• Defence Notes

  Insight: 2019 NDAA breaks China’s heart

  22nd August 2018

  The US military got the green light from the White House to improve military relations with Taiwan and attempt to disrupt China’s efforts to displace …

• Land Warfare

  Land Forces 2018: Quartet of IFV contenders emerges

  6th September 2018

  Four OEMs made their presence felt as potential candidates for Australia’s latent Project Land 400 Phase 3 that is worth a lucrative A$10-15 billion ($7.2-10.8 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Israeli interest in RAF AWACS replacement grows

  31st August 2018

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is promoting its business jet-based Conformal Airborne Early Warning (CAEW) aircraft as a new contender for an expected replacement of the …

• Land Warfare

  Rosoboronexport launches amphibious tank

  22nd August 2018

  Rosoboronexport has launched the Sprut-SDM1 light amphibious tank built by the Tractor Plants Concern for the Russian and export market. The Sprut-SDM1 has a powerful …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russia to get SOF/medevac-equipped Mi-8s

  30th August 2018

  The Russian MoD is interested in the procurement of an upgraded Mi-8 derivative dubbed the Mi-8AMTSh-VN for supporting operations of the country’s growing SOF community, …

• Military Logistics

  First MRTT arrives in Singapore

  15th August 2018

  The first Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) arrived in the country on 14 August following a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  GA-ASI to expand presence at Grand Sky

  17th August 2018

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) will significantly expand its presence at Grand Sky, the civil UAS-focused research and development park in the US. Under the …

• Naval Warfare

  Barak-8 for Israel’s Sa'ar 6-class corvettes

  20th August 2018

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has received a contract to provide the Barak-8 air and missile defence system for the Israeli Navy’s Sa'ar 6-class corvettes, the …

• Digital Battlespace

  DARPA reviews satellite servicing robot design

  22nd August 2018

  DARPA has concluded the preliminary design review of a satellite servicing payload for its Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) programme. According to DARPA, results …

• Training

  ARA develops alternative to traditional flash-bangs

  16th August 2018

  ARA has developed a new Non-Pyrotechnic Diversionary Device (NPDD) in order to give tactical teams an advantage in situations where the use of a pyrotechnic …

• Digital Battlespace

  Comtech receives satellite terminal orders

  17th August 2018

  Comtech Telecommunications’ Command and Control Technologies has received new orders totalling $32.5 million from the US Army PM Tactical Network, the company announced on 13 …

• Defence Notes

  Swedish fighter jet crashes

  21st August 2018

  A Swedish jet fighter crashed after colliding with a bird in southern Sweden on 21 August, authorities said, adding the pilot ejected safely. Johan Lundgren, …

• Training

  French Army orders RUAG target systems

  15th August 2018

  RUAG Defence has received a contract from the French Army to provide 500 laser-based target systems, the company announced on 8 August. The systems will …

• Defence Helicopter

  India approves pursuit of naval helicopters

  29th August 2018

  The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) of India’s MoD accorded approval to the Indian Navy’s (IN) case for procurements of 111 Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH) at …

• Training

  Airbus upgrades army training centre comms network

  14th August 2018

  Airbus is upgrading the US Army’s secure mobile communication system at the Fort Irwin National Training Center in California. Based on the company’s Tetrapol Internet …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - micro

  EVO Max 4T [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Ukraine On 6 October 2023, Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's Miniter of Digital Transformation, announced that the Army of Drones sent nearly 2,000 EVO Max ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer IFV (Schakal) [Germany]

  Background The Boxer is currently in service with both Germany and the Netherlands, having entered service in 2009 and 2013, respectively.  In October 2025, the ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW101-Norway

  AgustaWestland is also providing initial support and training services, including spares at each of the operating bases and aircrew training. It will then provide performance ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F -Kenya

  Crew transition training took place at the MD Helicopters headquarters in Mesa, Arizona, with field service support, armament, and gunnery training scheduled to occur at ...

• Trainer

  T-54A Multi-Engine Training System (METS) [USA]

  Programme Background Multi-Engine Training System is a USN programme to replace the ageing T-44C Pegasus fleet and modernize multi-engine aircraft training. Multi-Engine Training System provides ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Gray Eagle 25M (13-28) [US National Guard]

  Background Requirement In FY2021, the National Guard Association of the United States (NGUAS) announced that it was “critical” that it fielded the MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended Range (ER). The ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) (3) [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Malaysian Navy are in the process of a fleet transformation plan known as the 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, which ...

