• Defence Notes

  Congress poised to pass 2019 defence bill

  14th September 2018

  US House and Senate conferees emerged from behind closed doors with a compromise to fund the Pentagon with $674.4 billion next year, while padding missile …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2018: General Dynamics swoops in with 50mm-equipped Griffin

  8th October 2018

  General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) has unveiled its new Griffin III technology demonstrator, which the company is hoping will help the US Army inform future …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUSA 2018: Nikola will deliver Reckless UGV this year

  9th October 2018

  American hybrid truck design company, Nikola, has revealed details of the ongoing conversion of its manned Reckless electric 4x4 vehicle into a UGV integrated with …

• Military Logistics

  GTS to support US Army CERDEC

  17th September 2018

  General Technical Services (GTS) has received a $67 million contract to provide soldier tactical/expeditionary power and energy generation services in support of the US Army …

• Military Logistics

  Saab to support South Korea's Arthur systems

  26th September 2018

  Saab has signed a performance based logistics (PBL) contract with South Korea’s Defence Acquisition Program Administration to support its Arthur weapon locating systems, the company …

• Training

  Aerial targets: A mark of improvement

  27th September 2018

  The USAF has for decades used full-scale aerial targets as platforms for training or to test and validate various air- and ground-based weapon systems. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  De-risking phase for Tiger upgrade launched

  1st October 2018

  OCCAR-EA has awarded two contracts to a consortium consisting of Airbus Helicopters, Thales and MBDA for de-risk work for the planned mid-life upgrade of current …

• Naval Warfare

  New naval vessel concepts appear in Taiwan

  2nd October 2018

  New designs appeared at the Kaohsiung International Maritime and Defense Expo from 27-30 September, including a multipurpose frigate cooperatively designed by the National Chung-Shan Institute …

• Land Warfare

  Egypt requests 120mm tank rounds

  20th September 2018

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale of M831A1 rounds, M865 rounds and Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilised Discarding Sabot with …

• Training

  Exercise Ample Strike concludes in Czech Republic

  19th September 2018

  An international flavour provided added spice to the recently concluded Exercise Ample Strike 2018, which ran from 3-14 September, with personnel from 19 NATO and Partnership …

• Special Operations

  Australia seeks new special operations helicopter

  5th October 2018

  The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has initiated a program to procure a fleet of light attack military rotary-wing aircraft to support force components from …

• Defence Notes

  ADAS 2018: Rafael solutions for ground and air

  27th September 2018

  While air defence is critical for any nation, the Philippines currently has no ground-based missile system. However, at ADAS, Rafael is highlighting its Air Defence …

• Naval Warfare

  UK requests Phalanx upgrade kits

  25th September 2018

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale of MK 15 Phalanx upgrade kits to the UK, the Defense …

• Land Warfare

  AAD 2018: Rand advancing armoured plate technology

  20th September 2018

  South Africa-based Rand Armour is advancing its armoured plate technology to incorporate liquid composite capabilities within its protective systems for military and security users. Rodney Anderson, …

• Land Warfare

  Land Forces 2018: EOS launches lightweight RWS

  4th September 2018

  Australian company EOS launched its new lightweight R150 RWS on opening day at Land Forces 2018 in Adelaide, with production expected to commence before the …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• OPVs

  Continental Defence Corvette [Canada]

  Programme Background Requirements Under the second pillar of its shipbuilding strategy, Canada is seeking to procure an undisclosed number of small vessels (below 1000t). Part ...

• Main battle tanks

  NGCV: DLP

  Programme Background Requirement The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in ...

• Destroyers

  Next-Generation Large Surface Combatants (LSC) - DDG(X) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) is acknowledging a need to move away from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer design, which is slowly outgrowing. Flight III ...

• Destroyers

  Type 83 Future Air Defence System (FADS) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirements The Daring-class (Type 45) consists of six ships, although the original plan was to have 12 destroyers. This was cut to eight in ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Multi-Role Strike Ship (MRSS) Programme [UK]

  Programme Background Requirements According to the UK MoD's March 2021 Defence Command Paper, entitled 'Defence in a Competitive Age', the RN will invest in six ...

