type 056 corvette is referred to by the Chinese as the new-generation light guided-missile frigates. They have been built for the People's Liberation ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | S26T (2-3) [Thailand]

  The Royal Thai Navy were in the process of acquiring up to three new submarines derived from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Yuan-class (Type ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | S26T (2-3) [Thailand]

  The Royal Thai Navy were in the process of acquiring up to three new submarines derived from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Yuan-class (Type ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Rapid Minelayers Procurement (1-4) [Taiwan]

  Development and Procurement Four new rapid minelayers are being built for the Taiwanese Navy in a bid to counter the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Rapid Minelayers Procurement (5-10) [Taiwan]

  Programme Background Requirements The revelation of a Chinese bridge-barge landing system for amphibious operations, designed for a Taiwan invasion, has underscored the need for Taipei ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Kalyani M4 (India)

  Programme Background In the wake of border clashes with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 2020, the Indian Army has accelerated several of its ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Taiwan]

  Programme Background The Black Hawks are intended to defend against potential threats from China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), as they possess rapid response capability in ...

• Frigates

  Jiangkai II Class (Type 054A)

  Built by Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard and Huangpu shipyards the frigates were first seen being constructed from 2005. The class is referred to as the workhorses of China's ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  VP1/Type 89 (Nigeria)

  Programme Background The Nigerian Army has an ongoing need for new armoured vehicles to replace losses incurred in its conflict with extremist organisations operating within ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• AEW&C, Transport

  Y-8

  The Y-8 (Yunshuji-8) medium-sized transport and multirole aircraft was developed by Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation and is based on the Soviet Antonov An-12. More than 36 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Type 19 8x8

  The Type 19 8x8 is a family of vehicles developed for use by the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Z-8

  Developed by Changhe Aircraft Industry Group, the Z-8 (known also as Z-18) is a derivative of the AC313 civil helicopter, which is itself a copy of ...

• Submachine guns

  CS/LS2

  Norinco’s CS/LS2 is a 9mm bullpup SMG designed for use with a suppressor. It has been in service with the People's Liberation Army since about ...

• Fighter - multirole

  J-8

  The J-8 (NATO reporting name Finback) is a multirole fighter domestically developed by China. It has design similarities with Soviet MiG-21 and Su-15 aircraft.  The ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  KZ-800

  China National Electronics Import and Export’s (CEIEC) KZ-800 is an airborne Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) gathering system believed to be in widespread use onboard People’s Liberation ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  Type GCZ110

  Norinco announced in 2014 that it had completed development of the Type GCZ110 armoured engineer vehicle based on a modified Type 79 tank chassis equipped ...

• Main battle tanks

  VT2

  The 125mm-armed VT2 tracked MBT, which was unveiled at DSA 2012, is the export version of the People's Liberation Army Type 96A. As of early ...

• Fighter - ground attack

  J-16

  The J-16 is a multirole fighter developed by China. It is based on the J-11 air superiority fighter, itself a licence-built version of the Russian ...

• EO/IR systems

  Loong Eye LE380

  The Loong Eye (Dragon's Eye) LE380 is a two-axis stabilised gimbal incorporating EO/IR sensors, laser designators, and laser rangefinders. Originally developed by the Luoyang Opto-Electro ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Sky Saker FX400A

  The Sky Saker FX400A is a fixed-wing drone manufactured by Norinco. Capable of hosting both ISR and attack payloads, such as the Blue Arrow 7 ...

• Air-to-air missiles, Surface-to-air missiles

  TY-90

  TY-90 is a multi-purpose, short-range, IR-guided, tactical surface-to-air missile developed by China to defend against helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and cruise missiles at low and super-low ...

• Medium/general-purpose machine guns

  Type 80

  The Type 80 is a general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) manufactured by Norinco in China, based on the Soviet PKM. Certified in 1980, it entered PLA ...

• Air-launched ASW torpedoes, Ship-launched torpedoes

  Yu-11 lightweight torpedo

  Yu-11 is a Chinese-made surface and air-launched lightweight torpedo to repel submarine threats from long distances.

• Light tanks

  Type 62

  The Type 62 light tank entered production for the Chinese People's Liberation Army in 1963. Essentially a smaller, lighter clone of the Type 59 MBT, it is ...