• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Expert claims ‘decentralised’ approach holds back USAF next-generation UAV ambitions

  6th September 2022

  Despite a number of Skyborg test successes, a defence expert has questioned how the development of next generation drones will advance without activities being concentrated and clear requirements set out.

• Air Warfare

  Philippines ponders SAR helicopters, and Chinooks instead of Mi-171s

  25th August 2022

  In some areas, the rotary-winged fleet of the Philippine military has progressed, but in others, it has stagnated or even reversed.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Navy receives over 40 industry responses to FVL Maritime Strike RFI

  24th August 2022

  Industry interest in the US Navy's Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike programme has been overwhelming with more than 40 expressions of interest.

• Training

  Royal Air Force pilot training troubles not going away

  16th August 2022

  The issue around the Royal Air Force’s fast jet pilot training is multifaceted with no quick fixes at hand. What is the UK not getting right?

• Land Warfare

  First Leopard 2A4 to be delivered to Slovakia this year

  31st August 2022

  Slovakia is set to receive 15 overhauled Leopard 2A4 MBTs from Germany by 2023 but it is arguably only a partial solution.

• Naval Warfare

  Indian P76 submarines impeded by rudderless P75I programme

  12th August 2022

  India wants to build submarines domestically, but its efforts are consequently beset by all sorts of difficulties and delays.

• Defence Notes

  The Disintegrating Review: where next for the UK?

  21st September 2022

  The UK is not short of strategic documents outlining ambitious plans for its armed forces, but the ever-changing threat landscape poses a different set of questions.

• Training

  Canada to train Ukrainian soldiers in UK

  8th August 2022

  The Canadian Armed Forces will send more than 200 personnel to the UK to train a variety of skills for Ukrainian recruits.

• Air Warfare

  Bangladesh joins the TB2 club, apparently

  10th August 2022

  Media reports suggest that the Bangladesh military has opted for the hottest UAV on the market at the moment, the Bayraktar TB2.

• Defence Helicopter

  Bell confident FARA ‘well postured’ to defeat new air defence threats

  27th July 2022

  The US Army's decision to integrate new light scout helicopters with open systems architecture should be decisive in countering future threats, according to Bell.

• Defence Notes

  Western reinforcement helping Ukraine protect itself, UK defence exports director says

  8th August 2022

  Western equipment sent to Ukraine is helping reinforce Ukraine in its defence against Russia’s invasion, the head of the UK's Defence and Security Exports agency told Shephard.

• Land Warfare

  Australia showcases electrifying Bushmaster

  10th August 2022

  An electrically powered Bushmaster is on the cards for the Australian Army, if the concept passes coming field trials. Additionally, Australia will conduct a wide-ranging Defence Strategic Review.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Navy negotiating Naval Strike Missile purchase

  11th July 2022

  Shephard understands the UK Royal Navy is negotiating a purchase of the Naval Strike Missile to fill a surface lethality gap created by the imminent retirement of the Harpoon Block 1C missile in 2023.

• Defence Helicopter

  Leonardo on verge of securing new Merlin and Wildcat helicopter exports

  5th August 2022

  Leonardo has said that it expects to finalise export contracts for both the AW101 and AW159 helicopters from new customers before the end of 2022.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USSOCOM orders undisclosed ALTIUS variant

  14th July 2022

  Area-I will provide mission system payloads and a broad range of services for USSOCOM in connection with its ALTIUS air-launched UAV.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Tanks

  Al-Khalid-I

  Programme Background Pakistan operates a vast fleet of Chinese and Ukrainian MBTs primarily aimed at deterring regional rivals such as India. In order to build ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Wing Loong I [Eygpt]

  Programme Background SIPRI According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), in 2016, Eygpt ordered around 10 Wing Loong I aircraft from China, which were ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  San Antonio LPD 17 Flight I [USN]

  The LPD 17 Flight I ships are the first flight of the San Antonio-class Landing Platform Docks (LPD). Procured between FY1996 and FY2017, the vessels ...

