• Digital Battlespace

  Thales looks to enhance SMART-L BMD functions

  30th October 2017

  Thales is analysing logged data from the recent Formidable Shield ballistic missile defence (BMD) exercise to see if modifications made to its SMART-L Multi Mission (MM) radar can …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ADEX 2017: General Atomics signs MoU at Korea Airshow

  22nd October 2017

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA‑ASI), a manufacturer of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), and the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) signed an MoU …

• Defence Helicopter

  Czech Air Force seals delivery of two BIRD AMPS

  24th October 2017

  The Czech Air Force has received delivery of two additional Airborne Missile Protection Systems (AMPS) from BIRD Aerosystems.  The deal, sealed in Q3, is further …

• Land Warfare

  Australian steel for Rheinmetall Boxer bid

  25th October 2017

  Bisalloy Steel Group will develop and produce high performance armour steel for the Rheinmetall Boxer vehicle should it be selected for Australia’s Land 400 Phase …

• Defence Helicopter

  GE Aviation details T901-GE-900 testing

  12th October 2017

  GE Aviation has successfully completed testing of its T901-GE-900 turboshaft engine prototype in support of the US Army’s Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP), the company …

• Special Operations

  SOCOM searches for hidden chambers

  19th October 2017

  The US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is to conduct a feasibility study to identify a handheld hidden chamber detection technology to support sensitive site exploitation …

• Military Logistics

  Royal Navy faces cannibalisation risks

  1st November 2017

  The Royal Navy could face further equipment cannibalisation despite the introduction of a Common Support Model (CMS) for the maintenance of its vessels this year. Findings …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australian Army airs UAV ambitions

  9th October 2017

  The Australian Army laid out its road map for future UAVs at the Pacific International Maritime Exposition in Sydney on 4 October. Lt Col Keirin …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Franco-British unmanned alliance makes gains

  23rd October 2017

  New details are emerging about the Franco-British collaboration on a Future Combat Air System (FCAS) as the programme readies for the transition from planning and …

• Digital Battlespace

  MILCOM 2017: USMC seeks industry help for comms gap

  25th October 2017

  The US Marine Corps (USMC) needs industry’s help bridging communication gaps and preparing its deployed marines for austere environments. The USMC's director C4 and chief information …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Commercial UAV Expo 2017: Wine industry mulls drone use

  26th October 2017

  The potential target market for the use of drones by vineyards and in viticulture management was an area that could see significant growth in future, …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Navy scales up EW protection

  23rd October 2017

  The US Navy is moving forward with fielding newer, more advanced EW equipment for its surface vessels and rotary platforms as it seeks to bolster …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Commercial UAV Expo 2017: Industry leaders call for drone advocacy

  27th October 2017

  An underlying theme at this week’s Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, was the need for the industry to work together to guide public …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Analysis: Has the UK done enough to contain drone threats?

  18th October 2017

  The use of drones and other robotic technologies by the Islamic State terrorist group in Middle Eastern conflicts, for surveillance and as high-tech IEDs, has …

• Land Warfare

  VT4 tanks reach Thailand ahead of schedule

  13th October 2017

  The first batch of 28 Norinco-built VT4 tanks, wearing woodland camouflage, reached Thailand on 8 October, six months ahead of schedule. All tanks were sent …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - micro

  eBee Vision [US]

  Background Multiple orders In November 2025, the US Army acquired three eBee Vision systems to enhance training operations at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany. A ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Invincible Class (Type 218SG) (5-6) [Singapore]

  In March 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Defence (Mindef) announced it would acquire two more submarines to complement its four Type 218SG Invincible-class submarines. Speaking to ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Invincible Class (Type 218SG) (5-6) [Singapore]

  In March 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Defence (Mindef) announced it would acquire two more submarines to complement its four Type 218SG Invincible-class submarines. Speaking to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Small-Sized Suicide Drones [South Korea]

  Programme Background Drone Ambition As reported by Shephard, South Korea has ambitions to possess a large arsenal of drones. In May 2024, the presidential office ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  Next-Generation Air-Refueling System (NGAS) [USA]

  Background The U.S. Air Force originally planned the KC-Y programme as a follow-on acquisition of an estimated 179 tankers to bridge the gap between the delayed ...

