• Air Warfare

  The growing importance of the Blue UAS Cleared List

  21st October 2025

  Inclusion on the Defense Innovation Unit’s Blue UAS Cleared List is set to become ever more crucial for uncrewed aerial vehicle manufacturers due to the access it gives to the US market, which is set to expand significantly over the next 10 years.

• Land Warfare

  Push strengthens for a second JLTV supplier

  5th August 2026

  A move, launched in May, could lead to a second supplier for the US Marines Corps’ Joint Light Tactical Vehicle requirement. Meanwhile, Wisconsin elected representatives have been pushing for necessary funding to be included in the FY27 budget.

• Land Warfare

  KF41 Lynx finds a path but hurdles remain

  11th November 2025

  The Lynx is typically configured as an IFV operated by a crew of three and with space for up to eight dismounts in the rear troop compartment. The platform is being delivered to Hungary, has been contracted for Italy and will soon be in Ukrainian hands in small numbers.

• Land Warfare

  Patria completes test firing of new self-propelled gun as demand for systems grows

  26th June 2025

  Patria quotes a maximum rate of fire of eight rounds a minute from the new ARVE (ARtillery on VEhicle) self-propelled gun with a range of 40km for an assisted round. The rapid, low-risk development is designed to meet emerging requirements which have arisen out of the Ukraine war.

• Air Warfare

  US Marine Corps unveils first standardised drone platform for training and general use

  23rd July 2026

  The USMC is moving to make the Neros Archer FPV its primary drone while it rapidly expands attack-drone capabilities across the Fleet Marine Force.

• Naval Warfare

  UK’s Fleet Solid Support ship programme deemed on track despite steel supply concerns

  30th January 2026

  Shipbuilders are saying the programme is going ahead on time as the government estimates 7.7 million tonnes of steel are needed for 2026 infrastructure projects.

• Defence Notes

  Why the NORAD inventory might be the US and Canada’s Achilles’ heel

  4th November 2025

  Both the US and Canada operate Cold War-era capabilities which cannot defeat today’s and tomorrow’s threats.

• Naval Warfare

  US to review AUKUS submarine partnership

  23rd June 2025

  The Australia, UK and US (AUKUS) trilateral agreement consists of two pillars. The first pillar involves Australia’s procurement of nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs) and the second pillar involves bring defence industry and research bases closer together through high-technology development programmes. It is the former which is under re-evaluation.

• Naval Warfare

  MBDA-led DragonFire’s latest trials move the LDEW system closer to UK navy integration

  21st November 2025

  The DragonFire lines up with other European laser-directed energy weapons being developed in collaboration with MBDA.

• Air Warfare

  Canada targets 2028 operational debut for AIM-9X and AIM-120D missiles

  18th August 2026

  The missile programmes form part of a broader effort to strengthen Canadian air-combat readiness as the RCAF transitions from the CF-188 to the F-35A and rebuilds its operational weapons stocks.

• Air Warfare

  India fast-tracks indigenous MALE drones as US trade rift stalls big-ticket deals

  15th August 2025

  With US tariffs and stalled defence talks slowing imports, India has cleared a $3.4 billion plan for 87 tri‑service MALE UAVs with 60% indigenous content – accelerating self‑reliance as operational lessons from May’s four‑day conflict drive urgency.

• Defence Notes

  US military foresees growing use of 3D printing

  13th November 2025

  Advanced manufacturing has evolved to meet military requirements and now supports multiple US critical assets, including Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, F-18, F-22, F-35, Bradley, HMMWV and Patriot.

• Air Warfare

  Why is the US Air Force refuelling tanker fleet under scrutiny?

  16th June 2026

  In a recent report, the GAO warns that delays, availability issues and operational pressure could create gaps in the USAF refuelling inventory while the branch transitions to the KC-46 Pegasus.

• Air Warfare

  Australian Government looks inwards to drop Chinese-made DJI drones

  25th August 2025

  Over the next decade the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) says it will invest some A$600 million of approved funding into the development and introduction of a range of airborne, surface and subsurface uncrewed systems.

• Land Warfare

  More details of Indonesia’s Celeris-based 4x4 emerge as customer hunt begins

  12th November 2025

  The Texelis Celeris builds on the rolling chassis of the Serval 4×4 lightweight multi-role armoured vehicle which is being built by Texelis and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Nexter Defence Systems (KNDS France).

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Land 400 Phase 3 (Logistics, Ammunition Carrier and Mortar Carrier Variants) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Australian DoD released the initial RfI for the Land 400 Phase 3 programme in November 2015. Following consultations with local industry, the ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Land 400 Phase 3 (Amphibious Vehicles) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Australian DoD released the initial RfI for the Land 400 Phase 3 programme in November 2015. Following consultations with local industry, the ...

