• Training

  IT2EC 2022: RN training lacks 'necessary level of complexity' but fosters lofty virtual ambitions

  27th April 2022

  Despite lagging behind the RAF in programme terms, the RN is aspiring to bolster the amount of synthetic collective training it delivers under FOST.

• Defence Helicopter

  King Stallion moves nearer to IOC

  6th April 2022

  A decision on starting full-rate production of the CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter is scheduled for 2023 with a first deployment to follow in 2024.

• Naval Warfare

  First MEKO A-200 frigate for Egypt commences sea trials

  8th April 2022

  Sea trials are in progress in Germany of ENS Al-Aziz, the first of six MEKO A-200 vessels ordered by Egypt.

• Air Warfare

  Australia axes its Reapers in surprise cancellation

  1st April 2022

  Reigniting emotions from the cancellation of its submarine programme last year, Australia has now done much the same with its planned Reaper buy from the US.

• Naval Warfare

  Autonomous platform helps USMC to reach for the beach

  7th April 2022

  Office of Naval Research picks Martin Defense to develop an Amphibious Vehicle for Unmanned Surface Mobility, which would help to deliver fuel ashore in support of expeditionary advanced base operations.

• Digital Battlespace

  Collins Aerospace to explore improvements to US nuclear warfare communications platform

  8th April 2022

  VLF equipment will be integrated on a C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft under USN efforts to modernise its TACAMO communications system.

• Air Warfare

  India looks to add to its depleting Su-30 fleet

  31st March 2022

  India claims the war in Ukraine will not adversely impact its Su-30MKI, a backbone fighter, but that remains to be seen.

• Land Warfare

  French Army trains with first Jaguars

  2nd March 2022

  Initial operational deployment of the Jaguar EBRC is possible in 2022 and the delivery schedule could even be fast-tracked if the security situation in Europe requires it.

• Naval Warfare

  UK accesses FMS programme with Tomahawk request

  30th March 2022

  Will the UK emulate US efforts to upgrade its Tomahawk cruise missiles to Block Va and Block Vb configuration?

• Defence Notes

  China’s defence budget continues to rebound

  8th March 2022

  COVID-19 caused a slowdown in spending growth for the PLA, but China seems to have put that behind it as it keeps the spigots of cash open.

• Defence Helicopter

  SAMI and Boeing seek JV for rotary-wing MRO

  11th April 2022

  With Saudi military aircraft numbers set to double in the next ten years, SAMI and Boeing are joining forces for helicopter MRO in the kingdom.

• Digital Battlespace

  Russian EW: underused or a Potemkin capability?

  1st March 2022

  Have Russian EW capabilities been overestimated at this early stage of the war in Ukraine?

• Naval Warfare

  Proposed US Navy FY2023 budget cuts 24 ships, funds nine

  29th March 2022

  The proposed navy budget of $773 billion for the Department of Defense marks a $30.7 billion increase compared to enacted spending for FY 2022.

• Digital Battlespace

  Ultra-small mission computer addresses SWaP constraints

  15th March 2022

  A new ultra-small form factor rugged mission computer can be used in diverse defence and aerospace applications, says developer Curtiss-Wright.

• Land Warfare

  French Armed Forces receive around 60,000 HK416F assault rifles

  16th March 2022

  Deliveries to date of HK416F assault rifles equate to 50% of the total amount acquired by the MoD in 2016.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  MQ-1 Gray Eagle [US Army]

  Background Required Quantity Although the US Army first envisioned a requirement for 132 MQ-1C Gray Eagles, the US Army's Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) was increased ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Ajax IFV [UK]

  Programme Background Prior to commencing development of the Ajax the UK utilised the Warrior was its primary IFV. However, the Warrior entered service in 1987 making ...

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

  Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior [India]

  Programme Background Make In India The 'Make In India' initiative is an effort by the Indian government to boost domestic manufacturing. In the context of ...

• Military UAS - small

  Black Hornet 3 PRS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army operated approximately 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS between 2013 and 2017, when the decision was made to retire ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

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

  Naval Collaborative Combat Air Vehicle (N-CCAV) [India]

  Programme Background CATS Warrior The Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) is a planned, uncrewed and crewed family of aircraft in development by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited ...

