• Military Logistics

  Airbus certifies A400M CHT refuelling unit

  26th February 2019

  Airbus, together with the Spanish Air Force Test Centre, has successfully completed the certification flight tests for the A400M Cargo Hold Tanks (CHT) refuelling unit, …

• Training

  DSET 2019: Canadian Army outlines simulation plan blueprint

  19th March 2019

  The Canadian Army is set to invest C$2.2 billion ($1.66 billion) in simulation programmes and over C$4 billion in networks and instrumentation over the next …

• Digital Battlespace

  LIMA 2019: Malaysian radio launched

  27th March 2019

  Sapura Thales Electronics (STE), a JV established between Sapura and Thales in 1996, launched a second-generation VHF radio called the TRC 5200 at LIMA 2019. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Milipol Asia 2019: STELOP sees way through all obstacles

  4th April 2019

  Singapore-based company STELOP, an arm of ST Engineering, unveiled two new products at the Milipol Asia 2019 exhibition in Singapore. One is a see-through vehicle …

• Defence Notes

  Clashes rage in Libya despite UN truce call

  8th April 2019

  Fighting raged south of Libya's capital on 7 April despite a UN call for a two-hour ceasefire, as forces of strongman Khalifa Haftar and the …

• Defence Helicopter

  SB>1 Defiant completes first flight

  25th March 2019

  The Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 Defiant aircraft carried out its first flight on 21 March at Sikorsky's facility in West Palm Beach, Florida. The helicopter is being …

• Land Warfare

  Thai army unveils VL MICA air defence system

  28th March 2019

  At the end of last year, the Royal Thai Army’s (RTA) Air Defence Command replaced its Spada surface-to-air missiles (SAM), which had been in service …

• Defence Helicopter

  Plane glass for plain protection

  26th March 2019

  With ground-based attacks during theatre operation a real threat to military helicopters, Israel-based OSG has developed an ultra-light ballistic window that protect these aircraft, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army selects QNA for CRS(I) programme

  20th March 2019

  QinetiQ North America (QNA) has been selected by the US Army for its Common Robotic System-Individual (CRS(I)) programme, the company announced on 15 March. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  Rheinmetall Canada awarded ISTAR ISS contract

  19th March 2019

  Rheinmetall Canada has been awarded an in-service support (ISS) contract to help maintain and strengthen the communications and information systems the Canadian Army depends on …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales develops GM200 MM radar

  26th March 2019

  Thales has added a new Ground Master 200 Multi Mission (GM200 MM) radar to its family of 4D Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars. The …

• Defence Notes

  Israel strikes Gaza over bomb balloons

  26th March 2019

  The Israeli military said on 23 March 2019 that it launched airstrikes against two groups of Palestinians in Gaza, after they allegedly flew balloons rigged …

• Training

  DSET 2019: US Army trials new training approach

  20th March 2019

  The summer of 2019 will see the US Army Aviation Training Center of Excellence (USAATCE) at Fort Rucker, Alabama, start a new pilot training experimental …

• Land Warfare

  Bulletproof jackets create uproar in India

  19th March 2019

  Having won a $166 million bid for the Indian Army’s 186,138 bulletproof jackets, SMPP’s executive director Ashish Kansal told the Economic Times that the Western-sourced …

• Land Warfare

  Saab receives Czech order for RBS 70 missiles

  20th March 2019

  Saab has received an order to deliver Mk II missiles for the Czech Army’s RBS 70 man-portable air-defence system. The order has been placed by …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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, cohesive operational organisations, highly ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Small UAS [Spain]

  The Spanish Army examined the Russo-Ukrainian War in early 2024 and incorporated many learnings into its Fuerza 35 Project, a restructuring and procurement modernisation initiative. ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Small UAS [Spain]

  The Spanish Army examined the Russo-Ukrainian War in early 2024 and incorporated many learnings into its Fuerza 35 Project, a restructuring and procurement modernisation initiative. ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Twister [Spain]

  Background Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Batch 1) [Spain]

  Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army, including the BMR-600 6x6, VEC-M1 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Batch 3) [Spain]

  Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army, including the BMR-600 6x6, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Batch 2) [Spain]

  Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army, including the BMR-600 6x6, ...

