• Digital Battlespace

  Selex ES warns of growing cyber threat

  5th June 2014

  Industry experts have warned that the oppression of social media in certain nation states should be classified as a form of force, akin to cyber …

• Military Logistics

  Airbus A330 MRTT selected by Qatar Emiri Air Force

  28th March 2014

  Qatar has selected the A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) as the new-generation air-to-air refuelling solution for the Qatar Emiri Air Force. Airbus will deliver two …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UK to test Paveway IV from Reaper UAV

  26th March 2014

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is considering the testing of the Raytheon Paveway IV laser guided bomb on-board the RAF’s MQ-9 Reaper UAV, the …

• Digital Battlespace

  DIMDEX: Selex eyes Middle Eastern EW sales

  25th March 2014

  Selex ES is considering plans to launch an Electronic Warfare Operational Support (EWOS) centre in the Middle East, according to company executives. Speaking to Shephard …

• Defence Notes

  China becomes fourth-largest arms exporter

  18th March 2014

  China has become the world’s fourth largest weapons exporter amid continued growth in international arms sales, according to a new study by Sweden-based think-tank SIPRI.  …

• Military Logistics

  Singapore to get MRTTs from 2018

  11th March 2014

  The Singapore Air Force (SAF) is due to receive the first of six A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transports (MRTTs) from 2018, Shephard has been informed. A …

• Defence Helicopter

  Lockheed Martin to support Saudi Apaches

  13th February 2014

  Lockheed Martin will maintain the Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) systems onboard the Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF) Apaches, under a …

• Digital Battlespace

  AFCEA West 2014: LM reveals interoperable ISR strategy

  12th February 2014

  Lockheed Martin has described growing aspirations of customers for real-time ISR capabilities, especially in the Middle East. Speaking to Shephard at the AFCEA West exhibition …

• Land Warfare

  Defexpo 2014: Nexter teams to offer light CAESAR

  6th February 2014

  French defence manufacturer Nexter has teamed with Indian companies Larsen & Toubro and Ashok Leyland Defence to offer a new light variant of the CAESAR mounted …

• Land Warfare

  Syrian negotiations limited by military stalemate

  29th January 2014

  Expectations remain low of a fruitful outcome at the UN-sponsored international summit in Geneva, Switzerland that is aimed at ending the grinding three-year civil war …

• Defence Helicopter

  Libya interested in T129 helicopter

  10th January 2014

  Libyan interest in the T129 attack helicopter emerged during Prime Minister Ali Zeidan’s visit to Turkish Aerospace Industries’ (TAI) facilities in Turkey on 3 January.  …

• Land Warfare

  Saudi Arabia defence force selects MILO simulators

  18th December 2013

  Arotech's training and simulation division will supply its MILO Range simulators to the Saudi Arabian defence forces under a new contract announced on 18 December. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Saudi helicopter renewal gathers momentum

  5th December 2013

  Northrop Grumman has announced its industry team that will compete for the US Army’s Integrated Maintenance Support Services (IMSS) programme. The IMSS programme will help …

• Defence Notes

  Gulf defence spending rises

  20th November 2013

  Defence spending in the Gulf is rising steadily with companies increasingly focussing on the region as budgets shrink in domestic markets.  SIPRI has estimated that …

• Digital Battlespace

  Saudi Arabia requests C4I FMS from US government

  20th November 2013

  Saudi Arabia has requested C4I system upgrades and maintenance from the US government under a possible foreign military sale (FMS) announced to US congress by …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Transport

  C-130 Replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Saudi Air Force operates 33 C-130H, 7 KC-130H aircraft and two KC-130Js. The country has been seeking to replace its ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Kozak 5 (Saudi Arabia)

  Programme Background  In 2021, Ukrainian firm Pracktika announced that they had fulfilled an export contract to deliver 60 Kozak-5 armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia. The ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Data links

  Data links | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A2S (Saudi Arabia)

  Programme Background Saudi Arabia was the first export customer for the M1A2 Abrams. 315 were delivered between 1993 and 1994 as part of a $1.5 ...

