• Digital Battlespace

  L3Harris on track to deliver Viper Shield in 2025

  17th June 2024

  L3 Harris had a busy 2023 as it passed several milestones in the development of its Viper Shield. Both 2024 and 2025 are looking to be just as lively as delivery of production items nears.

• Naval Warfare

  China’s third aircraft carrier commences sea trials

  3rd May 2024

  Fujian, China’s latest aircraft carrier, has embarked on its inaugural sea trials following delays to its construction but featuring technological advancements that have marked a leap in the maritime capabilities of the People’s Liberation Army Navy.

• Land Warfare

  Poland’s Borsuk IFV awaits production contract

  25th June 2024

  Poland showcased its latest Borsuk infantry fighting vehicle at Eurosatory in Paris, highlighting its domestically funded development, advanced weaponry and planned production of 1,400 units to replace Soviet-era models.

• Training

  How US Army aviation training plans to address the service’s accident rate problem

  9th July 2024

  In response to a troubling increase in aviation accidents, the US Army initiated an 'Army Aviation Safety Stand Up', implementing immediate, targeted training for rotary-wing pilots and maintainers.

• Air Warfare

  UK brings 90 companies into $1.25 billion hypersonic missile programme

  13th May 2024

  The Hypersonic Technologies & Capability Development Framework (HTCDF) agreement was first announced in 2023 in an effort to accelerate the development of a sovereign UK strike capability.

• Land Warfare

  US Army doubles HIMARS order to $1.9 billion

  4th June 2024

  More than 400 HIMARS launchers have been delivered to the US Army, US Marine Corps and export customers including Jordan, Singapore and the UAE. HIMARS has been used in combat by US forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.

• Air Warfare

  Heron TP flies over Germany for the first time

  15th May 2024

  The Heron TP is a multi-role, advanced, long-range MALE UAS. It is faster, larger and higher flying than the Heron Mk 1 on which it is based and has been equipped with automatic taxi-takeoff and landing systems, satellite communication for extended range and fully redundant avionics.

• Naval Warfare

  BMT and DNV partner to meet Australia’s heavy landing craft requirement

  25th April 2024

  Under Project Land 8710 Phase 2, Australia has been seeking to acquire an undisclosed number of Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels to replace the Balikpapan-class. The programme has an estimated value of AU$1.4 billion (US$910 million), with IOC slated for 2032.

• Air Warfare

  USAF orders Joint Strike Missile for its F-35s

  3rd June 2024

  The Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is a multirole version of the Naval Strike Missile. Norway funded the programme to develop and produce the JSM for the F-35 for anti-ship and land-attack missions.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  How Airbus’s UH-72 Unmanned Logistics Connector is revolutionising USMC logistics

  18th June 2024

  Unveiled in early 2024, the UH-72 Logistics Connector is a pivotal component of the Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC), aimed at addressing the logistics needs of the US Marine Corps (USMC).

• Air Warfare

  Staying power: The importance of mid-life upgrades (opinion)

  9th July 2024

  The rapid integration of advanced Western weapons with Soviet-era Ukrainian aircraft and the adaptability shown in makeshift solutions has highlighted the essential role of mid-life upgrades in maintaining effective military forces amid evolving combat and technological challenges.

• Air Warfare

  KAI proposes Surion variants to fill Malaysian helicopter capability gaps

  10th May 2024

  Despite previous challenges in unifying procurement efforts across the Malaysian Armed Forces services, KAI has aimed to offer tailored Surion variants to fulfil specific requirements.

• Land Warfare

  Will Ukraine war air defence experience unlock new markets for Korkut gun system?

  18th June 2024

  Aselsan’s Korkut twin 35mm air defence gun is a unique in-production self-propelled system that can be integrated on a range of tracked and wheeled platforms. Korkut is in Turkish service already, but the need for air defence and C-UAS capabilities highlighted by the Ukraine conflict may lead to greater foreign interest in this solution.

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed Martin signs Australian air and missile defence system deal

  25th April 2024

  Air 6500 Phase 1, worth AU$500 million (US$326 million), will result in a sovereign system that can provide greater situational awareness and help to defend against hostile aircraft and missiles. It will sit at the core of Australia’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence programme.

• Land Warfare

  Large artillery gun added to new 10x10 Piranha

  21st May 2024

  In April, General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) MOWAG unveiled the Piranha Heavy Mission Carrier (10x10), an enhanced version of its Piranha armoured vehicle series featuring increased payload capacity and specialised configurations for diverse battlefield roles.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  H-X Fighter Programme [Finland]

  Programme Background In June 2020, Finnish MoD announced that the Hornet fleet life extension programme is neither cost-effective solution nor sufficient in terms of Finland’s ...

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

  H10 Poseidon [Ukraine]

  Background 2022 According to Army Recognition in 2022, citing VK, a Russian social network, Ukrainian sources had reportedly stated that the 26th Artillery Brigade and ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | PAK-DA - Procurement - Russia

  Russian MoD is planning to procure PAK-DA strategic bomber aircraft to replace the existing Tu-95MS Bear-H fleet, about 65 examples of which are in service with ...

