• Naval Warfare

  DSEI 2019: Royal Navy watchers a-quiver as Arrowhead 140 gets the go-ahead

  12th September 2019

  The multi-episode marathon that has been the UK Royal Navy’s Type 31e light frigate saga has finally come to a conclusion with the announcement on …

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems awarded howitzer work

  1st August 2019

  BAE Systems Land & Armaments has received a contract modification from the US Army, the Department of Defense announced on 30 July. The modification covers …

• Defence Helicopter

  MSPO 2019: Step in the right direction for Czech helo plans

  19th August 2019

  The Czech Republic is poised to select a new armed helicopter to replace the current Mi-24/35 Hind fleet, before the end of the year. At …

• Defence Notes

  Japan firms up on F-35B orders

  19th August 2019

  Japan’s MoD formally approved the purchase of 42 Lockheed Martin F-35B short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) stealth fighters on 16 August. At that time, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Podcast: Five Eyes Connectivity - SATCOM

  26th September 2019

  Welcome to Shephard Studio’s special series on Five Eyes Connectivity, sponsored by our partner Viasat.  Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more. In the Five Eyes Connectivity podcast …

• Naval Warfare

  Insight: Will Royal Navy surface fleet jockey for future missile swaps?

  23rd August 2019

  With the UK MoD moving to further define the requirements for its Interim-Surface Ship Guided Weapon (I-SSGW) system in a 19 August contract notice, the …

• Defence Notes

  India’s budget shortfall is thwarting modernisation

  8th August 2019

  India’s defence budget for April 2019-March 2020 presented by the re-elected government has fallen short of expectations, with planned modernisation of the military i likely …

• Military Logistics

  Rolls-Royce to support UK Typhoon engines

  6th August 2019

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a contract worth almost £350 million with Rolls-Royce for the support of engines that power the UK’s …

• Naval Warfare

  Upgraded MK 45 guns for US Navy

  29th July 2019

  BAE Systems will upgrade five Mk 45 naval gun systems to the Mod 4 configuration for the US Navy, the company announced on 22 July. Under …

• Land Warfare

  Poland elects to upgrade T-72 tanks

  26th July 2019

  PGZ consortium and ZM Bumar-Łabędy are to refurbish and upgrade the Polish Army’s T-72 tanks under a contract with the Polish Ministry of Defence announced …

• Naval Warfare

  UK Tomahawk support contract awarded

  1st August 2019

  Babcock International will provide support for the UK Ministry of Defence's (MoD's) Tomahawk land attack missiles under a contract announced on 1 August. The company …

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed Martin details HIMARS orders

  18th July 2019

  Lockheed Martin’s recent contract from the US Army for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers includes orders for Poland's first acquisition of HIMARS launchers. Other …

• Land Warfare

  Slovakian tactical vehicle procurement hits a major roadblock

  24th July 2019

  The Slovak Ministry of Defence (MoD) has been forced to suspend the procurement of a series of new multirole tactical 4x4 vehicles due to an …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Watchkeeper progress points to subtle success for British Army

  23rd July 2019

  The widely publicised crashes and delays that have long derailed the UK’s unmanned Watchkeeper programme look to be behind the MoD as it moves out …

• Digital Battlespace

  Indian Air Force gets desperate for software-defined radios

  5th August 2019

  Amidst a pressing necessity for software-defined radios (SDR) to fill glaring gaps in its legacy systems for secure information sharing and situation awareness, the Indian Air …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Transport

  Medium Transport Aircraft (DROP) [Poland​]

  Programme Background Requirement Poland acquired the C-130E Hercules over a decade ago under the US FMS programme. Deliveries started in 2009 and ran through to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Action Plan of the Georgian Defence Force (FlyEye) [Georgia]

  Programme Background Action Plan of the Georgian Defence Forces 2020-30 In July 2021, the Georgian Minister of Defence, Juansher Burchuladze, outlined the country's military modernisation plan. ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Gryf [Poland]

  Programme Background Requirements The Polish MoD identified the need for several ingeniously produced UAVs to provide ISTAR and strike capabilities for its armed forces at the ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Force Protection Drone Systems [Poland]

  Background Force Protection In November 2024, the Polish Defence Ministry's Armaments Agency signed a PLN 499 million (US$127.6 million) agreement with WB Group for 12 Force Protection drone ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  FlyEye (Framework Agreement) (Uncontracted) [Poland]

  Background Pre-2023 Contracts Across three orders, one in the early 2010s, another in December 2018 and another in February 2022, the Polish Territorial Defence Force ...

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

  Gladius [Poland]

  Programme Background Contract Signing On 6 May 2022, the Minister of National Defense, Mariusz Błaszczak, the president of the WB GROUP, Piotr Wojciechowski and the head ...