• Frigates

  European Combat Vessel [Spain]

  Programme Background Requirements The European Combat Vessel (ECV) is currently a conceptual project that seeks to design a European collaborative multi-mission, modular warship. As of ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Data links

  Data links | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [Germany]

  Programme Background Germany originally said it would but 60 A400Ms, but when the program was re-baselined in 2010 reduced its planed off take to 53, ...

• Destroyers

  Sejong the Great Class (KDX-III) Batch 2 (1-3) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirements The Sejong the Great class (KDX-III) Batch 2 will consist of three improved Sejong the Great-class (KDX-III) batch 1 guided-missile destroyers, which ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Landing Platform Docks [India]

  Programme Background Requirements The LPD tender, although more akin to an LHD, specifies that the quartet of ships must be built within India, although collaboration ...

• Medium UGVs

  Mission Master (RPV Sprial 2) [UK]

  Programme Background First announced in April 2017 and referred to in early MOD documents as the ‘last mile resupply’ initiative, the British Army is reportedly ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Fractl:2

  Fractl:2, developed and manufactured by AIM Defence, is an Australian laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). The high-powered portable system is Australia's first acquisition of a directed ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Apollo

  Apollo is a High-Energy Laser Weapon System manufactured by Electro Optic Systems (EOS). Apollo's laser utilises directed energy to disable or destroy aerial targets without ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  DIAL

  The Laser Weapon Instrumental Demonstrator (DIAL), in joint development with Indra and Escribano Mechanical Engineering, is a Spanish laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). The system ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Minotaur

  Minotaur, developed by Soukos Robots, is a Greek laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). Minotaur is an anti-drone platform with the ability to shoot down unmanned ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Italian LDEW (Leonardo/MBDA)

  As announced in December 2024, Leonardo and MBDA are collaborating to produce a Fire Unit Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) for the Italian Navy. The ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons, Self-propelled guns, Self-propelled missile systems

  SkyRanger 30

  SkyRanger 30 is a mobile ground-based air defence (GBAD) laser directed energy weapon (LDEW) system designed by Rheinmetall. The system comprises automatic cannons, guided missiles, and a ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  CROSSBOW MINI

  CROSSBOW MINI, developed by IPG Photonics, is a laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW). The LDEW has multiple deployable configurations and is a part of the manufacturers ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Archimedes

  Archimedes, developed by Aurelius Systems, is a laser-directed energy weapon designed to stop drones at scale. The system is still in development, though Aurelius received ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  ALKA-KAPLAN

  ALKA-KAPLAN is a collaborative effort between Turkish manufacturers ROKETSAN and FNSS. The system is a mobile armoured anti-drone system, which integrates the ALKA directed energy-weapon ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  German LDEW (Rheinmetall/MBDA)

  Rheinmetall and MBDA Germany's collaborative work on laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW) technology has resulted in a German laser weapon system that is close to being ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Guorong-1 Anti Drone System

  Guorong-1 is an anti-drone system developed by China. The system is jointly developed by the Chinese Electronics Technology Group (CETG), Guorong Technology, and the Chinese public ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  DroneDefender

  DroneDefender is a directed-energy UAS countermeasure that disrupts the adversary's control of the aircraft, neutralising it so that no remote action (including detonation) can occur, ...

• Destroyers

  Flight III Destroyer

  During Indo Pacific 2023, Navantia Australia unveiled a 10200t destroyer design. Dubbed as Flight III Destroyer, the Spanish shipbuilder is pitching the ship for the ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  MEHEL 2.0

  The Mobile Expeditionary High-Energy Laser (MEHEL) is a C-UAS-capable vehicle that employs directed energy to neutralise targets. MEHEL 2.0 was first seen at AUSA 2016, ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Kaplan Hybrid Carrier Platform

  Unveiled at IDEF 2025, the Kaplan Hybrid Carrier Platform (HCP) is a tracked vehicle with a hybrid propulsion system manufactured by FNSS. It is designed ...