• Land Warfare

  Bulgaria plans new armoured vehicles

  4th January 2017

  The Bulgarian MoD has announced plans to issue a request for proposals (RFP) for the procurement of new armoured infantry vehicles.  This was been revealed …

• Land Warfare

  Analysis: AAV7 - remaking a legacy

  3rd January 2017

  The LVT-7 (Landing Vehicle Tracked) when first fielded by the US Marine Corps in 1972 was vast improvement over its predecessor the LVT-5.  It was …

• Land Warfare

  The year ahead: Land programmes in the Americas

  3rd January 2017

  The coming year is likely to be as eventful as 2016. The civil war in Syria is ongoing as is the attempt by the Iraqi …

• Military Logistics

  US sends armoured brigade equipment to Europe

  3rd January 2017

  US Army Europe (USAREUR) reopened a storage facility in the Netherlands on 15 December as part of the prepositioning of equipment for an armoured brigade …

• Land Warfare

  Tata readies armoured offerings

  3rd January 2017

  Tata Motors is confident that a decision on which companies have been down-selected for the Future Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) programme will be announced in …

• Defence Helicopter

  Spain receives Tiger HAD/E helicopter

  30th December 2016

  The first Tiger HAD/E helicopter in Block 2 configuration was delivered to the Spanish Army in mid-December, OCCAR has announced. The new helicopter will join …

• Land Warfare

  Kongsberg receives CROWS order

  30th December 2016

  Kongsberg will deliver Common Remotely Operated Weapon Stations (CROWS) for the US Army’s M1A2 Abrams main battle tank, the company announced on 23 December. The order, …

• Land Warfare

  Sweden orders Mjölner mortar systems

  29th December 2016

  BAE Systems will install Mjölner vehicle mounted mortar systems on the Swedish Army’s CV90 Infantry Fighting Vehicles under a $68 million contract announced on 23 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Luftwaffe SF to join army and navy

  27th December 2016

  German H145M Light Utility Helicopter Special Operations Forces (LUH SOF) crews will become part of the Bundeswehr's special forces as of 1 April 2017 as …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus continues US Army UH-72A support

  23rd December 2016

  Airbus Helicopters will support the US Army's UH-72A Lakota fleet of utility and training helicopters under a Contractor Logistics Support contract announced on 21 December. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russia moves rotary from Syrian airbase

  23rd December 2016

  The key T4 airbase in Syria, a perceived next target for Daesh in its operations in Syria, could be emptied of Russian aircraft and moved …

• Land Warfare

  BAE and Rheinmetall enter tank battle

  23rd December 2016

  BAE Systems and Rheinmetall have both been selected to start the competitive assessment phase for the Challenger 2 Life Extension Programme (CR2 LEP), it was …

• Military Logistics

  Netherlands orders Leguan bridge layers

  23rd December 2016

  The Dutch Army has ordered Leguan bridge layer systems from Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) via the German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment (BAAINBw). Five Leguan bridge …

• Training

  Austria gets upgraded CAE GESI system

  22nd December 2016

  Work on upgrading the Austrian Army’s GESI combat constructive simulation system is now complete and the system is ready for command and staff training, CAE …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Watchkeeper all-weather capability ‘not true’

  21st December 2016

  The British Army’s multi-billion pound Watchkeeper unmanned aerial system (UAS) fleet should no longer be considered an ‘all-weather’ capability, following two crashes caused by flying …

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 ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | S26T (2-3) [Thailand]

  The Royal Thai Navy were in the process of acquiring up to three new submarines derived from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Yuan-class (Type ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | S26T (2-3) [Thailand]

  The Royal Thai Navy were in the process of acquiring up to three new submarines derived from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Yuan-class (Type ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Taiwan]

  Programme Background The Black Hawks are intended to defend against potential threats from China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), as they possess rapid response capability in ...

• 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 ...

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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Type 19 8x8

  The Type 19 8x8 is a family of vehicles developed for use by the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Main battle 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 ...

• 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 defeat submarine threats from long distances.

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  BZK-005

  The BZK-005 is a Chinese-made HALE UAS that debuted at Airshow China in November 2018. The platform is designed for wide-area ISR tasks, and in ...