• Defence Notes

  Canada to deepen integration of multi-domain capabilities to strengthen its defences

  11th December 2025

  The Canadian Department of National Defence has created new organisations to manage the procurement and integration of all-domain solutions and allocated US$258.33 million to strengthen production capacities.

• Land Warfare

  Delivering battlefield connectivity, empowering the warfighter, increasing lethality

  4th August 2025

  As the British Army and allied militaries look to increase their resilience to electronic warfare, they will require unprecedented access to the latest communication capabilities – like software-defined radios, LEO, 5G – to be successful in today’s advanced and dynamic combat fighting environment. Enter MESHnet.

• Air Warfare

  Sixth African country signs for Super Tucano

  2nd January 2025

  The order comes on top of other countries ordering aircraft in 2024, specifically Portugal, Uruguay and Paraguay.

• Naval Warfare

  US Coast Guard commissions first icebreaker acquired in the last 25 years

  11th August 2025

  The Cutter Storis officially entered service with the Branch on 10 August. The new capability will be operated from Juneau, Alaska.

• Air Warfare

  Raytheon completes first test for ground-launched StormBreaker

  25th September 2025

  The new variant was designed and tested in a little under two months, Raytheon said. The precision-strike weapon, as with the air-launched variant, is designed to be used in GPS-contested areas.

• Air Warfare

  Can UK interceptor efforts keep pace with the rising drone threat?

  15th April 2026

  The recent acquisition announcement for Cambridge Aerospace’s Skyhammer solution is a key step in the UK’s efforts to bolster its counter-UAS capabilities, but more still needs to be done to tackle even smaller drone threats.

• Land Warfare

  UK MoD clears British Army’s Ajax saying “no safety concerns when operated properly”

  25th March 2026

  The British Army’s Ajax armoured personnel carrier has a chequered history but hopes were high when Initial Operating Capability was declared last year. More problems saw operations suspended but the MoD reports it has identified the problems and short- and medium-term solutions.

• Land Warfare

  MyDefence delivers counter-drone system to US Army ahead of livefire exercise

  11th July 2025

  The Soldier-Kit system consists of detector, jammer, tablet and wideband antenna and is being evaluated as part of Project Flytrap 3.0 counter uncrewed aerial system (CUAS) exercise.

• Land Warfare

  Ukraine’s ground robot army still finding its feet

  31st October 2025

  Ukraine’s quest to replace soldiers with robots is hitting technical snags. Shephard spoke with industry leaders about difficulties in the field and what solutions are in the pipeline.

• Land Warfare

  New Type 100 AFVs help China leapfrog ahead of other Western concepts

  19th September 2025

  China’s fourth-generation armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) have pulled ahead of international analogues in their concept of operations, but questions remain about the reliability of their advanced technologies further down the line.

• Air Warfare

  US Army cancels FTUAS and the MQ-1 Gray Eagle as part of the Army Transformation Initiative

  13th May 2025

  Last week, it was revealed that the US Army intended to cancel the long-running Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS). The revelation, no doubt part of the Army Transformation Initiative (ATI), came a week after the force highlighted that it would cancel the procurement of Gray Eagle aircraft.

• Air Warfare

  Embraer “confident” as C-390 and A-29 production ramps up in 2025

  31st January 2025

  Embraer chief commercial officer Frederico Lemos said that it was aiming to produce more than 10 of its C-390 multi-mission aircraft a year by 2030, with some A-29 aircraft already allocated and ready for delivery.

• Naval Warfare

  South Korea advances next-gen naval concepts for future force needs

  13th June 2025

  HHI and Hanwha Ocean outline highly autonomous and unmanned-enabled designs as the ROKN explores force structure for the 2030s and beyond.

• Naval Warfare

  Turkey targets Italian market with strategic partnership on USVs and hybrid platforms

  19th February 2026

  Havelsan, VN Maritime and Piloda Defence will collaborate to develop and integrate a range of maritime solutions with a view to secure a first procurement contract in Italy in the first half of this year.

• Land Warfare

  German Army to receive third-generation Dingo protected patrol vehicles this year

  3rd July 2025

  More than 1,200 Dingo 1 and Dingo 2 models have been built and deployed by some 10 countries. The latest Dingo 3 pulls through from user inputs and, like earlier versions, is also based on a UNIMOG chassis.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Indiza (South Africa)

  Programme Background Trials The South African National Defense Force (SANDF) is known to have begun trialling the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Indiza ...

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

  Indiza - Additional Units (South Africa)

  Programme Background First Procurement After trialling the platform, in September 2019 the South African Army chief confirmed the Indiza had been procured to support SANDF peacekeepers ...

