• Digital Battlespace

  EASR to begin live testing

  22nd March 2019

  The Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar being built by Raytheon is set to begin live testing at the Surface Combat Systems Center at Wallops Island, Virginia, …

• Defence Notes

  At least six Mali troops killed by landmines

  13th March 2019

  Six Malian troops were killed on 12 March 2019 when their vehicles drove over improvised land mines in the centre of the West African country, …

• Naval Warfare

  LIMA 2019: Production of Malaysian LMS shifts back to China

  26th March 2019

  Malaysia ordered four Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) from CSIC in China, with that deal stipulating that the third and fourth vessels would be built locally …

• Military Logistics

  US Army seeks expanded expeditionary TRICON logistics support

  2nd April 2019

  The US Army is attempting to determine industry interest and capabilities to produce and support its Expeditionary TRICON Systems (ETS) in the future. Service interest in …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UK Coastguard to step up unmanned integration efforts

  3rd April 2019

  The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is set to begin a drone trial ‘in the coming weeks’ as part of plans to evaluate and …

• Defence Notes

  North Korea's Kim oversees test of new weapon with 'powerful warhead'

  18th April 2019

  North Korea's Kim Jong Un has supervised the test-firing of a new tactical weapon with a ‘powerful warhead’, state media reported 18 April, in the …

• Defence Notes

  Two pilots die in Chinese fighter jet crash

  12th March 2019

  A Chinese navy fighter jet crashed during training on the southern island province of Hainan on 12 March 2019, killing two pilots, the defence ministry …

• Land Warfare

  Aimpoint’s fire control system for US forces

  15th March 2019

  Aimpoint has received a $24 million contract to supply the FCS13-RE fire control system to the US armed forces, the company announced on 11 March. …

• Digital Battlespace

  US programme to beat adversary's ‘formidable’ capabilities

  17th March 2019

  A US government agency will award $45.5 million for development of new technologies able to coordinate a future autonomous army of unmanned air and ground …

• Training

  RAAF launches AWIC19

  13th March 2019

  The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has commenced its second biennial Air Warfare Instructor Course (AWIC19), which integrates warfighting functions across a range of specialisations …

• Military Logistics

  Leonardo DRS receives MSD V4 systems contract

  29th March 2019

  Leonardo DRS has received a contract from the US Army to provide ruggedised next-generation maintenance and testing systems, the company announced on 26 March. The …

• Defence Notes

  US successfully tests anti-ICBM system

  28th March 2019

  The US military said on 26 March 2019 that it had successfully tested an anti-intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system, with a target launched from the …

• Defence Helicopter

  CH-47F Block II makes maiden flight

  29th March 2019

  Boeing’s CH-47F Block II EMD Chinook has made its first flight at the company’s Philadelphia facility, marking a key milestone in a programme that has …

• Digital Battlespace

  Eyes on the horizon for RAF's future (video)

  20th March 2019

  AVM Gerry Mayhew, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff, discusses the future direction of the Royal Air Force in the lead-up to the Air and …

• Land Warfare

  JGSDF reorganises to protect the southwest islands

  29th March 2019

  Beginning on 7 April, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) will deploy a unit of soldiers from the 15th Brigade on Miyako Island in Okinawa …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Nauru 1000C [Brazil]

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

• 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 ...

• Mexico Light Armoured Reconaissance Vehicle

  Programme Background The Mexican Army is struggling to maintain its large fleet of ageing armoured vehicles, the vast majority of which have significantly exceeded their ...

• 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 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 (Contracted)

  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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBMR Griffon [France]

  Programme Background Development of the Griffon commenced in 2014 when the consortium of Arquus, Nexter and Thales was awarded a development contract to design the ...

• 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 ...

• 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

  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 ...

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 - 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 ...

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

  Nauru 1000C

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

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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, ...