• Special Operations

  Avalon 2019: RfT for Aussie SOF helicopters approaches

  28th February 2019

  Contenders, including Airbus Helicopters, Bell and Leonardo, have already responded to last September’s RfI for the Australian Army’s requirement for 20 light special operations helicopters. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Aero India 2019: Indian Air Force to receive Chinooks and Apaches soon

  22nd February 2019

  The first four CH-47F Chinooks arrived in India on 10 February 2019 and are expected to be received by the Indian Air Force in March. …

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2019: BAE Systems continues prospecting in the Middle East

  21st February 2019

  At IDEX 2019 in the vehicle domain BAE Systems showcased potential upgrade paths for nations in the region with existing equipment such as the Bradley …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airports more amenable to counter-drone technology

  6th March 2019

  In the wake of high-profile drone incursions over the UK’s Gatwick and Heathrow airports, as well as disruption in Dubai, civil aviation sites are now …

• Training

  New training initiative for AAFC

  4th March 2019

  JAR Aerospace, a New South Wales-based company, will work with Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC) in a joint training initiative, the Australian Department of Defence …

• Training

  USMC conducts training at Northrop Grumman’s DTC

  18th March 2019

  Northrop Grumman’s Distributed Training Center (DTC) at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia has been used by the US Marine Corps (USMC) for the first time …

• Defence Helicopter

  HH-60W CRHs prepare for flight test

  4th March 2019

  Two fully assembled HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopters (CRH) built for the US Air Force are being prepared for their maiden flights. The Sikorsky-built helicopters will …

• Land Warfare

  Australia launches EOS T-2000 turret

  4th March 2019

  The Australian Department of Defence has launched Electro Optic Systems’ (EOS) T-2000 turret for armoured vehicles. The new turret will be produced in Australia for …

• Military Logistics

  US Navy outlines shipyard upgrade plans

  12th March 2019

  The US Navy is preparing to conduct what planners describe as a ‘once-in-a-century’ upgrade of its public shipyards to facilitate service logistics support to current …

• Defence Notes

  Belgrade continues beefing up its MiG-29 fleet

  11th March 2019

  The Serbian MoD has taken over the ownership of four MiG-29 fighters donated by the government of Belorussia. The handover ceremony for the jets was …

• Training

  Avalon 2019: ADF pushes simulation

  1st March 2019

  The Australian Defence Force (ADF) ‘needs to improve how simulation is perceived’ according to the keynote speaker at the Aerospace Simulation Conference during the Avalon …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy’s AN/AQS-20C completes developmental testing

  1st March 2019

  The US Navy’s AN/AQS-20C mine-hunting sonar system completed developmental testing at the US Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division (NSWC PCD), on 26 February …

• Military Logistics

  Elbit Systems’ TF/TA declared operational onboard C-130

  5th March 2019

  Elbit Systems’ new Terrain Following and Terrain Avoidance (TF/TA) system has been declared operational onboard the C-130 aircraft of an unidentified air force, the company …

• Defence Notes

  Seven NATO countries hit spending target

  14th March 2019

  Seven of the 29 NATO countries hit the alliance's defence spending target in 2018, figures showed on 14 March 2019, an improvement over the year …

• Special Operations

  USAF looks to new tandem jump technologies

  11th March 2019

  The USAF Life Cycle Management Center, IS&R; & Special Operations Forces Directorate, Special Warfare Branch, is looking for new tandem airdrop technologies and capabilities that …

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, ...