• Naval Warfare

  USS Ronald Reagan enters sea trials

  15th May 2018

  The US Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan, has departed Yokosuka, Japan, for sea trials after successful completion of a two-day fast cruise, the …

• Defence Notes

  MDA hopeful of missile defence investment boost

  18th April 2018

  The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is hoping for additional dollars to bolster directed energy and hypersonic weapons development, as well as space-based sensors to detect …

• Land Warfare

  USMC to field Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle

  11th May 2018

  The US Marine Corps (USMC) is adopting the Mk13 Mod 7 as its primary sniper rifle, the USMC announced on 9 May. The bolt-action rifle …

• Military Logistics

  Epsilor charger selected for Canada's ISS programme

  7th May 2018

  Arotech's Epsilor-Electric Fuel has been selected by the Canadian Department of National Defense to develop and provide a charger to meet the operational and technical …

• Special Operations

  SOFEX 2018: Hawkeye catches militaries attention

  11th May 2018

  AM General displayed its HMMWV Hawkeye 105mm mobile weapons solution at SOFEX 2018, a solution which has gathered both domestic US and international interest. In …

• Naval Warfare

  South Korea launches second LPH

  16th May 2018

  Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC) ceremonially launched a landing platform helicopter (LPH) – the second Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship – in Busan on 14 …

• Defence Helicopter

  BAE to demonstrate optical seeker for DARPA

  9th May 2018

  BAE Systems has received a $13.1 million contract from DARPA to demonstrate a new optical seeker for precision-guided munitions, the company announced on 7 May. …

• Naval Warfare

  Azerbaijan Border Guard receives a boost with new OPV

  13th May 2018

  Azerbaijan's coast guard (known as Sahil Mühafizəsinin), part of the country's Border Guard Service or Dövlət Sərhəd Xidmətinin (DSX), has launched its fifth locally built …

• Training

  Global air forces to integrate training for fifth gen aircraft

  27th April 2018

  Increasing numbers of air forces are looking towards integrating live, virtual and constructive domains in an effort to re-balance their training to accommodate fifth-generation aircraft …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: VT MAK updates its software suite

  9th May 2018

  Software integration specialists, VT MAK, has just unveiled the latest releases of its flagship software products, VR-Forces, VR-Vantage and VR-Engage to coincide with ITEC 2018. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IDEB 2018: Slovakian Army considers indigenous UGV

  18th May 2018

  Compel Industries has showcased the third prototype of its UGV-150 platform at IDEB 2018 after completing tests with the Slovakian Army. The Slovakian-built UGV, on …

• Land Warfare

  SOFEX 2018: Pakistan pushes products in the Middle East

  9th May 2018

  The Defence Export Promotion Organisation (DEPO) of Pakistan is attempting to make inroads to the export market with the first appearance of a Pakistan pavilion …

• Land Warfare

  IDEB 2018: Slovakia 8x8 IFV contract imminent

  17th May 2018

  The Slovakian Ministry of Defence is expected to award Patria with a contract for the production and delivery of a new variant of the company's 8x8 …

• Special Operations

  SOFEX 2018: Oshkosh touts S-ATV to international market

  9th May 2018

  Having tested its Special Purpose All Terrain Vehicle (S-ATV) in an unnamed Middle Eastern country, Oshkosh is now showcasing the vehicle to the international market …

• Land Warfare

  SOFEX 2018: Workhorse of the German Army rehomed in Jordan

  9th May 2018

  With the ex-German Army Marder 1A3s now making a home in Jordan, Rheinmetall says it has plenty of stock left of the IFV for other …

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 ...