• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Weaponised Fire Scout on the horizon

  7th December 2017

  The newest iteration of the Northrop Grumman Fire Scout, the MQ-8C, will be transitioned into fleet operations at the end of 2018 according to the US …

• Land Warfare

  Kongsberg receives additional CROWS orders

  5th December 2017

  Kongsberg will deliver additional Protector Remote Weapon System Station (RWS) Low Profile CROWS configuration for the US Army’s M1A2 Abrams main battle tank, the company …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2017: 3D Perception delivers Northstar to Lockheed

  29th November 2017

  Projection display specialists, 3D Perception, has now delivered its Northstar visual display system to Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems and completed factory acceptance testing.The Northstar …

• Special Operations

  US Army outlines $1 billion in SOF training opportunities

  7th December 2017

  Last week’s I/ITSEC exhibition in Orlando, Florida, featured updates on training programmes across the armed services. As the US Army Project Manager for Instrumentation, Targets and Threat …

• Military Logistics

  New US Marine Corps anti-tank systems solve obsolescence issues

  5th December 2017

  The United States Marine Corps recently reached the Initial Operational Capability (IOC) milestone for its new Light Armored Vehicle – Anti Tank Modernization (LAV-ATM) programme. The LAV-AT …

• Training

  Singapore develops C2 tool for wargames

  7th December 2017

  The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) collaborated to develop a networked C2 system dedicated for Exercise Forging Sabre, a …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2017: TREX accelerates US DoD simulation and training effort

  28th November 2017

  In an effort to streamline its contracting activity the US Department of Defence (DoD) has contracted the non-profit organisation, National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL) to …

• Defence Notes

  South Korea boosts spending, ISR and retaliatory measures

  11th December 2017

  South Korea has created new units – including an ISR formation and a special forces decapitation brigade – in response to the threat from its …

• Training

  French Navy receives new simulators

  27th November 2017

  Naval Group has delivered Simdav visual defence simulators to the French Navy in Brest, the company announced on 22 November. Brest is the second base …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Indian military yearns for larger UAV inventory

  6th December 2017

  The Indian military’s desire for UAVs will soon be boosted with further RfPs. While the army is already processing an RfP for mini-UAVs, India is …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2017: French Navy receives custom designed simulators

  3rd December 2017

  Antycip Simulation and Naval Group have provided upgraded ship defence simulators to the French Navy after eighteen months of 3D content creation and a year …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed, Indra extend collaboration for F-110

  1st December 2017

  Lockheed Martin and Indra have signed an agreement that extends their collaboration in the development of an S-band AESA radar for the Spanish Navy’s F-110 …

• Land Warfare

  Nioa wins Aussie munitions contract

  29th November 2017

  Nioa has received a contract worth $95 million from the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) to supply munitions to the Australian military over the next …

• Defence Helicopter

  HForce to test Thales laser guided rockets

  27th November 2017

  Following on from successful ballistic development testing of its HForce weapon system on a H145M helicopter at Pápa Airbase in Hungary, Airbus Helicopters is to begin a similar operation …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Milipol Paris 2017: Aeraccess unveils new Hawkeye UAS

  28th November 2017

  French drone manufacturer Aeraccess unveiled its new Hawkeye man-packable micro UAS at the Milipol internal security fair near Paris. According to Shehzaad Callachand, general manager …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - mini

  U&C reconnaissance drones [US Army]

  Methodology PGO The programme has been assigned a PGO of 100%, as a contract has been awarded. Unit cost It has not been clarified what ...

• Corvettes

  Continental Defence Corvette [Canada]

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

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Alpha 900 [Uruguay]

  Background Acqustiion In October 2022, the Alpha 900 from Alpha Unmanned Systems was reportedly jointly purchased by the Uruguayan state energy company UTE and the ...

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, ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  SCATA Mk1

  The SCATA Mk1 is the first military vehicle developed by Finland's SCATA.