• Digital Battlespace

  French vessels to connect to Comcept

  9th March 2016

  The Comcept broadband communication system will be extended to French Navy vessels under a contract awarded to Airbus Defence and Space and Actia Telecom by …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US DoD orders WASP aerostat systems

  9th March 2016

  Drone Aviation has received a contract from the US Department of Defense (DoD) for the supply of its Winch Aerostat Small Platform (WASP) tactical aerostat …

• Land Warfare

  Ajax facility inaugurated in Wales

  8th March 2016

  General Dynamics Land Systems-UK has inaugurated its new Armoured Fighting Vehicle (AFV) Assembly, Integration and Testing (AIT) facility at Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, from where …

• Land Warfare

  Malaysian Army boosting firepower

  8th March 2016

  Malaysia is to dramatically increase the firepower of its artillery units with the acquisition of its first self-propelled howitzers (SPH). The country is understood to …

• Land Warfare

  Canada looks at Arctic mobility

  7th March 2016

  The Canadian Army has purchased new Argo XT vehicles and D900 snowmobiles as part of work to refine requirements for the vehicle it will acquire …

• Defence Helicopter

  Heli-Expo 2016: Black Hawks swoop on market (video)

  7th March 2016

  The presence of three ex-US Army UH-60A Black Hawks, all now owned by private companies, was one of the big talking points at this year's …

• Land Warfare

  FICV: And then there were eight

  7th March 2016

  India's Future Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) programme has moved a step closer to the starting blocks with industry putting forward an expression of interest (EoI). …

• Digital Battlespace

  Singapore commissions new SDRs

  7th March 2016

  The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) have introduced their latest software-defined radio (SDR) to cap off development of the Army Battlefield Internet (ABI).  Both were officially …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army considers load-carrying robots

  4th March 2016

  The US Army is considering options for a new unmanned ground vehicle that could take on the load currently carried by soldiers, called the Squad …

• Land Warfare

  Alcoa to lighten combat vehicles

  4th March 2016

  Alcoa has received a five-year contract from the US Army for research and development (R&D) projects involving the development of lightweight solutions for ground combat …

• Land Warfare

  GD to produce M&P pistol barrels

  3rd March 2016

  General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems has received a multi-year contract from Smith & Wesson to manufacture and supply hammer forged, military-grade gun barrels for …

• Military Logistics

  Australia aims for new ammo

  3rd March 2016

  The Australian Army is seeking new 155mm ammunition for its howitzers according to an RfT released on 26 February. The Future Artillery Ammunition (FAA) requirement …

• Defence Helicopter

  Thai army buys, and eyes, Russian helicopters

  2nd March 2016

  The Royal Thai Army (RTA) received two Mil Mi-17V-5 helicopters in late 2015, boosting its inventory to five. Furthermore, it plans to buy more to …

• Military Logistics

  Y-20 has ‘completed development’

  2nd March 2016

  The Y-20 transport aircraft from the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) will reportedly reach an initial operational capability (IOC) within the People’s Liberation Air Force …

• Defence Helicopter

  Heli-Expo 2016: Airbus eyes US and Chile for H215

  1st March 2016

  Airbus Helicopters is due to begin an extensive marketing campaign this year centred on its 9t H215 helicopter, with the platform touring both North and …

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 ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | S26T (2-3) [Thailand]

  The Royal Thai Navy were in the process of acquiring up to three new submarines derived from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Yuan-class (Type ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | S26T (2-3) [Thailand]

  The Royal Thai Navy were in the process of acquiring up to three new submarines derived from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Yuan-class (Type ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Taiwan]

  Programme Background The Black Hawks are intended to defend against potential threats from China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), as they possess rapid response capability in ...

• 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 ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• Main battle 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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.

• Light 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  CTL-181

  Produced by Dongfeng Motor Corporation, the CTL-181 is a 6x6 armoured tactical vehicle designed for the People's Liberation Army (PLA). The PLA uses the CTL-181 ...