• Land Warfare

  Funding challenges confront main UK land programmes

  9th March 2020

  The British Army is facing a huge challenge as it modernises its armoured vehicle fleet in the next decade.  The UK National Audit Office's (NAO) …

• Naval Warfare

  Maya aids Japanese BMD

  26th March 2020

  The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) commissioned the first of two Maya-class destroyers in Yokohama on 19 March. JS Maya (DDG-179) is a guided missile …

• Defence Notes

  US sees huge spike in Middle East arms exports

  10th March 2020

  Booming arms export trade between the US defence industry and the Middle East has risen by 79% over the course of the last five years, …

• Defence Notes

  Japan invests in hypersonic and stand-off missiles

  10th March 2020

  Japan's Self-Defense Force (SDF) is developing and buying new classes of missile aimed to counter the threats it perceives in its neighbourhood, including a belligerent …

• Land Warfare

  Theon to deliver image intensifiers to German Army

  26th February 2020

  The German Army is set to receive first deliveries in a 1,500-unit order for monocular image intensifier clip-ons. The contract for Theon Deutschland was awarded …

• Defence Helicopter

  No mention of Egyptian AW149 order in Leonardo's 2019 financials

  13th March 2020

  A supposed contract for at least 20 Leonardo AW149 8t-class helicopters from Egypt has not been listed among the orders signed off by the manufacturer …

• Defence Notes

  Russian COVID-19 response leaves much to be desired

  16th April 2020

  The COVID-19 pandemic is a phenomenon that is actively changing politics, economics and society on a global scale. Russia is not yet among the worst-affected …

• Land Warfare

  Czech Republic receives new Pandur II variants

  26th March 2020

  The Czech Republic is improving the mobility and situational awareness of its ground forces through new command/staff and communication (liaison) variants of the 8x8 Pandur II. …

• Land Warfare

  Griffon to pack a punch with MEPAC

  25th March 2020

  The French Army has disclosed how it will deploy its recently ordered Thales (previously TDA) 120mm 2R2M rifled mortars in the Mortier Embarqué Pour l'Appui au Contact …

• Land Warfare

  Australia receives first LRIP Hawkeis

  2nd April 2020

  In late March, a regular unit of the Australian Army received a batch of low-rate initial-production (LRIP) Thales Hawkei Protected Mobility Vehicles - Light (PMV-L) plus …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ADF picks XTEK for Wasp support

  12th March 2020

  XTEK is to supply spare parts for the fleet of Wasp AE small UAS (SUAS) operated by the Australian Defence Force (ADF), under a A$3.2 …

• Training

  Valiant Global Defense to operate Korea Battle Simulation Centre

  26th March 2020

  California-based Valiant Global Defense has secured a contract modification to a previously awarded agreement for Korea Battle Simulation Centre operations and network support services to …

• Defence Notes

  US border wall drains funding from military programmes

  11th March 2020

  As debate rages in Washington, DC, on the FY2021 Presidential Budget Request, one of the main sticking points has been the redirecting of funding for …

• Land Warfare

  Poland says goodbye to Honker, hello to Navara

  20th March 2020

  The Polish Army is to procure several hundred Nissan Navara 4x4 all-terrain, tactical vehicles in its Mustang programme, following five unsuccessful attempts to implement it. …

• Naval Warfare

  South Korea moves ahead with new frigates

  27th March 2020

  The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) continues to modernise, with a design and production contract being awarded to Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) for the Ulsan-class …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Nauru 1000C [Brazil]

  Programme Background The Logistics Command (COLOG) of the Brazilian Army purchased three Nauru 1000C UAVs, training, 36-month interested logistics support, two EO/MWIR XSIS 222A gimbals, two ...

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

  WanderB or ThunderB [Colombia]

  Programme Background Expodefensa 2019 During Colombia's Expodefensa 2019 exhibition, BlueBird Aero Systems displayed its ThunderB VTOL small UAV. Reportedly, the Colombian Army requested information on ...