• Main battle tanks

  T-90S (Saudi Arabia)

  Programme Background.  The status of the Saudi Arabian T-90 deal is unclear, it is possible that these tanks may be purchased to replace stocks of ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Jais 4x4 [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background The Saudi Arabian government is aiming to localise 50% of its investment into defence by 2030 in line with the country's Vision 2030 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Saudi Arabia National Guard LAV 700

  The Saudi Arabian LAV 700 order is believed to encompass several variants including APC, ambulance, armoured recovery vehicle, command post, ATGM carrier, IFV, VIP transport ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A2 Abrams [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background The USA has historically been Saudi Arabia's largest arms supplier. The M1A2 Abrams is currently the backbone of Saudi Arabia's MBT fleet, with an estimated ...

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

  CH-4 [Saudi Arabia]

  Background 2014 Order According to the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), in 2014, Saudi Arabia ordered two CH-4 aircraft from China. However, information from the Stockholm International Peace ...

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

  Anka-S (Saudi Arabia)

  Programme Background Desired Procurement Saudi Arabia has reportedly been in negotiations to procure six Anka UAVs since 2013. It has not been disclosed which Anka ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Titus

  While there has been no direct confirmation that Nexter has sold the Titus to Saudi Arabia, it has been confirmed that Nexter has delivered CAESAR ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Hazem

  Produced by SAMI Navantia, Hazem is a combat management system designed for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces. Based on the Cadiz CMS, it is integrated ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 2 (Block 8, 8A, 9, 10, 10C, 11, 11C, 15, 15C)

  Under the Typhoon Tranche 2 procurement,  the four European partner nations of Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and the export customer Saudi Arabia took delivery ...

• Transport

  An-132

  The An-132 is a multipurpose transport aircraft based on the Soviet-era An-32. It is being jointly developed by Antonov and Saudi Arabia's Technology Development and ...

• SH-01

  The SHAHEEN SH-01 is a VTOL UAS manufactured by Prince Sultan Defense in Saudi Arabia. The aircraft is designed for surveillance and reconnaissance purposes. 

• Ship-launched torpedoes, Submarine-launched torpedoes

  F17

  The F17 is a wire-guided anti-surface ship torpedo developed for the French Navy and purchased by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The latest version is the F17 ...

• Air: helicopter radar, Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  Agrion

  The Agrion is a surveillance and missile targeting pulse radar manufactured by Thomson-CSF (now Thales). It is designed to work alongside the AS-15TT anti-ship missiles ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Shahine

  The Shahine radar is a key component of the Shahine self-propelled surface-to-air missile system, developed by Thomson-CSF (now Thales) for Saudi Arabia in the 1970s. ...

• Data links

  TTR

  Offered through Data Link Solutions (DLS) – Rockwell Collins' joint venture with BAE Systems – TacNet Tactical Radio (TTR) is claimed to be the smallest ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Silent Hunter

  Silent Hunter, also known as the low-altitude laser defence system (LASS), is a Chinese laser energy weapon believed to have been developed by the China Electronics ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Interceptor HSI32

  The Interceptor HSI32 was designed by French shipbuilder CMN to meet the needs of modern navies and coastguards. The vessel's primary missions are sea policing ...

• Sea: sonar systems

  Captas-1

  CAPTAS-1 is a low-frequency Variable Depth Sonar (VDS) developed by Thales. It is the smallest member of the CAPTAS family optimised for littoral and shallow water ...

• Corvettes

  Avante 2200 (Combatant)

  The Avante 2200 corvettes from Spanish shipbuilder Navantia are currently under construction for Saudi Arabia. A contract was signed for five corvettes in July 2018. ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  Cymbeline

  The Cymbeline is a phased-array, mortar-locating radar that detects the flight path of a mortar bomb at two points in its trajectory as it passes ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  RG32M

  BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa produced more than 600 RG32-series vehicles before its acquisition in 2014 by state-owned Denel.  According to the company, the ...

• Naval: COMINT and ELINT systems

  ALTESSE

  Thales' Alert and Surface Ship Evaluation (ALTESSE) provides alerts on communication signals, tactical situation development and COMINT capabilities. Its wideband instantaneous bandwidth and processing capacities ...