• Defence Notes

  Pilot dies in Myanmar military plane crash

  3rd April 2018

  A Myanmar pilot died on 3 April after a ‘technical failure’ caused his military jet fighter to plummet into a paddy field in the centre …

• Land Warfare

  DefExpo 2018: MBDA unveils ATGM5 for Indian requirement

  13th April 2018

  A joint venture between European missile house MBDA and the Indian company Larsen & Toubro (L&T;) unveiled the ATGM5 missile system at the DefExpo 2018 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Tiger Mk III ready to attack

  27th March 2018

  The Tiger Mk III could be coming to life as soon as Airbus Helicopters wraps-up remaining deliveries of Tiger attack helicopters to three European nations.  The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Army aviation deterring aggression in Eastern Europe (video)

  3rd April 2018

  Shephard caught up with Col Clair Gill, commander, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, who spoke about its role in Operation Atlantic Resolve in October 2017. The …

• Defence Notes

  South Korea, US to scale down military drills

  16th March 2018

  South Korea and the US will scale down and shorten annual joint military exercises in light of a diplomatic thaw with Pyongyang, a report said …

• Defence Helicopter

  Nepal’s army eyes renewed helicopter fleet

  29th March 2018

  With its sights fixed on the task of renewing its helicopter and aircraft fleet, the Nepali Army Air Wing decommissioned two Alouette III helicopters on …

• Defence Helicopter

  Six dead, 14 hurt in Senegal military helicopter crash

  15th March 2018

  Six people were killed and 14 others injured when a Senegalese military helicopter crashed late on 14 March, according to a government statement giving an …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM seeks aviation maintenance collaboration

  11th April 2018

  USSOCOM is seeking industry collaboration in the modernization of its aviation maintenance capabilities.  Interest in a possible collaborative effort was outlined in a 10 April …

• Special Operations

  DSA 2018: Philippines activates unified SOF command

  11th April 2018

  The Armed Forces of the Philippines stood up a new integrated joint command, called the AFP Special Operations Command (AFPSOCOM), on 6 April. Putting them …

• Training

  Sikorsky opens up Black Hawk services to Latin America

  6th April 2018

  Sikorsky is offering its Colombia-based depot-level maintenance and simulator flight training facilities for use by other Black Hawk helicopter operators in Latin America, Lockheed Martin …

• Naval Warfare

  Australia’s P-8A Poseidon achieves IOC

  21st March 2018

  Australia’s P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft has achieved initial operating capability (IOC), the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) announced on 20 March. Together the Poseidon …

• Land Warfare

  UOP fulfills Thailand’s Oplot tank order

  30th March 2018

  Ukroboronprom (UOP) has completed production of Oplot-T main battle tanks for the Royal Thai Army, the company announced on 26 March. The combat vehicles have …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army orders more UH-72A Lakotas

  27th March 2018

  Airbus Helicopters has received a contract modification from the US Army for 16 additional UH-72A Lakota helicopters, the company announced on 23 March. The contract, …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA Global: Army moving out on high-energy laser development

  29th March 2018

  The US Army is moving forward with plans to field a 50 kW high-energy laser on a 8x8 Stryker vehicle in FY2023, if not quicker, and …

• Land Warfare

  British Army finally selects Boxer for MIV

  31st March 2018

  In a move that has been anticipated for several months, the UK MoD announced on 31 March that it will re-join the Boxer programme and …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Indiza (South Africa)

  Programme Background Trials The South African National Defense Force (SANDF) is known to have begun trialling the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Indiza ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Indiza - Additional Units (South Africa)

  Programme Background First Procurement After trialling the platform, in September 2019 the South African Army chief confirmed the Indiza had been procured to support SANDF peacekeepers ...

• Military UAS - mini

  ECAC/2022/199 [South Africa]

  Programma Background Two Tenders In March 2023, DefenceWeb reported that the South African Army's tender ECAC/2022/154 was put on hold due to bidders failing to ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | SAS Drakensberg Replacement [South Africa]

  The South African Navy needs to replace the SAS Drakensberg Combat Support Ship (CSS), which entered service in 1987. In October 2023, the South African Navy Chief ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | SAS Drakensberg Replacement [South Africa]

  The South African Navy needs to replace the SAS Drakensberg Combat Support Ship (CSS), which entered service in 1987. In October 2023, the South African Navy Chief ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Project Hoefyster (South Africa)

  Programme Background History The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) first formulated operational requirements for a new ICV in 1995, but modernisation of South Africa's ...

