• Defence Notes

  ISDEF 2017: Perceptions and challenges of war

  7th June 2017

  A day after the anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, which saw the beginning of the end of the Nazi occupation of Europe, Israeli …

• Naval Warfare

  First Whidbey Island P-8 squadron cleared for flight

  16th May 2017

  The first Boeing Poseidon P-8A maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) squadron at US Naval Air Station Whidbey Island has gained Safe for Flight certification with an …

• Training

  ITEC 2017: ATAC gets USN contract

  13th May 2017

  The growing emphasis on the provision of red air adversary/aggressor services seems to have no bounds. With major programmes now running in the US, Canada …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army Apaches train to counter-North Korean maritime SOF

  2nd May 2017

  US Army Apache helicopters are conducting training operations designed to counter the threat of North Korean maritime special operations forces. Designated 'maritime counter-SOF', the operations …

• Defence Notes

  Analysis: Where could Trump strike North Korea?

  21st April 2017

  A virtual 'hit list' of viable targets the US military could strike if it ever decided to employ force against North Korea, which Shephard has …

• Defence Helicopter

  Merlin Mk2s complete exercise March Hare

  12th April 2017

  Three Merlin Mk2 helicopters of 820 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) have completed a fortnight-long training exercise off the north and west coasts of Scotland ahead …

• Defence Helicopter

  CH-53K reaches production milestone

  5th April 2017

  Despite some bumps in the road, the Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion has been approved for production by the Pentagon.First launched in 2003, the Heavy Lift …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SAS 2017: Navy identifies Triton basing plans

  5th April 2017

  US Navy representatives have outlined the organisational and aircraft basing plans for the MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system, which supports the navy's Integrated Maritime Patrol …

• Defence Helicopter

  US military helicopters face design hurdles

  4th April 2017

  Various design challenges with several of the Pentagon's key helicopter programmes has resulted in unexpected modifications, a new report has found.The CH-53K, Combat Rescue Helicopter …

• Training

  More King Airs for RAAF

  29th March 2017

  Despite considering the consolidation of its 16-strong Beechcraft King Air 350 fleet over the next two years, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is acquiring …

• Defence Notes

  Latvia says no to conscription

  20th March 2017

  Latvia has reaffirmed its commitment to meet NATO defence spending targets by next year but will not follow other allies in bringing back conscription, the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus adds Intelsat General as Skynet partner

  9th March 2017

  Intelsat General has become the newest company to join Airbus Defence and Space's channel partner programme for Skynet 5 military satellite communication services, Airbus announced …

• Special Operations

  Special ops flock to Flintlock

  8th March 2017

  The international special operations community has once again amassed across West Africa as part of Exercise Flintlock, designed to further develop the capabilities of indigenous …

• Digital Battlespace

  Avalon 2017: JORN upgrade award imminent

  3rd March 2017

  A decision on the upgrade to Australia's Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN) is imminent with the two bidding companies, Lockheed Martin Australia and BAE Systems …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IDF completes MTGR trials

  28th February 2017

  The micro tactical ground robot (MTGR) has completed operational trials with infantry units of the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) paving the way for its introduction …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  A-29 [Nigeria]

  Earlier on 3 August 2017, the US State Department announced that it has approved a possible FMS of 12 A-29 Super Tucanos to Nigeria for ...

• OPVs

  Viana do Castelo-class (Batch II - NPO3S) (5-10) [Portugal]

  Background Requirements The Viana do Castelo class offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) are used for maritime patrol and surveillance, fisheries protection, SAR, anti-drug and anti-arms trafficking, illegal immigration ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  KUH-1 Surion [Iraq]

  Programme Background Iraq's purchase of two KUH-1 Surion helicopters from Korea Aerospace Industries represents another step in increased defence cooperation between Korea and Iraq after ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Navio Polivalente Logistico (NAVPOL) (Portugal)

  Programme Background Requirements The NAVPOL is expected to feature a flexible and modular LPD design capable of amphibious operations and HADR tasks. Timeline The plans for ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  NASAMS [Egypt]

  Background In July 2025, Egypt received US Government Foreign Military Sales (FMS) authorisation to import the NASAMS system and supporting equipment. Including four AN/MPQ-64F1 Sentinel radar systems, ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Camcopter S-100 [Greece]

  Background Trials On 2 August 2021, Schiebel's press release announced that the company had demonstrated the Camcopter S-100's capabilities to the Hellenic Navy. The UAV was ...