• Tanks

  Arjun Mark-II

  Programme Background While original plans envisioned the production of up to 250 Arjun Mk IIs, the programme's many delays have prompted the Indian Army to ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  KSS-III (Boats 1-3) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Timeline The new KSS-III Dosan Ahn Chang-Ho-class submarines for the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) are a significant advance on the earlier KSS-II ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  New Exploration and Escort Helicopter (NEES) (Phase II) [Italy]

  Programme Background Phase I In 2017, the Italian government signed a contract with Leonardo to replace its fleet of AW129 Mangusta attack helicopters with the ...

• Tanks

  Al-Khalid-II

  Programme Background Pakistan operates a vast fleet of Chinese and Ukrainian MBTs primarily aimed at deterring regional rivals such as India. In order to build ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) (Phase II) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) provides short-range day and night ISR to US Army units at the squad, platoon and other small ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (1-4) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B Batch-II fast attack ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (5-8) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW 212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (13-22) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B Batch-II ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (9-12) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B Batch-II ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) (Phase I) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) provides short-range day and night ISR to US Army units at the squad, platoon and other small ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Wing Loong I [Uzbekistan]

  Programme Background On 16 November 2023, Uzbekistan announced that the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, had ...

• Amphibious assault ships

  LHDs Procurement [Spain]

  Programme Background Requirements The Spanish Navy currently operates the LHD Juan Carlos I, which entered service in 2010 and is the fleet's flagship. Although a ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Subsystems: software

  SWORD

  The SWORD is a high-level, automated war-game solution for training, analysis and planning. Developed in close relation with armies worldwide, the SWORD immerses brigade and ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  TAOS

  In Tactical Aircraft Online Services (TAOS), live Aero L-29 jets are flown by experienced combat pilots alongside a wingman flying a ground-based flight simulator, controlled ...

• Land: fire support simulators

  FIDex

  Fidelity has merged the technology of its JTAC and IDF product lines. It released FIDex (Fidelity Extreme) at I/ITSEC 2011 with its first demo of ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators, Land: tactical engagement simulators

  VBS Blue IG

  At I/ITSEC 2017, Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim) unveiled a new simulation technology to help international militaries train for operations. VBS Blue IG, an upgrade from the ...

• Subsystems: visual

  EP-8100

  At I/ITSEC 2015, Collins Aerospace (formerly Rockwell Collins) unveiled its EP-8100 image generation system, which is driven by real-time, simulation-specific graphics cards and software. It ...

• Subsystems: visual

  WholeEarth Synthetic Environment

  Rockwell Collins unveiled its enhanced synthetic training environment, WholeEarth, at I/ITSEC 2015 and the official release occurred in May 2016. The high-resolution complete Earth database ...

• Air: mission management systems

  I-C2F

  The Integrated Command and Control Framework (I-C2F) provides an end-to-end C2 architecture delivering J1-J9 functionality across the joint battlespace. As well as C2 messaging and ...

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

  I-Derby ER

  Rafael Advanced Defense Systems developed the I-Derby ER missile as an extended-range evolution of the earlier Derby and I-Derby missiles. Building on the proven foundation ...

• Sea: tactical training

  Sub Command

  Sub Command was developed by Sonalysts, released in 2001, and published by Electronic Arts. Sub Command continues the legacy of 688(I) Hunter/Killer. The player takes ...

• Light UGVs

  TMR-I MTF

  The Elektroland TMR-I MTF is the larger of the TMR-I platforms offered by the company at twice the weight of the TMR-I Khan (see separate ...

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

  Carcará I

  Carcará I is a simple flying-wing UAV developed to meet Brazilian Army specifications for an unmanned platform to provide tactical reconnaissance at platoon level. A ...

• Air: mission management systems

  I-TaCCS

  Integrated Tactical Command and Control Services (I-TaCCS) is a secure, scalable C2 system. Core applications of I-TaCCS are used by several countries, allowing interoperability within ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  SIR-S/I

  The SIR-S/I, manufactured by Leonardo, is a Mode-S secondary surveillance radar. The SIR-S/I is primarily operated for the detection of cooperative targets in air traffic control, ...

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

  Skylark I-eVTOL

  The Skylark I-eVTOL is, as its name suggests, an electric-powered VTOL capable development of the Skylark I. Manufactured by Elbit Systems, the drone can be controlled ...

• Destroyers

  Udaloy II Class (Project 1155.1)

  The Udaloy II class (Project 1155.1) destroyer in service with the Russian Navy is a follow-on of the original Udaloy I-class but is more of an ...