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

  Switch V2 [India]

  Background June 2025 In June 2025, India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the signing of 13 contracts under the Emergency Procurement (EP) mechanism. The procurements, ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Wolf 2 (Batch 1) [Germany]

  Background The Wolf 2 was designed by Mercedes-Benz to replace the German Bundeswehr's ageing fleet of Wolf utility vehicles. The Bundeswehr is currently replacing its Wolf ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Type 707 (1-2) [Germany]

  Programme Background Requirements The German Navy approved an acquisition to start replacing the two ageing Rhön-class (Type 704) class single-hulled tankers, which were constructed in the ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Wolf 2 (Batch 2) [Germany]

  Background The Wolf 2 was designed by Mercedes-Benz to replace the German Bundeswehr's ageing fleet of Wolf utility vehicles. The Bundeswehr is currently replacing its Wolf ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Indonesian Interim Readiness Submarine Class (IRSC) Programme

  Following the sinking of KRI Nanggala in April 2021, the Indonesia Ministry of Finance (MoF) has granted approval to obtain up to $600 million in foreign loans ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Indonesian Interim Readiness Submarine Class (IRSC) Programme

  Following the sinking of KRI Nanggala in April 2021, the Indonesia Ministry of Finance (MoF) has granted approval to obtain up to $600 million in foreign loans ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye [Canada]

  Background Canada and Sweden have been strengthening ties, particularly in defence, as middle powers continue to diversify their relationships due to increasingly strained relations with ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Batch 1) [Germany]

  Background The Puma tracked IFV was developed by PSM, a joint venture between KMW and Rheinmetall, to replace the German Army's legacy Marder IFVs. In ...

• AEW&C

  E-7 Wedgetail (737) [UK]

  Programme Background Seeking to replace its six ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AEW&C;, the British Royal Air Force awarded Boeing a £1.89 billion contract in 2019 covering the ...

• Corvettes

  Ada Class Corvettes (1-2) [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Timeline In October 2020, the MoD of Ukraine and the President of the Turkish Defence Industries signed a memorandum of understanding. This outlined ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Guided munitions

  LG-155

  Unveiled for the first time at Saha Expo 2024, the LG-155 is a 155 mm artillery round developed by Roketsan. This laser-guided projectile is engineered ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Oerlikon Laser Gun

  Rheinmetall showcased the applications for its High Energy Laser (HEL) guns for the first time at IDEX 2015 in Abu Dhabi. The Oerlikon Laser Gun ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Locust

  BlueHalo's Locust is a laser weapon system. The system delivers a complete kill chain, providing a layered and broadband detection capability that is coupled with electronic ...

• Light machine guns

  LSAT LMG

  Textron Systems Unmanned Systems is developing and maturing a Lightweight Small Arms Technologies (LSAT) family of weapons and ammunition with the US Army that fires ...

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

  Attritable Multirotor First Person View (AM-FPV)

  Unveiled in May 2025, the Attritable Multirotor First Person View (AM-FPV) is a low-cost, rapidly deployable platform for strike and ISR missions, inspired by battlefield lessons from ...

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  MEWS

  The Modular Electronic Warfare System (MEWS) is a land COMINT sensor that was jointly developed by L3 TRL and Qinetiq. Utilising L3 TRL compact receiver ...

• Land: fire control systems

  Oerlikon Skymaster

  Oerlikon Skymaster is the command and control unit of Rheinmetall's Skynex air defence system. The Skymaster is intended to support tactical and operational level air ...

• Land: air defence radar

  X-TAR 3D

  The X-Band Tactical Acquisition Radar 3D (X-TAR 3D) air surveillance and acquisition radar is the newest member of Rheinmetall’s X-TAR family. The fully coherent phased-array ...

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  Smartscan- MEWS

  MEWS (Modular Electronic Warfare System) is a software-driven spectrum surveillance system covering two megahertz to three gigahertz. It is designed to detect, collect and geolocate ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  CM32/33/34 Yunpao

  The CM32 Yunpao (Cloud Leopard) family of 8x8 armoured vehicles has been developed to meet the requirements of the Republic of China Army to replace ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  SBTS

  The Shore-Based Sonar Training System (SBTS), launched in 2016, incorporates technology from the Model 997 Hull/Bow-Mounted Sonar Model 980 ALOFTS system to help support sonar ...

• Subsystems: visual

  Apogée 7

  Apogée 7 is an integrated COTS-based image generation system. It provides functions enhancing overall fixed- or rotary-wing simulation efficiency, image quality and supports large-area realistic ...

• Land: handheld NV devices

  NVS 7 Binocular Series

  Based on the NVS 7-3AG NVG, the NVS 7 Binocular Series uses Gen III auto-gated NV technology and is suitable for defence, marine and SAR ...

• Loitering munitions

  Lumberjack

  The Lumberjack is a one-way attack drone from  Northrop Grumman. The company describes the aircraft as a force multiplier. The drone follows an open systems architecture, ...

• Land: handheld NV devices

  Jaguar

  MKU's Jaguar 14 monoculars and Jaguar 7 binoculars have Gen III technology with military-grade Schott lenses. An automatic bright light cut-off sensor provides protection from ...