• OPVs

  Additional OPVs (2-3) [Philippines]

  Programme Background The Philippine Coast Guard has set its sights on having a fleet of five new OPVs in its quest to sustain monitoring of ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  New Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (NWJFAC) (1-31) [India]

  Programme Background Requirements The Indian Navy is seeking replacements for a large proportion of its 19 46-49m-long waterjet-powered fast attack craft, several of which are approaching ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-S (Nigeria)

  Programme Background Domestic Production Possibility As reported by TurDef, a defence news outlet focussing on Turkey, in March 2023, İsmail Yusuf Abba, Nigeria's ambassador to Ankara, stated at ...

• Maritime patrol

  Maritime Patrol Aircraft [Singapore]

  Programme Background Deployed from Changi West airbase, and jointly operated by the RSAF and Republic of Singapore Navy, the ageing Fokker 50 fleet is primarily ...

• Frigates

  Daegu Class (FFX Batch II) [South Korea]

  Programme Background The Incheon and Daegu classes are part of a re-capitalisation effort to replace the older Pohang-class corvettes and Ulsan-class frigates with a new FFX class ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 [Nigeria]

  Programme Background Rumours On 11 October 2021, Bello Matawalle, the Governor of Zamfara State, stated that several companies had signed an MoU with the Nigerian Government. ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Tracked APC replacement [Mexico]

  Background The Mexican army currently uses a wide variety of armoured vehicles, with a mixture of domestically produced and imported platforms. The overwhelming majority of ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  LAV Replacement [Japan]

  Programme Background The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) and Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) received 1,937 Light Armoured Vehicles (LAVs) from Komatsu between 2001 and ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  Manoeuvrable Boats (1-4) [Japan]

  Programme Background Requirements According to the 2022 Defence Buildup Programme, Japan will procure new manoeuvrable boats for the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF). The boats ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  RF-300H

  The Falcon III RF-300H is Harris’s next-generation Falcon radio. The manpack solution was first presented at the AFCEA West conference on 21 February 2017. The ...

• Military - UUVs

  Lamprey MMAUV

  The Lamprey Multi-Mission Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (MMAUV) is a UUV designed by Lockheed Martin. The UUV is intended as an autonomous companion submersible to a ...

• OPVs

  Kingston Class

  The Kingston-class undertakes a minehunter and coastal patrol roles with the Royal Canadian Navy. A total of 12 were built by Halifax Shipyards and commissioned ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Bo 105

  The Bo 105 was developed in West Germany by manufacturer Messershmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB). MBB has since been incorporated into Eurocopter/Airbus Helicopters. The helicopter was the first light ...

• OPVs

  Viana do Castelo Class

  The Viana do Castelo class currently consists of four OPVs in service with the Portuguese Navy. The vessels entered service between 2011 and 2019, while ...

• Sea: procedural training

  IMAT

  DAS supports the development and deployment of the Interactive Multisensor Analysis Training (IMAT) system for the US Navy, used at navy schoolhouse and training centres, ...

• Fighter - electronic warfare

  Tornado ECR EW

  The Panavia Tornado Electronic Combat Reconnaissance Aircraft (ECR) is a twin-engine, multi-role combat aircraft developed and manufactured jointly by the governments and industry bases of Italy, ...

• Naval guns

  RPK-8/ RBU-6000

  RPK-8, also known as Zapad (West), is a rocket launcher system designated to provide protection against surface ships, enemy submarines and torpedoes. At the core ...

• Main battle tanks

  Leopard 1

  The Leopard 1 was developed from 1956-65 to meet the requirement of the West Germany Army for a new MBT to replace the US-supplied M47s ...

• Submachine guns

  MP5

  The MP5 is one of the most prolific 9mm SMGs in production, with more than 100 variants developed to meet the requirements of military, paramilitary ...

• Land: fire control systems

  Fieldguard

  Fieldguard is an active all-weather fire control system used to improve the accuracy of field artillery and multiple rocket launchers. Originally developed by Oerlikon Contraves ...

• Helicopter engines

  T58

  The T58 is a US turboshaft helicopter engine. Development commenced with a 1953 USN requirement for a helicopter turboshaft to weigh under 180kg while delivering ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  UH-60 Black Hawk Training Devices

  FlightSafety offers UH-60A/L pilot training on their Black Hawk Level D simulator at West Palm Beach, Florida. The UH-60A/L pilot training features the company’s exclusive ...

• Patrol boats

  RPB 33

  The RPB 33 offshore patrol boat from France's Raidco Marine is designed for the use of naval forces to enhance maritime surveillance capabilities. This new ...

• OPVs

  OPV 190 MKII

  The OCEA OPV 190 MKII is descended from the OCEA OPVs range. This multipurpose vessel is designed for law enforcement and surveillance operations, anti-smuggling and illegal ...