• Defence Notes

  What is preventing the German defence industry from accelerating production?

  2nd May 2023

  Although Germany has announced investments in its manufacturing capacities and reduced regulatory barriers, there are still challenges to be overcome.

• Naval Warfare

  Argentina seeks to rejuvenate submarine capabilities, but economic woes pose a challenge

  20th April 2023

  Argentina is seeking bids from European shipbuilders for new submarines but may struggle to sell the plan to the public due to economic difficulties.

• Air Warfare

  US to deploy A-10 Warthog attack planes in Middle East, contradicting earlier retirement plan in pursuit of deterrence against China and Russia

  31st March 2023

  As regional security concerns and the US focus shifts, the Pentagon plans to swap modern fighter jets for A-10 Warthog attack planes in the Middle East, starting in April.

• Digital Battlespace

  IDEX 2023: Codan Communications presents new squad radio

  24th February 2023

  The company’s new squad radio system can self-heal and relay information across a network.

• Training

  Varjo-Aechelon partnership on US Air Force training programme continues run of success for Finnish company

  24th March 2023

  Aechelon and Varjo are collaborating to provide mixed reality (MR) technology for the USAF's 31st Combat Training Squadron to enhance readiness to combat evolving threats.

• Land Warfare

  Lack of African sales fuels Arquus's struggle over armoured vehicle exports

  11th April 2023

  Armoured vehicle manufacturer Arquus has cited France's changing geopolitical relationship with nations in Africa as a major factor contributing to a decline in its export sales.

• Land Warfare

  Milanion NTGS joins forces with Global Ordnance to promote mobile mortars for US market

  23rd March 2023

  Milanion NTGS has signed an agreement with Global Ordnance to pursue sales opportunities in the US for its platform-agnostic mobile mortar systems.

• Naval Warfare

  Finns to begin building new corvettes this year

  4th April 2023

  After problems in the design phase, Finland is set to start production of a new fleet of four new Pohjanmaa-class ships later this year.

• Land Warfare

  Blighter radars to form part of UK laser anti-drone system

  9th March 2023

  Two Blighter A800 radars will be deployed alongside a Raytheon UK vehicle-mounted counter-UAS laser in a demonstrator programme for the UK MoD.

• Air Warfare

  How can Sweden develop a future air combat capability, freeing it from GCAP ties – for now?

  14th April 2023

  Sweden is exploring ways to upgrade its JAS 39 C/D jets to keep them operationally relevant and is studying future fighter capabilities, potentially including an upgraded Gripen multi-role aircraft in partnership with Brazil's Embraer.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IDEX 2023: Black Eagle UAV gets miniature airborne radar

  24th February 2023

  Integrating the radar into the Steadicopter UAS allows the rotorcraft to spot potential maritime threats.

• Land Warfare

  US Army invests in range and firepower with M109 howitzers

  20th February 2023

  BAE Systems will provide hardware kits and support for its M109A7 self-propelled howitzers and M992A3 ammunition carriers to the US Army.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IDEX 2023: Autel Robotics showcases DJI challenger drone

  2nd March 2023

  Autel Robotics presented its Dragonfish series and EVO Max 4T at IDEX 2023, hoping to challenge DJI's market dominance with the latter.

• Air Warfare

  Decision to delay UK's MQ-9B Protector programme cost £186 million

  17th March 2023

  The Ministry of Defence's decision to delay the MQ-9B Protector programme by two years has cost the country £186 million, with total projected whole-life costs now at over £1.7 billion.

• Land Warfare

  UK inks agreement for Swedish Archer guns and buys Carl-Gustaf M4 recoilless rifles

  30th March 2023

  The defence ministers of the UK and Sweden have signed a letter of intent for a contract to supply the British Army with 14 Archer self-propelled guns and announced a deal for Carl-Gustaf M4 recoilless rifles.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  Next Generation Submarines [Japan]

  Programme Background Requirements Japan typically only keeps submarines in service for around 20 years, a relatively short time for modern warships. The Next Generation Submarine is, ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Light Combat Helicopter (India - Army)

  Programme Background Requirement India's requirement for light attack helicopters capable of operating at high altitudes became apparent during the 1999 Kargil War. Originally planned to reach ...

• Military UAS - small

  Z1 [US Army]

  Methodology PGO The programme has been assigned a PGO of 75%, indicating that it is likely a contract will be awarded. A factor contributing to ...

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

  Akinci [UAE]

  Programme Background Surprise Delivery Baykar, in a statement of its 2024 achievements, stated that it had delivered two Akinci UAVs to the UAE, one in ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A add-on [Belgium]

  Programme Background In order to fulfil pressing operational requirements, at the end of April 2025 Belgian leadership announced a new procurement of F-35A fighters; officials emphasised that ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  K239 Chunmoo [Norway]

  Programme Background Norway previously operated a fleet of 12 M270 MLRS, which were put into storage in 2005 before being donated to Ukraine, via the ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M-Forecast [Indonesia]

  Programme Background The TNI-AU currently relies on 17 Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules and L-100-30 aircraft, including five C-130Hs transferred from Australia. Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) is ...

