• Land Warfare

  US Army orders more TOW anti-tank missiles

  22nd August 2019

  Raytheon will deliver additional tube-launched, optically-tracked, wireless-guided (TOW) missiles for the TOW weapon system under a $101 million contract awarded by the US Army.  The …

• Land Warfare

  Chinese light tank now comes with active protection

  8th August 2019

  Norinco’s VT5 light tank, a platform dedicated to the export market, is set to receive a hard-kill active protection system (APS).  Such a system detects …

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2019: Soucy showcases Warrior with rubber tracks

  3rd September 2019

  Soucy Defence will showcase a Warrior 510 IFV with its Composite Rubber Tracks (CRT) at DSEI 2019 following 5,000km of trials as part of the Warrior …

• Training

  Saab to provide Belgium with army training systems

  20th August 2019

  Saab has signed a contract with the Belgian ministry of defence for deliveries of training systems for the army.  The order value is some SEK160 …

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed progresses with WCSP upgrade

  30th August 2019

  Lockheed Martin UK completed 20 battlefield mission (BFM) assessments of the new configuration of the British Army’s Warrior infantry fighting vehicle in August, which have …

• Land Warfare

  Australian Army awards GBAD/C-RAM support work to Saab

  23rd August 2019

  Saab has received an order from the Australian Army to extend the support of its ground-based air defence (GBAD) and counter-rocket, artillery and mortar (C-RAM) …

• Defence Helicopter

  MSPO 2019: Rafael confirms first Spike ER2 sale

  26th August 2019

  An undisclosed helicopter operator has been confirmed as the launch customer of Rafael's fifth generation multipurpose munition Spike ER2, Shephard can reveal. 'I hope in …

• Land Warfare

  Australia begins distributing new 81mm mortars

  20th August 2019

  In August, new US-manufactured 81mm mortars began rolling out to the Australian Army, replacing F2 81mm mortars that have been in service since the 1960s …

• Digital Battlespace

  JGSDF reveals more EW equipment

  29th August 2019

  More elements of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s (JGSDF) Network Electronic Warfare System (NEWS) appeared at the Fuji Firepower event in late August. The NEWS …

• Defence Notes

  US, ASEAN kick off first joint naval drills

  2nd September 2019

  The US and ten Southeast Asian countries kicked off maritime drills on Monday, as part of a joint exercise extending into the flashpoint South China …

• Digital Battlespace

  Podcast: Five Eyes Connectivity - SATCOM

  26th September 2019

  Welcome to Shephard Studio’s special series on Five Eyes Connectivity, sponsored by our partner Viasat.  Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more. In the Five Eyes Connectivity podcast …

• Defence Notes

  DSEI 2019: What to expect from the UK MoD

  4th September 2019

  With the UK government having already been through three defence secretaries over the course of 2019, this year’s DSEI brings much speculation about what the Ministry …

• Land Warfare

  Honeywell awarded funding for Abrams TIGER engine work

  19th August 2019

  Honeywell has been awarded a $110.9 million contract amendment to provide Total Integrated Engine Revitalization (TIGER) hardware for the Anniston Army Depot’s production of the …

• Naval Warfare

  Boarding party time for RNZN crews

  27th August 2019

  The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) is seeking to procure specialist tactical equipment for personnel conducting naval boarding operations. In an RfT released in August, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Support contract awarded for German NH90 fleet

  29th August 2019

  Germany’s NH90 rotorcraft fleet will be supported by a new 10-year contract signed on 28 August between the government and two domestic suppliers. The Federal …

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 defeat submarine threats from long distances.

• Fighter - multirole

  J-10

  The J-10 (NATO reporting name Firebird) is a multirole fighter developed by China to replace second-generation J-7 and Q-5 aircraft. The aircraft is also known ...

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

  BZK-005

  The BZK-005 is a Chinese-made HALE UAS that debuted at Airshow China in November 2018. The platform is designed for wide-area ISR tasks, and in ...