• Land Warfare

  Germany reactivates howitzers

  17th January 2017

  The German army is reactivating 12 PzH 2000 armoured howitzers this year. It is taking this move as one of the measures to improve the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Italian UH-90 helicopters reach milestone

  17th January 2017

  The UH-90 of the Italian Army have achieved 3,000 flying hours in Afghanistan, NH Industries announced on 16 January. The UH-90 is the tactical transport …

• Special Operations

  SHOT Show: Barrett .50 cal rifle for the 21st century (video)

  20th January 2017

  Since its introduction back in the 1980s, the Barrett M82 has gone on to become one of the most iconic rifles ever built. The .50 …

• Land Warfare

  Analysis: Hands-free night vision

  18th January 2017

  Night vision systems have taken another step in enhancing the tactical capabilities of the infantryman with the fielding of the Family of Weapon Sights-Individual (FWS-I) …

• Digital Battlespace

  DI receives LMR support contract

  16th January 2017

  DynCorp International (DI) has received a $955K contract from the US Army to provide Land Mobile Radio (LMR) support in Kosovo, the company announced on …

• Land Warfare

  Serbia gets Russian armour donation

  19th January 2017

  An agreement has been reached that will see Serbia receive second hand armoured vehicles from Russia. The deal, which was concluded in a government-to-government agreement …

• Land Warfare

  M777 Howitzers ordered for India

  13th January 2017

  BAE Systems has been awarded a $542 million contract by the US government to manufacture and deliver 145 M777 ultra-lightweight howitzers to the Indian Army, …

• Defence Helicopter

  CAE awarded US Army heli training contract

  12th January 2017

  CAE USA will provide rotary-wing flight training instructor support services to the US Army under a contract announced on 12 January. The contract will see …

• Defence Helicopter

  The year ahead: The Asia-Pacific region

  5th January 2017

  Within the Asia-Pacific region the year just passed was pretty much dominated by the machinations of one country – China – and there is little …

• Military Logistics

  Textron receives Shadow support contract

  11th January 2017

  The US Army has awarded a $206 million logistics support contract to Textron Systems Support Solutions for the Shadow UAS, the company announced on 9 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris to develop narrowband SRW

  13th January 2017

  Harris Corporation will develop a new narrowband mode of the Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW) for the US Department of Defense under a three year contract …

• Defence Helicopter

  Leonardo signs UK Wildcat support deal

  10th January 2017

  Leonardo Helicopters will continue supporting the UK’s Wildcat helicopter fleet under a £271 million contract with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 9 January. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  South Korea counters neighbour with UAV tech

  23rd January 2017

  Earlier this month the Ministry of National Defense in South Korea announced plans to field a laser-based counter-UAV system by 2020. Seoul estimates that North …

• Defence Helicopter

  Italy orders Aermacchi M-345 trainer aircraft

  17th January 2017

  A contract announced on 13 January will see Leonardo deliver an initial batch of five Aermacchi M-345 trainer aircraft to the Italian Ministry of Defence. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US demos 3-D printed UAV

  9th January 2017

  The US Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has tested a 3-D-printed UAS created with a new on-demand system as part of the Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiments. …

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Corvettes

  Shadhinota Class (Type C13B)

  The Shadhinota class (Type C13B) corvettes are a platform based on the Type 056 Jiangdao class used by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), built by the ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  S26T [Thailand]

  Programme Background The Royal Thai Navy has been in the process of acquiring a new submarine for a number of years. They formally selected China's ...

• Frigates

  Jiangkai III Class (Type 054B / Type 057)

  Following the rapid production and relative success of the Type 054A Jiangkai II class frigates, the Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) are developing a successor to ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Air-to-air missiles, Surface-to-air missiles

  TY-90

  TY-90 is a multi-purpose, short-range, IR-guided, tactical surface-to-air missile developed by China to defend against helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and cruise missiles at low and super-low ...

• Tanks

  Type 62

  The Type 62 light tank entered production for the Chinese People's Liberation Army in 1963. Essentially a smaller, lighter clone of the Type 59 MBT, it is ...

• 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 repel submarine threats from long distances.