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

  Orbiter 3 (Croatia)

  Programme Background The Croatian government launched a competitive tender for the procurement of a short-range UAV in October 2017. Although the tender was opened on ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8, APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Land Mobility Programme (Heavy Protected Mobility) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirement Serving in several iterations since 1963, the FV432 Mk3 'Bulldog' remains operational and deployed as command vehicles, ambulances, and recovery vehicles within the British Army. Although ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Protected 4x4 Replacement [Argentina]

  Programme Background Argentina currently operates the AML, Spartan 4x4 APC and Dongfeng Warrior CSK131, with 45 still in service across the three vehicles. It also previously operated ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, LTVs - 4x4

  Supacat HMT 400 & 600 [UK]

  Programme Background Programme Requirements The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated in a Contract Notice that it had a requirement for at least 70 new HMT platforms ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (MIV) [UK]

  Programme Background History The UK MoD announced in March 2018 that it would re-join the Boxer programme and pursue a sole-source acquisition of the 8x8 ...

• Main battle tanks

  NGCV: DLP

  Programme Background Requirement The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in ...

• AGMV 1.1

  Programme Background The US Army has been seeking a lightweight, air-droppable, high mobility vehicle since as early as 2014, when it initiated its Ultra Light ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) [US Army]

  Background USMC First, Army Second In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AMPV [USA]

  Programme Background Platform Development The US Army initiated the AMPV programme to acquire a replacement for several variants of the M113 tracked APC, which has ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/PRC-170

  The AN/PRC-170 Javelin is a single-channel, small-form-factor radio that supports TSM waveform. Produced by Thales, it provides voice and data communications across multipath and dynamic environments. ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MUBC

  The Modular Universal Battery Charger (MUBC) is a scalable charging system for a range of military and commercial batteries. It provides for the addition of ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Warrior Systems

  General Dynamics Mission Systems is prime contractor and system integrator for the US Army’s Warrior soldier systems, which include Air Warrior, Future Force Warrior, Land Warrior ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Joint Battle Command - Platform

  Joint Battle Command - Platform (JBC-P) is a networked mission command information system designed for the US Army and USMC. It can provide real-time blue ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 400

  At AUSA 2025, AeroVironment (AV) unveiled the Switchblade 400, a rocket-launched, medium-range, man-portable loitering munition. AV states the aircrat has been designed to defeat tanks and heavy ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Shadowcat

  General Dynamics Shadowcat radio provides low-visibility communications in a small form factor package. Capable of forming mesh networks, it provides voice, video and data communications ...

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

  InstantEye Mk-3 GEN4-HL

  Manufactured by InstantEye Robotics, the InstantEye Mk-3 GEN4-Heavy Lift (HL) is a rotary-wing UAV that is involved in the US Army's Render Safe Sets, Kits & ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58D Kiowa Warrior

  The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, manufactured by Bell Helicopter Textron, is a two-person, light scout helicopter with a day/night mast-mounted sight, glass cockpit and four-bladed rotor system. ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F Cayuse Warrior

  An evolution of the OH-6 Cayuse light observation helicopter, the MD 530F was initially Federal Aviation Administration-certified in July 1985 as the Model 369FF. It ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Warrior

  The Warrior IFV entered service with the British Army in mid-1987. A total of 789 vehicles were delivered in IFV, infantry command, anti-tank, recovery, repair, ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  Convoy/C-IED Training System

  Laser Shot’s Convoy/Counter IED Training System consists of an immersive training environment that places soldiers in high-fidelity, virtual scenarios in order to train on a ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  M792 High Explosive Incendiary Tracer

  The M792 High Explosive Incendiary Tracer (HEI-T) is a 25mm medium calibre round manufactured by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems.

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  DANES

  Initial efforts to field a complete soldier system through the Danish Army Network-Enabled Soldier (DANES) concept were abandoned, following an evaluation of the US Land ...

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

  Falcon II Nyx

  The Falcon II Nyx is a rotary-wing drone from Wave Aerospace. It is in the US Army's Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment (AEWE) programme. Primarily designed to operate in ...

• Land: NVGs

  AN/PSQ-20B ENVG

  The AN/PSQ-20B ENVG (Enhanced Night Vision Goggle) is a helmet-mounted dual-waveband monocular night vision system. As a fusion system that combines image intensification technology with ...