• Defence Notes

  Choppy waters ahead for UK and NATO in the Black Sea (Opinion)

  29th July 2021

  NATO planners face a tricky challenge from a riled and increasingly assertive Russia in the Black Sea — but they cannot afford to back down.

• Training

  DSEI 2021: RAF says Waddington will be MQ-9B global training hub

  13th September 2021

  The UK is to build a Protector International Training Centre at RAF Waddington, hoping to attract operators from around the world.

• Air Warfare

  Italy set to be first recipient of Leonardo’s MAIR system

  2nd September 2021

  The Italian Army’s LUH will be the first recipient of Leonardo’s new Multi Aperture Infrared warning system.

• Naval Warfare

  DSEI 2021: RN pushes for 'podular' capabilities

  15th September 2021

  The RN hopes its Persistent Operational Deployment Systems (NavyPODS) concept would allow ships to stay up to date with technological changes more quickly.

• Air Warfare

  China reveals J-16D and other aircraft at Zhuhai

  29th September 2021

  China showed off new aircraft and missiles at the Zhuhai air show, including a twin-seat J-16D shown in public for the first time.

• Land Warfare

  Czechs hail Caesar with certain misgivings

  21st September 2021

  The Czech MoD intends to sign a contract imminently with Nexter for the supply of 52 units of the Caesar artillery system. It will replace the obsolete DANA howitzer which has a 70s design and is in service with the Army for over 40 years.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2021: Icarus completes first phase

  15th September 2021

  Milestone achieved in Icarus programme for the British Army, which integrates electronic and physical protection technologies to equip vehicle crews with an active/passive protection suite.

• Defence Helicopter

  Podcast: Revolutions in Vertical Flight S2 E1 - The Search and Rescue Mission

  7th September 2021

  In this episode, we'll hear from industry experts and helicopter operators about the rise of the helicopter as a search and rescue machine, and how they're saving lives today.

• Land Warfare

  Slovak government approves acquisition of new armoured vehicles

  14th September 2021

  New platforms are to replace the more than 40-year-old fleet of Russian BMP-family IFVs in Slovakia.

• Defence Notes

  Afghanistan is a wake-up call for US defence establishment (Opinion)

  18th August 2021

  The world has been shocked by the US and allies departing Afghanistan with their tails between their legs. The abandonment is symptomatic of serious problems within the US defence establishment.

• Air Warfare

  DSEI 2021: RAF says Protector financial troubles a thing of the past

  10th September 2021

  The RAF claims that cost increases associated with the MQ-9B Protector are 'behind us now'.

• Air Warfare

  Russian prototype Il-112V aircraft crashes near Moscow

  17th August 2021

  The new Il-112V military transport aircraft has crashed in a forested area outside the Kubinka airfield, near Moscow, during a training flight.

• Air Warfare

  France proceeds alone with enhanced NH90

  8th July 2021

  SOF variant of NH90 offers a number of improvements but France must still convince other operators to adopt it.

• Air Warfare

  Republic of Korea to receive precision guided munitions

  31st August 2021

  Boeing to provide precision-guided munitions to ROK as part of a possible $258 million FMS.

• Naval Warfare

  ROK submarine fires SLBM for first time

  8th September 2021

  The South Korean SLBM programme continues to make headway with a first ejection test from a submerged submarine.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMPT Terminator

  Despite having earlier rejected the BMPT vehicle, the Russian MoD tested BMPT prototypes in Syria, where the vehicles performed well in combat conditions. This culminated ...

• KamAZ-63968 Taifun-K

  Programme Background The first 30 KamAZ-63968 Taifun-K vehicles were handed over to the Russian Armed Forces at the end of 2014. By the end of ...

• KamAZ-53949 Taifun-K

  Programme BackgroundThe Kamaz-53949 Taifun-K was initially deemed unsuitable for Russian requirements on account of its reliance on a large number of Western-manufactured components. However, it ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | E-2D Advanced Hawkeye [Taiwan]

  According to a Taiwanese national newspaper, the Central News Agency, the Republic of China is planning to purchase six E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft to replace ...

• Data links

  Data links | E-2D Advanced Hawkeye [Taiwan]

  According to a Taiwanese national newspaper, the Central News Agency, the Republic of China is planning to purchase six E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft to replace ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | E-2D Advanced Hawkeye [Taiwan]

  According to a Taiwanese national newspaper, the Central News Agency, the Republic of China is planning to purchase six E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft to replace ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | E-2D Advanced Hawkeye [Taiwan]

  According to a Taiwanese national newspaper, the Central News Agency, the Republic of China is planning to purchase six E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft to replace ...

