• Defence Notes

  AAD 2018: UK seeks to reboot South African partnership

  20th September 2018

  One of the key mantras on the ground at AAD 2018 in South Africa is ‘potential’– this is a sentiment being explored by the UK …

• Defence Notes

  Harris, L3 merging to form a defence-technology giant

  15th October 2018

  Harris and L3 Technologies, two American companies specialising in military communications and technology, announced their merger on Sunday, giving birth to a giant in the …

• Training

  New trainer for the Royal School of Artillery

  21st September 2018

  Cubic Defence UK (CDUK) has delivered the first of six Artillery Mission Training Systems (AMST) to the Royal School of Artillery (RSA) at Larkhill. The …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2018: US Army downselects for Sub-Compact Weapon programme

  2nd October 2018

  Six contractors have been selected to provide the US Army with sub-compact weapon (SCW) prototypes for testing, as the service looks to acquire a new …

• Training

  AUSA 2018: DiSTI delivers OMT to US Army

  2nd October 2018

  DiSTI has delivered the Counter – Rocket, Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM), Land-Based Phalanx Weapon System (LPWS) Operator/Maintainer Trainer (OMT) to the US Army, the company …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2018: Show preview (video)

  4th October 2018

  As AUSA gets set to begin in Washington DC, Shephard discuss the various modernisation strands the US Army are prioritising and how the service will likely concentrate …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2018: US Army carries out AMPV testing

  2nd October 2018

  The US Army has completed a two-month programme field testing the service’s new Armoured Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV). Soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division teamed with the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Taiwan wants more localised Apache maintenance

  12th October 2018

  The Republic of China Army (ROCA) operates 29 AH-64E Apache Guardians, but the military is seeking ways of reducing a burgeoning maintenance bill, one that …

• Defence Helicopter

  MDHI to deliver six MD 530Fs to Kenya

  2nd October 2018

  MD Helicopters (MDHI) has received a second order to deliver six armed MD 530F Cayuse Warrior helicopters for the Kenya Defence Force, the company announced …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2018: Lynx prepares for qualification and US NGCV bid

  9th October 2018

  German vehicle manufacturer Rheinmetall is preparing for the final stages of company qualifications for its new KF41 Lynx, which will be bid into the US …

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems unveils upgraded 'Mark 2' Challenger 2

  17th September 2018

  BAE Systems has revealed its final design proposal for the British Army’s Challenger 2 Life Extension Programme (LEP), which will refresh much of the vehicle’s …

• Digital Battlespace

  AUSA 2018: New generation radio certified

  11th October 2018

  Rockwell Collins has received Type 1 certification from the US National Security Agency for the sixth generation of its ARC-210 RT-2036(C) networked communications airborne radio. …

• Training

  AUSA 2018: Cubic blends the live with the virtual

  10th October 2018

  US defence and technology company Cubic demonstrated its Live/Virtual Convergence training concept at AUSA in Washington, DC. Described by Cubic Vice-President Ground Training James Craig …

• Land Warfare

  US Army orders HIMARS launchers

  28th September 2018

  Lockheed Martin has received a $289 million contract from the US Army to produce High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers and associated hardware, the …

• Land Warfare

  Bahrain requests rockets, missiles from US

  3rd October 2018

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale of rockets and missiles to Bahrain, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Medium UGVs

  Mission Master (RPV Sprial 3) [UK]

  Programme Background First announced in April 2017 and referred to in early MOD documents as the ‘last mile resupply’ initiative, the British Army is reportedly ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing

  First Person View (FPV) Drones [UK]

  Background Parliament Questions On 20 May 2025, Ben Obese-Jecty, Conservative MP for Huntingdon, asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many FPV drones had been procured ...

• 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 ...

• 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 - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Magni-X (UK)

  Programme Background On 12 January 2022, Elbit Systems UK announced it had been awarded a contract from the UK MoD's Defence Equipment & Support's Future Capability ...

