• Naval Warfare

  China launches the first of multiple Type 075 LHDs

  25th September 2019

  China launched its first ever landing helicopter dock (LHD) at the Huangpu-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai on the morning of 25 September, greatly furthering the future …

• Defence Helicopter

  Leonardo announces US support centre plans

  27th September 2019

  Leonardo will build a comprehensive customer support centre adjacent to Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Florida in an aim to strengthen its bid for …

• Naval Warfare

  DSIT develops new towed array sonar

  27th September 2019

  DSIT announced on 26 September that it will launch its SwordFish Towed Array Sonar (TAS) system at Pacific 2019 in Australia. According to the company, …

• Special Operations

  Pacific 2019: Australia brews up smooth new Whiskey

  8th October 2019

  A start-up New South Wales-based company, The Whiskey Project, used the Pacific International Maritime Exhibition in Sydney to launch what it calls its next-generation Whiskey …

• Defence Notes

  Syria Kurds battle Turkish invasion

  10th October 2019

  Kurds battled to hold off a Turkish invasion on 10 October after air strikes and shelling launched a long-threatened operation that could reshape the country …

• 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 …

• Naval Warfare

  Russia looking at hovercraft in latest step of Coast Guard Service renewal

  14th October 2019

  The Russian Coast Guard Service is exploring the possibility for the purchase of up to 15 hovercraft that would be used to increase security patrols …

• Digital Battlespace

  DSEI 2019: Spectra ventures into the Troposphere

  12th September 2019

  Spectra Group has agreed to partner with US company Comtech to provide a Troposcatter communications capability for end users demanding high capability and resilient connectivity …

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2019: Dutch Army leads on CV90 Iron Fist integration

  11th September 2019

  The Royal Netherlands Army is a step closer to equipping its CV90 IFV fleet with a new active protection systems (APS) following the completion of testing …

• Military Logistics

  First Global 6000 delivered to German Air Force

  23rd September 2019

  Bombardier has delivered the first Global 6000 jet to the German Air Force, the company announced on 17 September.This is the first of three jets …

• 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 …

• Special Operations

  DSEI 2019: Gentex presents USSOCOM solution to international audience

  18th September 2019

  Gentex Corporation promoted the USSOCOM’s latest combat helmet techology to the international special operations forces (SOF) community at DSEI 2019.  The FAST SF Super High …

• 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 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  European UAS turboprop engine in development

  24th September 2019

  Safran Helicopter Engines will cooperate with ZF Luftfahrttechnik (ZFL) and MT-Propeller to develop a new turboprop engine intended for European unmanned applications. The engine will …

• 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 …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Nauru 1000C [Brazil]

  Programme Background The Logistics Command (COLOG) of the Brazilian Army purchased three Nauru 1000C UAVs, training, 36-month interested logistics support, two EO/MWIR XSIS 222A gimbals, two ...

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

  WanderB or ThunderB [Colombia]

  Programme Background Expodefensa 2019 During Colombia's Expodefensa 2019 exhibition, BlueBird Aero Systems displayed its ThunderB VTOL small UAV. Reportedly, the Colombian Army requested information on ...

• Mexico Light Armoured Reconaissance Vehicle

  Programme Background The Mexican Army is struggling to maintain its large fleet of ageing armoured vehicles, the vast majority of which have significantly exceeded their ...

• VMOE

  Programme Background The Spanish Army's SOF units are procuring the VMOE to meet their requirements for an SOV with sufficient firepower, mobility and mine-protection to ...

• Military UAS - micro

  NX70 Microdrone (First Batch)

  Programme Background The French Army procured the NX70 to meet an urgent operational requirement for a small UAS that could provide short-range ISR for dismounted ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CU172 Blackjack (Second System) [Canada]

  Programme Background Requirement The Canadian Army identified a requirement for two new tactical UAV systems after recognising that the squadron and company-level Aerovironment RQ-11 Raven ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  US Army Maneuver Support Vessel Light (MSVL)

  Programme BackgroundThe Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) or MSV(L) contract was awarded by the US Army to Vigor in 2017 and are being built to replace ...

