• Defence Notes

  UK orders more Martlet missiles and plays down defence review delay fears

  24th July 2024

  The UK’s Strategic Defence Review has been initiated by the new Labour Government following 14 years of Conservative Party-led governments.

• Air Warfare

  First two T901 improved engines delivered for UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters

  30th June 2024

  The Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP) is the US Army’s effort to build a 50% more powerful and 25% more fuel-efficient engine for its Black Hawk and Apache fleets.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australia to adopt new predatory OWL species

  27th June 2024

  The Australian Defence Force will introduce the One-Way Loitering (OWL) platform by Innovaero, the country’s first long-range loitering munition, to enhance strike capabilities and understanding of loitering munitions.

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales combines lightweight sensors on specialist target designator vehicle

  20th June 2024

  The 6x6 Griffon VOA specialist vehicle uses a mix of mast-mounted electro-optics and radar to locate and designate targets primarily for French Army artillery batteries, but can also perform the same role for combat aircraft and helicopters. The Thales mission package is platform-agnostic and could be integrated on other vehicle families for export.

• Land Warfare

  New German big cats circle Italian Leopard corpse (Opinion)

  27th June 2024

  The only thing missing from Rheinmetall’s display at Eurosatory this year was an Italian flag flown between its KF-51 Panther and KF41 Lynx. The smiles on the faces of its business development team, however, and the circling of Italian delegations told just as clear of a story.

• Land Warfare

  China reimagines armoured vehicle capabilities with new platforms

  9th October 2024

  China has been modernising its approach to armoured vehicles by introducing new platforms based on the VT4 MBT, including the HZT 26B armoured bridge and GSL 135E mine-clearing vehicle, designed for improved mobility and protection.

• Land Warfare

  Italy picks Rheinmetall and Leonardo for MBT and IFV and gives MGCS a boost

  3rd July 2024

  Italy has been looking replace its Ariete MBTs but has gone back and forth between a future European tank, more Leopards, an upgrade of existing vehicles and other options. It now seems to have thrown its hand in with the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS).

• Land Warfare

  PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer reenters production in Germany

  4th June 2024

  The Panzerhaubitze 2000 has returned to the production line for the fourth time following orders for the German Army and Ukraine.

• Land Warfare

  US Army doubles HIMARS order to $1.9 billion

  4th June 2024

  More than 400 HIMARS launchers have been delivered to the US Army, US Marine Corps and export customers including Jordan, Singapore and the UAE. HIMARS has been used in combat by US forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.

• Land Warfare

  Babcock partners with Hobson Industries to keep British Army Land Rovers on the road

  30th May 2024

  The British Army’s Land Rovers will be replaced under the Land Mobility Programme (LMP) which will seek to consolidate and replace the mixed fleet of platforms acquired between 1995 and 2015.

• Land Warfare

  First locally built KF41 Lynx IFV handed over to Hungary

  26th July 2024

  The KF41 procurement is part of Hungary’s Zrínyi 2026 development plan and is one of several efforts to procure modern, NATO-standard platforms that will supersede legacy equipment received from the Soviet Union by 2026.

• Land Warfare

  The Italian Army’s ambitious IFV plan

  14th June 2024

  The Italian Army has plans in place to procure up to 679 tracked IFVs to replace 200 Dardo IFVs currently in service with its mechanised units, as well as its M113 fleet.

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2024: GM Defense unveils new vehicle and highlights ISV’s current disaster relief work

  14th October 2024

  GM Defense’s Next Gen Tactical Vehicle (Next Gen) has been seen before but not in such an advanced prototype. Much like the company’s Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV), the vehicle draws on a commercial platform.

• Air Warfare

  India expands ammunition production with Adani–Thales collaboration

  10th July 2024

  Adani Defence & Aerospace has teamed up with Thales Belgium to manufacture and assemble NATO-standard 70mm calibre ammunition, strengthening India's self-reliance in defence production.

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall unveils Armoured Breaching Vehicle Keiler NG at Eurosatory

  17th June 2024

  Mine-clearing system has been designed to meet the requirements of the German Army and has been based on operational experience in Ukraine.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  MQ-1 Gray Eagle [US Army]

  Programme Background Required Quantity Although the US Army first envisioned a requirement for 132 MQ-1C Gray Eagles, the US Army's Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) was ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [Czechia]

  Programme Background KVAČR Concept In February 2024, the Czech Army unveiled the Construction of the Army of the Czech Republic (KVAČR) concept, which outlined a ...

