• Air Warfare

  Will F-16s and Mirage 2000s have a major impact on Ukraine’s counter-attack?

  22nd August 2024

  The first F-16s have arrived in Ukraine, and Mirage 2000-5s may follow. But how much will they matter to the outcome of the conflict?

• Land Warfare

  Brazil gets go-ahead for 12 Black Hawk helicopters

  28th May 2024

  The Brazilian Army announced in 2023 that it was aiming to replace the eight HM-3 Cougar (Airbus Helicopters AS532 UE) and four HM-2 Black Hawk helicopters (Sikorsky S-70A) that have been in service with Army Aviation Command, with the aircraft beginning to be decommissioned in December 2023.

• Training

  Lockheed Martin takes $451 million deal to upgrade M270 launchers

  10th May 2024

  MLRS is a heavy-tracked mobile launcher, transportable via C-17 and C-5 aircraft, that fires Guided MLRS rockets and Army Tactical Missile System missiles.

• Defence Notes

  Ukraine leads the way on battlefield use of directed energy weapons

  18th February 2025

  Increased drone use in Ukraine and in Middle Eastern conflicts has created a strong impetus to develop laser and radio-frequency firepower as exploration of direct-energy technology intensifies.

• Defence Notes

  How Chinese and Russian ambitions are forcing US posture in the Arctic to shift

  25th July 2024

  The recently released 2024 DoD Arctic Strategy established lines of action to improve US extreme cold-weather capabilities against perceived threats from China and Russia throughout the region.

• Defence Notes

  Why the US military needs an “innovation intervention”

  11th July 2024

  Several issues in the Pentagon’s structure and the defence industrial base have been hampering the country's efforts to produce cutting-edge solutions.

• Land Warfare

  Europe’s next-generation tank crawls forward and adopts a proven process

  5th May 2025

  The Franco-German Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) is ambitious and is using a procurement system which has had some success in the continent’s aircraft purchasing processes with a separate company established and subsystems identified.

• Training

  MASA blends the virtual and constructive in French Army artillery experiment

  18th April 2024

  A recent demonstration by the French Army saw MASA’s SWORD simulation software integrated with Bohemia Interactive’s Virtual Battlespace to conduct a counter-battery scenario that showcased enhanced training capabilities via realistic visualisation and the execution of military operations.

• Air Warfare

  FIA 2024: Looking to sixth-generation fighters and the New Medium Helicopter programme

  18th July 2024

  Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) 2024 is the even-year event where the biggest and the best present their efforts, and while the possibility of a roll-out or surprise curtain reveal remain slim, there are big programmes still being competed for.

• Air Warfare

  General Atomics Mojave performs live fire tests amid push for FARA replacement

  24th April 2024

  During the test the Mojave showcased its capability to act as a sensor, shooter and sustainer, potentially strengthening General Atomics’ pitch towards a FARA replacement.

• Land Warfare

  Just released: Armoured Vehicles Technology Report 2024 now available to read

  30th May 2024

  How uncrewed systems and modular vehicle kits are defining the future of combat engineering and support.

• Training

  Rheinmetall and Lightspace Technologies to develop augmented reality systems

  14th June 2024

  The new agreement is continuation of development work which took place in 2023 and marks a strengthening in the collaboration between the two companies.

• Land Warfare

  US deploys Mid-Range Capability missile defence system to the Philippines

  16th April 2024

  Mid-Range Capability (MRC) missile defence system has leveraged Lockheed Martin’s expertise with two in-service USN systems: the MK 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) and the Aegis Weapon System.

• Air Warfare

  MD Helicopters expands presence in Indo-Pacific, eyes potential customers

  7th May 2024

  MD Helicopters aims to bolster its footprint in the Indo-Pacific region, targeting countries like Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia for potential sales of its TH530 trainer and AH530 Light Attack Scout helicopters.

• Land Warfare

  US Army chooses Textron Systems and Griffon Aerospace in final showdown for FTUAS

  26th April 2024

  The US Army plans to procure a Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) to replace the Textron Systems RQ-7Bv2 Shadow tactical UAV currently in service with the US Army's Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). The FTUAS is being developed under the wider Future UAS (FUAS) programme.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Special operations vehicles

  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 ...

• 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 and cohesive operational organisations, ...

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

  Micro UAS [Spain]

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

• Tanks

  New MBT (Spain)

  Programme Background One of the long-term needs identified in the Spanish Army's Force 2035 modernisation plan is a next-generation MBT. To this end, the Spanish ...

• Military UAS - small

  Small UAS [Spain]

  Programme 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]

  Programme 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 - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Mini UAS [Spain]

  Programme 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 2) [Spain]

  Programme 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 (Third Batch) [Spain]

  Programme 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 ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Neton VLOE

  Programme Background The VLOE will replace several variants of the VLOE Lathar (a SOF vehicles based on the Nissan Patrol ML-6 COTS chassis) currently in ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Neton VLOE - (Spain - Navy)

  Programme Background Information regarding the Spanish Navy's procurement of the Einsa Neton remains limited, however, it is likely that decisions to procure the platform arose from ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Spain HT-29 Caiman (NH90 TTH) - Air Force Second Batch

  The HT-29 Caiman will replace AS332 Super Puma fleet in service with the Spanish Air Force. The Spanish version of the NH90 TTHs can perform ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  B1 Centauro Replacement [Spain]

  Programme 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 ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Spain HT-29 Caiman (NH90 TTH) - Air Force First Batch

  The HT-29 Caiman will replace AS332 Super Puma fleet in service with the Spanish Air Force. The Spanish version of the NH90 TTHs can perform ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Secondhand Logistics Transport Vessel

  Programme Background Following the decommissioning of El Camino Español (A-05) and Martín Posadillo (A-04) in November 2019 and June 2020 respectively, the Spanish Navy began the procurement process ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 ...

• Special operations vehicles

  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 ...

• Loitering munitions

  QLM-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 ...

• 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 - 8x8

  Piranha V

  The Piranha V, the latest member of the Piranha family of wheeled armoured fighting vehicles, introduced a vehicle in the upper weight class. Unveiled in ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  RF-7800H-MP

  The L3Harris RF-7800H-MP is a manpack HF radio with expanded data capabilities for long-range communications. First delivered in 2012, it remains in service with several militaries ...

• 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 ...