• Air Warfare

  South Korea fortifies defence against nuclear threat and fighter shortfall with more F-35s

  3rd January 2024

  South Korea has formalised its plans to expand its fleet of Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II fifth-generation fighter aircraft.

• Defence Helicopter

  Dubai Airshow 2023: South Korean homegrown helicopters make international debut

  14th November 2023

  Two KAI helicopters, the KUH-1E utility helicopter and the Light Attack Helicopter (LAH), have taken centre stage at the Dubai Airshow 2023.

• Land Warfare

  US Army explores sending ground robots underwater for logistics supply

  2nd January 2024

  The US Army is conducting research with commercially available solutions to assess their performance carrying diverse types of payloads.

• Air Warfare

  South Korea orders F-35 fighter munitions

  5th December 2023

  The US has greenlit a potential Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to South Korea, entailing a package of F-35 ammunition valued at around $271 million.

• Land Warfare

  Poland signs $782.5 million deal for long-range air defence radars

  20th December 2023

  Poland has been investing heavily in new defence equipment including billions-of-dollars in air defence systems such as P-18PL, NAREW and Wisła to provide multi-tier coverage, as well as in in C2 systems.

• Land Warfare

  Latvia makes its largest defence investment in air defence system

  13th December 2023

  Latvia and Estonia have committed to purchasing Diehl IRIS-T SLM medium-range air defence systems with the system set to provide a substantial boost to Latvia’s air defence capabilities.

• Air Warfare

  Preparing for mass deployments and improving aircraft fleet among US Air Force priorities for FY2025

  5th February 2024

  The branch’s main concerns for FY2025 will include integrating systems and equipment, improving software, cyber capabilities and aircraft fleet, and preparing for mass deployments.

• Air Warfare

  Eurofighter Typhoon electronic combat aircraft set to replace German Tornadoes

  30th November 2023

  Germany has given the green light to replace its Tornado ECR aircraft with Eurofighter Typhoon EK, a dedicated variant for electronic combat and SEAD.

• Land Warfare

  Panther MBT moves closer to production with $316 million development contract

  15th December 2023

  Rheinmetall unveiled the KF51 Panther at Eurosatory 2022. The MBT will use Leopard 2 components in its bare chassis, but will feature a new turret and the Rheinmetall 130mm L/52 smoothbore gun.

• Training

  Dubai Airshow 2023: First Bell 505 training helicopters delivered to Royal Jordanian Air Force

  17th November 2023

  Jordan ordered ten helicopters 12 months ago and joins Montenegro and the army and navy of South Korea as military operators of the 505.

• Training

  US Army to use virtual reality to train combat medics

  22nd December 2023

  The service is working with USC ICT to develop the OPUS-C BTE medical VR solution to train healthcare professionals in gunshot and blast trauma surgical techniques.

• Naval Warfare

  Fourth US Navy TAO replenishment oiler launched despite cost concerns

  31st October 2023

  The fourth John Lewis-class (TAO-205) fleet replenishment oiler for the US Navy was launched in a ceremony at shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO’s San Diego facility on 28 October 2023.

• Land Warfare

  Nordic countries place first helmet orders under NATO framework agreement

  15th November 2023

  Galvion was awarded a framework contract by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency in December 2022 to supply its Batlskin Caiman ballistic helmet system.

• Naval Warfare

  Fincantieri launches sixth Multipurpose Offshore Patrol ship for Italian Navy

  9th October 2023

  Fincantieri successfully launched the sixth Multipurpose Offshore Patrol ship (Pattugliatori Polivalenti d'Altura - PPA) Ruggiero di Lauria on 6 October, part of a class which will substantially enhance the operational capabilities of the Italian Navy.

• Air Warfare

  Ukraine fields 5,000 homegrown drones amid Iran's debut of advanced Shahed-238 UAV

  24th November 2023

  Amid escalating tensions and technological advancements in drone warfare, Ukraine has reinforced its front lines with a delivery of 5,000 indigenous drones, paralleled by Iran's revelation of the new jet-powered Shahed-238.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Rosomak [Poland - Third Batch]

  Programme Background The Polish Army selected the Rosomak 8x8 armoured vehicle (a version of Patria's Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) 8x8 produced under licence by Rosomak) ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Rosomak [Poland - Fourth Batch]

  Programme Background The Polish Army selected the Rosomak 8x8 armoured vehicle (a version of Patria's Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) 8x8 produced under licence by Rosomak) ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Rosomak [Poland - Fifth Batch]

  Programme Background The Polish Army selected the Rosomak 8x8 armoured vehicle (a version of Patria's Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) 8x8 produced under licence by Rosomak) ...

