• Uncrewed Vehicles

  FLA programme completes Phase 2 tests

  26th July 2018

  DARPA has completed Phase 2 flight tests for its Fast Lightweight Autonomy (FLA) programme, demonstrating advanced algorithms performing real-world tasks without human assistance. The programme …

• Land Warfare

  Indonesia receives final M109A4 SPHs

  17th July 2018

  The second and final batch of M109A4 SPHs arrived on Indonesian shores on 9 July after being shipped from Belgium. The 18 howitzers were unloaded …

• Land Warfare

  Cat-and-mouse game continues in bid to defeat ISIS

  27th July 2018

  Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) along the Iraqi roadside remains a chief security concern in the battle against ISIS but threats from incoming adversarial drones are …

• Land Warfare

  Taiwan to order M1A2 Abrams

  13th July 2018

  Taiwan has decided to order 108 M1A2 Abrams tanks plus ammunition from the US. These MBTs will equip two armoured battalions in the northern sector …

• Land Warfare

  Booz Allen receives NSRDEC support contract

  12th July 2018

  Booz Allen Hamilton has received a five-year, $43 million task order to support the US Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC), the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AeroVironment selected to compete for UAS support

  12th July 2018

  AeroVironment is among seven suppliers selected by the US Army to compete for small UAS sustainment task orders under a five-year indefinite delivery indefinite quantity …

• Defence Helicopter

  Five dead in South Korea military helicopter crash

  17th July 2018

  Five people were killed and one injured when a South Korean military helicopter crashed on 17 July, at a marine base in the country's southeast, …

• Defence Notes

  US, Chinese defence chiefs talk cooperation despite tensions

  27th June 2018

  US Defense Secretary James Mattis met his Chinese counterpart in Beijing on 27 June, aiming to find areas of cooperation despite a mounting military rivalry …

• Defence Notes

  Pakistan army says it has 'no direct role' in July 25 election

  10th July 2018

  Pakistan's military has 'no direct role' in nationwide elections due July 25, the army spokesman said Tuesday, after widespread allegations it is pressuring media and …

• Land Warfare

  Army explores SAW replacement with NGSAR awards

  13th July 2018

  The US Army has awarded six Other Transaction Agreements (OTA) for prototypes of a Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle (NGSAR). The NGSAR, which will address …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Chinese UAS attempt to rule the roost

  25th June 2018

  Chinese security services are using birdlike UAS in a small-scale way around the country to monitor citizens and suspicious activities. The ornithological UAS in question, …

• Training

  Northrop to continue US Army MCTC support

  11th July 2018

  Northrop Grumman has received a $128 million contract from the US Army to continue providing support for its Mission Command Training Center (MCTC), the company …

• Naval Warfare

  US touts enduring Pacific presence as carrier visits Manila

  26th June 2018

  A US aircraft carrier visited the Philippines on 26 June, the third such call in four months, as its commander cited America's ‘enduring presence’ in …

• Defence Notes

  French, US armies 'very close', says French armed forces chief

  12th July 2018

  The French army is ‘very close’ to the US military, which recognises its efforts in fighting jihadists in Africa, the head of the French armed …

• Defence Helicopter

  UH-60V digital cockpit software build delivered

  17th July 2018

  The UH-60V Black Hawk helicopter will enter Limited User Testing (LUT) with a digital cockpit software build provided by Northrop Grumman.Northrop Grumman delivered the software …

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 defeat submarine threats from long distances.

• Fighter - multirole

  J-10

  The J-10 (NATO reporting name Firebird) is a multirole fighter developed by China to replace second-generation J-7 and Q-5 aircraft. The aircraft is also known ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  BZK-005

  The BZK-005 is a Chinese-made HALE UAS that debuted at Airshow China in November 2018. The platform is designed for wide-area ISR tasks, and in ...