• Defence Notes

  GA-EMS contracted for hypersonic weapons work

  3rd October 2019

  General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) has been awarded a contract by the US Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office to further the development of …

• Land Warfare

  Timeline clarity on future of Challenger 2

  4th October 2019

  While the presence of Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land's (RBSL) proposal for the Challenger 2 Life Extension Programme (LEP) has captured the attention of tank watchers …

• Defence Notes

  US fighter jet crashes in Germany

  8th October 2019

  An American F-16 fighter jet crashed and its pilot ejected to safety near the city of Trier in western Germany on Tuesday, the German air …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed Martin to develop Sentinel A4 radar

  30th September 2019

  Lockheed Martin will develop the Sentinel A4 radar system under a $281 million contract awarded by the US Army.  Sentinel A4 is a high-performance modification …

• Digital Battlespace

  CACI awarded US Army task order

  27th September 2019

  CACI International has been awarded a four-year plus task order worth up to $197 million to support the US Army Fixed Wing Project Office’s special …

• Military Logistics

  Malaysia seeks additional logistics vehicles

  9th October 2019

  The Malaysian government issued three vehicle procurement tenders on 3 October as part of the Malaysian Army’s Mobility Phases II and III vehicle recapitalisation programmes. …

• Training

  MTS wins additional $15.8 million ATS III orders

  28th September 2019

  Georgia-based Meggitt Training Systems (MTS) has announced a number of additional orders that form part of the overall US Army live-fire range combat skills training …

• Training

  Iraqi Army to get M1A1 training system

  26th September 2019

  Orlando-based Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems has been awarded a $9.7 million firm-fixed-price  FMS contract for an undisclosed number of M1A1 Abrams Situational Awareness …

• Training

  MetaVR VRSG on US Army cockpit trainer prototypes

  27th September 2019

  MetaVR announced on 25 September that its Virtual Reality Scene Generator (VRSG) is providing the image generation for the Synthetic Training Environment (STE) Reconfigurable Virtual …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UK police adopt Centrik for UAS operations

  19th September 2019

  The Centrik UAS operational management system has been adopted by the UK’s police unmanned systems programme, the Alliance Drone Team. Widely used in civil aviation, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bell fired up for FARA with 360 Invictus

  2nd October 2019

  Manufacturer Bell has unveiled its Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft Competitive Prototype [FARA CP] contender – the 360 Invictus – distinguished by a lift-sharing fixed-wing, tandem cockpit, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Shallow water MCM carried out at AECE 2019

  18th September 2019

  The US Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit One (EODMU-1) has tested its ability to operate UUVs and conduct expeditionary mine countermeasures in very shallow …

• Land Warfare

  Australia’s first Boxer enters the ring

  24th September 2019

  Rheinmetall Defence Australia handed over the first Boxer 8x8 armoured vehicle acquired under Project Land 400 Phase 2 to the Australian Army at Enoggera Barracks, …

• Land Warfare

  Switzerland completes GBAD sensor assessments

  3rd October 2019

  Switzerland has completed sensor evaluation testing of the two downselected systems that are competing for the nation’s long-range ground-based air defence system programme.  Conducted at …

• Naval Warfare

  New Asian-built LPDs for Thailand and Myanmar

  11th September 2019

  Two neighbouring Southeast Asian countries are adding LPDs to their naval fleets and both are procuring them from Asian shipbuilders in different countries. There is …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Indiza (South Africa)

  Programme Background Trials The South African National Defense Force (SANDF) is known to have begun trialling the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Indiza ...

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

  Indiza - Additional Units (South Africa)

  Programme Background First Procurement After trialling the platform, in September 2019 the South African Army chief confirmed the Indiza had been procured to support SANDF peacekeepers ...

• Military UAS - mini

  ECAC/2022/199 [South Africa]

  Programma Background Two Tenders In March 2023, DefenceWeb reported that the South African Army's tender ECAC/2022/154 was put on hold due to bidders failing to ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | SAS Drakensberg Replacement [South Africa]

  The South African Navy needs to replace the SAS Drakensberg Combat Support Ship (CSS), which entered service in 1987. In October 2023, the South African Navy Chief ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | SAS Drakensberg Replacement [South Africa]

  The South African Navy needs to replace the SAS Drakensberg Combat Support Ship (CSS), which entered service in 1987. In October 2023, the South African Navy Chief ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Project Hoefyster (South Africa)

  Programme Background History The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) first formulated operational requirements for a new ICV in 1995, but modernisation of South Africa's ...

