• Special Operations

  Belgium builds SF capability

  8th December 2016

  Under Belgium's strategic vision 2030 defence plan, the nation’s special forces (SF) will be expanded and reorganized. In addition to increasing the size of the …

• Land Warfare

  FWS-CS sight for US Army

  5th December 2016

  A $384 million contract announced on 30 November will see BAE Systems deliver specialized crew served weapon sights to the US Army over the next …

• Land Warfare

  More weapon system upgrades for Bushmaster

  6th December 2016

  The Australian government has announced that additional army Bushmaster vehicles are to be upgraded with new weapon systems under an $11.2 million contract with Thales Australia. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Croatia receives final OH-58Ds from US

  5th December 2016

  Croatia has received the final batch of OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters purchased from excess US defence stock, bolstering its existing fleet of five aircraft received …

• Digital Battlespace

  Rockwell Collins tests HMS bid radio

  2nd December 2016

  Rockwell Collins has completed qualification testing on the AN/PRC-162 for the US Army’s Handheld, Manpack and Small Form Fit (HMS) programme. The programme will now …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2016: US Army about to embark on new era of fixed-wing training

  28th November 2016

  Construction has been completed on the US Army’s new fixed-wing training centre at Dothan, Alabama.  Over the next two months, CAE and its subcontractors will …

• Land Warfare

  UK to test active protection

  7th December 2016

  The UK MoD has set 2018 as the date it will carry out live-fire tests of an active protection system (APS). It is a part of …

• Defence Helicopter

  Indonesia to overhaul Mi-35Ps in Russia

  9th December 2016

  Russian Helicopters has received a contract to upgrade Mil Mi-35P attack helicopters owned by the Indonesian Army (TNI-AD). The Russian-built helicopters will be overhauled at …

• Land Warfare

  Ukraine to upgrade Pakistani tanks

  9th December 2016

  A memorandum of understanding has been signed between Pakistan and Ukraine for the upgrade and support of Pakistan’s Main Battle Tank (MBT). Ukraine’s state-owned company …

• Defence Notes

  Analysis: Saudi Arabia - A close customer (part 3 - maritime)

  18th December 2016

  We come to the last part on Saudi Arabia's defence relationship with the West, the maritime domain. This is less high profile than the land …

• Defence Helicopter

  Belarus receives Mi-8MTV-5 helicopters

  1st December 2016

  Russian Helicopters’ subsidiary, Kazan Helicopters, has delivered first batch of Mi-8MTV-5 helicopters to Belarus, the company announced on 28 November. The six helicopters were delivered …

• Land Warfare

  Korea ignites Raybolt missile

  7th December 2016

  LIG Nex1 received a green light to proceed with production of the Raybolt (HyeonGung in Korean) medium-range anti-tank missile. The South Korean company was awarded a …

• Land Warfare

  Elbit Systems details US Army mortar IDIQ

  24th November 2016

  Elbit Systems of America will produce mortar weapon systems under a $103 million indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract with the US Army, the company announced on …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2016: Lakota maintainers go virtual

  1st December 2016

  The National Guard is using this year’s I/ITSEC to display a new virtual maintenance trainer (VMT) it has rolled out, which teaches ground maintenance operations …

• Training

  Armour Simulator Centre opens in Singapore

  3rd December 2016

  The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) opened its new Armour Simulation Centre at Sungei Gedong Camp on 1 December.  Developed with assistance from the Defence Science …

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.