• Defence Notes

  ANSF survives critical fighting season in security lead

  22nd October 2013

  It has been a critical year in the transition of security control to Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) as Afghanistan prepares for the withdrawal of …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2013: Paladin upgrade gets LRIP confirmed

  21st October 2013

  The low-rate initial production (LRIP) for the Paladin self-propelled howitzer upgrade programme was approved on 18 October, it was announced at the AUSA exhibition. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  Novawurks launches satellite recycling programme

  11th October 2013

  The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded Novawurks a $30.7 million contract to advance its ‘Phoenix’ initiative, aimed at recycling ageing satellite …

• Digital Battlespace

  Saab signs contract for Thai Navy frigate systems

  3rd October 2013

  Saab will supply combat management and radar systems for a new frigate being built for the Royal Thai Navy. The company announced on 3 October …

• Military Logistics

  Rolls-Royce to open Global Hawk engine service facility

  2nd October 2013

  Rolls-Royce is to serve the US Air Force’s Global Hawk UAV engine fleet from a new engine depot facility to be opened at Tinker Air …

• Land Warfare

  General Dynamics details ammunition orders

  2nd October 2013

  General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems will supply a variety of ammunition products and a munition system to the US military under a range of …

• Land Warfare

  US ships 60mm mortars to Afghan Army

  2nd October 2013

  The US Army’s Watervliet Arsenal in New York has completed the refurbishment of 902 M224 60mm Lightweight Company Mortar Systems for the Afghan National Army …

• Land Warfare

  Terminator is back

  30th September 2013

  A new version of the tank support fighting vehicle (BMPT-72) Terminator-2 was officially presented at the Russia Arms Expo in Nizhny Tagil. The new vehicle …

• Defence Helicopter

  S-97 Raider prototype helicopter enters final assembly

  27th September 2013

  The prototype S-97 Raider helicopter has reached the final stages of assembly at Sikorsky's Development Flight Center in West Palm Beach, following the delivery of …

• Land Warfare

  Urals Automotive Plant presents new armoured vehicles

  27th September 2013

  The Urals Automotive Plant, has presented the Taifun-U and Ural-53099 armoured vehicles at the Russia Arms Expo 2013 in Nizhny Tagil. Taifun-U vehicles are designed …

• Naval Warfare

  Raytheon-made SM-3 missile finds ballistic target

  19th September 2013

  The US Navy has conducted a Missile Defense Agency test that saw two Standard Missile-3 Block IBs consecutively launched from the USS Lake Erie against …

• Land Warfare

  General Dynamics awarded additional Saudi Abrams work

  19th September 2013

  General Dynamics Land Systems will convert a number of M1A1 and M1A2 Abrams tanks to the Saudi M1A2 (M1A2S) configuration under a foreign military sales …

• Defence Notes

  Dutch MoD announces sale of Joint Support Ship

  18th September 2013

  The Royal Netherlands Navy’s Joint Support Ship (JSS) Karel Doorman will be sold before commissioning and replaced by a smaller and cheaper supply ship as …

• Military Logistics

  French DGA selects remote diagnosis solution

  16th September 2013

  Cassidian has announced that it will supply the French DGA with a remote-diagnosis platform connecting the OPEX (external operations sites) with the HIA (Armed forces …

• Military Logistics

  DSEI 2013: Deverell says UK Land Materiel will introduce reforms early

  13th September 2013

  The Land Materiel sector of the UK Ministry of Defence's (MoD's) Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) organisation will implement and use staff under the GOCO …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  DELI [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Speaking to Shephard at SAHA Expo 2022, a spokesperson stated that the platform was expected to enter into service with the Turkish Armed ...

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

  Akinci [Libya]

  Programme Background 2022 Reports In October 2022, various Libyan media outlets reported that the country was eyeing a possible procurement from Baykar, possibly the Akinici ...

• Transport

  C-130J [Vietnam]

  Programme Background Requirement Vietnam’s interest in acquiring the C-130J reflects a broader effort to modernise its air transport fleet, which was previously dominated by Russian ...

• Corvettes

  Steregushchy Class (Project 20380) (11-18)

  Programme BackgroundThe Steregushchiy class (Project 20380) corvettes are designed to operate in littoral combat zones and engage with enemy ships and submarines. The multi-role missions ...