• Medium UGVs

  Mission Master (RPV Sprial 2) [UK]

  Programme Background First announced in April 2017 and referred to in early MOD documents as the ‘last mile resupply’ initiative, the British Army is reportedly ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  HMT Extenda [UK]

  Programme Background Programme Requirements The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated in a Contract Notice that it required at least 240 new HMT platforms to ...

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

  Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Project [UK]

  Programme Background Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Project The British Army launched the RAS project to provide the "direction required to exploit emerging technologies to ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Multi-Role Vehicle (Protected) (MRV-P) Package 1 (UK)

  Programme Background Requirement The MRV-P programme was intended to procure replacements for a diverse fleet of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles purchased during the wars in Iraq ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Ajax [UK]

  Programme Background Under its $4.3 billion production contract, GDUK will provide 589 Ajax to the British Army. These will be delivered in six different variants: ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Land Mobility Programme (Light Protected Mobility) [UK]

  This programme briefly introduces the wider Land Mobility Programme and then focuses on the Light Protected Mobility (LPM) programme. Information on the LMV and HPM can ...

• 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 required at least 240 new HMT platforms to mitigate ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  French Operational Pocket Drone / DrOP (France)

  Programme Background French UAV Procurment / DrOP Under its 2019-2025 Military Programming Law (LPM), France aims to introduce 1,200 new UAVs into service with the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  British Army Apache Training Facilities

  Aviation Training International (ATIL) – a Leonardo Helicopters/Boeing joint venture formed in 1998 - was selected to provide the attack helicopter training service to the ...

• Main battle tanks

  Challenger 1

  420 Challenger 1 MBTs were delivered to the British Army between 1983 and 1990. Developed from the Shir 2 MBT originally designed for Iran, the ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  HIDAS

  Leonardo’s Helicopter Integrated Defensive Aids System (HIDAS) combines laser, missile and Radar Warning Receivers, and a Chaff and Flare Dispensing System (CFDS). The system is ...

• Unguided Artillery Ammunition

  L52 Smoke

  The L52 Smoke is a 105mm smoke artillery round manufactured by BAE Systems.  The British Army uses it in its L118 Light Guns.

• Self-propelled guns

  AS90

  The AS90 155mm/39cal tracked SPH was designed and built by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering (acquired by BAE Systems in 1999) to meet the requirements of ...

• Unguided Artillery Ammunition

  L21 High Explosive (HE)

  The L21 High Explosive (HE) is a 155mm artillery shell manufactured by BAE Systems. The British Army uses the L21 with its Archer artillery systems.

• Towed guns

  105mm Light Gun

  The 105mm Light Gun was designed and manufactured by Royal Ordnance Nottingham (now BAE Systems), with the first guns introduced to the British Army in ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  FV432 Mk 3 Bulldog

  The FV432 Mk 3 Bulldog is an upgraded version of the long-serving FV432 family of tracked vehicles, of which approximately 3,000 were delivered to the British ...

• Main battle tanks

  Challenger 2

  The 120mm-armed Challenger 2 MBT was introduced into British Army service in 1994 as a replacement for the Challenger 1, which was successfully employed in ...

• Unguided Artillery Ammunition

  L17 Inert

  The L17 Inert is a 155mm training artillery round manufactured by BAE Systems.  It is in service with the British Army, where its Archer artillery systems use ...

• Subsystems: software

  Exonaut Software Suite

  Since 2000, 4C has been developing the Exonaut software suite. The products within the Exonaut suite can either be used standalone or as part of ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  Buffalo MPCV

  The Buffalo Mine-Protected Clearance Vehicle (MPCV) is in service with the armed forces of Canada, France, Italy, Pakistan, the UK and the US and has ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  Instrumented Ground Combat Training Systems

  Cubic supplies combat training systems for CTCs, homestations and forward-deployed environments. The systems are designed to support missions including force-on-force, urban operations, joint, combined arms ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Cougar 6x6

  The Cougar 6x6 has its origins as a South African vehicle manufactured by Force Protection, a company eventually purchased by General Dynamics. Mine-protected vehicles manufactured ...

• Main battle tanks

  Olifant

  The Olifant (Elephant) is a South African variant of the British Centurion MBT. Development of the Centurion began in 1943. It was introduced into service ...