• OPVs

  Project Biro (1-3) [South Africa]

  Programme Background Three multi-mission inshore patrol vessels (MMIPVs) have been procured for the South African Navy under Project Biro. Based on Damen's Stan Patrol 6211 ...

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

  Milkor 380 [South Africa]

  Programme Background According to Milkor, as reported by defenceWeb, during its successful showing of the UAV at AAD 2022, an MoU was signed with the South ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  Project Kiepie [South Africa]

  Programme Background South African Air Force has been planning to replace 47TP (DC-3)s and C212s since mid-2010s. However, budget issues put this replacement programme behind the other ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  SAS Drakensberg Replacement [South Africa]

  Programme Background Requirements The South African Navy needs to replace the SAS Drakensberg Combat Support Ship (CSS). SAS Drakensberg was launched in 1986 and commissioned ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | C-130 Replacement [South Africa]

  The South African Air Force (SAAF) is actively exploring options to replace its ageing fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130BZ Hercules transport aircraft, which have been ...

• Data links

  Data links | C-130 Replacement [South Africa]

  The South African Air Force (SAAF) is actively exploring options to replace its ageing fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130BZ Hercules transport aircraft, which have been ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | C-130 Replacement [South Africa]

  The South African Air Force (SAAF) is actively exploring options to replace its ageing fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130BZ Hercules transport aircraft, which have been ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  RG32M Replacement [Ireland]

  Programme Background Ireland currently maintains a small army designed for home defence. It is only deployed abroad as part of operations authorised by the UN. ...

• Main battle tanks

  Project Aorta

  During the 1990s, the SANDF envisioned the procurement of 282 new MBTs to replace the Olifants then in service. Should a similar tender be initiated ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Wheeled assault guns

  Rooikat

  The 76mm-armed Rooikat 6x6 armoured car was developed in 1976-89 for the South African Army and the first of 240 vehicles was delivered in 1989. The ...

• Trucks and utility vehicles - 4x4

  SAMIL 50

  Like other vehicles in the South African Military (SAMIL) series the SAMIL 50 all-wheel-drive 4x4 truck was developed in the 1980s to meet the requirements ...

• Trucks and utility vehicles - 4x4

  SAMIL 20

  The all-wheel-drive 4x4 SAMIL 20 is the smallest member in the South African Military (SAMIL) truck range developed in the 1980s to meet the requirements ...

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

  Indiza

  The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Indiza small fixed-wing mini-UAV started its development in 2017 and was deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo ...

• Naval guns

  Denel 35mm Dual Purpose

  The Denel 35mm Dual-Purpose is a naval dun system developed by South African Denel. The Denel 35mm comprises two Denel GA35 cannons and the non-deck-penetration ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Casspir

  Originally adopted by the Apartheid-era South African Police for COIN operations in Namibia, the Casspir is generally regarded as having pioneered the development of the ...

• Patrol boats

  Warrior Class (Stan Patrol 6211)

  Under Project Biro, the South African Navy is acquiring three new multi-mission inshore patrol vessels. The project is expected to run for approximately seven years, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Oryx

  The Oryx is a medium-sized utility helicopter based on the Airbus SA 330 Puma. It was manufactured to meet South African military requirements during the ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Umkhonto-IR Block II

  The Umkhonto-IR Block II is a South African-developed medium-range surface-to-air missile. It was designed for all-around defence against simultaneous air attacks from multiple targets. The ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Skua

  The Skua is a high-speed aerial target in service with the South African National Defence Force since 1994.

• Trucks and utility vehicles - 6x6

  SAMIL 100

  The all-wheel-drive 6x6 SAMIL 100 is the largest member of the South African Military (SAMIL) truck series developed in the 1980s to meet the requirements ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  AML

  Panhard developed the 4x4 AML (Auto Mitrailleuse Légère) in 1956-1960 to meet a French Army requirement for a fast, long range light armoured car which carried ...

• Land: air defence radar

  RSR 320 – DBRXL

  The RSR 320 – DBRXL 3D ground-based dual-band radar is based on the ESR 220 Thutlwa local warning radar already in service with the South ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Ratel

  The Ratel Infantry Combat Vehicle (ICV) was developed to meet the specific operational requirements of the Apartheid-era South African military for a highly mobile, reliable ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Maatla 4x4

  Paramount's Maatla 4x4 is a Light Protected Vehicle (LPV) aimed at the African off-road armoured vehicle market. Announced at the African Aerospace and Defence Expo (AAD 2022) in ...