• Defence Notes

  Taiwan, an island nation under siege

  20th March 2020

  Few countries are more bullied or ostracised than Taiwan. Whether it is militarily, diplomatically or internationally, China has successfully forced Taiwan into the far-flung outer …

• Military Logistics

  Philippines plays Turkish AACE card for combat earthmover

  18th February 2020

  The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) learned some painful lessons during the bitter fighting against Islamic insurgents in Marawi, Mindanao, in 2017. One of …

• Land Warfare

  Spike plugs the Suwalki Gap

  2nd March 2020

  The 14th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment of the Polish Army recently concluded training and certification in the use of the Spike LR long-range ATGM system. Stationed …

• Defence Notes

  Coronavirus hits ROK armed forces

  24th February 2020

  The Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the Republic of Korea (ROK) confirmed today via social media that 13 members of its armed forces have …

• Defence Notes

  Coronavirus hits the PLA hard

  4th March 2020

  Chinese society and the national economy are reeling from the COVID-19 outbreak, and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is not immune from the coronavirus’ microscopic …

• Digital Battlespace

  Turkish EW gets passive-aggressive in Syria

  6th March 2020

  Aselsan’s KORAL radar jamming system has been deployed to northern Syria in support of Turkish operations against Kurdish insurgents. The truck-mounted KORAL provides electronic support …

• Training

  Universal Motion to support Boxer simulators

  20th February 2020

  Universal Motion Simulator has been awarded a $21.4 million contract to support training simulators for the Australian Defence Force’s new Boxer 8x8 Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles. …

• Land Warfare

  Leopard proves tough to tame for Poland

  25th February 2020

  The programme to modernise the fleet of Polish Leopard 2A4 MBTs to the 2PL standard has faced numerous difficulties and technical issues. As a result, deliveries …

• Defence Notes

  Japan invests in hypersonic and stand-off missiles

  10th March 2020

  Japan's Self-Defense Force (SDF) is developing and buying new classes of missile aimed to counter the threats it perceives in its neighbourhood, including a belligerent …

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed Martin awarded HIMARS/MLRS support work

  14th February 2020

  Lockheed Martin will provide maintenance support to the US Army, Marine Corps and Navy under a $32.1 million contract issued by the US Army Contracting …

• Land Warfare

  FN America awarded M4/M4A1 contract

  17th February 2020

  FN America will supply M4/M4A1 carbines to the US Army under a contract announced by the US Department of Defense on 13 February. The contract …

• Land Warfare

  China goes ballistic for soldier protection

  24th February 2020

  According to the weapons and equipment procurement website of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), China is seeking almost 1.4 million sets of body armour for …

• Land Warfare

  Land Warfare magazine: European armoured vehicles, high-intensity conflict, urban ops and more

  17th February 2020

  Read the first edition of Land Warfare for free in our app or on your desktop. Register below to be sent the download link and …

• 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 …

• Naval Warfare

  USN juggles priorities as need for larger fleet crystallises

  5th March 2020

  The USN is likely to need a fleet larger than the 355-ship target set by President Trump in 2017 as it works to counter the …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [Spain]

  Programme Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible, cohesive operational organisations, highly ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Small UAS [Spain]

  The Spanish Army examined the Russo-Ukrainian War in early 2024 and incorporated many learnings into its Fuerza 35 Project, a restructuring and procurement modernisation initiative. ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Small UAS [Spain]

  The Spanish Army examined the Russo-Ukrainian War in early 2024 and incorporated many learnings into its Fuerza 35 Project, a restructuring and procurement modernisation initiative. ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Twister [Spain]

  Background Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Batch 1) [Spain]

  Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army, including the BMR-600 6x6, VEC-M1 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Batch 3) [Spain]

  Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army, including the BMR-600 6x6, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Batch 2) [Spain]

  Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army, including the BMR-600 6x6, ...

• Military UAS - micro

  X10D [Spain]

  Background Contract award On 27 May 2024, the Spanish Head of Economic Affairs of the Logistics Support Command issued a pre-tender announcement regarding the purchase ...

