• Defence Notes

  North Korea 'military reshuffle' raises eyebrows in Seoul

  4th June 2018

  Seoul is monitoring developments in the North's military, it said on 4 June after reports Pyongyang replaced three of its top military officials ahead of …

• Defence Helicopter

  Chemring receives flares contract

  28th May 2018

  Chemring Countermeasures USA (CCM USA) has received contracts totalling $27.5 million for the production of M211 and MJU-64/B flares for the US Army, US Navy …

• Land Warfare

  S-400 – India caught between the devil and deep blue sea

  5th June 2018

  India has started final cost negotiations for acquisition of S-400 Triumf air defence missile systems, Shephard has learned. The final deal is expected to be …

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2018: Nexter moves forward on guided 155mm shells

  11th June 2018

  Following in the footsteps of ammunition manufacturers such as Orbital ATK and Raytheon, French armaments company Nexter Munitions is pressing forward with the development of …

• Defence Notes

  NATO chief hails German defence spending boost

  7th June 2018

  NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg hailed on 7 June German plans to increase defence spending by 80% by 2024 as 'a step in the right direction' …

• Defence Notes

  Xi unleashes PLA on Taiwan

  8th May 2018

  China’s military and intelligence services have significantly ramped up efforts to undermine the self-ruled island of Taiwan. These strategies have much to teach regional neighbours …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Kratos receives ATS-2 support contract

  28th May 2018

  Kratos Defense & Rocket Support Services Division (DRSS) has received the Aerial Target Systems 2 (ATS-2), multiple-award indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract, the company …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: Australian Army licenses VBSFires

  23rd May 2018

  SimCentric has announced that the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has procured a perpetual enterprise licence for VBS3Fires FST. The contract was signed this month. The …

• Defence Notes

  Pentagon points to Colombian's FARC deal as inspiration for Afghanistan

  30th May 2018

  At a critical point between the Afghan government and Taliban's struggle to nail down a peaceful resolution to the 17-year violent conflict, a key US …

• Military Logistics

  Ecuador Army orders M28 aircraft

  21st May 2018

  PZL Mielec has signed an agreement to provide an M28 short takeoff and landing transport aircraft to the Ecuador Army, the company announced on 16 …

• Land Warfare

  UK completes first trials of Land Ceptor

  29th May 2018

  The first firing trials of the British Army's Land Ceptor missile system have been carried out near the Baltic Sea on a Swedish test fire …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Endeavor claim 'sweet spot' for trio of UGV programmes

  28th May 2018

  Pursuing a series of UGV programmes with the US Army, Endeavor Robotics says it is in a ‘sweet spot’ in terms of meeting expected requirements …

• Land Warfare

  KMDB to develop BMP-U

  29th May 2018

  Ukroboronprom’s Kharkiv Morozov Machine-Building Design Bureau (KMDB) is working on a new BMP-U infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) that will enter into service with the Ukrainian …

• Land Warfare

  IDEB 2018: CZ showcases new sniper rifle

  18th May 2018

  The Czech manufacturer of military weapons, CZ, has displayed its new sniper rifle the CZ TSR for the first time at IDEB in Bratislava. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop installs enhanced JTAGS in Japan

  24th May 2018

  Northrop Grumman and the US Army have deployed enhanced Joint Tactical Ground Station (JTAGS) capabilities in Japan to improve missile defence and battlespace awareness. JTAGS …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  J-10 [China]

  Programme Background The aircraft performed its maiden flight in 1998 and entered service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) in 2004. According to ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Data links

  Data links | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Corvettes

  Jiangdao Class (Type 056)

  Programme Background The Type 056 corvette is referred to by the Chinese as the new-generation light guided-missile frigates. They have been built for the People's Liberation ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | S26T (2-3) [Thailand]

  The Royal Thai Navy were in the process of acquiring up to three new submarines derived from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Yuan-class (Type ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | S26T (2-3) [Thailand]

