• Training

  UK, Morocco conduct joint exercise

  25th November 2015

  The UK and Moroccan armed forces have conducted Jebel Sahara, a month-long joint training exercise which concluded in the third week of November, the Ministry …

• Digital Battlespace

  US successfully tests Patriot system

  23rd November 2015

  The US Army has successfully completed the first in a series of flight tests for the latest Post-Deployment Build 8 (PDB-8) upgrades to Raytheon's Patriot …

• Defence Notes

  China snares Su-35 fighters…finally

  20th November 2015

  After protracted negotiations, Russia has finally inked a deal with China for the sale of 24 Sukhoi Su-35 multirole fighters. Sergey Chemezov, the CEO of …

• Land Warfare

  New VAB vehicle variant qualifies

  20th November 2015

  A new engineer variant of the VAB (Véhicule de l'avant blindé) Ultima APC for the French Army has passed qualification. This variant called the ‘Génie’ is on schedule …

• Land Warfare

  Australia goes IFV shopping

  19th November 2015

  Australia has issued an RfI for a new tracked infantry carrier for the Australian Defence Force (ADF).  Issued under Project Land 400 Phase 3 for …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Apache and Gray Eagle team up in Korea

  19th November 2015

  The US Army is able to conduct aerial manned-unmanned teaming missions in South Korea, according to an announcement from General Atomics on 18 November. In …

• Training

  Aegis supports USMC trainer

  18th November 2015

  Aegis Technologies will continue supporting Riptide Software’s work on the United States Marine Corps’ (USMC’s) Combined Arms Command and Control Trainer Upgrade System (CACCTUS) programme, …

• Military Logistics

  Australia closes Afghan logistics base

  18th November 2015

  The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has closed Camp Baker in Southern Afghanistan, following the end of mission for the Australian-led 205th Corps Advisory Team, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  India pulls plug on Nishant UAV

  18th November 2015

  In a blow to Indian efforts to field indigenously developed tactical UAVs, the Indian Army is abandoning the two-decade-old Nishant. Phase 1 of the Nishant …

• Digital Battlespace

  IAMD Battle Command System in new test

  17th November 2015

  The US Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS) has provided the command and control (C2) for a Patriot Advanced Capability …

• Land Warfare

  Czech army tests RBS 70 NG

  16th November 2015

  The Army of the Czech Republic has carried out a life-fire test of Saab’s RBS 70 Next Generation (NG) missile system, with all missile firings …

• Digital Battlespace

  CACI wins I2WD support task order

  16th November 2015

  The US Army has awarded a task order to CACI International to continue its support for the fabrication, integration, and fielding facility (FIFF) requirements of …

• Defence Helicopter

  Additional UH-72A Lakotas for US Army

  13th November 2015

  The US Army has exercised contract options worth $65.8 million for 12 additional UH-72A Lakota helicopters and associated mission equipment packages, Airbus Helicopters announced on 12 November. …

• Military Logistics

  Sweden set for IRB delivery

  13th November 2015

  General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) will deliver the first batch of the Improved Ribbon Bridge (IRB) to the Swedish Army in November, the company announced …

• Land Warfare

  Russia seals SAM exports

  13th November 2015

  China will begin receiving its first S-400 Triumf medium-/long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems within 12-18 months, it has emerged from the TASS news agency. Meanwhile, …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  J-10 [China]

  Programme Background The aircraft performed its maiden flight in 1998 and entered service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) in 2004. According to ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Data links

  Data links | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Corvettes

  Jiangdao Class (Type 056)

  Programme Background The Type 056 corvette is referred to by the Chinese as the new-generation light guided-missile frigates. They have been built for the People's Liberation ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Rapid Minelayers Procurement (1-4) [Taiwan]

  Development and Procurement Four new rapid minelayers are being built for the Taiwanese Navy in a bid to counter the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Rapid Minelayers Procurement (5-10) [Taiwan]

  Programme Background Requirements The revelation of a Chinese bridge-barge landing system for amphibious operations, designed for a Taiwan invasion, has underscored the need for Taipei ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Kalyani M4 (India)

  Programme Background In the wake of border clashes with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 2020, the Indian Army has accelerated several of its ...

