• Air Warfare

  Germany set to have Arrow missile defence system in place by 2030

  17th August 2023

  The US government has approved the sale of Israel’s Arrow Weapon System (AWS) missile defence capability to Germany with the first units expected to arrive in late 2025 and operational service expected from 2030.

• Air Warfare

  DSEI 2023: Ukraine war drives AI development to fight GPS jamming

  4th September 2023

  In response to the war in the Ukraine one company, formerly based in Kyiv, has turned its attention from AI in the medical field to AI on the battlefield by applying the technology to drones for autonomous operation in GPS-denied and complex electronic warfare environments.

• Air Warfare

  Supplying F-16 jets to Ukraine won't win the war, but adds new causes of concern for Russia

  1st June 2023

  While the question of which Western fighter jet will be ultimately sent to Ukraine now seems settled, how much effect will the F-16's presence have on the conflict?

• Land Warfare

  Germany expands Rheinmetall tank munitions agreement

  13th July 2023

  The German armed forces has expanded its framework agreement with Rheinmetall for tank ammunition, reflecting the military's commitment to rebuilding capabilities.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2023: Sentinel UAS offers solution for communications relay and black holes

  12th September 2023

  UK company Drone Evolution is showing for the first time its tethered UAS, Sentinel, and outlined future plans for the system as a radio relay as well as surveillance asset.

• Training

  Sweden green-lights Gripen training for Ukraine, no jets offered

  26th May 2023

  Sweden and Ukraine still need to agree on formal details before training on the Swedish combat aircraft can begin, but Stockholm said the planned move does not mean Gripens will be given to Ukraine.

• Land Warfare

  Germany increases armoured vehicle shipments supply as more Marders head for Ukraine and Greece

  23rd June 2023

  An additional 20 Marder IFVs will be shipped to Ukraine this summer under a new German government arrangement fulfilled by Rheinmetall.

• Land Warfare

  SAMP/T operational in Ukraine, Macron announces at Paris Air Show

  22nd June 2023

  The SAMP/T air defence system – made by Eurosam – is now operational in Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday.

• Training

  Exercise Talisman Sabre 2023 is unprecedented in its scale and scope

  25th July 2023

  Australia has never before seen anything like the scale of this year's Exercise Talisman Sabre.

• Defence Notes

  Why the Arctic could be Russia’s next target

  25th May 2023

  Moscow has been upgrading and re-equipping its bases in the Far North, and international affairs and defence experts say that the possibility of a war in the region cannot be ruled out.

• Digital Battlespace

  EOS to provide AS-65 gimbal for L3Harris's VAMPIRE weapon system

  21st July 2023

  EOS Defense Systems USA's AS-65 gimbal has been selected for L3Harris's VAMPIRE weapon system, empowering Ukraine's ground forces to counter hostile drones and ground threats using precision rockets.

• Air Warfare

  US seeks to approve F-16 sale to Argentina to trump Chinese JF-17 offer

  10th August 2023

  Argentina is evaluating choices including second-hand F-16 fighters from Denmark and Chengdu JF-17 Thunder Block III fighters offered by China. The potential deals come as the South American country seeks to replace its outdated aircraft, navigating obstacles such as arms embargoes, international partnerships and geopolitical considerations.

• Land Warfare

  Ukraine awaits Brazilian approval to purchase 450 Guarani armoured vehicles

  23rd May 2023

  Kyiv is primarily interested in the ambulance variant of the platform, with vehicles planned to be deployed by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

• Air Warfare

  Rheinmetall breaks ground on F-35 fuselage plant

  1st August 2023

  The Rheinmetall F-35A factory is set to produce at least 400 fighter jet fuselages for Germany and other NATO operators.

• Air Warfare

  A welcome observer? Workshare wrangles loom as Belgium joins SCAF future fighter effort

  12th September 2023

  Of the three major Western next-generation fighter programmes, the (arguably) French-led SCAF has received the least attention in English-speaking media. As Belgium gains observer status on the programme, what will this mean for the workshare arrangements between France, Germany and Spain?

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Akinci [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Two Export Contracts In January 2022, the Daily Sabah reported that Baykar had "recently" signed its first export contract for the Akinci. Haluk Bayraktar ...

• 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 ...

• Loitering munitions

  ZT-180 [Russia]

  Programme Background Claims On 23 February 2023, DER SPIEGEL reported that, according to information it had gathered, China and Russia were negotiating the purchase of 100 ZT-180 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Shahed-136 [Russia]

  Programme Background Iran's Involvement On 11 July 2022, according to US intelligence, Jake Sullivan, US National Security Advisor, announced during a statement that the Iranian ...

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

  Vector / Scorpion (Selected) [Ukraine]

  Programme Background 500 Systems Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Quantum-Systems has provided many drones to Ukraine. Over 400 units have been provided as aid ...