• OPVs

  Project Biro (1-3) [South Africa]

  Programme Background Three multi-mission inshore patrol vessels (MMIPVs) have been procured for the South African Navy under Project Biro. Based on Damen's Stan Patrol 6211 ...

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

  Milkor 380 [South Africa]

  Programme Background According to Milkor, as reported by defenceWeb, during its successful showing of the UAV at AAD 2022, an MoU was signed with the South ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  Project Kiepie [South Africa]

  Programme Background South African Air Force has been planning to replace 47TP (DC-3)s and C212s since mid-2010s. However, budget issues put this replacement programme behind the other ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  SAS Drakensberg Replacement [South Africa]

  Programme Background Requirements The South African Navy needs to replace the SAS Drakensberg Combat Support Ship (CSS). SAS Drakensberg was launched in 1986 and commissioned ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | C-130 Replacement [South Africa]

  The South African Air Force (SAAF) is actively exploring options to replace its ageing fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130BZ Hercules transport aircraft, which have been ...

• Data links

  Data links | C-130 Replacement [South Africa]

  The South African Air Force (SAAF) is actively exploring options to replace its ageing fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130BZ Hercules transport aircraft, which have been ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | C-130 Replacement [South Africa]

  The South African Air Force (SAAF) is actively exploring options to replace its ageing fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130BZ Hercules transport aircraft, which have been ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  RG32M Replacement [Ireland]

  Programme Background Ireland currently maintains a small army designed for home defence. It is only deployed abroad as part of operations authorised by the UN. ...

• Main battle tanks

  Project Aorta

  During the 1990s, the SANDF envisioned the procurement of 282 new MBTs to replace the Olifants then in service. Should a similar tender be initiated ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Wheeled assault guns

  Rooikat

  The 76mm-armed Rooikat 6x6 armoured car was developed in 1976-89 for the South African Army and the first of 240 vehicles was delivered in 1989. The ...

• Trucks and utility vehicles - 4x4

  SAMIL 50

  Like other vehicles in the South African Military (SAMIL) series the SAMIL 50 all-wheel-drive 4x4 truck was developed in the 1980s to meet the requirements ...

• Trucks and utility vehicles - 4x4

  SAMIL 20

  The all-wheel-drive 4x4 SAMIL 20 is the smallest member in the South African Military (SAMIL) truck range developed in the 1980s to meet the requirements ...

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

  Indiza

  The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Indiza small fixed-wing mini-UAV started its development in 2017 and was deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo ...

• Naval guns

  Denel 35mm Dual Purpose

  The Denel 35mm Dual-Purpose is a naval dun system developed by South African Denel. The Denel 35mm comprises two Denel GA35 cannons and the non-deck-penetration ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Casspir

  Originally adopted by the Apartheid-era South African Police for COIN operations in Namibia, the Casspir is generally regarded as having pioneered the development of the ...

• Patrol boats

  Warrior Class (Stan Patrol 6211)

  Under Project Biro, the South African Navy is acquiring three new multi-mission inshore patrol vessels. The project is expected to run for approximately seven years, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Oryx

  The Oryx is a medium-sized utility helicopter based on the Airbus SA 330 Puma. It was manufactured to meet South African military requirements during the ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Umkhonto-IR Block II

  The Umkhonto-IR Block II is a South African-developed medium-range surface-to-air missile. It was designed for all-around defence against simultaneous air attacks from multiple targets. The ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Skua

  The Skua is a high-speed aerial target in service with the South African National Defence Force since 1994.

• Trucks and utility vehicles - 6x6

  SAMIL 100

  The all-wheel-drive 6x6 SAMIL 100 is the largest member of the South African Military (SAMIL) truck series developed in the 1980s to meet the requirements ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  AML

  Panhard developed the 4x4 AML (Auto Mitrailleuse Légère) in 1956-1960 to meet a French Army requirement for a fast, long range light armoured car which carried ...

• Land: air defence radar

  RSR 320 – DBRXL

  The RSR 320 – DBRXL 3D ground-based dual-band radar is based on the ESR 220 Thutlwa local warning radar already in service with the South ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Ratel

  The Ratel Infantry Combat Vehicle (ICV) was developed to meet the specific operational requirements of the Apartheid-era South African military for a highly mobile, reliable ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Maatla 4x4

  Paramount's Maatla 4x4 is a Light Protected Vehicle (LPV) aimed at the African off-road armoured vehicle market. Announced at the African Aerospace and Defence Expo (AAD 2022) in ...