• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australian Army invests in UGVs with new contracts

  11th August 2020

  Australia has announced significant investment of A$12.2 million ($8.7 million) in industry contracts for autonomous vehicles and emerging technologies. The money will go on experimentation, …

• Training

  ATAC draws first blood on CCAS

  17th August 2020

  Textron Systems subsidiary Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC) and its partner Valkyrie Aero have been selected to provide live contracted close air support (CCAS) training …

• Land Warfare

  South Korean MBT enters the picture for Wilk

  11th September 2020

  Hyundai Rotem is proposing a modified MBT to meet the Wilk future tank procurement requirement in Poland. The South Korean manufacturer showcased a model of …

• Defence Helicopter

  Uruguay expects naval aviation improvements with Grifone

  25th August 2020

  The Uruguay Navy has received its first AB 412HP Grifone helicopter, with the second expected to follow by the end of 2020. ‘The first of …

• Naval Warfare

  UK juggles priorities as it assesses Middle East deployments

  21st September 2020

  The International Maritime Security Construct recently opened its formal headquarters in Bahrain. The grouping of nations focusing on delivering maritime security in the complex Gulf region …

• Land Warfare

  Pakistan finally fields upgraded Al-Khalid tank

  4th August 2020

  On 28 July the Armoured Corps of the Pakistan Army held a rollout ceremony for the upgraded Al-Khalid-I MBT at a Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army seals ten ALE agreements

  25th August 2020

  The US Army on 24 August announced a set of ten Air Launched Effects (ALE) agreements with industry, worth a total of $29.75 million, in support …

• Digital Battlespace

  SFAB prepares to adopt Intercom

  4th September 2020

  The 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) in the US Army is to use the Intercom lightweight and portable system for seamless integration of all …

• Naval Warfare

  Russia splashes the cash on corvettes and frigates

  10th September 2020

  A series of major contracts for the Russian Navy were signed in late August during the Army 2020 exhibition near Moscow. Two diesel-electric submarines (one …

• Land Warfare

  US donates 200 M1117 ASVs to Colombian Army

  11th August 2020

  The US has approved the donation of 200 units of the M1117 Guardian Armoured Security Vehicle (ASV) to the Colombian Army under the Excess Defence …

• Naval Warfare

  Facing threats, Taiwan reinforces Pratas Islands and its navy

  14th September 2020

  The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been noticeably escalating its level of activity in the Taiwan Strait and around the island nation, to probe the …

• Defence Notes

  Germany spends big on digitalisation and guided munitions

  15th September 2020

  The German Armed Forces are poised for a funding injection, after parliament gave the green light to new investment with an emphasis on digitalisation and …

• Land Warfare

  General Dynamics kicks off ACSV production phase

  5th August 2020

  Production is underway of the first Armoured Combat Support Vehicle (ACSV) for the Canadian Army. The first ACSV is expected roll off the production line …

• Training

  BISim promotes easier simulation

  28th August 2020

  Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim) has released a new software update for its VBS4 whole-Earth virtual and constructive simulation system.  The company claims the v.20.1 update is …

• Military Logistics

  Netherlands overhauls its military construction vehicle fleet

  3rd September 2020

  Engineers in the Royal Netherlands Army are receiving a range of new construction vehicles and trailers, the Dutch MoD declared in a 2 September statement. …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Nauru 1000C [Brazil]

  Programme Background The Logistics Command (COLOG) of the Brazilian Army purchased three Nauru 1000C UAVs, training, 36-month interested logistics support, two EO/MWIR XSIS 222A gimbals, two ...

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

  WanderB or ThunderB [Colombia]

  Programme Background Expodefensa 2019 During Colombia's Expodefensa 2019 exhibition, BlueBird Aero Systems displayed its ThunderB VTOL small UAV. Reportedly, the Colombian Army requested information on ...

• VMOE

  Programme Background The Spanish Army's SOF units are procuring the VMOE to meet their requirements for an SOV with sufficient firepower, mobility and mine-protection to ...

• Military UAS - micro

  NX70 Microdrone (First Batch)

  Programme Background The French Army procured the NX70 to meet an urgent operational requirement for a small UAS that could provide short-range ISR for dismounted ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CU172 Blackjack (Second System) [Canada]

  Programme Background Requirement The Canadian Army identified a requirement for two new tactical UAV systems after recognising that the squadron and company-level Aerovironment RQ-11 Raven ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  US Army Maneuver Support Vessel Light (MSVL)

  Programme BackgroundThe Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) or MSV(L) contract was awarded by the US Army to Vigor in 2017 and are being built to replace ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow On

  Programme Background In March 2019, Airbus stated that it expected orders from the US Army for between 12 and 15 UH-72A helicopters. In March 2020, ...

