• Defence Notes

  Opinion: Carter’s capability challenges

  4th July 2018

  General Sir Nick Carter has now formally taken on the role of Chief of the Defence Staff for the British Armed Forces. Carter comes to …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Thailand willingly submits to Dominator

  3rd August 2018

  Thailand is buying Dominator XP long-endurance UAVs from Aeronautics in Israel, according to a report to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange on 30 July. The …

• Land Warfare

  CAR rebels rearm after military gets Russia weapons

  1st August 2018

  Russia's supply of weapons to the Central African Republic's (CAR) military has sparked an arms race, with rebels turning to traffickers in Sudan for fresh …

• Digital Battlespace

  Motorola named on US Army IDIQ contract

  23rd July 2018

  Motorola Solutions has received a five-year IDIQ contract worth up to $495 million from the US Army to update its global mission-critical communications network, the …

• Land Warfare

  PAC-3 MSE sets distance record in intercept test

  30th July 2018

  Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptor has successfully intercepted an air-breathing threat (ABT) in a test at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, …

• Defence Helicopter

  SNC offers Sierra Force for UH-1N replacement programme

  27th July 2018

  Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has submitted its Sierra Force helicopter in its final bid and proposal to replace the US Air Force’s (USAF) UH-1N Huey …

• Defence Helicopter

  Ukrainian Army Aviation takes Mi-2MSB-Vs

  23rd July 2018

  According to Col Igor Yeremenko, Commanding Officer of the Ukrainian Army Aviation, in early June an undisclosed army aviation brigade took on strength Mi-2MSB-V helicopters …

• Training

  First phase of Worthy Down redevelopment complete

  31st July 2018

  The UK Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and Skanska have completed work on the first phase of a redevelopment project at Worthy Down camp in Hampshire, …

• Training

  ASTi’s SERA for Australian Defence Force pilot training

  30th July 2018

  Advanced Simulation Technology’s (ASTi) Simulated Environment for Realistic ATC (SERA) product has been selected for the Air 5428 pilot training system developed by Lockheed Martin, …

• Land Warfare

  CIO to deliver Centauro II vehicles to Italy

  30th July 2018

  The Iveco - Oto Melara Consortium (CIO) has signed a contract with the Italian MoD for the delivery of ten Centauro II armoured vehicles to …

• Land Warfare

  China receives first batch of Russian S-400s

  31st July 2018

  The first S-400 Triumph surface-to-air missile systems for the People’s Liberation Army of China have been handed over in the second half of July, according …

• Defence Helicopter

  Brazil on the attack in two decades time

  23rd July 2018

  According to the Brazilian Army, a branch of the armed forces will have to wait until the 2030s before it can operate its attack helicopters, Shephard has …

• Military Logistics

  Australian MAN keeps trucking on

  26th July 2018

  Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles Australia (RMMVA) has been awarded a large contract for 1,044 additional HX-series medium and heavy trucks, according to an announcement by the …

• Defence Notes

  Trump forces NATO allies to boost defence spending

  12th July 2018

  US President Donald Trump said NATO countries had agreed to increase their defence spending after he forced crisis talks over his mounting demands at a …

• Land Warfare

  Saab to supply AT4CS RS systems

  23rd July 2018

  Saab has received a $50 million order from the US Army to supply additional shoulder-launched AT4 Confined Space Reduced Sensitivity (CS RS) anti-armour weapon systems, …

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: ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, LTVs - 4x4

  Supacat HMT 400 [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 ...

• 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 ...

• Medium UGVs

  DSTL Medium UGV [UK]

  Programme Background This programme was established to determine the future use of medium UGVs for logistical purposes in the British Army, although it was run ...

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.

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...