• Defence Notes

  Norway declares IOC for F-35A

  7th November 2019

  The Royal Norwegian Air Force’s fleet of Lockheed Martin F-35As has achieved initial operational capability (IOC), becoming the third European country to declare the milestone …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing awarded Apache support

  1st November 2019

  Boeing has received a $62.2 million contract modification for performance-based logistics support for the AH-64D/E Apache attack helicopter. The contract, awarded by the US Army …

• Digital Battlespace

  AOC 2019: Capability Set 21 on course as thoughts turn to the Cloud

  23rd October 2019

  Senior leaders from the US Army highlighted their aspirations to further modernise the tactical command, control and communications of force components at an industry event …

• Digital Battlespace

  AOC 2019: New tools for US Army’s electromagnetic overhaul

  25th October 2019

  It is one year since the US Army performed its first electronic attack on European soil since the end of the Cold War, with the …

• Land Warfare

  Leopard 2A7V deliveries begin

  30th October 2019

  Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) has marked the beginning of deliveries to Denmark and Germany of the latest version of the Leopard 2 main battle tank. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus still hungry for FVL business

  5th November 2019

  Despite missing out on the US Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) programme, Airbus remains open to playing a role in FVL programmes and would consider …

• Land Warfare

  Finnish Leopard 2A6 fleet complete

  29th October 2019

  The Finnish Defence Forces received its final Leopard 2A6 main battle tanks (MBT) from the Netherlands on 25 October. Finland ordered 100 used surplus Leopard …

• Defence Helicopter

  Long game on horizon for H160M export customers

  4th November 2019

  Deliveries of the in-development Airbus H160M medium aircraft will not be available to export customers any sooner than 2026, as the manufacturer first concentrates on …

• Land Warfare

  Malaysia seeks new small arms

  21st October 2019

  Malaysia’s MoD issued five tenders for infantry support weapons for the Malaysian Army on 15 October. These tenders are restricted to Malaysian-registered companies. The first …

• Land Warfare

  Latvia relaunches tactical vehicle procurement

  25th October 2019

  The Latvian Ministry of Defence (MoD) is making another attempt to procure a fleet of tactical vehicles. This comes after the previous competition, which saw the …

• Digital Battlespace

  AOC 2019: Backpack EW systems on show

  30th October 2019

  With distributed capabilities a watch-word among the US military in recent months, a number of companies are looking at ways to miniaturise COMINT and SIGINT …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman awarded AN/AAQ-24 work

  24th October 2019

  Northrop Grumman has been awarded a delivery order for engineering support for the integration of the AN/AAQ-24 on multiple US Army aircraft. The engineering effort …

• Military Logistics

  ADEX 2019: Kia hinges success on new trucks for ROK Army

  18th October 2019

  South Korean automotive company Kia Motors is competing in two tenders for new 2.5t and 5t trucks for the Republic of Korea Army (ROKA), and …

• Digital Battlespace

  LEO to provide ‘game changing’ capability

  7th November 2019

  Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technology is set to provide a ‘game-changing’ capability for armed forces demanding flexible and cost-effective connectivity almost anywhere in the …

• Digital Battlespace

  AUSA 2019: US Army selects Raytheon for LTAMDS

  18th October 2019

  Raytheon has been selected to supply the US Army with its next generation Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) under a $384 million …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  J-10 [China]

  Programme Background The aircraft performed its maiden flight in 1998 and entered service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) in 2004. According to ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Data links

  Data links | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Corvettes

  Jiangdao Class (Type 056)

  Programme Background The Type 056 corvette is referred to by the Chinese as the new-generation light guided-missile frigates. They have been built for the People's Liberation ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | S26T (2-3) [Thailand]

  The Royal Thai Navy were in the process of acquiring up to three new submarines derived from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Yuan-class (Type ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | S26T (2-3) [Thailand]