• Military UAS - mini

  ECAC/2022/199 [South Africa]

  Programma Background Two Tenders In March 2023, DefenceWeb reported that the South African Army's tender ECAC/2022/154 was put on hold due to bidders failing to ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | SAS Drakensberg Replacement [South Africa]

  The South African Navy needs to replace the SAS Drakensberg Combat Support Ship (CSS), which entered service in 1987. In October 2023, the South African Navy Chief ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | SAS Drakensberg Replacement [South Africa]

  The South African Navy needs to replace the SAS Drakensberg Combat Support Ship (CSS), which entered service in 1987. In October 2023, the South African Navy Chief ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Project Hoefyster (South Africa)

  Programme Background History The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) first formulated operational requirements for a new ICV in 1995, but modernisation of South Africa's ...

• OPVs

  Project Biro (1-3) [South Africa]

  Programme Background Three multi-mission inshore patrol vessels (MMIPVs) have been procured for the South African Navy under Project Biro. Based on Damen's Stan Patrol 6211 ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  Project Kiepie [South Africa]

  Programme Background South African Air Force has been planning to replace 47TP (DC-3)s and C212s since mid-2010s. However, budget issues put this replacement programme behind the other ...

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

  Milkor 380 [South Africa]

  Programme Background According to Milkor, as reported by defenceWeb, during its successful showing of the UAV at AAD 2022, an MoU was signed with the South ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  SAS Drakensberg Replacement [South Africa]

  Programme Background Requirements The South African Navy needs to replace the SAS Drakensberg Combat Support Ship (CSS). SAS Drakensberg was launched in 1986 and commissioned ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | C-130 Replacement [South Africa]

  The South African Air Force (SAAF) is actively exploring options to replace its ageing fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130BZ Hercules transport aircraft, which have been ...

• Data links

  Data links | C-130 Replacement [South Africa]

  The South African Air Force (SAAF) is actively exploring options to replace its ageing fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130BZ Hercules transport aircraft, which have been ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | C-130 Replacement [South Africa]

  The South African Air Force (SAAF) is actively exploring options to replace its ageing fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130BZ Hercules transport aircraft, which have been ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  RG32M Replacement [Ireland]

  Programme Background Ireland currently maintains a small army designed for home defence. It is only deployed abroad as part of operations authorised by the UN. ...

• Main battle tanks

  Project Aorta

  During the 1990s, the SANDF envisioned the procurement of 282 new MBTs to replace the Olifants then in service. Should a similar tender be initiated ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Wheeled assault guns

  Rooikat

  The 76mm-armed Rooikat 6x6 armoured car was developed in 1976-89 for the South African Army and the first of 240 vehicles was delivered in 1989. The ...

• Trucks and utility vehicles - 4x4

  SAMIL 50

  Like other vehicles in the South African Military (SAMIL) series the SAMIL 50 all-wheel-drive 4x4 truck was developed in the 1980s to meet the requirements ...

• Trucks and utility vehicles - 4x4

  SAMIL 20

  The all-wheel-drive 4x4 SAMIL 20 is the smallest member in the South African Military (SAMIL) truck range developed in the 1980s to meet the requirements ...

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

  Indiza

  The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Indiza small fixed-wing mini-UAV started its development in 2017 and was deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo ...

• Naval guns

  Denel 35mm Dual Purpose

  The Denel 35mm Dual-Purpose is a naval dun system developed by South African Denel. The Denel 35mm comprises two Denel GA35 cannons and the non-deck-penetration ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Casspir

  Originally adopted by the Apartheid-era South African Police for COIN operations in Namibia, the Casspir is generally regarded as having pioneered the development of the ...

• Patrol boats

  Warrior Class (Stan Patrol 6211)

  Under Project Biro, the South African Navy is acquiring three new multi-mission inshore patrol vessels. The project is expected to run for approximately seven years, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Oryx

  The Oryx is a medium-sized utility helicopter based on the Airbus SA 330 Puma. It was manufactured to meet South African military requirements during the ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Umkhonto-IR Block II

  The Umkhonto-IR Block II is a South African-developed medium-range surface-to-air missile. It was designed for all-around defence against simultaneous air attacks from multiple targets. The ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Skua

  The Skua is a high-speed aerial target in service with the South African National Defence Force since 1994.

• Trucks and utility vehicles - 6x6

  SAMIL 100

  The all-wheel-drive 6x6 SAMIL 100 is the largest member of the South African Military (SAMIL) truck series developed in the 1980s to meet the requirements ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  AML

  Panhard developed the 4x4 AML (Auto Mitrailleuse Légère) in 1956-1960 to meet a French Army requirement for a fast, long range light armoured car which carried ...

• Land: air defence radar

  RSR 320 – DBRXL

  The RSR 320 – DBRXL 3D ground-based dual-band radar is based on the ESR 220 Thutlwa local warning radar already in service with the South ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Ratel

  The Ratel Infantry Combat Vehicle (ICV) was developed to meet the specific operational requirements of the Apartheid-era South African military for a highly mobile, reliable ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Maatla 4x4

  Paramount's Maatla 4x4 is a Light Protected Vehicle (LPV) aimed at the African off-road armoured vehicle market. Announced at the African Aerospace and Defence Expo (AAD 2022) in ...