• Defence Notes

  French Army helicopters involved in fatal collision

  2nd February 2018

  French police have confirmed five people were killed on 2 February after two of the country's army training helicopters crashed into each other near a …

• Special Operations

  NATO SOF plans for Megacity Operations

  1st February 2018

  NATO special operations forces are actively seeking next-generation technologies to support a future operating environment expected to be dominated by missions in confined, congested and …

• Defence Helicopter

  Leonardo files another lawsuit to halt US Army Lakota buy

  31st January 2018

  Airbus Helicopters is warning the Pentagon that its acquisition process is under attack by Italian defence company Leonardo.  The warning came after Leonardo filed another lawsuit …

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems to develop precision-guidance kits

  5th February 2018

  BAE system has received an $8 million contract from the US Army to develop modernised precision-guidance kits that ensure the strike accuracy of 155mm artillery …

• Digital Battlespace

  Singapore Airshow 2018: Hawker Pacific taps special missions sector

  13th February 2018

  Hawker Pacific is well known for its commercial aircraft sales and services, but it is in the government/military support sector – where the company takes …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon to modernise Patriot system

  5th February 2018

  Raytheon will upgrade the Patriot Air and Missile Defense System under a $235 million modernisation task order from the US Army, the company announced on …

• Military Logistics

  US Army looks for expeditionary sustainment manufacturers

  31st January 2018

  The US Army is looking for industry sources capable of producing its new Expeditionary TRICON Self-Service Laundry System (ETSSLS).A sources sought announcement for ETSSLS was …

• Digital Battlespace

  Meggitt to supply TMS to GDLS

  2nd February 2018

  Meggitt Defense Systems has received a contract from General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) to provide Thermal Management Systems (TMS) for the M1A2 SEPv3 and M1A2 …

• Land Warfare

  Slovenia selects Boxer to meet 8x8 requirement

  5th February 2018

  The Slovenian MoD has announced that it will move forward with plans to acquire the German-made Boxer 8x8 armoured vehicle, making it the fourth country …

• Defence Helicopter

  Singapore Airshow 2018: Continued rise of the Hawks

  12th February 2018

  The Black Hawk continues to expand in options for customers and it is enjoying increased sales in the Asia-Pacific region, according to a press conference …

• Military Logistics

  LAV-25 A2 in airdrop testing

  29th January 2018

  The US Army is conducting airdrop certification testing on the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV-25 A2), it was announced on 25 January. The introduction of the …

• Training

  FORSCOM 1st SFAB’s first rotation at JRTC

  29th January 2018

  The US Army Forces Command’s (FORSCOM) newest unit, the 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB), headquartered at Fort Benning, Georgia, is completing its first rotation …

• Defence Notes

  UK launches corruption probe into Chemring

  18th January 2018

  A criminal probe has been launched into the activities of defence company Chemring and one of its subsidiaries, the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) announced …

• Land Warfare

  SA-10U production begins in Ukraine

  31st January 2018

  Ukroboronprom’s Impulse has launched production of the SA-10U vehicle for the Ukrainian Army, the company announced on 29 January. The vehicle is designed to provide …

• Military Logistics

  Cascade to upgrade Mexico C-130 avionics

  17th January 2018

  Cascade Aerospace has been contracted to modernise avionics on a C-130 Hercules aircraft for the Mexican Air Force (FAM), the company announced on 11 January. …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Medium UGVs

  Mission Master (RPV Sprial 3) [UK]

  Background First announced in April 2017 and referred to in early MOD documents as the ‘last mile resupply’ initiative, the British Army is reportedly evaluating ...

• Military UAS - micro

  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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Medium UGVs

  Mission Master (RPV Sprial 2) [UK]

  Background First announced in April 2017 and referred to in early MOD documents as the ‘last mile resupply’ initiative, the British Army is reportedly evaluating ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (MIV) [UK]

  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 vehicle. ...

• 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 ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  HMT Extenda [UK]

  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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, LTVs - 4x4

  Supacat HMT 400 & 600 [UK]

  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 with ...

• 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Ajax [UK]

  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: 245 ...

• 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 ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Recce Strike Vehicle 4x4 [UK]

  Background Under Project Niala, the British Army has sought a new recce strike vehicle to augment the operations of 11th Brigade. This sits outside of ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, LTVs - 4x4

  Supacat HMT 400 [UK]

  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 a shortfall ...

• 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 ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  Trojan

  In 2001, Vickers Defence Systems (now part of BAE Systems) received a £250 million ($300 million) UK MoD contract to build 66 Engineer Tank Systems ...