• Military UAS - micro

  X10D [Spain]

  Background Contract award On 27 May 2024, the Spanish Head of Economic Affairs of the Logistics Support Command issued a pre-tender announcement regarding the purchase ...

• Wheeled assault guns

  B1 Centauro Replacement [Spain]

  Background The Spanish Army entered the B1 Centauro into service between 2000 and 2006. Manufactured by the Italian Iveco and Oto Melara consortium CIO, the B1 ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Vector [Spain]

  Background Two tenders On 4 May 2025, Quantum Systems announced it had won two tenders from the Spanish Armed Forces to supply two different UAVs. According ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Batch 4) [Spain]

  Background The decision to acquire these vehicles comes within the wider context of the Spanish government announcing a significant increase in defence spending in order ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) [Spain]

  Background The VAMTAC ST5 is already in Spanish service with the Spanish Army, Navy, and Air Force in various configurations. In June 2025, the Spanish ...

• Military UAS - mini

  AKILA [Spain]

  Background Contract award In October 2025, the Spanish Procurement Directorate of the Logistics Support Command of the Air and Space Force publicly issued a framework ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Batch 3) [Spain]

  Background The decision to acquire these vehicles comes within the wider context of the Spanish government announcing a significant increase in defence spending in order ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Batch 2) [Spain]

  Background The decision to acquire these vehicles comes within the wider context of the Spanish government announcing a significant increase in defence spending in order ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Heavy UGVs

  Valkyrie

  The Valkyrie is a 6x6 UGV developed by the Spanish company SASCorp. It was unveiled for the first time at FINDEF 2021. The platform has reportedly ...

• Towed guns

  SIAC 155mm/52cal

  The SIAC 155mm/52cal towed howitzer is the latest derivative of the 155mm/52cal APU SBT howitzer originally developed by GDELS-SBS in the 1990s to meet a ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Lantrek VMTT

  The Landtrek VMTT is an LTV developed by Spain's Iturri to provide logistical and support functions. The Spanish Army became the debut customer in July ...

• 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. ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  ASCOD Common Base Platform

  GDELS unveiled a new variant of its tracked ASCOD (Austrian Spanish Cooperative Development) IFV based on the new Common Base Platform (CBP) at the June ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  Leopard 2E Simulators

  Indra was prime contractor for the Spanish Army Leopard 2E Tank Simulation Programme, which involved 23 devices across driving, turret and platoon simulators with networking ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR Dragon

  Having received a $2 billion order from the Spanish Army, the General Dynamics European Land Systems VCR Dragon 8x8 IFV is swiftly replacing the ageing BMR-600 6x6 ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Alcotán

  The Alcotán is a lightweight, hand-launched platform. Designed by USOL, the system features an aerial platform, autopilot and GCS. It is suitable for both civil ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Neton

  The 4x4 Neton Ultrafast Tactical Vehicle is manufactured by Spanish firm Einsa. It is an all-terrain, highly mobile and air-transportable SF platform. Following an evaluation ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  BMR-600

  The BMR-600 "Pegaso"  is a wheeled fully-amphibious 6x6 APC which began development in 1972. It was originally designed by Santa Barbara Sistemas which is now ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  ASCOD

  The Austrian Spanish Cooperative Development (ASCOD) I/CFV was developed to meet the joint requirements of the Austrian and Spanish armies for a medium-weight armoured vehicle ...

• Loitering munitions

  Q-SLAM-40

  The QLM-40, or Q-SLAM-40, is a multi-purpose loitering munition manufactured by Arquimea. It is launched from a pneumatic launcher, powered by an electric motor and contains an ISR payload ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Fulmar X

  The Fulmar X is a Thales UAV designed to carry out high-quality ISTAR missions for civil and military applications. A complete system comprises two UAVs, launch and recovery ...

• Individual assault/anti-tank weapons

  Alcotan-100

  The Alcotan-100 is a recoilless, shoulder-launched, antitank rocket launcher developed to meet a Spanish Army requirement, entering service in 2008. In 2014, the Peruvian Army ...

• Light machine guns

  MG4

  The 5.56mm MG4 has been in German Army service since 2005 and sold to at least five export customers, including the Spanish Army. The MG4 ...