• Mexico Light Armoured Reconaissance Vehicle

  Programme Background The Mexican Army is struggling to maintain its large fleet of ageing armoured vehicles, the vast majority of which have significantly exceeded their ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - micro

  NX70 Microdrone (First Batch)

  Programme Background The French Army procured the NX70 to meet an urgent operational requirement for a small UAS that could provide short-range ISR for dismounted ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CU172 Blackjack (Second System) [Canada]

  Programme Background Requirement The Canadian Army identified a requirement for two new tactical UAV systems after recognising that the squadron and company-level Aerovironment RQ-11 Raven ...

• 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 UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  French Operational Pocket Drone / DrOP (France)

  Programme Background French UAV Procurment / DrOP Under its 2019-2025 Military Programming Law (LPM), France aims to introduce 1,200 new UAVs into service with the ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Contracted)

  By March 2019, 269 of the 350 Pumas on order had been delivered to the German Army. Deliveries of the remaining 81 vehicles are scheduled ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBMR Griffon [France]

  Programme Background Development of the Griffon commenced in 2014 when the consortium of Arquus, Nexter and Thales was awarded a development contract to design the ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 (Pre-War) [Ukraine Army]

  Programme Background The Ukraine Army purchased 12 TB2 units in January 2019 for a reported $69 million. The units were reportedly delivered from June 2019 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Rosomak [Poland - Second Batch]

  Programme Background Requirement The Polish Army selected Patria's XC-360 Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) to meet its requirement for a new 8x8 armoured vehicle to replace ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CU172 Blackjack (First System) [Canada]

  Background Requirement The Canadian Army identified a requirement for two new tactical UAV systems after recognising that the squadron and company-level Aerovironment RQ-11 Raven (CU173 ...

• AGMV 1.1

  Programme Background The US Army has been seeking a lightweight, air-droppable, high mobility vehicle since as early as 2014, when it initiated its Ultra Light ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement In 2018, the US Army initiated the FARA project to develop a replacement for Army attack and scout helicopters, such as the OH-58D Kiowa and AH-64 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCU 2000 (Runnymede-class)

  The LCU 2000 class is in service with the US Army. They were built by VT Halter Marine and first entered service in February 1990. The ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  WZ-8

  First shown in October 2019, the WZ-8 is HALE UAV. Two closed-cycle liquid-fuelled rocket engines power the WZ-8 to a claimed supersonic speed of Mach 3.  In ...

• 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. ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Sapsan-Bekas

  Unveiled at ARMY-2019 in Moscow, the Sapsan-Bekas is a C-UAS system comprising active radar, video and EO tracking, signal detection and jamming subsystems. The system ...

• Main battle tanks

  C2 Ariete

  The C2 Ariete is an upgraded variant of the C1 Ariete, designed for the Italian Army in the 1990s. Work on the C2 began in ...

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

  Nauru 1000C

  Manufactured by XMobtos, the Nauru 1000C is a VTOL-capable small fixed-wing UAV. The UAV features a hybrid propulsion system, autopilot and a gyro-stabilised payload. It is designed to ...

• 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 ...

• Sniper rifles

  SV-18

  The SV-18 is a light sniper rifle in a 12.7mm calibre, designed to be easier to carry and operate than existing rifles of that family. 

• Military helicopters - light/training

  LUH

  The Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) is being developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to meet the requirements of the Indian Army and Indian Air Force ...

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Night Intruder 600 Vertical Take-Off (NI-600VT)

  The Night Intruder 600 Vertical Take-Off (NI-600VT) is an in-development UAV from Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) based on an MD 500 twin-seat American commercial helicopter airframe. With the ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  RBS 70 missile

  The RBS 70 missile was produced to meet the requirements of the Swedish Army's short-range air defence needs. The missile is unique in being the ...

• Light UGVs

  T7

  The T7 is a multi-mission robotic system designed for military, police and hazardous missions. At DSEI 2017, the UK MoD awarded the Harris Corporation a ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Ezuwgu

  The Ezuwgu is an MRAP 4x4 APC designed and produced by the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON). 

• Land: air defence radar, Land: indirect fire location radar

  AN/TPQ-50

  The AN/TPQ-50 is a lightweight, L-Band counterfire radar that performs early warning for indirect fire, target acquisition, and air surveillance modes. Part of SRC’s Lightweight ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  BTR-82AT

  The BTR-82AT is an upgraded version of the BTR-82A and BTR-82AM 8x8 IFVs developed for the Russian Army. Introduced in 2019, it features a new, ...