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

  SkyRanger R70 (Ukraine Aid) [Canada]

  Programme Background On 19 February 2024, the Canadian Defence Minister, Bill Blair, announced that the country would donate more than 800 SkyRanger R70 UAVs to ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Heavy Lift Helicopter [Philippines]

  Programme Background Procurement from Russia In November 2021, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed that a contract had been signed to acquire 16 Mi-171 heavy ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  T-150 (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Programme Background Virtual Address On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. On 3 May 2022, the UK's Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, virtually addressed the Ukrainian ...

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

  Black Hornet 3 (Ukraine Aid) [UK & Norway]

  Programme Background Russo-Ukraine War Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, UAVs have proved vital to the country's defence. Consequently, as in this programme, the ...

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

  Quantix Recon (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background April Meeting In mid-April, just shy of two months after Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, the Ambassador and the Defence Attaché at the Embassy of Ukraine met ...

• Tanks

  Leopard 2A8 [Germany]

  Programme Background Germany has operated the domestically produced Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Leopard 2 since its inception in the 1970s. Spanning now eight versions, the Leopard 2A8 is the ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | E-7 Wedgetail - UK (Second Order)

  The UK MoD signed a £1.51 billion ($1.98 billion) deal to purchase five E-7 Wedgetail aircraft from Boeing for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in ...

• Data links

  Data links | E-7 Wedgetail - UK (Second Order)

  The UK MoD signed a £1.51 billion ($1.98 billion) deal to purchase five E-7 Wedgetail aircraft from Boeing for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | E-7 Wedgetail - UK (Second Order)

  The UK MoD signed a £1.51 billion ($1.98 billion) deal to purchase five E-7 Wedgetail aircraft from Boeing for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | E-7 Wedgetail - UK (Second Order)

  The UK MoD signed a £1.51 billion ($1.98 billion) deal to purchase five E-7 Wedgetail aircraft from Boeing for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Tanks

  T-80UD

  The 125mm-armed T-80UD MBT is a variant of the T-80 which was in production in Ukraine when the Soviet Union broke up in 1991. An ...

• Loitering munitions

  AQV 100 Scalpel

  The AQV 100 Scalpel, or AQV-100, is a low-cost loitering munition manufactured by One Way Aerospace.  The drone is operated using a first-person view and ...

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

  Mini 2

  The Mini 2 is a micro rotary-wing drone from DJI. It features a 3-axis gimbaled 12MP camera for photographs and 4k/30fps for video capture. Shephard believes ...

• Transport

  An-140

  The An-140 is a light turboprop military transport aircraft developed from the An-140 regional airliner, which first flew in September 1997. It is designed to ...

• Air: sonar systems

  VGS-3

  The VGS-3 is a dipping sonar for the Ka-27/Ka-28 helicopter developed by the State Enterprise Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Hydrodevices.

• Loitering munitions

  Shahed-236

  The Shahed-236, or MC 236, is a successor to the Shahed-126. It is a loitering munition designed in Iran. The drone was presented to Russia in ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Orlan-10/10E

  Developed by the Russia-based Special Technology Center, the Orlan-10 is a medium-range UAS with many variants, such as the 10E, an export version introduced in 2017. The ...

• Fighter - air superiority

  MiG-29

  The MiG-29 (NATO reporting name Fulcrum) is an air superiority fighter aircraft designed to engage air targets in any weather, day and night.  The production ...

• Fighter - ground attack

  Su-25

  The Su-25 (NATO reporting name Frogfoot) is a single-seat ground attack aircraft developed for close combat air support missions. Production of the Su-25 began in ...

• Land: coastal surveillance radars

  Predel-E

  The Predel-E is a coastal surveillance radar produced by Russian manufacturer Concern Morinformsystem-Agat JSC. The system is intended as an over-the-horizon surveillance system, designed to ...

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

  Matrice 300 RTK

  The Matrice 300 RTK is a rotary-wing UAV manufactured by DJI. Despite being primarily aimed at industrial applications, militaries utilise it for ISR tasks.  In ...

• Artillery rockets

  9M55

  9M55 is a family of 300 mm artillery rockets developed for the BM-30 Uragan MLRS developed by the USSR.

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  SURA HMTDS

  SURA is a helmet-mounted display system produced in Ukraine. Notably, it offers off-boresight acquisition capability to pilots and can cue the aircraft's sensor systems using ...

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

  Orion / Orion-E

  The Orion, sometimes called the Inokhodets, is the first Russian-manufactured MALE UAV that has been designed to carry out a wide variety of military surveillance applications. Russia has ...

• Transport

  An-22

  The largest transport aircraft of the time, the An-22 Antei (NATO reporting name Cock) is a heavy military transport aircraft developed by Antonov in the ...