• Land Warfare

  Philippines inaugurates rocket, missile and aviation units

  3rd October 2019

  The Philippine Army activated three new units at Fort Magsaysay on 3 October, symbolising the growing capabilities and aspirations of the service. They included rocket …

• Military Logistics

  A400M performs dry contacts with H225M

  24th September 2019

  The Airbus A400M has carried out its first air-to-air refueling contacts with a helicopter in flight trials over the south of France. Over the course …

• Naval Warfare

  Pacific 2019: Australian frigates sit in a timing ‘sweet spot’

  9th October 2019

  The Project Sea 5000 Phase 1 programme delivering nine Future Frigates to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is in something of a sweet spot in …

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems receives howitzer contract modification

  8th October 2019

  BAE Systems Land & Armaments has received a contract modification from the US Army for its work on the Self Propelled Howitzer, Carrier-Ammunition Tracked vehicle, …

• Naval Warfare

  Indian Navy commissions INS Khanderi

  30th September 2019

  The Indian Navy has commissioned INS Khanderi into service, Naval Group announced on 28 September. Built by Indian shipyard Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) under …

• Naval Warfare

  Taiwan upgrades old submarine ahead of new-build project

  2nd October 2019

  The Republic of China Navy (ROCN) showed its submarine ROCS Hai Shih to media at a Keelung naval base in late September after a significant …

• Naval Warfare

  Israel Shipyards scores with new OPV design

  25th September 2019

  Just four months after the launch of its new OPV design, the OPV-45, Israel Shipyards has secured its first order for the new vessel type. …

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2019: UVision looks to extend loitering munition CONOPS

  17th September 2019

  Israeli company UVision displayed a mock-up of a special operations vehicle (SOV) equipped with multiple Hero 30 launchers at DSEI 2019, as it seeks to …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army carries out UH-60V testing

  1st October 2019

  The US Army has concluded operational testing of the UH-60V Black Hawk helicopter cockpit upgrade. The UH-60V Black Hawk capability will be a retrofit for …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army contracts for final phase of EW planning tool project

  4th October 2019

  Raytheon has been contracted to develop the final phase of the US Army’s Electronic Warfare Planning and Management Tool (EWPMT) that will offer personnel the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DSEI 2019: L3Harris unveils T4 robot

  13th September 2019

  L3Harris Technologies unveiled the first prototype of its T4 robotic system at DSEI 2019, a medium-sized UGV designed for use in urban environments where space …

• Military Logistics

  RAF Voyager flies in Exercise Bersama Lima

  11th October 2019

  A Royal Air Force (RAF) Voyager aircraft is taking part in Exercise Bersama Lima out of Paya Lebar Airbase in Singapore. Exercise Bersama Lima, the annual …

• Naval Warfare

  Saab selected for Finland Squadron 2020 work

  19th September 2019

  Saab has been selected as the combat system provider and integrator for the Finnish Navy’s four new Pohjanmaa-class corvettes within the Squadron 2020 programme. Finland’s …

• 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 …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Nauru 1000C [Brazil]

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

• 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 ...

• 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 helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow On

  Programme Background In March 2019, Airbus stated that it expected orders from the US Army for between 12 and 15 UH-72A helicopters. In March 2020, ...

• 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 (Batch 1) [Germany]

  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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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

  Project Land 4503 [Australia]

  Programme Background The Australian Army has begun its search for a successor to the Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), with an RfI issued by the ...

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 - small

  Nauru 1000C

  Manufactured by XMobtos, the Nauru 1000C, or V2-1 Nauru, is a VTOL-capable small fixed-wing UAV. The UAV features a hybrid propulsion system, autopilot and a gyro-stabilised payload.  In ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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, ...