• Land Warfare

  VT4 tanks reach Thailand ahead of schedule

  13th October 2017

  The first batch of 28 Norinco-built VT4 tanks, wearing woodland camouflage, reached Thailand on 8 October, six months ahead of schedule. All tanks were sent …

• Land Warfare

  Indra’s InShield DIRCM in flight test

  9th October 2017

  Indra’s InShield Directed Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) system has successfully passed in-flight tests during the NATO Trial EMBOW XVI exercise, the company announced on 5 October. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Gray Eagle production transitions to ER model

  13th October 2017

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has transitioned its production line from the MQ-1C Gray Eagle to its new long-range variant MQ-1C ER Gray Eagle extended …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUSA 2017: Leonardo leads the fight against UAS threat

  11th October 2017

  Under an urgent requirement for the US Army Leonardo DRS has been awarded a $42 million contract for a counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS). The C-UAS …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2017: BAE showcases SHORAD for Bradley (video)

  9th October 2017

  BAE System has brought its concept of the Bradley IFV equipped with its maneuver short range air defence (M-SHORAD) solution. Shephard spoke with Mark Signorelli, deputy and VP …

• Military Logistics

  AUSA 2017: Ukraine highlights logistics shortfall

  11th October 2017

  Representatives from Ukraine’s defence industry have credited logistics problems for many of their 2014 losses against the Russian Federation. Speaking at AUSA, the representatives identified …

• Digital Battlespace

  ADEX 2017: Rafael promotes Iron Dome for Korea

  17th October 2017

  Israel-based Rafael Advanced Defence Systems is offering Iron Dome, the only dual-mission counter-rocket, artillery and mortar (C-RAM) and very short-range air defence system at this …

• Special Operations

  Romania stands up SOF command

  11th October 2017

  The Romanian Ministry of Defence (MoD) will establish a Special Operations Command (SOCOM) by 1 January 2018 as it seeks to expand joint operations across …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2017: Army ramps up overmatch capabilities (video)

  6th October 2017

  As the US Army looks to retain its overmatch capabilities with various new vehicle programmes ad modernisations, Shephard looks at some of the key developments for the …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2017: Army modernisation proves lucrative for BAE

  6th October 2017

  As prime contractor for several vehicle modernisation programmes with the US Army, BAE Systems is expected to see a significant ramp up in work over …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ADEX 2017: Uconsystem and Firstec expand ranges

  19th October 2017

  Uconsystem, a South Korean manufacturer of UAVs, demonstrated a strong move into the commercial market at Seoul ADEX 2017 as it builds upon military sales …

• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA 2017: Next-generation sensors ordered for Apache

  9th October 2017

  Lockheed Martin has a secured a $337 million deal to supply Apache modernised target acquisition designation sight/pilot night vision (M-TADS/PNVS) sensor systems to the US, …

• Land Warfare

  ADEX 2017: S&T motivated to grow its small arms

  18th October 2017

  S&T; Motiv displayed several new small arms that it is currently developing – including a 5.56mm assault rifle, 7.62mm machine gun and 12.7mm anti-materiel rifle …

• Land Warfare

  Indonesia to certify Kaplan medium tank

  10th October 2017

  The Indonesian Army (TNI-AD) publicly displayed a prototype of the Kaplan medium tank for the first time at a 72nd anniversary parade of the armed …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2017: US Army vehicle budget 'deeply stretched'

  4th October 2017

  With the US Army running a 1980s-vintage amoured vehicle fleet, the service is concentrating efforts on major upgrades as well as how platforms such as …

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 ...