• Defence Notes

  Safran expands R&D capabilities

  2nd February 2015

  Safran's new research and technology center, Safran Tech was inaugurated in Saclay, near Paris, the company announced on 27 January. The R&D centre will be …

• Digital Battlespace

  Leidos wins contract from US AFLCMC

  30th January 2015

  The US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) has awarded Leidos a $12 million contract to provide Unit Command and Control (UC2) software solutions, …

• Military Logistics

  Australia requests M88A2 from US

  30th January 2015

  The US State Department has approved a possible foreign military sale of M88A2 Hercules heavy recovery vehicles to Australia, the US Defense Security Agency announced …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Nigeria suspected of using Chinese UCAS

  29th January 2015

  Photographs of a crashed UCAS in Nigeria – apparently a Chinese-built CH-3A – began circulating online on 25 January 2015 and show that two intact …

• Military Logistics

  Taiwan receives new support ship

  26th January 2015

  The Taiwanese Republic of China Navy (ROCN) received a new fast combat support ship on 23 January 2015. After completing sea trials the $130 million …

• Land Warfare

  Manta showcases USMC weapon covers (video)

  22nd January 2015

  Greg Foster, with Manta Weapons Accessories, tells Shephard Media about its range of rail guards, grip sleeves and barrel covers, which are standard issue with …

• Land Warfare

  BAE improves thermal weapon sights technology

  22nd January 2015

  BAE Systems has unveiled 12-micron thermal imaging technology that significantly improves the effectiveness of thermal weapon sights, the company announced on 19 January. Its Universal …

• Naval Warfare

  BAE Systems wins US Navy Aegis contract

  21st January 2015

  BAE Systems has won a five-year contract from the US Navy, the company announced on 19 January. Under the contract, the company will supply critical …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop to support ICBM subsystems

  20th January 2015

  The US Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman a contract for the support of Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Ground Subsystems, the company reported …

• Land Warfare

  BAE offers India M777 build

  20th January 2015

  BAE Systems is offering to relocate its M777 lightweight howitzer production line to India to meet Indian Army artillery requirements. A statement from BAE Systems …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy expands SM-6 missile deployment

  16th January 2015

  The US Navy has authorised ships in the Aegis Combat Weapon System baselines 5.3 and 3.A.0 series to carry the Raytheon Standard Missile-6 (SM-6), the …

• Training

  Meggitt wins small arms training contract

  16th January 2015

  Meggitt Training Systems has won a $31.7 million contract for indoor simulated marksmanship training systems from the US Marine Corps (USMC), the company announced on …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy's JSOW C-1 set for operational testing

  15th January 2015

  The US Navy has completed integrated test and evaluation of its Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) C-1, according to an announcement on 12 January. The JSOW …

• Land Warfare

  SmartRounds introduces non-lethal smart bullets

  14th January 2015

  SmartRounds Technology announced its new 18mm non-lethal and non-impact smart bullets on 12 January. They are micro-controlled smart bullets (patent pending) that will be launched …

• Military Logistics

  Cyprus airbase set for solar facility installation

  13th January 2015

  The European Defence Agency (EDA) and a European energy consortium have signed a contract for installing and operating a solar facility at Paphos Airbase, Cyprus, …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Destroyers

  Type 83 Future Air Defence System (FADS) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirements The Daring-class (Type 45) consists of six ships, although the original plan was to have 12 destroyers. This was cut to eight in ...

• Destroyers

  Next-Generation Large Surface Combatants (LSC) - DDG(X) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) is acknowledging a need to move away from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer design, which is slowly outgrowing. Flight III ...

• Frigates

  European Combat Vessel [Spain]

  Programme Background Requirements The European Combat Vessel (ECV) is currently a conceptual project that seeks to design a European collaborative multi-mission, modular warship. As of ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Data links

  Data links | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Multi-Role Strike Ship (MRSS) Programme [UK]

  Programme Background Requirements According to the UK MoD's March 2021 Defence Command Paper, entitled 'Defence in a Competitive Age', the RN will invest in six ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [Germany]

  Programme Background Germany originally said it would but 60 A400Ms, but when the program was re-baselined in 2010 reduced its planed off take to 53, ...