• Tanks

  Wilk

  Programme Background The Wilk programme was included in the Polish MoDs Technical Modernisation Plan of the Polish Armed Forces for 2021-2035. It was primarily aimed ...

• Tanks

  K2 [Poland - Phase I]

  Programme Background Requirement Poland's K2 purchase is the successor of the Wilk programme which aimed to replace the country's Soviet-era T-72 and PT-91 MBTs with a ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  FlyEye (Framework Agreement) (Contracted) [Poland]

  Background Pre-2023 Contracts Across three orders, one in the early 2010s, another in December 2018 and another in February 2022, the Polish Territorial Defence Force ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 [Poland]

  Programme Background Requirement Under the Gryf programme, the Polish MoD identified the need for an indigenously produced MALE UAV to provide ISTAR and strike capabilities at ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  RQ-21A Blackjack - Additional Units (Poland)

  Programme Background Known First Procurement As covered by another entry (see 'RQ-21 Blackjack (Poland)' programme), the Polish government ordered a single RQ-21A system via the ...

• Loitering munitions

  Warmate (2022) [Poland]

  Background 2022 Order Following a purchase of the drone in 2027, on 30 April 2022, Defence 24 reported that the Polish Armament Agency had ordered ...

• Frigates

  Miecznik (Swordfish) Programme (1-3) [Poland]

  Programme Background Polish Armament Group is a consortium that was tasked with the development of the Miecnik class coastal defence vessels for the Polish Navy. ...

• Tanks

  M1A1 Abrams [Poland]

  Programme Background Requirement In 2022 Poland donated over 240 units of its T-72 MBTs to Ukraine, creating the need for a stopgap solution before the ...

• Mine-protected vehicles, MPVs - 4x4

  Cougar 4x4 (Poland)

  Programme Background Asides from 45 ex-US Oshkosh M1240A1 MRAP-All Terrain Vehicles (MATVs) operated by Polish Special Forces units, the Polish Armed Forces do not operate ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  PGZ-19R

  The PGZ-19R is a low-altitude, short-range tactical fixed-wing UAV. Based on the E-310 demonstrator, the platform has been designed to carry ISR sensors, search and rescue and ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AW149

  The AgustaWestland 'AW149' is an 8t-class multirole battlefield helicopter developed by AgustaWestland (now Leonardo) launched in 2006, making its maiden voyage in 2009. For combat ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Krab

  Poland selected a modified version of the BAE Systems AS90M Braveheart 155mm/52cal turret to meet its requirement for a new SPH. Poland’s HSW is prime ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  FA-50

  Based on the T/TA-50 trainer/light attack aircraft, the FA-50 is further developed and upgraded with a tactical data link, precision-guided munitions, and a self-protection subsystem. ...

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

  BSP-U

  The BSP-U, or Gladius/Gladius 2, is a Polish-made UAV. Defence 24 confirmed that the platform is not a loitering munition, suggesting that it could be a UCAV or a striking ...

• ISR/special mission, Maritime patrol

  A320neo M3A

  Currently under development by Airbus, the A320 M3A is the Maritime Patrol version of the civilian A320neo aircraft. The aircraft can be fitted with a wide ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM, Naval: Radio and SATCOM

  R&S M3SR Series4400

  Rohde & Schwarz M3SR Series4400 is a VHF/UHF radio system designed for stationary and shipborne applications. It offers several proprietary frequency-hopping waveforms as well as data link ...

• Ship-launched torpedoes, Submarine-launched torpedoes

  Mk-48 Mod 6AT ADCAP

  The Mk-48 ADCAP (Advanced Capability) is the improved version of the Mk-48 family. Development started with the Mk-48 Mod 5 and continues to the present ...

• EO/IR systems

  LRF Mod 4EC/6EC

  The Mod 4EC and Mod 6EC were designed specifically for remotely operated small platforms. The modules can be attached to Mini-Typhoon, CLAWS and other systems ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  LTMPAV Dino 519

  The Dino 519 is a light tactical multi-purpose armored vehicle (LTMPAV) developed by Team Concept, a Poland-based armored vehicle manufacturer. 

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMP-1

  The BMP-1 (Bronevaya Maschina Piekhota-1) is a tracked amphibious IFV that was developed in the Soviet Union during the 1960s.  Entering service with the Soviet ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  R35010

  The Radmor R35010 personal role radio is a handheld, lightweight radio intended to operate in a small radio network between combat team members.  The R35010 ...

• ISR/special mission, Maritime patrol

  C-27J Next Generation MPA

  Developed by Leonardo, the C-27J MPA is the Maritime Patrol version of the C-27J NG transport aircraft. While retaining the key characteristics of the transport ...