  The Royal Thai Navy were in the process of acquiring up to three new submarines derived from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Yuan-class (Type ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Rapid Minelayers Procurement (1-4) [Taiwan]

  Development and Procurement Four new rapid minelayers are being built for the Taiwanese Navy in a bid to counter the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Rapid Minelayers Procurement (5-10) [Taiwan]

  Programme Background Requirements The revelation of a Chinese bridge-barge landing system for amphibious operations, designed for a Taiwan invasion, has underscored the need for Taipei ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Kalyani M4 (India)

  Programme Background In the wake of border clashes with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 2020, the Indian Army has accelerated several of its ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Taiwan]

  Programme Background The Black Hawks are intended to defend against potential threats from China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), as they possess rapid response capability in ...

• Frigates

  Jiangkai II Class (Type 054A)

  Built by Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard and Huangpu shipyards the frigates were first seen being constructed from 2005. The class is referred to as the workhorses of China's ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  VP1/Type 89 (Nigeria)

  Programme Background The Nigerian Army has an ongoing need for new armoured vehicles to replace losses incurred in its conflict with extremist organisations operating within ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• AEW&C, Transport

  Y-8

  The Y-8 (Yunshuji-8) medium-sized transport and multirole aircraft was developed by Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation and is based on the Soviet Antonov An-12. More than 36 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Type 19 8x8

  The Type 19 8x8 is a family of vehicles developed for use by the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Z-8

  Developed by Changhe Aircraft Industry Group, the Z-8 (known also as Z-18) is a derivative of the AC313 civil helicopter, which is itself a copy of ...

• Submachine guns

  CS/LS2

  Norinco’s CS/LS2 is a 9mm bullpup SMG designed for use with a suppressor. It has been in service with the People's Liberation Army since about ...

• Fighter - multirole

  J-8

  The J-8 (NATO reporting name Finback) is a multirole fighter domestically developed by China. It has design similarities with Soviet MiG-21 and Su-15 aircraft.  The ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  KZ-800

  China National Electronics Import and Export’s (CEIEC) KZ-800 is an airborne Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) gathering system believed to be in widespread use onboard People’s Liberation ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  Type GCZ110

  Norinco announced in 2014 that it had completed development of the Type GCZ110 armoured engineer vehicle based on a modified Type 79 tank chassis equipped ...

• Main battle tanks

  VT2

  The 125mm-armed VT2 tracked MBT, which was unveiled at DSA 2012, is the export version of the People's Liberation Army Type 96A. As of early ...

• Fighter - ground attack

  J-16

  The J-16 is a multirole fighter developed by China. It is based on the J-11 air superiority fighter, itself a licence-built version of the Russian ...

• EO/IR systems

  Loong Eye LE380

  The Loong Eye (Dragon's Eye) LE380 is a two-axis stabilised gimbal incorporating EO/IR sensors, laser designators, and laser rangefinders. Originally developed by the Luoyang Opto-Electro ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Sky Saker FX400A

  The Sky Saker FX400A is a fixed-wing drone manufactured by Norinco. Capable of hosting both ISR and attack payloads, such as the Blue Arrow 7 ...

• Air-to-air missiles, Surface-to-air missiles

  TY-90

  TY-90 is a multi-purpose, short-range, IR-guided, tactical surface-to-air missile developed by China to defend against helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and cruise missiles at low and super-low ...

• Medium/general-purpose machine guns

  Type 80

  The Type 80 is a general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) manufactured by Norinco in China, based on the Soviet PKM. Certified in 1980, it entered PLA ...

• Air-launched ASW torpedoes, Ship-launched torpedoes

  Yu-11 lightweight torpedo

  Yu-11 is a Chinese-made surface and air-launched lightweight torpedo to repel submarine threats from long distances.

• Light tanks

  Type 62

  The Type 62 light tank entered production for the Chinese People's Liberation Army in 1963. Essentially a smaller, lighter clone of the Type 59 MBT, it is ...