• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Anka on path to commercial market

  26th June 2017

  While Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) showcased the weaponised version of its Anka UAV at the Paris Air Show the company said that it is also …

• Digital Battlespace

  Rheinmetall awarded IdZ-ES soldier systems contract

  3rd July 2017

  Rheinmetall has received a contract with a gross value of $420 million from the German armed forces (Bundeswehr) to supply Future Soldier Expanded System (IdZ-ES) to …

• Land Warfare

  Spain finally nears Pizarro conclusion

  30th June 2017

  The Spanish Army expects to begin qualification trials of its new Pizarro armoured engineering vehicle (AEV) by February 2019, with deliveries of all platforms likely …

• Land Warfare

  Orbital ATK demos MK44 Bushmaster Chain Gun

  30th June 2017

  Orbital ATK has successfully demonstrated its MK44 Bushmaster Chain Gun by firing a variety of both 30mm and 40mm ammunition during the company’s Bushmaster User …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Chinese Rainbow goes stratospheric

  15th June 2017

  China's first solar-powered Caihong (Rainbow) UAS successfully flew at an altitude of 20,000m on 13 June, an altitude that is well within the stratosphere, the country’s …

• Land Warfare

  Belgium aligns to France’s ‘Scorpion’ programme

  26th June 2017

  The Belgium government has approved plans that will see the country’s land forces recapitalise its armoured vehicle fleet through closer cooperation with France, in a …

• Digital Battlespace

  Orbital ATK tests ShotFinder on fixed-wing aircraft

  27th June 2017

  Orbital ATK has successfully tested the ShotFinder Acoustic Hostile-Fire Indication System on a fixed-wing aircraft, the company announced on 21 June. Testing on a Cessna …

• Land Warfare

  South Korea set to produce EVO-105

  30th June 2017

  South Korea will begin production of the EVO-105 truck-mounted howitzer next year, the country’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on 28 June. An upgraded …

• Defence Notes

  Raytheon makes out like a bandit in Taiwan

  3rd July 2017

  There was nothing new in the first arms package released by the Trump administration that Taiwan did not already have in its inventory, beyond some …

• Digital Battlespace

  ViaSat datalink for LRASM

  19th June 2017

  ViaSat has received a follow-on contract from Lockheed Martin to provide datalink communications for the integration and test phase of the US Navy's Long Range …

• Special Operations

  Sniper evolution behind record shot

  30th June 2017

  Canadian snipers have gained a world-leading reputation and now account for three of the top five world record shots following news of their latest feat. …

• Defence Notes

  Rejoice, but bad news awaits for Type 26?

  3rd July 2017

  Seemingly timing the release to coincide with the Sunday papers, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 2 July that it had awarded BAE …

• Defence Notes

  Paris Air Show: Kenya close to ‘Longsword’ contract

  23rd June 2017

  L3 Technologies expects to receive a contract to supply 12 new AT-802L ‘Longsword’ light-attack aircraft to Kenya later this year, after an FMS case was …

• Naval Warfare

  Piracy threat off West Africa remains

  27th June 2017

  Anti-piracy watchdog Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP) released its annual report on the state of global maritime security recently, highlighting trends in pirate activities around the …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy tests SM-6 Blk IA

  22nd June 2017

  The US Navy has carried out testing of the Standard Missile-6 Block IA (SM-6 Blk IA) at the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, the …

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.