• Training

  I/ITSEC 2016: Lakota maintainers go virtual

  1st December 2016

  The National Guard is using this year’s I/ITSEC to display a new virtual maintenance trainer (VMT) it has rolled out, which teaches ground maintenance operations …

• Defence Helicopter

  Belarus receives Mi-8MTV-5 helicopters

  1st December 2016

  Russian Helicopters’ subsidiary, Kazan Helicopters, has delivered first batch of Mi-8MTV-5 helicopters to Belarus, the company announced on 28 November. The six helicopters were delivered …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2016: Leaders remain positive on LVC future

  30th November 2016

  Senior service leaders from all branches of the US military have used this year’s I/ITSEC to vocalise their support for a move towards blended, networked …

• Defence Helicopter

  Colombian civil heli market opens up

  30th November 2016

  Sikorsky has secured its position in South America through a recent offshore and utility type certification for a series of the company’s rotorcraft. The certification for the …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2016: NATO field HQs go virtual

  30th November 2016

  NATO’s Allied Command Transformation (NATO-ACT) is using this year’s I/ITSEC to demonstrate a new virtual operational headquarters (VOHQ) concept, designed to bring personnel from different …

• Naval Warfare

  UK leads US Task Force 50

  30th November 2016

  The British Royal Navy has taken charge of US Task Force 50 in the Gulf for the first time, it was announced on 26 November. …

• Defence Notes

  Analysis: UK naval shipbuilding

  30th November 2016

  Too little too late There are some great recommendations from Sir John Parker in his independent report about the UK naval shipbuilding industry, all of …

• Land Warfare

  Singapore unveils Belrex extended family

  30th November 2016

  The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) commissioned the Paramount Marauder on 25 November, this new platform known locally as the Belrex Protected Combat Support Vehicle (PCSV). …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2016: Swiss Army helicopter simulator upgrades for Thales

  29th November 2016

  The Swiss federal defence procurement authority, armasuisse has contracted Thales to undertake a number of significant concurrency upgrades to the Swiss Air Force’s AS 532 …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2016: SGB Enterprises contracts Stirling Dynamics

  29th November 2016

  Active control technology specialists Stirling Dynamics has received a contract from SGB Enterprises to supply active controls for their UH-60M and CH-47F helicopter flight simulators …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2016: Focus shifts to ‘drone’ ground targets

  29th November 2016

  The next-generation of targets used for live firing training are likely to be intelligent ‘drone’ vehicles that can move freely around a training area to …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2016: French Air Force looks to outsource pilot training equipment

  28th November 2016

  France's military procurement agency (DGA) has ‘recommended’ that Babcock France be awarded a contract to provide and maintain a training aircraft fleet and related services …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2016: UK sees bright future for mixed-reality

  28th November 2016

  Whether it’s in the air, on the ground, or at sea, the use of simulators has become the norm for militaries across the world, but …

• Land Warfare

  Light at end of India’s long M777 tunnel

  28th November 2016

  The governments of India and the US have finally agreed on a Foreign Military Sale of 145 M777 ultra-lightweight howitzers for the Indian Army, the …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2016: US Army about to embark on new era of fixed-wing training

  28th November 2016

  Construction has been completed on the US Army’s new fixed-wing training centre at Dothan, Alabama.  Over the next two months, CAE and its subcontractors will …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Medium UGVs

  Mission Master (RPV Sprial 3) [UK]

  Background First announced in April 2017 and referred to in early MOD documents as the ‘last mile resupply’ initiative, the British Army is reportedly evaluating ...

• Military UAS - micro

  First Person View (FPV) Drones [UK]

  Background Parliament Questions On 20 May 2025, Ben Obese-Jecty, Conservative MP for Huntingdon, asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many FPV drones had been procured ...

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

  Magni-X (UK)

  Programme Background On 12 January 2022, Elbit Systems UK announced it had been awarded a contract from the UK MoD's Defence Equipment & Support's Future Capability ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

• Medium UGVs

  Mission Master (RPV Sprial 2) [UK]

  Background First announced in April 2017 and referred to in early MOD documents as the ‘last mile resupply’ initiative, the British Army is reportedly evaluating ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (MIV) [UK]

  Background History The UK MoD announced in March 2018 that it would re-join the Boxer programme and pursue a sole-source acquisition of the 8x8 vehicle. ...