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

  Aksungur [Kyrgyzstan]

  Programme Background In January 2023, Daiyrbek Orunbekov, the Central Asian country's Presidential Press Service head, stated that Kyrgyzstan had bought "modern military equipment such as ...

• Main battle tanks

  T-14 Armata [Russia]

  Programme Background The first contract for 132 Armatas was signed by the Russian MoD in 2015. This will comprise sufficient T-14, T-15 heavy IFV and ...

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

  Eurodrone (Forecast) [Japan]

  Programme Background Japan's Application The Letter of Approval (LOA) for observer status in the programme was presented to the Japanese Ambassador to Germany, Hidenao Yanagi, by Joachim ...

• Main battle tanks

  T-90M Proryv (New-Build)

  The first contract for the T-90M was disclosed in August 2017. Comprising 30 tanks in total, it covered the upgrade of 20 T-90As to T-90M ...

• Main battle tanks

  T-14 Armata (Contracted)

  Programme Background The first contract for 132 Armatas was signed by the Russian MoD in 2015. This will comprise sufficient T-14, T-15 heavy IFV and ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  T-15 Armata [Russia]

  Programme Background The first contract for 132 Armatas was signed by the Russian MoD in 2015. This will comprise sufficient T-14, T-15 heavy IFV and ...

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

  Eurodrone (Forecast) [India]

  Programme Background India's Application As announced by a joint statement around the 7th India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) on 25 October 2024, Germany accepted India's application to join ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBMR-L Serval [Luxembourg]

  Programme Background Luxembourg currently operates a small military of just over 1,000 personnel. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has contributed troops to both NATO and EU ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Main battle tanks

  BMPT

  UVZ developed the BMPT Fire Support Combat Vehicle, nicknamed Terminator by the company, after studying the Russian Army's performance during the Chechen War. Designed to ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Protivnik-GE

  The Protivnik-GE is a mobile 3D surveillance radar distributed by Russian supplier Rosoboronexport and is currently used by the Russian Armed Forces and the Egyptian ...

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  Borisoglebsk-2

  The vehicle-mounted Borisoglebsk-2 EW system performs frequency scanning for hostile RF emissions. Produced by JSC Sozvezdie, it can perform both electronic surveillance and RF suppression. ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  İhtar

  The İhtar is an anti-drone system manufactured by Aselsan. It is designed to counter mini and micro-UAS threats in urban and rural environments. It detects and tracks ...

• Self-propelled guns

  PLC-161

  The PLC-161 (also known as PLC161) is a 4x4 truck-mounted 122 mm self-propelled howitzer that was first identified in July 2020. Few specific details concerning ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  TOS-2 Tosochka

  Russia unveiled the TOS-2 Tosochka MLRS at the 2020 Victory Day Parade. Like its TOS-1A predecessor, it is intended to neutralise and suppress enemy positions ...

• Surface-to-surface missiles

  Iskander-M/E/K

  The Iskander-M (NATO reporting name: SS-26 'Stone') is a short-range ballistic missile. It was the second attempt by Russia to replace the Skud after its ...

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  Palantin

  The Russian Army’s United Instrument Manufacturing Corporation Palantin is a truck-mounted COMINT and communications jamming (COMJAM) system. Official information released by Russia’s MoD states that ...

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

  Gnat

  The Gnat is a medium-altitude, long-endurance, multi-mission UAS that has been produced in several different variants. Although originally intended for export customers, the platform was ...

• Z-Boat 1250

  The Z-Boat 1250 is a portable remotely operated hydrographic survey vessel built around two lightweight outriggers and a main central hull, which can be compacted ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range, Self-propelled missile systems

  S-400 Triumf (SA-21 Growler)

  The S-400 Triumf (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) long-range air defence system, previously known as the S-300PMU-3, was developed by the Almaz Central Design Bureau ...

• Major networking projects

  SITCEN

  The Situation Centre (SITCEN) is the central agency for providing situational awareness within NATO HQ. It is responsible for receiving, exchanging and disseminating political, economic ...

• Land: battle management systems

  ASOC

  Under a contract awarded to Lockheed Martin by the USAF Electronic Systems Center in May 1997, the company is providing Air Sovereignty Operations Centers (ASOCs) ...

• Land: manned turrets

  B05Ya01 Berezhok

  KBP Tula developed the B05Ya01 Berezhok turret (also referred to as a 'combat module') to provide an upgrade option for the legacy Soviet BMP-1 and BMP-2 ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Kamaz-53949 Taifun-K

  The Kamaz-53949 Taifun-K (Typhoon-K) is a 4x4 MRAP vehicle manufactured in Russia by Remdiesel, a subsidiary of Kamaz.  Originally developed in 2010 as a private ...