• Defence Notes

  Dillon Aerospace develops new gatling gun

  11th December 2018

  Dillon Aerospace is developing a new three-barrel, .50 calibre gatling gun, with the first prototype nearing completion, the company told Shephard. The 503D will be …

• Defence Helicopter

  Insight: Awards and delays dominate air power in 2018

  27th December 2018

  A number of key military contract awards and programme delays throughout 2018 showed that the air domain continues to move along a series of peaks …

• Land Warfare

  Insight: US continues to court Turkey over air defence

  4th January 2019

  Turkey kicks off 2019 facing a geopolitically defining issue with the choice between two air defence systems, one from Russia and one from the USA. …

• Military Logistics

  Germany orders Elefant 2 vehicles

  19th December 2018

  Rheinmetall has received a contract from the German Bundeswehr to supply its Elefant 2 heavy-duty semi-trailer tractors. The first of these unprotected transporters is scheduled …

• Naval Warfare

  Fairbanks Morse to power USCG OPC 2

  18th December 2018

  Fairbanks Morse has received a contract to deliver the main propulsion diesel engines (MPDE) for the US Coast Guard’s second Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC), USCGC Chase, …

• Land Warfare

  Turkey requests Patriot missile system

  24th December 2018

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale of Patriot MIM-104E guidance enhanced missiles (GEM-T) and PAC-3 missile segment …

• Digital Battlespace

  Silvus Technologies receives HDRLOS radios for RAN

  17th December 2018

  Silvus Technologies has received the first set of High Data Rate Line of Sight (HDRLOS) radios for the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN's) fleet of Anzac …

• Military Logistics

  AAR to produce 463L cargo pallets

  13th December 2018

  AAR Mobility Systems has received a task order worth $27.5 million from the US Air Force to produce 463L cargo pallets, the company announced on …

• Defence Helicopter

  KAI rolls out Light Armed Helicopter

  19th December 2018

  Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) rolled out the first prototype of the Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) at its Sacheon headquarters on 18 December, this being a …

• Special Operations

  NSW seeks canine support

  17th December 2018

  US Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC) is seeking to identify companies with the ability to provide “a full spectrum of Multi-Purpose Canine (MPC) Support Services.” …

• Naval Warfare

  USS Billings completes acceptance trials

  14th December 2018

  The US Navy’s Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), the future USS Billings, has successfully completed acceptance trials in the waters of Lake Michigan, Lockheed Martin …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UK Drone Dome acquisition takes shape

  29th November 2018

  The acquisition of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Drone Dome C-UAS solution could be finalised within months according to the UK MoD.  The capability is half way …

• Naval Warfare

  DDG 1002 launched at Bath Iron Works

  14th December 2018

  The US Navy’s third and final Zumwalt-class ship, the future USS Lyndon B Johnson (DDG 1002), has been launched at General Dynamics-Bath Iron Works shipyard. …

• Land Warfare

  Germany ready to accept improved Leopard 2s early in 2019

  19th December 2018

  The German military will begin 2019 by accepting the first two upgraded Leopard 2 A7V MBTs to undergo an integration verification procedure before fielding. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  AOC 2018: Radios in the spotlight at US Army’s evaluation

  21st November 2018

  As part of its exploration of a new integrated tactical network, the US Army demonstrated the capabilities of several new tactical radios during the recent …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Main battle tanks

  VT5 [Bangladesh]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh MoD issued an RfI for a new light tank and a related ARV in September 2017. This will be easier to ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  PMV (S) [India]

  Programme Background Requirement The PMV programme is aimed at improving the Indian Army's capability in manoeuvre warfare. Since the mid-2010s, The Indian Army has been seeking to modernise ...

• Main battle tanks

  VT5 [Bangladesh - Forecast]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh MoD issued an RfI for a new light tank and a related ARV in September 2017. This will be easier to ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  PMV (HA) [India]

  Programme Background Requirement India's PMV programme is aimed at improving the Indian Army's capability in manoeuvre warfare. Since the mid-2010s, The Indian Army has been seeking to modernise ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  B1 Centauro Replacement [Spain]

  Programme Background The Spanish Army entered the B1 Centauro into service between 2000 and 2006. Manufactured by the Italian Iveco and Oto Melara consortium CIO, the ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  High Mobility Reconnaissance Vehicle [India]

  Programme Background Aiming to boost mobility and enhance Recce and Command elements, the Indian Army is seeking 91 High Mobility Reconnaissance Vehicles (HMRV). Prioritising mobility and protection ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Mi-26T2 Halo [Russia]

  Programme Background The original Mi-26 was initially revealed to the West at the Paris airshow in June 1981. In terms of carrying capacity (weight and ...