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

  Drone40 (Ukraine Aid) [Australia]

  Programme Background In August 2022, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), a think tank, held a podcast with Ukraine's ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, in which ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel - Medium (Project Land 8710 Phase 1A) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements Australia has set out requirements for a fleet of up to 18 Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels - Medium (LMV-M) with the release of ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams [Poland]

  Programme Background Requirement Since the early 2010s Poland wanted to upgrade its Soviet-era tank fleet due to modernisation requirements, the need to increase interoperability with NATO ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Land 400 Phase 2 - Boxer CRV [Australia]

  Programme Background History The Land 400 Phase 2 programme will procure a replacement for the ASLAV, a derivative of the General Dynamics Land Systems Light Armoured Vehicle ...

• Main battle tanks

  Leopard 2A4 [Czech Republic]

  Programme Background  The Czech Republic currently operates a small fleet of T-72s, which, while undergoing upgrades and life extension programmes, are increasingly obsolete. In October ...

• Submarines: nuclear/attack

  Second Hand SSNs [Australia]

  Programme Background Timeline In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock ...

• Main battle tanks

  Viatura Blindada de Combate-Carro de Combate (VBC-CC) [Brazil]

  Programme Background Several key technical requirements have been outlined by the Brazilian MoD. Among the most important are that the platform should weigh less than ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | AUKUS-SSNs (1-5) [Australia]

  In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock move, will not ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | AUKUS-SSNs (1-5) [Australia]

  In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock move, will not ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  HIMARS (Batch 2) [Australia]

  Programme background Prior to selecting HIMARS in January 2023, Australia did not operate an MLRS system. However, the effectiveness of Ukrainian HIMARS convinced the Australian government ...

• Military - USVs

  Bluebottle USV (16-55) [Australia]

  Programme Background Timeline The RAN purchased a number of the 6.8m-long Bluebottles, including five under an A$4.9 million ($3.3 million) contract signed in November 2022. ...

• 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 ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A1 Abrams (Ukraine Aid) [Australia]

  Programme Background Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Australia has been amongst the various Western allies providing Ukraine with military aid. Prior ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  Carl-Gustaf M3

  The Carl-Gustaf M3 is the third generation of the 84mm shoulder-fired recoilless antitank gun, first fielded by the Swedish Army in 1946. Since then, it ...

• Unguided Tank Ammunition

  120mm KE DM63 / DM53 A1 Tank Ammunition

  The 120mm kinetic energy tank ammunition is manufactured by Rheinmetall. There are several variations of the ammunition, including the DM63, which can be fired from ...

• Unguided Tank Ammunition

  120MM HEAT-TP F1A

  Franco-German KNDS-Nexter produce the 120mm High-Explosive Anti-Tank Training-Purpose F1A (HEAT-TP F1A) round to enable reduced-cost training for Main Battle Tank crews. 

• Main battle tanks

  M1/M1A1 Abrams

  The 105mm-armed M1 Abrams tracked MBT was introduced into US Army service in 1980 as a replacement for the 105mm-armed M60 MBT. In April 1991, ...

• Unguided Tank Ammunition

  120mm PELE Tank Ammunition

  The 120mm Penetrator with Enhanced Lateral Effect (PELE) tank ammunition is an inert round produced by Rheinmetall. It is suitable for use against semi-hard targets ...

• Light mortars

  60mm Mortar Ammunition

  US-based LD Systems' 60mm Mortar ammunition fulfils the NATO standard for lightweight mortar ammunition.

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  120mm L55A1

  The 120mm L55A1 is a smoothbore high-pressure gun based on the L55 tank gun. The L55A1 has been qualified and in service since 2019. It ...

• Naval: RF/IR/acoustic decoys

  Nulka

  The Nulka is an active anti-ship missile decoy originally conceived in Australia, and developed under a joint Australian-US programme. BAE Systems Australia is prime contractor, while ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  120mm L55 Tank Gun

  The 120mm L55 is a smoothbore tank gun produced by Rheinmetall. It is designed for use on the Leopard main battle tank, to which it ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A2 SEPv3

  The M1A2 System Enhancement Package 3 (M1A2 SEPv3, also known as M1A2C) is the latest production-standard variant of the Abrams MBT. Designed primarily to address ...

• Unguided Tank Ammunition

  M1147 Advanced Multi-Purpose (AMP)

  The M1147 Advanced Multi-Purpose (AMP) is a 120mm tank round developed by Northrop Grumman Defence Systems. Various customers, including Bahrain, Israel, and the US, use the tank ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  Next Generation Combat Vehicle Ammunition

  The Next Generation Combat Vehicle Ammunition (NGVA) is a family of ammunition being developed by the US Army's Armaments Center and manufactured by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  CVTESS

  Saab's Combat Vehicle Tactical Engagement Simulation System (CVTESS) is a laser-based simulator which supports every version of the Abrams Main Battle Tank and the Bradley ...

• Submarines: nuclear/attack

  SSN AUKUS

  The SSN-AUKUS will be the submarine design resulting from the AUKUS trilateral pact between Australia, the US and the UK. Expected to incorporate technology from ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  Spike LR2

  The Spike LR2 (also known as NT-S) is Rafael's fifth-generation anti-tank guided missile system. It is a long-range, multi-purpose, multi-platform weapon designed for infantry, armored ...