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

  French Operational Pocket Drone / DrOP (France)

  Programme Background French UAV Procurment / DrOP Under its 2019-2025 Military Programming Law (LPM), France aims to introduce 1,200 new UAVs into service with the ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Batch 1) [Germany]

  By March 2019, 269 of the 350 Pumas on order had been delivered to the German Army. Deliveries of the remaining 81 vehicles are scheduled ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 (Pre-War) [Ukraine Army]

  Programme Background The Ukraine Army purchased 12 TB2 units in January 2019 for a reported $69 million. The units were reportedly delivered from June 2019 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Rosomak [Poland - Second Batch]

  Programme Background Requirement The Polish Army selected Patria's XC-360 Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) to meet its requirement for a new 8x8 armoured vehicle to replace ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CU172 Blackjack (First System) [Canada]

  Background Requirement The Canadian Army identified a requirement for two new tactical UAV systems after recognising that the squadron and company-level Aerovironment RQ-11 Raven (CU173 ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement In 2018, the US Army initiated the FARA project to develop a replacement for Army attack and scout helicopters, such as the OH-58D Kiowa and AH-64 ...

• AGMV 1.1

  Programme Background The US Army has been seeking a lightweight, air-droppable, high mobility vehicle since as early as 2014, when it initiated its Ultra Light ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Project Land 4503 [Australia]

  Programme Background The Australian Army has begun its search for a successor to the Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), with an RfI issued by the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCU 2000 (Runnymede-class)

  The LCU 2000 class is in service with the US Army. They were built by VT Halter Marine and first entered service in February 1990. The ...

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

  WZ-8

  First shown in October 2019, the WZ-8 is HALE UAV. Two closed-cycle liquid-fuelled rocket engines power the WZ-8 to a claimed supersonic speed of Mach 3.  In ...

• 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. ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Sapsan-Bekas

  Unveiled at ARMY-2019 in Moscow, the Sapsan-Bekas is a C-UAS system comprising active radar, video and EO tracking, signal detection and jamming subsystems. The system ...

• Main battle tanks

  C2 Ariete

  The C2 Ariete is an upgraded variant of the C1 Ariete, designed for the Italian Army in the 1990s. Work on the C2 began in ...

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

  Nauru 1000C

  Manufactured by XMobtos, the Nauru 1000C is a VTOL-capable small fixed-wing UAV. The UAV features a hybrid propulsion system, autopilot and a gyro-stabilised payload. It is designed to ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Comm@nder Army

  Comm@nder Army is an integrated C4I system suitable for use in command post operational environments (infrastructure, shelter-based), providing specialised application services from the HQ of ...

• Sniper rifles

  SV-18

  The SV-18 is a light sniper rifle in a 12.7mm calibre, designed to be easier to carry and operate than existing rifles of that family. 

• Military helicopters - light/training

  LUH

  The Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) is being developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to meet the requirements of the Indian Army and Indian Air Force ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  RBS 70 missile

  The RBS 70 missile was produced to meet the requirements of the Swedish Army's short-range air defence needs. The missile is unique in being the ...

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Night Intruder 600 Vertical Take-Off (NI-600VT)

  The Night Intruder 600 Vertical Take-Off (NI-600VT) is an in-development UAV from Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) based on an MD 500 twin-seat American commercial helicopter airframe. With the ...

• Light UGVs

  T7

  The T7 is a multi-mission robotic system designed for military, police and hazardous missions. At DSEI 2017, the UK MoD awarded the Harris Corporation a ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Ezuwgu

  The Ezuwgu is an MRAP 4x4 APC designed and produced by the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON). 

• Land: air defence radar, Land: indirect fire location radar

  AN/TPQ-50

  The AN/TPQ-50 is a lightweight, L-Band counterfire radar that performs early warning for indirect fire, target acquisition, and air surveillance modes. Part of SRC’s Lightweight ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  BTR-82AT

  The BTR-82AT is an upgraded version of the BTR-82A and BTR-82AM 8x8 IFVs developed for the Russian Army. Introduced in 2019, it features a new, ...