• 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Contracted)

  By March 2019, 269 of the 350 Pumas on order had been delivered to the German Army. Deliveries of the remaining 81 vehicles are scheduled ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBMR Griffon [France]

  Programme Background Development of the Griffon commenced in 2014 when the consortium of Arquus, Nexter and Thales was awarded a development contract to design the ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 (Pre-War) [Ukraine Army]

  Programme Background The Ukraine Army purchased 12 TB2 units in January 2019 for a reported $69 million. The units were reportedly delivered from June 2019 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Rosomak [Poland - Second Batch]

  Programme Background Requirement The Polish Army selected Patria's XC-360 Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) to meet its requirement for a new 8x8 armoured vehicle to replace ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CU172 Blackjack (First System) [Canada]

  Background Requirement The Canadian Army identified a requirement for two new tactical UAV systems after recognising that the squadron and company-level Aerovironment RQ-11 Raven (CU173 ...

• 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 helicopters - attack

  Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement In 2018, the US Army initiated the FARA project to develop a replacement for Army attack and scout helicopters, such as the OH-58D Kiowa and AH-64 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCU 2000 (Runnymede-class)

  The LCU 2000 class is in service with the US Army. They were built by VT Halter Marine and first entered service in February 1990. The ...

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

  WZ-8

  First shown in October 2019, the WZ-8 is HALE UAV. Two closed-cycle liquid-fuelled rocket engines power the WZ-8 to a claimed supersonic speed of Mach 3.  In ...

• Land: RWS

  Guardian 2.0

  The Guardian 2.0 RWS is an upgraded version of Escribano's Guardian RWS in service with the Spanish Army, which offers improved sensors and better stabilisation. ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Sapsan-Bekas

  Unveiled at ARMY-2019 in Moscow, the Sapsan-Bekas is a C-UAS system comprising active radar, video and EO tracking, signal detection and jamming subsystems. The system ...

• Main battle tanks

  C2 Ariete

  The C2 Ariete is an upgraded variant of the C1 Ariete, designed for the Italian Army in the 1990s. Work on the C2 began in ...

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

  Nauru 1000C

  Manufactured by XMobtos, the Nauru 1000C is a VTOL-capable small fixed-wing UAV. The UAV features a hybrid propulsion system, autopilot and a gyro-stabilised payload. It is designed to ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Comm@nder Army

  Comm@nder Army is an integrated C4I system suitable for use in command post operational environments (infrastructure, shelter-based), providing specialised application services from the HQ of ...

• Sniper rifles

  SV-18

  The SV-18 is a light sniper rifle in a 12.7mm calibre, designed to be easier to carry and operate than existing rifles of that family. 

• Military helicopters - light/training

  LUH

  The Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) is being developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to meet the requirements of the Indian Army and Indian Air Force ...

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Night Intruder 600 Vertical Take-Off (NI-600VT)

  The Night Intruder 600 Vertical Take-Off (NI-600VT) is an in-development UAV from Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) based on an MD 500 twin-seat American commercial helicopter airframe. With the ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  RBS 70 missile

  The RBS 70 missile was produced to meet the requirements of the Swedish Army's short-range air defence needs. The missile is unique in being the ...

• Light UGVs

  T7

  The T7 is a multi-mission robotic system designed for military, police and hazardous missions. At DSEI 2017, the UK MoD awarded the Harris Corporation a ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Ezuwgu

  The Ezuwgu is an MRAP 4x4 APC designed and produced by the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON). 

• Land: air defence radar, Land: indirect fire location radar

  AN/TPQ-50

  The AN/TPQ-50 is a lightweight, L-Band counterfire radar that performs early warning for indirect fire, target acquisition, and air surveillance modes. Part of SRC’s Lightweight ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  BTR-82AT

  The BTR-82AT is an upgraded version of the BTR-82A and BTR-82AM 8x8 IFVs developed for the Russian Army. Introduced in 2019, it features a new, ...