• 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 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Chilean H215M deliveries complete

  21st December 2016

  Airbus Helicopters has handed over the tenth and final H215M helicopter to the Chilean Army, the company announced on 19 December. The aircraft will be …

• Defence Helicopter

  Everett to provide UK medevac services

  20th December 2016

  Everett Aviation will provide helicopter medical evacuation (medevac) services to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) for the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (BATUK) …

• Land Warfare

  Britain cuts front line tank crews

  20th December 2016

  The British Army could lose up to a third of its front line tank crews under the UK’s Strategic Defence and Security Review. In an …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  China seizes, returns USN glider

  20th December 2016

  On 20 December China quietly returned the US Navy's UUV that it had brazenly seized five days earlier in the South China Sea. The platform …

• Land Warfare

  Ukraine’s tank revival

  19th December 2016

  Ukraine’s tank industry reports a significant growth in business in 2016 based on work in both the domestic and export markets. This includes upgrade work …

• Land Warfare

  Finland to decide on Korean artillery

  19th December 2016

  Finland is moving towards the acquisition of new self-propelled artillery howitzers, with a decision expected early in 2017. The Nordic country has plans to buy …

• Defence Helicopter

  NH90 programme hits milestone

  19th December 2016

  The Spanish Army’s aviation branch has taken delivery of a new NH90 helicopter, marking the 300th NH90 production aircraft to be delivered by NH Industries …

• Defence Helicopter

  Thai Army puts faith in Leonardo

  18th December 2016

  In December Leonardo Helicopters delivered six AW139s to the Royal Thai Army (RTA), giving it a total of ten units in service. Additionally, the RTA …

• Defence Notes

  Analysis: Saudi Arabia - A close customer (part 3 - maritime)

  18th December 2016

  We come to the last part on Saudi Arabia's defence relationship with the West, the maritime domain. This is less high profile than the land …

• Land Warfare

  Moog demos M230LF cannon on RIWP

  16th December 2016

  Moog has carried out a live fire demonstration of a 30mm direct fire cannon on the Reconfigurable Integrated-Weapons Platform (RIWP), the company announced on 14 …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [Spain]

  Programme Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible, cohesive operational organisations, highly ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Small UAS [Spain]

  The Spanish Army examined the Russo-Ukrainian War in early 2024 and incorporated many learnings into its Fuerza 35 Project, a restructuring and procurement modernisation initiative. ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Small UAS [Spain]

  The Spanish Army examined the Russo-Ukrainian War in early 2024 and incorporated many learnings into its Fuerza 35 Project, a restructuring and procurement modernisation initiative. ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  X10D [Spain]

  Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational organisations, ...

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

  Twister [Spain]

  Background Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational ...

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

  Vector / Scorpion [Spain]

  Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational organisations, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Batch 1) [Spain]

  Programme Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army including the BMR-600 6x6, ...

• Military UAS - small

  Small UAS [Spain]

  Programme Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Batch 2) [Spain]

  Programme Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army including the BMR-600 6x6, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Batch 3) [Spain]

  Programme Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army including the BMR-600 ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) [Spain]

  Programme Background The VAMTAC ST5 is already in Spanish service with the Spanish Army, Navy, and Air Force in various configurations. In June 2025, the ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Batch 3) [Spain]

  Programme Background The decision to acquire these vehicles comes within the wider context of the Spanish government announcing a significant increase in defence spending in ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Batch 2) [Spain]

  Programme Background The decision to acquire these vehicles comes within the wider context of the Spanish government announcing a significant increase in defence spending in ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Spain HT-29 Caiman (NH90 TTH) - Air Force Second Batch

  The HT-29 Caiman will replace AS332 Super Puma fleet in service with the Spanish Air Force. The Spanish version of the NH90 TTHs can perform ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Spain HT-29 Caiman (NH90 TTH) - Air Force First Batch

  The HT-29 Caiman will replace AS332 Super Puma fleet in service with the Spanish Air Force. The Spanish version of the NH90 TTHs can perform ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Heavy UGVs

  Valkyrie

  The Valkyrie is a 6x6 UGV developed by the Spanish company SASCorp. It was unveiled for the first time at FINDEF 2021. The platform has reportedly ...

• Towed guns

  SIAC 155mm/52cal

  The SIAC 155mm/52cal towed howitzer is the latest derivative of the 155mm/52cal APU SBT howitzer originally developed by GDELS-SBS in the 1990s to meet a ...

• 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. ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  ASCOD Common Base Platform

  GDELS unveiled a new variant of its tracked ASCOD (Austrian Spanish Cooperative Development) IFV based on the new Common Base Platform (CBP) at the June ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  Leopard 2E Simulators

  Indra was prime contractor for the Spanish Army Leopard 2E Tank Simulation Programme, which involved 23 devices across driving, turret and platoon simulators with networking ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR Dragon

  Having received a $2 billion order from the Spanish Army, the General Dynamics European Land Systems VCR Dragon 8x8 IFV is swiftly replacing the ageing BMR-600 6x6 ...

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

  Alcotán

  The Alcotán is a lightweight, hand-launched platform. Designed by USOL, the system features an aerial platform, autopilot and GCS. It is suitable for both civil ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  ASCOD

  The Austrian Spanish Cooperative Development (ASCOD) I/CFV was developed to meet the joint requirements of the Austrian and Spanish armies for a medium-weight armoured vehicle ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Neton

  The 4x4 Neton Ultrafast Tactical Vehicle is manufactured by Spanish firm Einsa. It is an all-terrain, highly mobile and air-transportable SF platform. Following an evaluation ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  BMR-600

  The BMR-600 "Pegaso"  is a wheeled fully-amphibious 6x6 APC which began development in 1972. It was originally designed by Santa Barbara Sistemas which is now ...

• Loitering munitions

  Q-SLAM-40

  The QLM-40, or Q-SLAM-40, is a multi-purpose loitering munition manufactured by Arquimea. It is launched from a pneumatic launcher, powered by an electric motor and contains an ISR payload ...

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

  Fulmar X

  The Fulmar X is a Thales UAV designed to carry out high-quality ISTAR missions for civil and military applications. A complete system comprises two UAVs, launch and recovery ...

• Individual assault/anti-tank weapons

  Alcotan-100

  The Alcotan-100 is a recoilless, shoulder-launched, antitank rocket launcher developed to meet a Spanish Army requirement, entering service in 2008. In 2014, the Peruvian Army ...

• Light machine guns

  MG4

  The 5.56mm MG4 has been in German Army service since 2005 and sold to at least five export customers, including the Spanish Army. The MG4 ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  RF-7800H-MP

  The L3Harris RF-7800H-MP is a manpack HF radio with expanded data capabilities for long-range communications. First delivered in 2012, it remains in service with several militaries ...