• Defence Notes

  Dutch MoD targets two more frigates as part of future defence plans

  6th September 2024

  The latest defence memorandum from the Dutch government has suggested that funding would be increased, with the procurement of more frigates, F-35s and Leopard 2A8s expected.

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory day three: Images from across the show

  19th June 2024

  An eventful day three of Eurosatory 2024 comes into focus with our pick of the best images from across the show.

• Land Warfare

  UK increases Ukraine support

  10th September 2024

  The UK is leading the International Fund for Ukraine (IFU) which has already supplied a range of uncrewed systems and other equipment to the Ukraine with the country now committed to the supply of air defence missiles.

• Defence Notes

  UK orders more Martlet missiles and plays down defence review delay fears

  24th July 2024

  The UK’s Strategic Defence Review has been initiated by the new Labour Government following 14 years of Conservative Party-led governments.

• Air Warfare

  Leonardo’s AW249 to enhance Italian Army capabilities and target export market

  20th June 2024

  Leonardo’s new AW249 attack helicopter has made its international debut at Eurosatory 2024, with the Italian defence manufacturer noting it would provide unprecedented capabilities to the Italian Army.

• Digital Battlespace

  In-orbit imaging a “game-changer” in space situational awareness

  15th August 2024

  As the threats of nuclear weapons in space and the militarisation of the domain persist, an Australian outfit has been developing technology that defence organisations could utilise to identify objects in space to gain a better understand of what they are doing in orbit.

• Land Warfare

  New US Army artillery factory boosts 155mm munitions production

  31st May 2024

  The Universal Artillery Projectile Lines (UAPL) facility will be capable of high-volume production capabilities for large-calibre metal parts and operated by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems.

• Land Warfare

  NP Aerospace expansion on the cards after acquiring Jankel Armouring assets

  1st July 2024

  The UK-based armour manufacturer acquired Jankel Armouring Limited after the latter entered administration earlier this year.

• Land Warfare

  First locally built KF41 Lynx IFV handed over to Hungary

  26th July 2024

  The KF41 procurement is part of Hungary’s Zrínyi 2026 development plan and is one of several efforts to procure modern, NATO-standard platforms that will supersede legacy equipment received from the Soviet Union by 2026.

• Air Warfare

  First two T901 improved engines delivered for UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters

  30th June 2024

  The Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP) is the US Army’s effort to build a 50% more powerful and 25% more fuel-efficient engine for its Black Hawk and Apache fleets.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australia to adopt new predatory OWL species

  27th June 2024

  The Australian Defence Force will introduce the One-Way Loitering (OWL) platform by Innovaero, the country’s first long-range loitering munition, to enhance strike capabilities and understanding of loitering munitions.

• Digital Battlespace

  US Space Force to launch “hundreds of satellites” to better protect its assets from Russia and China

  5th August 2024

  As part of the Evolved Strategic SATCOM programme, the service intends to operate a swarm of smaller, cheaper LEO satellites.

• Land Warfare

  Why adaptability must be central to the US Army’s future formations

  10th June 2024

  The approach of placing adaptability at the core of the US Army Futures Command’s strategy has already impacted military training and the service’s development and acquisition programmes.

• Air Warfare

  Airbus enters race for unmanned Wingman support fighters

  4th June 2024

  Designs for unmanned support aircraft for fighter jets are advanced with Boeing’s MQ-28A Ghost Bat beginning development in 2013 and making its first flight in February 2021 and Airbus’s effort will need to advance quickly to keep up.

• Land Warfare

  New German big cats circle Italian Leopard corpse (Opinion)

  27th June 2024

  The only thing missing from Rheinmetall’s display at Eurosatory this year was an Italian flag flown between its KF-51 Panther and KF41 Lynx. The smiles on the faces of its business development team, however, and the circling of Italian delegations told just as clear of a story.

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 ...

• 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 ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Ezuwgu

  The Ezuwgu is an MRAP 4x4 APC designed and produced by the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON). 

• 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, ...