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  Submarines Procurement [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements In 2015, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) issued the so-called 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, which envisioned the service to be standardised ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Gray Eagle 25M (1-12) [US National Guard]

  Background Requirement In FY2021, the National Guard Association of the United States (NGUAS) announced that it was “critical” that it fielded the MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended ...

• ISR/special mission

  Shadow R1 [UK]

  Background The RAF is moving forward with an ambitious plan to transform its intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) force to enable greater interoperability ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Beyond Vision UAVs [Portugal]

  Background Contract award On 14 February 2023, Beyond Vision announced that it had been awarded a €600,375 contract for the acquisition of “6 Multirotor and ...

• CUAS - jammers

  Stationary C-UAS [Croatia]

  Background Croatia is procuring counter-UAS systems, covering stationary and mobile systems. The procurement of the systems is a response to growing security threats and the ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  Mobile C-UAS [Croatia]

  Background Croatia is procuring counter-UAS systems, covering stationary and mobile systems. The procurement of the systems is a response to growing security threats and the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer IFV (Schakal) [Netherlands]

  Background The Boxer is currently in service with both Germany and the Netherlands, having entered service in 2009 and 2013, respectively.  In October 2025, the ...

• Frigates

  Littoral Combat Ship Programme (8-12) [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements At DSA 2024, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) unveiled the RMN 15 to 5 Transformation Program Realignment. The original 15 to 5 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Major networking projects

  ACT

  Allied Command Transformation (ACT) is leading at strategic command level the transformation of NATO’s military structure, forces, capabilities and doctrine. It is working to enhance ...

• Loitering munitions

  Trypillian SSG

  Manufactured by Trypillian, a British-Ukrainian start-up, the Trypillian SSG is an autonomous, deep-strike loitering munition, designed to operate in GNSS-denied environments.  Trypillian states that it is an asymmetric ...

• Light UGVs

  D-21-11

  Unveiled in January 2024, the D-21-11 is a 4x4 wheeled UGV from Brave1. The Ukrainian vehicle features a flatbed that can host various equipment, such ...

• Loitering munitions

  Backfire

  The Backfire is a Ukrainian fire-and-forget loitering munition. The catapult-launched system is GPS-guided, meaning it is resistant to radio-electronic interference. Reportedly, its lack of real-time ...

• Medium UGVs

  Ironclad

  The Ironclad is a Ukrainian 4x4 UGV developed by Roboneers, a technology incubator that solicits ideas and pairs them with potential investors. Fitted with a ShaBlya ...

• Ultra-light UGVs

  Ratel S

  The Ratel S, sometimes also called the Medoed or Honey Badger, is a Ukrainian kamikaze UGV that can be armed with a TM-62 anti-tank mine or two 82mm ...

• Military UAS - small

  Vampire

  The Vampire is a hexacopter drone developed by the Ukrainian company Skyfall. It can carry and drop various types of ammunition on the enemy. In ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  DRTS

  The Digital Range Training System (DRTS) was developed under a 2011 contract to provide an immersive training environment for US Army vehicle crews. Training includes ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  Live Training Systems-Range Instrumentation

  End-to-end, networked, live training communications systems providing live training range products, communications infrastructure and instrumented participant voice, video and data communications. These include range voice, ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Nomad (Group 4/5)

  In October 2025, Sikorsky unveiled the Nomad family of drones. The family can be scaled from a small Group 3 UAV to a Group 4/5 system with ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  USN T-44C Training Services

  In late 2013, CAE USA received a contract to provide the USN with comprehensive T-44C aircrew training services at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. CAE USA ...

• Data links

  CLIP

  Common Link Integration Processing (CLIP) is a software product that performs data transformation and processes protocols for dissimilar communications formats. It meets requirements for common ...

• Loitering munitions

  Mighty Hornet IV

  Unveiled in September 2025, the Mighty Hornet IV is a development of the MQM-178 target drone designed for attack missions. Kratos and the National Chung-Shan Institute ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Digital Battle Management System

  The Digital Battle Management System (BMS) is a single complete solution designed for sharing battalion-level land and air-land combat information. Digital BMS optimises real-time information ...

• Sea: weapon training, Military - USVs

  Sprite

  The Sprite is a USV developed by QinetiQ and designed for live-fire training exercises.