• Destroyers

  Sejong the Great Class (KDX-III) Batch 2 (1-3) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirements The Sejong the Great class (KDX-III) Batch 2 will consist of three improved Sejong the Great-class (KDX-III) batch 1 guided-missile destroyers, which ...

• Military UAS - mini

  U&C reconnaissance drones [US Army]

  Methodology PGO The programme has been assigned a PGO of 100%, as a contract has been awarded. Unit cost It has not been clarified what ...

• Corvettes

  Continental Defence Corvette [Canada]

  Background Initial requirements Under the second pillar of its shipbuilding strategy, Canada is seeking to procure an undisclosed number of small vessels (below 1000t). Part ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Landing Platform Docks [India]

  Programme Background Requirements The LPD tender, although more akin to an LHD, specifies that the quartet of ships must be built within India, although collaboration ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Alpha 900 [Uruguay]

  Background Acqustiion In October 2022, the Alpha 900 from Alpha Unmanned Systems was reportedly jointly purchased by the Uruguayan state energy company UTE and the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Fractl:2

  Fractl:2, developed and manufactured by AIM Defence, is an Australian laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). The high-powered portable system is Australia's first acquisition of a directed ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Apollo

  Apollo is a High-Energy Laser Weapon System manufactured by Electro Optic Systems (EOS). Apollo's laser utilises directed energy to disable or destroy aerial targets without ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  DIAL

  The Laser Weapon Instrumental Demonstrator (DIAL), in joint development with Indra and Escribano Mechanical Engineering, is a Spanish laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). The system ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Minotaur

  Minotaur, developed by Soukos Robots, is a Greek laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). Minotaur is an anti-drone platform with the ability to shoot down unmanned ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Italian LDEW (Leonardo/MBDA)

  As announced in December 2024, Leonardo and MBDA are collaborating to produce a Fire Unit Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) for the Italian Navy. The ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons, Self-propelled guns, Self-propelled missile systems

  SkyRanger 30

  SkyRanger 30 is a mobile ground-based air defence (GBAD) laser directed energy weapon (LDEW) system designed by Rheinmetall. The system comprises automatic cannons, guided missiles, and a ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  CROSSBOW MINI

  CROSSBOW MINI, developed by IPG Photonics, is a laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW). The LDEW has multiple deployable configurations and is a part of the manufacturers ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Archimedes

  Archimedes, developed by Aurelius Systems, is a laser-directed energy weapon designed to stop drones at scale. The system is still in development, though Aurelius received ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  ALKA-KAPLAN

  ALKA-KAPLAN is a collaborative effort between Turkish manufacturers ROKETSAN and FNSS. The system is a mobile armoured anti-drone system, which integrates the ALKA directed energy-weapon ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  German LDEW (Rheinmetall/MBDA)

  Rheinmetall and MBDA Germany's collaborative work on laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW) technology has resulted in a German laser weapon system that is close to being ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Guorong-1 Anti Drone System

  Guorong-1 is an anti-drone system developed by China. The system is jointly developed by the Chinese Electronics Technology Group (CETG), Guorong Technology, and the Chinese public ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  DroneDefender

  DroneDefender is a directed-energy UAS countermeasure that disrupts the adversary's control of the aircraft, neutralising it so that no remote action (including detonation) can occur, ...

• Destroyers

  Flight III Destroyer

  During Indo Pacific 2023, Navantia Australia unveiled a 10200t destroyer design. Dubbed as Flight III Destroyer, the Spanish shipbuilder is pitching the ship for the ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  MEHEL 2.0

  The Mobile Expeditionary High-Energy Laser (MEHEL) is a C-UAS-capable vehicle that employs directed energy to neutralise targets. MEHEL 2.0 was first seen at AUSA 2016, ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  SCATA Mk1

  The SCATA Mk1 is the first military vehicle developed by Finland's SCATA.