• Frigates

  Frigates Procurement Programme [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Saudi Navy urges to enhance its combat capabilities and to replace older vessels. Riyadh has recently embarked on major naval ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Al Jawf Class Replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  The Royal Saudi Navy urges the replacement of three Al Jawf-class minehunters, which Shephard forecasts will leave service by the end of the decade. At WDS ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Al Jawf Class Replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  The Royal Saudi Navy urges the replacement of three Al Jawf-class minehunters, which Shephard forecasts will leave service by the end of the decade. At WDS ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Submarines Procurement Programme [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) is in the process of a fleet transformation plan which, so far, has seen the procurement ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Boraida Class Replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Saudi Navy urges the replacement of three Boraida-class minehunters. Based on the Durance-class design, the ships entered service in the ...

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

  Akinci [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Erdogan Visit On 17 July 2023,  President Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Jeddah for the first stop of his Gulf tour. The following day, ...

• Minehunters

  Al Jawf Class Replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Saudi Navy urges the replacement of three Al Jawf-class minehunters. Based on the Sandown-class design, the ships entered service in the ...

• 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 - mini

  Delta [Nigeria]

  Programme Background 2022 Defence Here, a Turkish-based defence website, reported that a Nigerian Air Force delegation visited Fly BVLOS's facilities in July 2022. Since then, ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 300 (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (16 March 2022 & 13 April 2022) On 16 March 2022, President Biden announced $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine through ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Phoenix Ghost (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (21 April 2022) Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, on 21 April 2022, President Biden announced an $800 ...

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

  Akinci [Libya]

  Programme Background 2022 Reports In October 2022, various Libyan media outlets reported that the country was eyeing a possible procurement from Baykar, possibly the Akinici ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8N

  The PT-8D is an IR system from Overwatch Imaging. It is fitted with multiple HD thermal cameras and has been designed to conduct missions at dusk ...

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

  Samoom

  Unveiled at the World Defence Show 2022, the Samoon is a Saudi Arabian UCAV manufactured by Intra Defence Technologies.  It is powered by Belgian ULPower Aero ...

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8D

  Marketed as a cost-effective solution, the PT-8D is a wide-area search and ISR payload from Overwatch Imaging. It features an RGB colour camera and a ...

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

  Milkor 380

  The Milkor 380 is a MALE UCAV with extensive mission payloads for surveillance, reconnaissance and target engagement. This range of payloads can be attached to five hardpoints ...

• Air: helicopter radar, Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: UAS radar

  ELM-2022

  The ELM-2022, developed by IAI ELTA, is a maritime patrol radar family operating in the X-band designed for manned and unmanned, fixed- or rotary-wing airborne platforms. It is engineered for ...

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8DN

  The PT-8DN is a versatile day-night payload from Overwatch Imaging.  It has dual RGB sensors of different focal lengths and an HD LWIR sensor. It also ...

• Guided munitions

  Sabir

  The Sabir 155mm artillery guided ammunition, presented by KNDS France at WDS 2024, is a locally-produced precision munition aimed at aligning with Saudi Arabia's Vision ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Milkor Commander

  At WDS 2024, Milkor UAE unveiled a new 16m patrol craft named Commander. Milkor revealed that more of the Commander’s capabilities will be showcased during ...

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

  UAS Concept 2 / Autonomous Collaborative Platform (ACP)

  In July 2022, BAE Systems revealed two UAV concepts, one later being branded Concept 2, or the Autonomous Collaborative Platform (ACP), at DSEI 2023.  Signage near ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Arma 6x6

  Otokar began development of the Arma family of amphibious vehicles in 2007 under a company-funded project for the domestic and export markets, and in June ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Pars Alpha 8x8

  Unveiled at the World Defense Show 2024 in Riyadh, the Pars Alpha is the latest 8x8 Armoured Vehicle from Turkish manufacturer FNSS. Featuring improvements on ...

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

  Wing Loong 10

  The Wing Loong 10 is a HALE UAV, known as the WL-10 in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and formally known as the Cloud ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  SKAT 350

  Based on the Supercam 350, the SKAT 350 is a mini fixed-wing UAV manufactured by Kalashnikov Concern JSC. The drone was revealed in early 2024, ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Cockerill i-X

  The Cockerill i-X is a wheeled armoured vehicle designed as a light armoured platform with a modular turret for intercepting enemy forces. John Cockerill Defense unveiled the new ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  T-650

  Debuted at DSEI 2021, the T-650, or T650, is a multi-role quadcopter UAS manufactured by BAE Systems in collaboration with Malloy Aeronautics.  The electric-powered platform produces ...