• Land Warfare

  Funding challenges confront main UK land programmes

  9th March 2020

  The British Army is facing a huge challenge as it modernises its armoured vehicle fleet in the next decade.  The UK National Audit Office's (NAO) …

• Defence Notes

  Industry at odds on Canada’s Future Fighter delay

  28th February 2020

  Two of the three industry competitors involved in Canada’s Future Fighter Capability Project (FFCP) have said they did not ask decision-makers for an RfP submission …

• Air Warfare

  RAF completes Exercise Red Flag

  14th February 2020

  The UK’s F-35 Lightning Force has concluded Exercise Red Flag at Nellis Air Force Base in the US.Royal Air Force 617 Squadron deployed F-35 jets …

• Land Warfare

  Russia puts tank fleet modernisation into a higher gear

  21st February 2020

  Russia intends to increase the proportion of modern MBTs and other armoured vehicles in its army’s inventory from 50% to 70% by 2027, according to …

• Defence Helicopter

  Clean bill of health offers springboard for Defiant’s FLRAA fight

  20th February 2020

  The SB>1 Defiant Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) is moving towards increased speed flight tests, having overcome a gearbox joint ‘bearing creep’ issue that was …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IAI adds ASW capability to the maritime Heron (sponsored)

  27th February 2020

  This article is brought to you by IAI. Addressing the increasing role of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in maritime operations, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has …

• Naval Warfare

  MoD fiscal black hole continues to threaten equipment plans

  27th February 2020

  With the ink still drying on the UK MoD’s newly released Defence Equipment Plan, the National Audit Office’s (NAO’s) stinging analysis of the MoD’s financial …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Saab Double Eagle SAROV for Polish Navy

  11th February 2020

  Saab will supply Double Eagle SAROV systems for the Polish Navy’s Kormoran II class mine countermeasure (MCM) minehunter vessels, the company announced on 10 February. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Four H160s for French Navy

  10th February 2020

  The French Navy is to operate the H160 helicopter for search and rescue missions, Airbus Helicopters announced on 10 February. The helicopters will be delivered …

• Land Warfare

  French MoD announces digital innovations for the army

  24th February 2020

  France is increasing its efforts to simplify and optimise infantry operations by improving the routine use of network technology.  In early February, the French Ministry …

• Training

  Rockwell Collins awarded E-2D HITS work

  4th February 2020

  Rockwell Collins Simulation and Training Solutions has received a modification to an existing contract from US Naval Air Warfare Training Systems Division. The $20.3 million …

• Land Warfare

  US Army seeks to raise OMFV from the grave

  10th February 2020

  Three weeks after summarily terminating the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) prototype project that drew only one bid, the US Army has unveiled a new …

• Land Warfare

  Australia selects Spike LR2​ missile system

  5th February 2020

  The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has selected the Rafael Spike LR2 missile system as its new Long Range Direct Fire Support Weapon capability. To be …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MCA investigating UAS to support SAR missions

  7th February 2020

  A new project has been announced by the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) to boost search and rescue (SAR) capabilities. The project will investigate …

• Digital Battlespace

  Singapore Airshow 2020: Orion first to join the ‘bandwagon’

  13th February 2020

  TRD debuted the Orion-H+ at Singapore Airshow 2020, as the latest addition to its range of lightweight C-UAS systems. Orion-H+ has been in development since …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  San Antonio LPD 17 Flight I [USN]

  The LPD 17 Flight I ships are the first flight of the San Antonio-class Landing Platform Docks (LPD). Procured between FY1996 and FY2017, the vessels ...

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

  Wing Loong I [Eygpt]

  Programme Background SIPRI According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), in 2016, Eygpt ordered around 10 Wing Loong I aircraft from China, which were ...

• Main battle tanks

  Arjun Mark-II

  Programme Background While original plans envisioned the production of up to 250 Arjun Mk IIs, the programme's many delays have prompted the Indian Army to ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (13-22) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B Batch-II ...

