• Land Warfare

  Ajax risk to British Army (Analysis)

  8th June 2021

  The leak of parts of a UK government Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) report on the British Army’s Ajax reconnaissance armoured vehicle programme has raised questions about the ability to deliver the family of platforms and what it means for the Army’s future force structure.

• Land Warfare

  Target acquisition systems show room for improvement

  15th June 2021

  User feedback and technological advances have enabled enhancements to target acquisition technology but there is the potential for even more to be done.

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army to receive more soldier-borne video terminals

  4th June 2021

  Textron receives a contract to continue providing OSRVT and SPOT video terminal units.

• Land Warfare

  US Army stabilises in FY2022 budget

  3rd June 2021

  Modernisation of the US Army is taking place on a static budget, so it is slowing down procurement in some traditional areas to benefit its priority programmes for future systems and capabilities.

• Land Warfare

  Thailand receives VN16s and final VN1s

  10th June 2021

  Thailand's military continues its trend of relatively recent reliance on equipment from China.

• Land Warfare

  TsNIITochMash creates new collimator sight

  11th June 2021

  PKM 75 features unique targeting and power consumption capabilities, claims Rostec.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Textron Systems delivers Ripsaw M5 to US Army

  3rd June 2021

  Textron Systems has delivered another Ripsaw M5 vehicle to the US Army to support their RCV Medium Program.

• Air Warfare

  Japanese satellites to track hypersonic weapons

  10th May 2021

  As China's military fields hypersonic glide vehicles, Japan is seeking to use satellites to detect and track them.

• Air Warfare

  J-10 fighter gets local power boost

  19th May 2021

  Locally produced jet engines are now powering single-engine fighters of the PLAAF.

• Land Warfare

  Aggregated SATCOM accelerates in the US

  11th June 2021

  In 2022, US Army Brigade Combat Teams should be equipped with a new tool for seamless and resilient communications in contested environments.

• Digital Battlespace

  Multi-beam antenna undergoes US trials

  3rd June 2021

  The US Army and USAF are exploring how optical beamforming antenna technology can be used to transmit data at high speed over commercial and military satellites.

• Land Warfare

  India’s FRCV looks far into the future

  6th June 2021

  The Indian Army relaunches the tortuous pursuit of replacement of its existing fleet of T-72 tanks.

• Training

  British Army RTES looks to reduce blank ammo usage

  3rd June 2021

  The British Army is looking to add to its collective training capabilities with the addition of a Roundless Tactical Engagement System — but how will it integrate with the Collective Training Transformation Programme?

• Land Warfare

  Technodinamika eyes 80mm MLRS

  9th June 2021

  Rostec subsidiary aims to complete the development of a new MLRS in 2023 before serial production in 2024.

• Defence Helicopter

  Australia grounds its MRH90 fleet

  24th June 2021

  European-built helicopters have an unenviably poor reputation in the ADF, a sentiment exacerbated by the latest grounding of the MRH90.

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 defeat submarine threats from long distances.

• Fighter - multirole

  J-10

  The J-10 (NATO reporting name Firebird) is a multirole fighter developed by China to replace second-generation J-7 and Q-5 aircraft. The aircraft is also known ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  BZK-005

  The BZK-005 is a Chinese-made HALE UAS that debuted at Airshow China in November 2018. The platform is designed for wide-area ISR tasks, and in ...