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

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) (Tranche 2) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Data links

  Data links | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  T-15 Armata (Contracted)

  Programme Background The first contract for 132 Armatas was signed by the Russian MoD in 2015. This will comprise sufficient T-14, T-15 heavy IFV and ...

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  Hangor Class Submarines [Pakistan]

  Programme Background Timeline Chinese media first reported that the Pakistan Navy had agreed to buy eight modified Type 039B submarines in April 2015. The contract ...

• Main battle tanks

  T-14 Armata (Contracted)

  Programme Background The first contract for 132 Armatas was signed by the Russian MoD in 2015. This will comprise sufficient T-14, T-15 heavy IFV and ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 (Turkey)

  Programme Background  Selection The Turkish Armed Forces are purchasing large numbers of UAVs from Turkey's domestic defence industry to perform ISTAR missions and provide troops ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache [Indian Army]

  Programme Background It is a hybrid procurement, as was the 2015 Air Force one (see separate entry), employing both a direct commercial sale with Boeing ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• H160

  Airbus Helicopters unveiled a full-scale model of the H160 medium twin rotorcraft on 3 March 2015 at Heli-Expo. The utility helicopter, the first to be ...

• EO/IR systems

  Skybox

  The Skybox allows gimballed camera systems developed for small UAVs to be integrated on the nose of manned helicopters. It accommodates cameras such as DJI’s ...

• Helicopter engines

  RR300

  The RR300 combines new design methodologies with the legacy of the M250 engine to produce a new engine family for the small rotorcraft market. Intended ...

• EO/IR systems

  OWLS

  Observation Wide-area Low-altitude Sensor (OWLS), demonstrated at Heli-Expo 2015, is a two-axis micro gimbal imager that combines a night vision sensor and an image-stabilised enclosure. ...

• Air: mission management systems

  TM-100 Map and Video Management system

  Trakka Systems introduced a new TM-100 Map and Video Management system at HAI Heli-Expo 2017 in Dallas. The augmented reality mapping system with metadata video and audio ...

• EO/IR systems

  Geodetic photomapping and monitoring payload and blind zone cameras

  Heliatica unveiled a geodetic mapping and monitoring payload with Geoscan at Heli-Expo 2017. The system is designed to fit two Sony DSC-RX1 (24MP resolution) cameras ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  6XX

  Publicly unveiled at Heli-Expo in March 2017, the MD Helicopters 6XX is the next evolution in the MD 500 series and is a redesigned, single-engine ...

• Multipurpose missiles

  LAHAT

  The Laser Homing Attack (LAHAT) is an Israeli, semi-active, laser homing guided, low-weight, ATGM. It was designed to be fired from 105mm and 120mm tank guns.

• Tiltrotors

  AW609

  The Bell/Agusta BA609 became the first tiltrotor designed for the civilian market to fly in March 2003. In June 2011, Leonardo announced that it had ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Bars-8

  Following on from the 7t Bars-6 4x4 multipurpose armoured vehicle, Bogdan developed the 10t Bars-8 4x4 multipurpose armoured vehicle which was unveiled at the September ...

• Land: RWS

  AU-220M

  The AU-220M unmanned turret, developed by TsNII Burevestnik, a subsidiary of Uralvagonzavod (UVZ), mounts a dual-feed 57mm automatic cannon and a PKTM 7.62mm coaxial machine ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  525 Relentless

  Bell Helicopter announced in February 2012 that it was developing the Model 525 Relentless. The aircraft is designed primarily for the oil and gas industry ...

• Military vehicle engines

  TCD 2015

  The TCD 2015 is a modern water-cooled four stroke diesel V-engine that is currently integrated on the RG41 armoured vehicle.

• P1AR Virtual Hoist SAR simulator

  Priority 1 Air Rescue demonstrated an operational model of its Virtual Hoist SAR simulator for the first time at Heli-Expo 2017 with a small, transportable ...

• Heli Vest

  The Heli Vest is a twin-cell vest that comes in a standard heavy-duty pouch which buckles around the waist for constant wear. According to the ...