• Naval Warfare

  China, SE Asia to hold maritime drill to ease tensions

  19th October 2018

  China and Southeast Asian states will hold their first joint maritime exercises next week, officials said Friday, in a move aimed at easing tensions but …

• Special Operations

  Exclusive: Netherlands SOCOM stands up

  4th December 2018

  On 5 December, the Netherlands Special Operations Command (NLD SOCOM) will officially stand up as a single entity to command the various special operations force …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2018: USAF joins Red Flag Alaska from Japan

  19th November 2018

  Another milestone has recently been reached on the road to achieving a total I-LVC training environment, when for the first time two F-16 simulators from …

• Land Warfare

  Indo Defence 2018: Filipino handguns triggering into Myanmar

  7th November 2018

  The Philippines is becoming a dominant player in the Myanmar handgun market Shephard has learnt, further to the latest acquisitions between the two nations. Mely …

• Defence Notes

  British Army lifts restriction on Commonwealth recruits

  5th November 2018

  Citizens of Commonwealth countries will be able to join the British Armed Forces even if they do not live in Britain, the Government said on …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon receives KuRFS radar contract

  7th November 2018

  Raytheon has received a $191 million contract from the US Army for its Ku-band radio frequency (KuRFS) radars. KuRFS is an advanced electronically scanned array …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Endeavor, Howe and Howe partner on RCV programme

  5th November 2018

  Endeavor Robotics has teamed with Howe and Howe Technologies as it positions itself to support the US Army’s Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) programme, the company …

• Land Warfare

  Indo Defence 2018: Harimau tank prowls in (video)

  8th November 2018

  FNSS and PT Pindad have displayed two new medium tanks, known as the Harimau, at Indo Defence 2018. While a contract for the vehicles is …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army demos ALIAS technology

  5th November 2018

  US Army pilots have carried out a series of demonstrations of technology developed by Sikorsky and DARPA, Lockheed Martin announced on 29 October. The flights …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army kicks off Network Integration Evaluation event

  2nd November 2018

  The US Army has started Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) 18.2 at Fort Bliss, Texas, which will run from 1-12 November. The field event, which is hosted …

• Training

  Saab, Lockheed Martin update VTESS code

  5th November 2018

  Saab, in partnership with Lockheed Martin, has received a change order to the previously awarded Vehicle Tactical Engagement Simulation System (VTESS) contract to provide modernised …

• Defence Helicopter

  First flight for the militarised Mi-38T

  16th November 2018

  Russian Helicopters has announced the first flight of the Mi-38T militarised derivative, a long-awaited event in the process of fielding the 15.6t helicopter in production …

• Defence Notes

  Nine countries meet to kickstart European force

  7th November 2018

  Defence ministers from nine European countries will meet in Paris on 7 November to set out plans for a joint force that could rapidly be …

• Defence Helicopter

  Brazilian Army scouting for Fennec and Panther weapons

  1st November 2018

  The Brazilian Army Aviation is at the selection phase of suppliers to modernise its fleet of AS550 A2 Fennec and AS365 K2 Panther with a …

• Land Warfare

  India to upgrade M-46 howitzers

  1st November 2018

  As India looks to standardise its artillery pieces the MoD has signed a contract for the transformation of 300 M-46 towed howitzers. The state-owned Ordnance Factory …

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Corvettes

  Shadhinota Class (Type C13B)

  The Shadhinota class (Type C13B) corvettes are a platform based on the Type 056 Jiangdao class used by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), built by the ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  S26T [Thailand]

  Programme Background The Royal Thai Navy has been in the process of acquiring a new submarine for a number of years. They formally selected China's ...

• Frigates

  Jiangkai III Class (Type 054B / Type 057)

  Following the rapid production and relative success of the Type 054A Jiangkai II class frigates, the Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) are developing a successor to ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Air-to-air missiles, Surface-to-air missiles

  TY-90

  TY-90 is a multi-purpose, short-range, IR-guided, tactical surface-to-air missile developed by China to defend against helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and cruise missiles at low and super-low ...

• 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 repel submarine threats from long distances.

• Tanks

  Type 62

  The Type 62 light tank entered production for the Chinese People's Liberation Army in 1963. Essentially a smaller, lighter clone of the Type 59 MBT, it is ...