• Defence Helicopter

  India turns to leasing companies to plug military helicopter gaps

  27th July 2023

  India's MoD is inviting proposals for leasing 20 reconnaissance and surveillance helicopters for the Indian Army. Vendors are cautious due to a past unfulfilled naval RfI, but leasing offers new opportunities for defence acquisition.

• Air Warfare

  New material could be used for hypersonic missile radomes, MBDA

  18th July 2023

  European missile-maker MBDA has developed a new ceramic material called Nimas B1, which is highly resistant and suitable for radomes used in hypersonic and supersonic missiles.

• Land Warfare

  Indian Army relaunches search for self-propelled air defence systems

  12th July 2023

  The war in Ukraine has underlined the need for mobile air defence. Unfortunately, India is making little progress in its own efforts so far.

• Digital Battlespace

  Aselsan to exhibit YILDIRIM-100 DIRCM for helicopters at IDEF 2023

  24th July 2023

  Aselsan has unveiled a new Directional Infrared Counter Measures (DIRCM) system, the YILDIRIM-100.

• Training

  Exercise Talisman Sabre 2023 was all about countering China (Opinion)

  16th August 2023

  The recently concluded Talisman Sabre exercise in Australia, the largest ever in the series, was conducted with the threat of an aggressive China and PLA uppermost in mind.

• Air Warfare

  Why Israel is adding unique new capabilities to its F-35 combat aircraft fleet

  18th May 2023

  Israel has recently tested a number of unique new capabilities for its F-35 fleet, including an extended-range fuel capacity and a precision penetration bomb that can be carried internally by the aircraft.

• Air Warfare

  US Army increases scope of Soldier Borne Sensor programme to acquire Black Hornet 3 UAS, budget documents reveal

  19th April 2023

  FLIR Unmanned Aerial Systems has been awarded a $93.89 million contract for its Black Hornet 3 nano-drone as part of the US Army's Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) programme. The contract and the latest US Army budget estimate have highlighted several changes in the SBS programme.

• Land Warfare

  Inflation hits US Army modernisation plans

  26th April 2023

  As the increase in the branch’s budget proposal did not cover the inflation rates, the army is losing its spending power, impacting its acquisition and development programmes.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Navy embarks on assessment phase to arm Type 31 frigates with Mk 41 VLS

  18th May 2023

  This week, the UK Royal Navy confirmed that it intends to equip the future Type 31 frigates with the Mk41 VLS.

• Land Warfare

  Poland's HOMAR-K MLRS completes mobility trials as deliveries near

  4th August 2023

  The HOMAR-K, a Polish version of Hanwha's K239 Chunmoo MLRS, successfully completed its mobility tests at a state-run proving ground in South Korea in late July.

• Land Warfare

  India's Ashok Leyland wins $97.5 million deal for trucks

  17th July 2023

  Ashok Leyland, the largest logistics vehicle supplier to the Indian Army, has won significant defence contracts worth INR800 crore for the Field Artillery Tractor (FAT 4x4) and Gun Towing Vehicle (GTV 6x6).

• Naval Warfare

  India gifts missile corvette to Vietnam amidst deepening ties

  17th July 2023

  Cementing the two countries' defence partnership, India has donated a second-hand warship to Vietnam.

• Air Warfare

  MQ-28 Ghost Bat ‘could fit the bill’ for UK's Loyal Wingman capability needs, says Boeing

  26th May 2023

  The affordability of the MQ-28A Ghost Bat will play a crucial role in determining its suitability for the UK's defence needs. With studies under way to determine the affordability threshold, discussions also focus on the contribution this capability could make to the domestic industrial base.

• Land Warfare

  Hanwha's Redback selected as preferred solution for Land 400 Phase 3 IFV

  27th July 2023

  Hanwha Defense Australia has been chosen as the preferred bidder for the Land 400 Phase 3 programme, providing 129 Redback IFVs to the Australian Army. The vehicles will be delivered at an accelerated rate with the first in 2027 and last expected before the end of 2028.

• Defence Notes

  US Congress warns: Pentagon's capabilities may not be ready to face future threats

  5th April 2023

  Legislators warn that the DoD has not been funding the right equipment and technology to succeed in tomorrow’s warfare.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - micro

  Black Hornet 3 (Ukraine Aid) [UK & Norway]

  Programme Background Russo-Ukraine War Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, UAVs have proved vital to the country's defence. Consequently, as in this programme, the ...

• Military UAS - micro

  FPV Drones (Ukraine Aid) [Netherlands]

  Background Statement of Intent On 14 June 2024, the Deputy Minister for Strategic Industries Serhiy Boyev, Minister of Defence of Ukraine Rustem Umerov and the Minister of ...

• Military UAS - mini

  ISR Drones (Second Batch) (Ukraine Aid) [Netherlands]

  Programme Background First Batch On 20 March 2024, Kajsa Ollongren, Minister of Defence of the Netherlands, announced that, following a 19 March Ukraine Defense Contact ...