• Main battle tanks

  Future Ready Combat Vehicle MBT (India)

  Programme Background At least three RfIs have been published for the FRCV requirement, but the programme has struggled to get off the ground. The FRCV ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  New Generation Light Armoured Vehicles - Wheeled [Türkiye - Batch I]

  Programme Background The NGLAV is an umbrella programme that will be composed of three phases and 2962 units of tracked and wheeled vehicles. Phase I ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  New Generation Light Armoured Vehicles - Wheeled [Türkiye - Future Orders]

  Programme Background The NGLAV is an umbrella programme that will be composed of three phases and 2962 units of tracked and wheeled vehicles. Phase I ...

• Frigates

  Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)

  Programme Background The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme was developed in 2003 as a cheap and fast way to increase the size of the fleet ...

• Frigates

  F125 (Baden-Württemberg Class)

  Programme Background The Baden Württemberg class (F125) frigates are in fact closer to the size of a destroyer than a traditional frigate, however, designed for ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Piranha I Replacement [Chile]

  Programme Background Chile has operated the Piranha I armoured vehicle platform for more than 40 years. During the early 1980s between 100 and 200 Piranha ...

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

  Akinci [UAE]

  Programme Background Surprise Delivery Baykar, in a statement of its 2024 achievements, stated that it had delivered two Akinci UAVs to the UAE, one in ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Future Infantry Combat Vehicle (India)

  Programme Background Requirement The Indian Army first identified its requirement for a new tracked IFV to replace the BMP-2 Sarath in 2009, but this initial ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• UAS: communication systems

  Helix Mesh Rider

  Helix Mesh Rider is a SWaP (Size, Weight and Power) optimised mesh radio designed for uncrewed systems. Notably, it supports six frequency bands in a ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  LiteHUD

  BAE Systems' LiteHUD is a low-profile head-up display compatible with various aircraft ranging from conventional turboprops to next-generation fighter jets. 

• Data links

  Missile Data Links

  The Missile Data Links developed by the Turkish defence manufacturer Meteksan Savunma Sanayi provide a permanent and secure communication channel between the missile launcher platform ...

• Data links, UAS: communication systems

  Tove RF Datalink

  The Tove RF Data Link is a lightweight Software Defined Radio (SDR) designed for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) and Unmanned Surface ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: surveillance radar, Air: UAS radar

  Osprey 30

  The Osprey 30, also known as the Osprey, is an airborne active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar optimised for low size, weight and power (SWAP) requirements. As a multi-mode ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  Ophir IR optics optimised for 10-12µm LWIR detectors

  Ophir, addressing the new market shift in the direction of 10-12μm detectors, is offering a wide collection of lenses, optimised to meet the needs of ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  NavStorm-M

  BAE Systems' NavStorm-M is a gun-hardened, integrated anti-jamming and Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for artillery rounds, bombs, missiles, and uncrewed systems. It was revealed ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems, Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  SI-8649A/PF PicoFlexor Transceiver

  The PicoFlexor Transceiver is a miniature tactical software-defined radio (SDR) platform manufactured by Leonardo DRS. It integrates a transmitter with a high-performance SIGINT superheterodyne receiver in ...

• UAS: communication systems

  TW-880 TSM Ghost

  Designed for uncrewed applications, TrellisWare TW-880 TSM Embedded Module provides communication in a small form factor. The transceiver provides simultaneous voice, data and PLI communication ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  CamSight

  CamSight is a family of lightweight, compact core cameras to be integrated into complex optronic systems equipping UAV, UGV, and UGS systems. The CamSight optronic modules ...

• EO/IR systems

  TASE250

  Launched in 2018, the TASE250, sometimes called the TASE350 LWIR, is a dual-axis fully stabilised gimbal incorporating a daylight and an IR camera. It is particularly suited ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: EO/IR – Jamming Systems, Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  CIRCM

  The Common Infrared Countermeasure (CIRCM) system is an infrared (IR) countermeasure designed to defeat IR-guided Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs).The system is manufactured by Northrop Grumman, and ...

• Weapon sights for night use (image intensifiers)

  Merlin

  Merlin SR, MR and LR inline sights are aimed at the assault rifle, sharpshooter rifle and sniper rifle end user. They provide different size/weight/performance trade-offs ...

• Data links, Land: Radio and SATCOM, UAS: communication systems

  QNT-200

  The Collins QNT-200 is a dual-channel software-defined radio (SDR) designed for size, weight and power-constrained platforms. Using IP-based mesh networks, it offers high-bandwidth mobile networking ...

• Air: UAS radar

  OKIS Automatic Take-off and Landing System

  The OKIS Automatic Take-off and Landing System by Turkish Meteksan Defence Inc. is a radar-based system designed for the automatic take-off and landing processes of ...