• Main battle tanks

  Al-Khalid-I

  Programme Background Pakistan operates a vast fleet of Chinese and Ukrainian MBTs primarily aimed at deterring regional rivals such as India. In order to build ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (9-12) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B Batch-II ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (1-4) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B Batch-II fast attack ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (5-8) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW 212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Fast Interceptor Craft - Indigenous (FIC-I) (1-120) [India]

  Programme Background Requirements The craft are required to have a length of 13-17m, a sustained speed of 45kt, a range of at least 200nm at 15kt, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (Japan)

  Programme Background Selection & Contract AwardIn 2015, Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft were selected by Japan to ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Light Forces Enhancement [Canada]

  Programme Background The LFE programme was first launched in 2020 with the intention of providing the Canadian army with new light mobility platforms that could ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  KSS-III (Boats 1-3) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Timeline The new KSS-III Dosan Ahn Chang-Ho-class submarines for the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) are a significant advance on the earlier KSS-II ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  New Exploration and Escort Helicopter (NEES) (Phase II) [Italy]

  Programme Background Phase I In 2017, the Italian government signed a contract with Leonardo to replace its fleet of AW129 Mangusta attack helicopters with the ...

• Main battle tanks

  Al-Khalid-II

  Programme Background Pakistan operates a vast fleet of Chinese and Ukrainian MBTs primarily aimed at deterring regional rivals such as India. In order to build ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) (Phase II) [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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Subsystems: software

  SWORD

  The SWORD is a high-level, automated war-game solution for training, analysis and planning. Developed in close relation with armies worldwide, the SWORD immerses brigade and ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  TAOS

  In Tactical Aircraft Online Services (TAOS), live Aero L-29 jets are flown by experienced combat pilots alongside a wingman flying a ground-based flight simulator, controlled ...

• Land: fire support simulators

  FIDex

  Fidelity has merged the technology of its JTAC and IDF product lines. It released FIDex (Fidelity Extreme) at I/ITSEC 2011 with its first demo of ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators, Land: tactical engagement simulators

  VBS Blue IG

  At I/ITSEC 2017, Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim) unveiled a new simulation technology to help international militaries train for operations. VBS Blue IG, an upgrade from the ...

• Subsystems: visual

  EP-8100

  At I/ITSEC 2015, Collins Aerospace (formerly Rockwell Collins) unveiled its EP-8100 image generation system, which is driven by real-time, simulation-specific graphics cards and software. It ...

• Subsystems: visual

  WholeEarth Synthetic Environment

  Rockwell Collins unveiled its enhanced synthetic training environment, WholeEarth, at I/ITSEC 2015 and the official release occurred in May 2016. The high-resolution complete Earth database ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  ULV MicroVSAT

  Ultra I&C;'s ULV MicroVSAT is a tri-band, lightweight SATCOM terminal that emphasises portability. First introduced in 2022, the modem-agnostic system supports WGS, Intelsat Flex, Inmarsat GX ...

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

  ELM-2022

  The ELM-2022, developed by IAI ELTA, is a maritime patrol radar family operating in the X-band designed for manned and unmanned, fixed- or rotary-wing airborne platforms. It is engineered for ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Cockerill i-X

  The Cockerill i-X is a wheeled armoured vehicle designed as a light armoured platform with a modular turret for intercepting enemy forces. John Cockerill Defense unveiled the new ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  ALTIUS-600 / ALTIUS-600M

  Part of the ALTIUS family, the ALTIUS-600 is an air-launched, tube-integrated UAV that Area-I has designed to conduct ISR, SIGINT collection and electronic warfare missions.  At AUSA 2022, Anduril ...

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

  Wing Loong I

  Designed by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, the Wing Loong I is the first member of the ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Skylark I-LEX

  The Skylark I-LEX is a mini-UAV manufactured by Elbit Systems.  Unveiled at the Paris Air Show 2015, the UAV is designed for ISR operations. It enables ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  Pinaka

  The Pinaka 214mm MRL was developed indigenously by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) from 1986 to meet the Indian Army's requirement for an ...

• Land: air defence radar

  MSSR-2000-I

  The MSSR 2000 I is a monopulse secondary surveillance radar system manufactured by Hensoldt. It is designed for military air surveillance applications and is capable ...

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

  Anka-I

  Anka-I is a SIGINT/COMINT variant of Turkey’s Anka-S and is operated by Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization. The COMINT capability allows operators to track, geolocate and ...