• Land Warfare

  Land Forces 2016: Hawkei slithers toward service

  6th September 2016

  A Thales Hawkei fitted with a Kongsberg Protector remote-controlled weapon station (RWS) appeared at Land Forces 2016, perhaps a signal that is a weapon option …

• Land Warfare

  Lithuania orders Heckler & Koch rifles

  1st September 2016

  The Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence has signed an agreement with Heckler & Koch for the procurement of G36 automatic rifles and under-barrel HK269 40mm …

• Military Logistics

  US AFRL focuses on biofuels

  31st August 2016

  The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is playing a key role in the development and commercialisation of biofuels as an environmentally friendly alternative fuel …

• Land Warfare

  MSPO 2016: Samson Mk IIs for Lithuanian Boxers

  31st August 2016

  Rafael Advanced Defense Systems will supply its Samson Mk II Remote Weapon Station (RWS) for the Boxer vehicles being delivered to the Lithuanian armed forces …

• Land Warfare

  US Army developing 155mm artillery round

  30th August 2016

  The US Army is continuing work on a 155mm artillery round, the XM1113 Insensitive Munition High Explosive Rocket Assisted Projectile (XM1113 RAP), that will extend …

• Digital Battlespace

  G/ATOR Block II completes CDR

  30th August 2016

  Northrop Grumman and the US Marine Corps (USMC) have completed the preliminary design review (PDR) and critical design review (CDR) of the Ground Weapon Locating …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MSPO 2016: Thales hopeful for Polish Watchkeeper

  30th August 2016

  Thales remains confident its Watchkeeper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) will be successful in the Polish market, as the country reassesses its plans to procure a …

• Training

  NUSHIP Hobart crew trains on Aegis with US

  30th August 2016

  Some of the crew members set to serve onboard HMAS Hobart when it is commissioned, the first of three new Hobart-class air warfare destroyers of …

• Land Warfare

  Philippines chooses Turkish NVGs

  26th August 2016

  The Philippine Army is set to procure equipment from Aselsan of Turkey to meet a long-standing requirement for helmet-mounted/weapon-mounted monocular night vision devices, weapon-mounted infrared …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USV conversion kit in MENA tests

  23rd August 2016

  An autonomous boat control system developed by UAE-based Al Marakeb to convert marine craft into unmanned surface vessels (USVs) has been distributed to three MENA …

• Military Logistics

  US Navy focuses on alternative biofuels

  23rd August 2016

  The government of Queensland, Australia, has signed a Statement of Cooperation to work with the US Navy in support of projects that advance shared interests …

• Training

  Meggitt simulated mortars for ADF

  19th August 2016

  Meggitt Training Systems has been awarded a $1.49 million contract for simulated mortars by the Australian Defence Force’s Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group, it was …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Astrike leave nothing to spare

  18th August 2016

  Fresh from the partnership announcement with Silent Falcon Technologies, officials from Colombian firm Astrike Technologies identified commercial and defence opportunities for the solar-powered UAS. The …

• Defence Notes

  MBDA secures UK ASRAAM contract

  17th August 2016

  MBDA will produce ASRAAM infra-red guided air-to-air missiles for the UK’s F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet under a £184 million contract with the UK …

• Training

  ThoroughTec targets As-Pac market

  16th August 2016

  ThoroughTec Simulation will be using Land Forces 2016 to target armoured fighting vehicle simulation requirements in the Asia-Pacific market, the company announced on 16 August. …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Destroyers

  Type 83 Future Air Defence System (FADS) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirements The Daring-class (Type 45) consists of six ships, although the original plan was to have 12 destroyers. This was cut to eight in ...

• Destroyers

  Next-Generation Large Surface Combatants (LSC) - DDG(X) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) is acknowledging a need to move away from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer design, which is slowly outgrowing. Flight III ...

• Frigates

  European Combat Vessel [Spain]

  Programme Background Requirements The European Combat Vessel (ECV) is currently a conceptual project that seeks to design a European collaborative multi-mission, modular warship. As of ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Data links

  Data links | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Multi-Role Strike Ship (MRSS) Programme [UK]

  Programme Background Requirements According to the UK MoD's March 2021 Defence Command Paper, entitled 'Defence in a Competitive Age', the RN will invest in six ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [Germany]

  Programme Background Germany originally said it would but 60 A400Ms, but when the program was re-baselined in 2010 reduced its planed off take to 53, ...