• Main battle tanks

  Leopard 2A4 [Czech Republic]

  Programme Background  The Czech Republic currently operates a small fleet of T-72s, which, while undergoing upgrades and life extension programmes, are increasingly obsolete. In October ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Buque de Acción Marítima - (7-8) [Spain]

  In May 2023, multiple Spanish media outlets reported that the Spanish Navy began the design studies for two new Buques de Acción Marítima (BAM) with ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Buque de Acción Marítima - (7-8) [Spain]

  In May 2023, multiple Spanish media outlets reported that the Spanish Navy began the design studies for two new Buques de Acción Marítima (BAM) with ...

• ISR/special mission

  E-6 TACAMO Recapitalisation Programme (E-130J) [USN]

  Programme Background The E-6 Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) Recapitalisation Programme (E-XX) provides for air vehicle replacement and mission systems modernization to augment and eventually ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [Indonesia]

  Programme Background The TNI-AU currently relies on 17 Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules and L-100-30 aircraft, including five C-130Hs transferred from Australia. Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) is ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Fast Attack Vessel 250 (1-10) [Egypt]

  At NAVDEX 2023, Shephard understood that DIV M.E.S. and NVL are discussing with Egypt to supply the Egyptian Navy with up to ten FAV 250). ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Fast Attack Vessel 250 (1-10) [Egypt]

  At NAVDEX 2023, Shephard understood that DIV M.E.S. and NVL are discussing with Egypt to supply the Egyptian Navy with up to ten FAV 250). ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Buque de Acción Marítima (7-8) [Spain]

  In May 2023, multiple Spanish media outlets reported that the Spanish Navy began the design studies for two new Buques de Acción Marítima (BAM) with ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Data links

  IRB

  The Impact Rugged Baseband Kits (IRBs) are standalone or stackable ruggedised communications terminals enabling rapid configuration and deployment options across fixed and mobile platforms. The ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  IPS-250X

  The IPS-250X is an inline network encryptor that creates secure IP connections with US warfighters and government agencies, without the deployment limitations, logistics and lifecycle ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  LiteHUD

  BAE Systems' LiteHUD is a low-profile head-up display compatible with various aircraft ranging from conventional turboprops to next-generation fighter jets. 

• UAS: communication systems

  Black ICE Medium

  A member of Inmarsat's Black ICE family of SDR modems, Black ICE Medium provides secure BLoS communications for uncrewed and crewed aerial platforms. Notably, it is ...

• UAS: communication systems

  ORION X630

  The ORION X630 is a very small form-factor, two-channel MIMO tactical radio ideally suited for Vertical Height Antennas (VHA), uncrewed platforms, or any other application ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  R&S M3xR

  The R&S; M3xR family of radios is a generation of digital radios that can be used in mobile (manpack and vehicular form factor), stationary/shipborne (19in ...

• Data links

  Voyager

  The Klas Telecom Voyager system of systems is a modular scalable baseband product designed to meet the requirements of military communicators. It consists of a ...

• Land: battle management systems

  RPCS

  The Remote Payload Control Station (RPCS) is a third-level remote video terminal. It is designed for receiving real-time images directly from unmanned platforms (UAV, USV, ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Flat Panel Manpack SATCOM

  Produced by ST Engineering, the Flat Panel Manpack SATCOM terminal provides Ku-band communications in a compact form factor. 

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  MILOR

  The Miniature Integrated eLORAN Receiver (MILOR) is claimed to offer the smallest eLORAN location, timing and tracking solution available. Utilising the eLORAN system to provide ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  Ophir IR optics optimised for 10-12µm LWIR detectors

  Ophir, addressing the new market shift in the direction of 10-12μm detectors, is offering a wide collection of lenses, optimised to meet the needs of ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Harris Airborne Multi-Channel Radio (HAMR)

  The Harris Airborne Multichannel Radio (HAMR) is a two-channel wideband radio designed to deliver voice, high-speed IP-networked data and full-motion video. It uses VHF/UHF networks ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARC-232

  The AN/ARC-232(V) Starblazer is a single-channel radio that supports fixed- and rotary-wing applications. Designed by Raytheon, it is available in panel and remote mount variants.

• Air: Electronic Attack - Pod, Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  BOH

  Saab's BOH is a countermeasures self-protection pod for use on any fixed wing aircraft. BOH is an implementation of the Saab BOL countermeasures dispenser system ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  NEXIUM RuggSAT

  Thales' NEXIUM RuggSAT is a man-portable, on-the-pause SATCOM terminal that offers X- and Ka-band communications in a small form factor.