• Data links

  Data links | PAK-DA - Procurement - Russia

  Russian MoD is planning to procure PAK-DA strategic bomber aircraft to replace the existing Tu-95MS Bear-H fleet, about 65 examples of which are in service with ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | PAK-DA - Procurement - Russia

  Russian MoD is planning to procure PAK-DA strategic bomber aircraft to replace the existing Tu-95MS Bear-H fleet, about 65 examples of which are in service with ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | PAK-DA - Procurement - Russia

  Russian MoD is planning to procure PAK-DA strategic bomber aircraft to replace the existing Tu-95MS Bear-H fleet, about 65 examples of which are in service with ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  AR100-H [Germany]

  Programme Background In May 2022, it was announced that 145 AR100-H drones would be supplied to the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). At the time of ...

• Loitering munitions

  Project Brakestop [UK]

  Background Information Notice On 25 September 2024, the UK MoD published a prior information notice for Project Brakestop, informing industry of the upcoming competition. Requirements ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Ka-52K Katran [Russia]

  Programme Background The Ka-52K Katran is a navalised version of the Ka-52 Alligator reconnaissance and attack helicopter.  The history of the Ka-52K is aligned with ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  WH AFV [R&Sp]

  Programme Background The RfI for this requirement stipulated several technical requirements that a prospective platform must meet in order to provide 'high mobility, adequate armour ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Mi-17 [Sri Lanka]

  Programme Background Sri Lanka currently operates 28 Mi-17 Hip H and Mi-171Sh and Mi-8s; the latest variants were three Mi-171Es delivered in 2013. Sri Lanka's military is ...

• Bomber

  PAK-DA - Procurement - Russia

  Programme Background The full-scale design works on the new-generation strategic bomber developed under the PAK-DA initiative were launched by Tupolev in 2013, on order placed ...

• Destroyers

  Arleigh Burke Flight III (DDG 125 - DDG 139) [USN]

  Programme Background Timeline Flight III is the last of the four flights being built for the USN, with the first ship beginning construction in 2018 ...

• Light Bullet-Proof Vehicles (Army) [India]

  Programme Background An RfP for 375 light bullet-proof vehicles (LBPV) is expected to be announced by the end of 2023 following the approval of the Indian Army's ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  VTOL-Capable Group 2 UAV [USA]

  Background Request for Information (RFI) In March 2026, the USAF issued an RFI seeking a VTOL-capable UAV capable of operating in austere environments to support ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  H-1 Family of Avionics

  Northrop Grumman produces a family of avionics for Bell H-1-series helicopters.

• Magline Cruiser

  First displayed at the DefExpo exhibition in 2014, the Magline Cruiser was developed as three variants: Cruiser 1, Cruiser 2 and Mini Cruiser. The two larger ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  UH-1Y/AH-1Z Training Devices

  Together with the prime contractor for the USMC’s new H-1 helicopters, FlightSafety produced the Viper (aka Super Cobra) and the Venom (Huey) flight simulator devices. ...

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

  Aybars-1

  The Aybars-1, alternatively known as the Aybars-I or Aerogard V3800-H, is a fixed-wing, VTOL-capable UAV from BMS Defence Technologies.  It is powered by a 100cc EFI engine and ...

• EO/IR systems

  HD25-XV

  The HD25--XV is a lightweight, compact UAV EO camera gimbal from Trillium Engineering. Sometimes called the Orion HD25, the system is designed to operate from ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARC-186

  The Collins Aerospace AN/ARC-186 is a low-Cost multi-band VHF/AM/FM transceiver designed to fulfill the demanding multirole missions flown in complex tactical and international environments. Aircraft installations ...

• Land: air defence radar

  H-200

  CEIEC's H-200 is the basis of the KS-1 air defence missile which is thought to have developed from reverse engineering a Patriot air defence system. ...

• Bomber

  H-6

  The People's Liberation Army Air Force has eight regiments of bombers and they operate an estimated 160 H-6 variants that have been in service since ...

• Subsystems: visual

  SpectraView Front Projection Display System

  Designed to support a variety of training requirements, SpectraView systems provide cost-effective, scalable and flexible options for single, tandem and side-by-side seating configurations. Standard and ...

• Naval guns

  H/PJ-45A

  H/PJ-45A is a Chinese 130mm naval gun deployed on the Type 052D destroyers. Reportedly, its design is based on the Soviet AK-130 gun. During the ...

• Self-propelled mortars

  2S34 Chosta

  The 2S34 Chosta is an upgraded version of the 122mm 2S1 tracked SPH that replaces the original 2A31 ordnance with the 120mm 2A80-1 mortar-gun, an ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  Trident 140TD2

  The Trident 140TD2 is a compression-ignition engine designed for MALE platforms. Based on the Trident 100TD2, it is a lightweight, four-cylinder design that is intended ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  Trident 180TD2

  The Trident 180TD2 is a compression-ignition engine designed for heavier UAVs up to the 2t class. The design is intended to improve efficiency, while being ...

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

  118 Mk 3 Type 1

  The Chemring CM118 Mk.3 Type-1 is a spectral flare intended to defeat infrared-guided, surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. The flare is designed to equip rotorcraft and ...

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

  FL-1

  The FL-1, sometimes called the Feilong-1 or Flying Dragon-1, is an unmanned, long-endurance platform under development for civilian and military use. Its design is aimed towards ...