• Wheeled assault guns

  B1 Centauro Replacement [Spain]

  Background The Spanish Army entered the B1 Centauro into service between 2000 and 2006. Manufactured by the Italian Iveco and Oto Melara consortium CIO, the B1 ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Vector [Spain]

  Background Two tenders On 4 May 2025, Quantum Systems announced it had won two tenders from the Spanish Armed Forces to supply two different UAVs. According ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Batch 4) [Spain]

  Background The decision to acquire these vehicles comes within the wider context of the Spanish government announcing a significant increase in defence spending in order ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) [Spain]

  Background The VAMTAC ST5 is already in Spanish service with the Spanish Army, Navy, and Air Force in various configurations. In June 2025, the Spanish ...

• Military UAS - mini

  AKILA [Spain]

  Background Contract award In October 2025, the Spanish Procurement Directorate of the Logistics Support Command of the Air and Space Force publicly issued a framework ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Batch 3) [Spain]

  Background The decision to acquire these vehicles comes within the wider context of the Spanish government announcing a significant increase in defence spending in order ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Batch 2) [Spain]

  Background The decision to acquire these vehicles comes within the wider context of the Spanish government announcing a significant increase in defence spending in order ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Heavy UGVs

  Valkyrie

  The Valkyrie is a 6x6 UGV developed by the Spanish company SASCorp. It was unveiled for the first time at FINDEF 2021. The platform has reportedly ...

• Towed guns

  SIAC 155mm/52cal

  The SIAC 155mm/52cal towed howitzer is the latest derivative of the 155mm/52cal APU SBT howitzer originally developed by GDELS-SBS in the 1990s to meet a ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Lantrek VMTT

  The Landtrek VMTT is an LTV developed by Spain's Iturri to provide logistical and support functions. The Spanish Army became the debut customer in July ...

• Land: RWS

  Guardian 2.0

  The Guardian 2.0 RWS is an upgraded version of Escribano's Guardian RWS in service with the Spanish Army, which offers improved sensors and better stabilisation. ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  ASCOD Common Base Platform

  GDELS unveiled a new variant of its tracked ASCOD (Austrian Spanish Cooperative Development) IFV based on the new Common Base Platform (CBP) at the June ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  Leopard 2E Simulators

  Indra was prime contractor for the Spanish Army Leopard 2E Tank Simulation Programme, which involved 23 devices across driving, turret and platoon simulators with networking ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR Dragon

  Having received a $2 billion order from the Spanish Army, the General Dynamics European Land Systems VCR Dragon 8x8 IFV is swiftly replacing the ageing BMR-600 6x6 ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Alcotán

  The Alcotán is a lightweight, hand-launched platform. Designed by USOL, the system features an aerial platform, autopilot and GCS. It is suitable for both civil ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Neton

  The 4x4 Neton Ultrafast Tactical Vehicle is manufactured by Spanish firm Einsa. It is an all-terrain, highly mobile and air-transportable SF platform. Following an evaluation ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  BMR-600

  The BMR-600 "Pegaso"  is a wheeled fully-amphibious 6x6 APC which began development in 1972. It was originally designed by Santa Barbara Sistemas which is now ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  ASCOD

  The Austrian Spanish Cooperative Development (ASCOD) I/CFV was developed to meet the joint requirements of the Austrian and Spanish armies for a medium-weight armoured vehicle ...

• Loitering munitions

  Q-SLAM-40

  The QLM-40, or Q-SLAM-40, is a multi-purpose loitering munition manufactured by Arquimea. It is launched from a pneumatic launcher, powered by an electric motor and contains an ISR payload ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Fulmar X

  The Fulmar X is a Thales UAV designed to carry out high-quality ISTAR missions for civil and military applications. A complete system comprises two UAVs, launch and recovery ...

• Individual assault/anti-tank weapons

  Alcotan-100

  The Alcotan-100 is a recoilless, shoulder-launched, antitank rocket launcher developed to meet a Spanish Army requirement, entering service in 2008. In 2014, the Peruvian Army ...

• Light machine guns

  MG4

  The 5.56mm MG4 has been in German Army service since 2005 and sold to at least five export customers, including the Spanish Army. The MG4 ...