• Military UAS - small

  Black Hornet 3 PRS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army operated approximately 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS between 2013 and 2017, when the decision was made to retire ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  HMT Extenda [UK]

  Background Programme requirements The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated in a Contract Notice that it required at least 240 new HMT platforms to mitigate ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, LTVs - 4x4

  Supacat HMT 400 & 600 [UK]

  Background Programme requirements The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated in a Contract Notice that it had a requirement for at least 70 new HMT platforms with ...

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

  Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Project [UK]

  Programme Background Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Project The British Army launched the RAS project to provide the "direction required to exploit emerging technologies to ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Ajax [UK]

  Background Under its $4.3 billion production contract, GDUK will provide 589 Ajax to the British Army. These will be delivered in six different variants: 245 ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Multi-Role Vehicle (Protected) (MRV-P) Package 1 (UK)

  Programme Background Requirement The MRV-P programme was intended to procure replacements for a diverse fleet of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles purchased during the wars in Iraq ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Recce Strike Vehicle 4x4 [UK]

  Background Under Project Niala, the British Army has sought a new recce strike vehicle to augment the operations of 11th Brigade. This sits outside of ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, LTVs - 4x4

  Supacat HMT 400 [UK]

  Background Programme requirements The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated in a Contract Notice that it required at least 240 new HMT platforms to mitigate a shortfall ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Land Mobility Programme (Light Protected Mobility) [UK]

  This programme briefly introduces the wider Land Mobility Programme and then focuses on the Light Protected Mobility (LPM) programme. Information on the LMV and HPM can ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  British Army Apache Training Facilities

  Aviation Training International (ATIL) – a Leonardo Helicopters/Boeing joint venture formed in 1998 - was selected to provide the attack helicopter training service to the ...

• Main battle tanks

  Challenger 1

  420 Challenger 1 MBTs were delivered to the British Army between 1983 and 1990. Developed from the Shir 2 MBT originally designed for Iran, the ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  HIDAS

  Leonardo’s Helicopter Integrated Defensive Aids System (HIDAS) combines laser, missile and Radar Warning Receivers, and a Chaff and Flare Dispensing System (CFDS). The system is ...

• Unguided Artillery Ammunition

  L52 Smoke

  The L52 Smoke is a 105mm smoke artillery round manufactured by BAE Systems.  The British Army uses it in its L118 Light Guns.

• Unguided Artillery Ammunition

  L21 High Explosive (HE)

  The L21 High Explosive (HE) is a 155mm artillery shell manufactured by BAE Systems. The British Army uses the L21 with its Archer artillery systems.

• Towed guns

  105mm Light Gun

  The 105mm Light Gun was designed and manufactured by Royal Ordnance Nottingham (now BAE Systems), with the first guns introduced to the British Army in ...

• Main battle tanks

  Challenger 2

  The 120mm-armed Challenger 2 MBT was introduced into British Army service in 1994 as a replacement for the Challenger 1, which was successfully employed in ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  FV432 Mk 3 Bulldog

  The FV432 Mk 3 Bulldog is an upgraded version of the long-serving FV432 family of tracked vehicles, of which approximately 3,000 were delivered to the British ...

• Unguided Artillery Ammunition

  L17 Inert

  The L17 Inert is a 155mm training artillery round manufactured by BAE Systems.  It is in service with the British Army, where its Archer artillery systems use ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  Buffalo MPCV

  The Buffalo Mine-Protected Clearance Vehicle (MPCV) is in service with the armed forces of Canada, France, Italy, Pakistan, the UK and the US and has ...

• Subsystems: software

  Exonaut Software Suite

  Since 2000, 4C has been developing the Exonaut software suite. The products within the Exonaut suite can either be used standalone or as part of ...

• Self-propelled guns

  AS90

  The AS90 155mm/39cal tracked SPH was designed and built by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering (acquired by BAE Systems in 1999) to meet the requirements of ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  Instrumented Ground Combat Training Systems

  Cubic supplies combat training systems for CTCs, homestations and forward-deployed environments. The systems are designed to support missions including force-on-force, urban operations, joint, combined arms ...

• Main battle tanks

  Olifant

  The Olifant (Elephant) is a South African variant of the British Centurion MBT. Development of the Centurion began in 1943. It was introduced into service ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  Trojan

  In 2001, Vickers Defence Systems (now part of BAE Systems) received a £250 million ($300 million) UK MoD contract to build 66 Engineer Tank Systems ...