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

  Parrot Anafi (Singapore)

  Programme Background On 7 February 2022, the Singapore Army posted photographs on Facebook that showed the Anafi UAV used as training devices in a five-day ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Viper (Nigeria)

  Programme Background Due to its ongoing campaign against Islamist insurgents in the north of Nigeria, the Nigerian Army has procured a wide range of mine-protected armoured ...

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

  FPV Drones [Czechia]

  Programme Background KVAČR Concept In February 2024, the Czech Army unveiled the Construction of the Army of the Czech Republic (KVAČR) concept, which outlined a mass ...

• 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 - 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 ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Titan-B

  Programme Background Colombia is understood to have a requirement for as many as 100 APCs capable of carrying up to 20 troops and protecting their ...

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

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) (Forecast) [US Army]

  Background USMC In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, which had been specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 2) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was intended to ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AMPV (USA)

  Programme Background The US Army initiated the AMPV programme to acquire a replacement for several variants of the M113 tracked APC, which has been in ...

• Tanks

  NGCV: DLP

  Programme Background Requirement The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in ...

• 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 ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  US Army Maneuver Support Vessel Light (MSVL)

  Programme BackgroundThe Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) or MSV(L) contract was awarded by the US Army to Vigor in 2017 and are being built to replace ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache-India-Army Forecast

  The Indian Army was originally granted co-ownership of the 22 Apaches that Air Force procured by the Indian MoD. However, the IAF refused to cede ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  StreamCaster Mini 4210

  The StreamCaster Mini 4210 (SM4210) is a single-channel data radio (SCDR) that can create MANET mesh networks. It is currently in use with the US ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Comm@nder Army

  Comm@nder Army is an integrated C4I system suitable for use in command post operational environments (infrastructure, shelter-based), providing specialised application services from the HQ of ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  M2A4/M7A4 Bradley

  Since 2011, the US Army and BAE Systems have been developing modifications for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle platform to address concerns regarding its ever-increasing weight, ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  German Army Aviation School

  CAE is the prime contractor for the German Army’s Night-Time Low-Level Flight Training Facility, commonly known as the German Army Aviation School, at Bückeburg. This ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  US Army AVCATT PDSS

  L3Harris Technologies is the prime contractor for the US Army’s Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (AVCATT) Post Deployment Software Support (PDSS) programme. L3Harris Technologies is ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  British Army Apache Training Facilities

  Aviation Training International (ATIL) – a Leonardo Helicopters/Boeing joint venture formed in 1998 - was selected to provide the attack helicopter training service to the ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  ROC Army UH-60M OFT

  L3 Link (now L3Harris Technologies) gained ready-for-training certification in 2015 on two UH-60M OFT delivered to the Taiwan Army. These training devices are similar to ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Australian Army S-70 Training System

  The Australian Army S-70A-9 Black Hawk is a turnkey programme including a full flight and mission simulator (FF&MS;), building, facilities and maintenance support. This CAE-built ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  German Army CH-53 Simulator Upgrades

  In 2011, CAE completed major upgrades on two CAE-built CH-53 full mission simulators operated at the German Army Aviation School at Bückeburg. Airbus Helicopters has ...

• Major networking projects

  Army BCT Modernisation Program Increment 1

  The US Army brigade combat team (BCT) modernisation strategy will build a mix of mobile, networked BCTs that can gain leverage from mobility, protection, information ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72A/B Lakota

  In 2006, the US Army selected a version of the medium-sized, twin-engine H145, designated the UH-72A Lakota,  to meet its requirement for a new Light ...

• Land: battle management systems

  ARTEMIS BMS

  The Army Tactical Engagement and Information System (ARTEMIS) is a battle management system in service with the Singapore Army. Designed for applications between the Platoon ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58 Kiowa

  The single-engine OH-58 Kiowa, derived from the Bell 206, entered US Army service in 1969 as a light observation helicopter. More than 2,200 were built for ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  M1150 ABV

  The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) project, launched by the USMC in 2002, is a joint programme to meet the requirements of both the US ...

• Air: mission management systems

  FüWES/FüES

  The FüWES army weapon C2 system and FüES C2 system, which connect sensors and effectors, are implemented as branch-specific functional supplements to Germany's army FüInfoSys ...