• Frigates

  Jiangkai II Class (Type 054A)

  Built by Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard and Huangpu shipyards the frigates were first seen being constructed from 2005. The class is referred to as the workhorses of China's ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  VP1/Type 89 (Nigeria)

  Programme Background The Nigerian Army has an ongoing need for new armoured vehicles to replace losses incurred in its conflict with extremist organisations operating within ...

• Corvettes

  Shadhinota Class (Type C13B)

  The Shadhinota class (Type C13B) corvettes are a platform based on the Type 056 Jiangdao class used by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), built by the ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  S26T [Thailand]

  Programme Background The Royal Thai Navy has been in the process of acquiring a new submarine for a number of years. They formally selected China's ...

• Frigates

  Jiangkai III Class (Type 054B / Type 057)

  Following the rapid production and relative success of the Type 054A Jiangkai II class frigates, the Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) are developing a successor to ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• AEW&C, Transport

  Y-8

  The Y-8 (Yunshuji-8) medium-sized transport and multirole aircraft was developed by Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation and is based on the Soviet Antonov An-12. More than 36 ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Z-8

  Developed by Changhe Aircraft Industry Group, the Z-8 (known also as Z-18) is a derivative of the AC313 civil helicopter, which is itself a copy of ...

• Submachine guns

  CS/LS2

  Norinco’s CS/LS2 is a 9mm bullpup SMG designed for use with a suppressor. It has been in service with the People's Liberation Army since about ...

• Fighter - multirole

  J-8

  The J-8 (NATO reporting name Finback) is a multirole fighter domestically developed by China. It has design similarities with Soviet MiG-21 and Su-15 aircraft.  The ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  KZ-800

  China National Electronics Import and Export’s (CEIEC) KZ-800 is an airborne Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) gathering system believed to be in widespread use onboard People’s Liberation ...

• Fighter - multirole

  J-10

  The J-10 (NATO reporting name Firebird) is a multirole fighter developed by China to replace second-generation J-7 and Q-5 aircraft. The aircraft is also known ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  Type GCZ110

  Norinco announced in 2014 that it had completed development of the Type GCZ110 armoured engineer vehicle based on a modified Type 79 tank chassis equipped ...

• Tanks

  VT2

  The 125mm-armed VT2 tracked MBT, which was unveiled at DSA 2012, is the export version of the People's Liberation Army Type 96A. As of early ...

• Fighter - ground attack

  J-16

  The J-16 is a multirole fighter developed by China. It is based on the J-11 air superiority fighter, itself a licence-built version of the Russian ...

• EO/IR systems

  Loong Eye LE380

  The Loong Eye (Dragon's Eye) LE380 is a two-axis stabilised gimbal incorporating EO/IR sensors, laser designators, and laser rangefinders. Originally developed by the Luoyang Opto-Electro ...

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

  Sky Saker FX400A

  The Sky Saker FX400A is a fixed-wing drone manufactured by Norinco. Capable of hosting both ISR and attack payloads, such as the Blue Arrow 7 ...

• Air-to-air missiles, Surface-to-air missiles

  TY-90

  TY-90 is a multi-purpose, short-range, IR-guided, tactical surface-to-air missile developed by China to defend against helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and cruise missiles at low and super-low ...

• Tanks

  Type 62

  The Type 62 light tank entered production for the Chinese People's Liberation Army in 1963. Essentially a smaller, lighter clone of the Type 59 MBT, it is ...

• Medium/general-purpose machine guns

  Type 80

  The Type 80 is a general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) manufactured by Norinco in China, based on the Soviet PKM. Certified in 1980, it entered PLA ...

• Air-launched ASW torpedoes, Ship-launched torpedoes

  Yu-11 lightweight torpedo

  Yu-11 is a Chinese-made surface and air-launched lightweight torpedo to repel submarine threats from long distances.