• Destroyers

  Sejong the Great Class (KDX-III) Batch 2 (1-3) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirements The Sejong the Great class (KDX-III) Batch 2 will consist of three improved Sejong the Great-class (KDX-III) batch 1 guided-missile destroyers, which ...

• Military UAS - mini

  U&C reconnaissance drones [US Army]

  Methodology PGO The programme has been assigned a PGO of 100%, as a contract has been awarded. Unit cost It has not been clarified what ...

• Corvettes

  Continental Defence Corvette [Canada]

  Background Initial requirements Under the second pillar of its shipbuilding strategy, Canada is seeking to procure an undisclosed number of small vessels (below 1000t). Part ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Landing Platform Docks [India]

  Programme Background Requirements The LPD tender, although more akin to an LHD, specifies that the quartet of ships must be built within India, although collaboration ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Alpha 900 [Uruguay]

  Background Acqustiion In October 2022, the Alpha 900 from Alpha Unmanned Systems was reportedly jointly purchased by the Uruguayan state energy company UTE and the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Fractl:2

  Fractl:2, developed and manufactured by AIM Defence, is an Australian laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). The high-powered portable system is Australia's first acquisition of a directed ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Apollo

  Apollo is a High-Energy Laser Weapon System manufactured by Electro Optic Systems (EOS). Apollo's laser utilises directed energy to disable or destroy aerial targets without ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  DIAL

  The Laser Weapon Instrumental Demonstrator (DIAL), in joint development with Indra and Escribano Mechanical Engineering, is a Spanish laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). The system ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Minotaur

  Minotaur, developed by Soukos Robots, is a Greek laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). Minotaur is an anti-drone platform with the ability to shoot down unmanned ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Italian LDEW (Leonardo/MBDA)

  As announced in December 2024, Leonardo and MBDA are collaborating to produce a Fire Unit Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) for the Italian Navy. The ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons, Self-propelled guns, Self-propelled missile systems

  SkyRanger 30

  SkyRanger 30 is a mobile ground-based air defence (GBAD) laser directed energy weapon (LDEW) system designed by Rheinmetall. The system comprises automatic cannons, guided missiles, and a ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  CROSSBOW MINI

  CROSSBOW MINI, developed by IPG Photonics, is a laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW). The LDEW has multiple deployable configurations and is a part of the manufacturers ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Archimedes

  Archimedes, developed by Aurelius Systems, is a laser-directed energy weapon designed to stop drones at scale. The system is still in development, though Aurelius received ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  ALKA-KAPLAN

  ALKA-KAPLAN is a collaborative effort between Turkish manufacturers ROKETSAN and FNSS. The system is a mobile armoured anti-drone system, which integrates the ALKA directed energy-weapon ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  German LDEW (Rheinmetall/MBDA)

  Rheinmetall and MBDA Germany's collaborative work on laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW) technology has resulted in a German laser weapon system that is close to being ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Guorong-1 Anti Drone System

  Guorong-1 is an anti-drone system developed by China. The system is jointly developed by the Chinese Electronics Technology Group (CETG), Guorong Technology, and the Chinese public ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  DroneDefender

  DroneDefender is a directed-energy UAS countermeasure that disrupts the adversary's control of the aircraft, neutralising it so that no remote action (including detonation) can occur, ...

• Destroyers

  Flight III Destroyer

  During Indo Pacific 2023, Navantia Australia unveiled a 10200t destroyer design. Dubbed as Flight III Destroyer, the Spanish shipbuilder is pitching the ship for the ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  MEHEL 2.0

  The Mobile Expeditionary High-Energy Laser (MEHEL) is a C-UAS-capable vehicle that employs directed energy to neutralise targets. MEHEL 2.0 was first seen at AUSA 2016, ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  SCATA Mk1

  The SCATA Mk1 is the first military vehicle developed by Finland's SCATA.