• Defence Helicopter

  FAA approves all-glass cockpit for MD 530F

  13th July 2018

  The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved MD Helicopters’ advanced, all-glass cockpit for the MD 530F (type certified 369FF) helicopter. The new single-engine all-glass type …

• Land Warfare

  Cloudy future for Iron Curtain APS on US Army Strykers

  5th July 2018

  The fate of Artis' Iron Curtain active protection system (APS) continues to hang in the balance while the US Army  decides if it wants to …

• Digital Battlespace

  Chemring USA receives decoys contracts

  4th July 2018

  Chemring Countermeasures USA has received two contracts totalling approximately $42 million for the manufacture and delivery of decoys for the US Army and Air Force, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Farnborough 2018: Boeing prepares for Block II ramp up

  9th July 2018

  As final assembly begins on the first of three engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) CH-47F Chinook Block II aircraft, Boeing is assessing how best to manage its Philadelphia …

• Defence Helicopter

  Taiwan's Apache fleet goes into service amid China tensions

  17th July 2018

  Taiwan on 17 July put into service its fleet of US-made Apache attack helicopters, upgrading its defences against a growing military threat from China. The …

• Training

  First test flights of Mi-28UB

  10th July 2018

  The Russian Army Aviation has successfully completed the first test flights of the new Mi-28UB combat training helicopter, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced on …

• Land Warfare

  Oshkosh receives order for JLTVs

  4th July 2018

  Oshkosh Defense has received a $484 million order from the US Army for 1,574 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) and associated installed and packaged kits, …

• Defence Notes

  Zimbabwe army vows neutrality in election

  4th July 2018

  Zimbabwe's military vowed on 4 July to stay neutral in upcoming elections, dismissing suggestions it would deploy service personnel to influence national polls scheduled for …

• Special Operations

  Fuerzas Comando begins for Latin American SOF

  17th July 2018

  The Latin American special operations community has come together to conduct the 2018 iteration of the annual Fuerzas Comandocompetition in Panama.Due to run from 16-26 …

• Land Warfare

  GD-OTS receives AGMV contract

  2nd July 2018

  General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS) has received a $33.8 million contract from the US Army for the production of Army Ground Mobility Vehicles …

• Land Warfare

  Russia orders 'experimental batch' of Kurganets-25

  16th July 2018

  The Russian MoD has placed an initial order for the Kurganets-25 tracked armoured vehicle, likely for experimentation trials by front-line army units. This was disclosed in …

• Defence Helicopter

  First EMD CH-47F​ Block II inches closer

  2nd July 2018

  The first engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) CH-47F Block II programme helicopter has entered final assembly, Boeing announced on 27 June.Boeing is developing the next-generation …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Pressure on Pentagon for MUM-T solutions

  11th July 2018

  In the Pentagon's bid to race ahead with new technology development, the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) is joining forces with the other services to …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army miscalculates number of Apaches needed

  29th June 2018

  Question marks are surrounding the US Army's AH-64E Apache buy after service leaders failed to properly analyse the number of aircraft needed for testing and …

• Land Warfare

  Axe hangs over UK's £1.6bn Warrior upgrade

  6th July 2018

  The British Army’s plans to upgrade its legacy Warrior IFVs looks to be in further jeopardy as a new UK government watchdog report revealed that …

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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.