• Military UAS - mini

  UAVs (Ukraine Aid) [Norway]

  Background September 2024 On 3 September 2024, the Norwegian government announced that “Ukraine will get more drones donated to their frontline, and more air defence ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  GA-ASI Drone [Ukraine]

  Programme Background MQ-9A Reaper - April 2022 On 13 April 2022, Forbes reported that Ukraine was talking with GA-ASI to acquire the MQ-9A Reaper. Ukrainian officials ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Vector / Scorpion (Contracted) [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Previous Orders & Donations On 29 March 2022, the US Embassy in Warsaw announced that Quantum Systems had donated an unknown quantity of ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 300 (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (16 March 2022 & 13 April 2022) On 16 March 2022, President Biden announced $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine through ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 600 (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background $300 Million USAI (1 April 2022) On 1 April 2022, the US DoD announced a $300 million military aid package for Ukraine following ...

• Loitering munitions

  One-Way Attack Drones (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Programme Background 2024/2025 Military Aid Package On 12 January 2024, the UK government announced it would provide Ukraine with £2.5 billion ($3.2 billion) in military ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  CV90 [Sweden]

  Programme Background As the domestic manufacturer and original operator of the CV90 IFV, Sweden has had a continuous fleet of CV90s in service since the ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) (Phase I) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) provides short-range day and night ISR to US Army units at the squad, platoon and other small ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  HIMARS [Sweden]

  Programme Background Following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sweden began a process of military modernisation, in line with trends across much of Europe.  The ...

• Military UAS - small

  Puma 3 AE (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Military Aid - $300 Million On 1 April 2022, the US DoD announced a $300 million military aid package for Ukraine to "bolster Urkaine's capacity ...

• Military UAS - micro

  5,000 Latvian UAVs (Ukraine Aid) [Latvia]

  Background Ukrainian Defence Contact Group (UDCG) In January 2024, the Ukrainian Defence Contact Group (UDCG), a multi-nation organisation that coordinates military aid for Ukraine, established a drone ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Larger UAVs [Estonia]

  Background 2026-2029 Defence Investment On 30 July 2025, the Republic of Estonia’s Minister of Defence, Hanno Pevkur, announced the approval of a development plan allocating more ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Akash-NG missile

  The Akash-NG (New Generation) missile is an advanced surface-to-air missile system developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to enhance the country's air ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  Ophir 26-105mm f/1.6 LWIR continuous zoom

  Ophir's plethora of IR optics includes a wide range of long-range zoom lenses for every application. Ophir's budget range has been extended to include a ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Vespa-15

  The Vespa-15 is a first-person view (FPV) rotary-wing UAV manufactured by a Ukrainian company.  In May 2025, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Ukraine announced it ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Black Hornet 3

  The Black Hornet 3 is the next generation of the PD-100 Black Hornet, the world’s smallest nano-UAS. This new model of the Black Hornet provides ...

• Military UAS - small

  Kazhan

  The E620 Kazhan is a Ukrainian-made rotary-wing attack drone. It is available in hexacopter and quadcopter configurations and can drop 60mm, 82mm, and 120mm mortar shells. ...

• Unguided Tank Ammunition

  DM73

  The 120mm × 570 armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot (APFSDS) DM73 is a kinetic-energy (KE) round with an enhanced propulsion unit. It is produced by Rheinmetall ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Cetus Lite

  The Cetus Lite is a fixed-wing UAV from Abris Design Group. The company describes the aircraft as a mobile system that is hand-launched. It is ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Cetus Plus

  The Cetus Plus is a fixed-wing UAV from Abris Design Group.  The manufacturer describes it as a universal UAV designed to perform various tasks like photo ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Beetle

  The Beetle is a rotary-wing octocopter from Abris Design Group. According to the manufacturer, the UAV provides photo and video ISTAR and signal relay for first-person ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Linza 3.0

  The Linza 3.0 is a rotary-wing UAV from Quantum Frontline Industries (QFI), a German-Ukrainian joint venture from Quantum Systems and Frontline Robotics. The UAV was first delivered ...

• Loitering munitions

  Anubis

  The Anubis is a medium-range loitering munition designed to destroy enemy equipment and strategic targets. Designed and produced by Airlogix, the Auterion Airlogix Joint Venture ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  CB90

  Combatboat (Stridsbåt) 90 (CB90) is a class of small, rapid attack boats designed for raiding and inshore/nearshore coastal protection operations or deploying up to 20 ...

• EO/IR systems

  USG-212

  Described as a plug-and-play turnkey solution, the USG-212 is an EO/IR camera gimbal from Ukrspecsystems. It appears to be out of production. The gimbal has ...

• Main battle tanks

  Type 10

  Mitsubishi developed the 120mm-armed Type 10 MBT to meet the requirements of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) and publicly revealed a prototype in February 2008. ...

• Military UAS - small

  P550

  Designed by AeroVironment, the P550 is a fixed-wing UAV that can host reconnaissance, EW or offensive payloads. In an April 2024 statement, AeroVironment stated that ...