  The Royal Thai Navy were in the process of acquiring up to three new submarines derived from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Yuan-class (Type ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Rapid Minelayers Procurement (1-4) [Taiwan]

  Development and Procurement Four new rapid minelayers are being built for the Taiwanese Navy in a bid to counter the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Rapid Minelayers Procurement (5-10) [Taiwan]

  Programme Background Requirements The revelation of a Chinese bridge-barge landing system for amphibious operations, designed for a Taiwan invasion, has underscored the need for Taipei ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Kalyani M4 (India)

  Programme Background In the wake of border clashes with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 2020, the Indian Army has accelerated several of its ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Taiwan]

  Programme Background The Black Hawks are intended to defend against potential threats from China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), as they possess rapid response capability in ...

• Frigates

  Jiangkai II Class (Type 054A)

  Built by Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard and Huangpu shipyards the frigates were first seen being constructed from 2005. The class is referred to as the workhorses of China's ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  VP1/Type 89 (Nigeria)

  Programme Background The Nigerian Army has an ongoing need for new armoured vehicles to replace losses incurred in its conflict with extremist organisations operating within ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• AEW&C, Transport

  Y-8

  The Y-8 (Yunshuji-8) medium-sized transport and multirole aircraft was developed by Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation and is based on the Soviet Antonov An-12. More than 36 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Type 19 8x8

  The Type 19 8x8 is a family of vehicles developed for use by the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Z-8

  Developed by Changhe Aircraft Industry Group, the Z-8 (known also as Z-18) is a derivative of the AC313 civil helicopter, which is itself a copy of ...

• Submachine guns

  CS/LS2

  Norinco’s CS/LS2 is a 9mm bullpup SMG designed for use with a suppressor. It has been in service with the People's Liberation Army since about ...

• Fighter - multirole

  J-8

  The J-8 (NATO reporting name Finback) is a multirole fighter domestically developed by China. It has design similarities with Soviet MiG-21 and Su-15 aircraft.  The ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  KZ-800

  China National Electronics Import and Export’s (CEIEC) KZ-800 is an airborne Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) gathering system believed to be in widespread use onboard People’s Liberation ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  Type GCZ110

  Norinco announced in 2014 that it had completed development of the Type GCZ110 armoured engineer vehicle based on a modified Type 79 tank chassis equipped ...

• Main battle tanks

  VT2

  The 125mm-armed VT2 tracked MBT, which was unveiled at DSA 2012, is the export version of the People's Liberation Army Type 96A. As of early ...

• Fighter - ground attack

  J-16

  The J-16 is a multirole fighter developed by China. It is based on the J-11 air superiority fighter, itself a licence-built version of the Russian ...

• EO/IR systems

  Loong Eye LE380

  The Loong Eye (Dragon's Eye) LE380 is a two-axis stabilised gimbal incorporating EO/IR sensors, laser designators, and laser rangefinders. Originally developed by the Luoyang Opto-Electro ...

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

  Sky Saker FX400A

  The Sky Saker FX400A is a fixed-wing drone manufactured by Norinco. Capable of hosting both ISR and attack payloads, such as the Blue Arrow 7 ...

• Air-to-air missiles, Surface-to-air missiles

  TY-90

  TY-90 is a multi-purpose, short-range, IR-guided, tactical surface-to-air missile developed by China to defend against helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and cruise missiles at low and super-low ...

• Medium/general-purpose machine guns

  Type 80

  The Type 80 is a general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) manufactured by Norinco in China, based on the Soviet PKM. Certified in 1980, it entered PLA ...

• Air-launched ASW torpedoes, Ship-launched torpedoes

  Yu-11 lightweight torpedo

  Yu-11 is a Chinese-made surface and air-launched lightweight torpedo to repel submarine threats from long distances.

• Light tanks

  Type 62

  The Type 62 light tank entered production for the Chinese People's Liberation Army in 1963. Essentially a smaller, lighter clone of the Type 59 MBT, it is ...