• Air Warfare

  First batch of Smart Defence-procured PGMs for 2020 arrives at NSPA

  2nd September 2020

  The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) on 1 September received the first of three shipments of air-to-ground PGMs for 2020, between three and 12 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Iran boasts of broader radar and air defence capabilities

  9th September 2020

  A senior Iranian air defence commander has claimed further advances in EW with the domestic development and production of new advanced radar systems. In remarks …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army seals ten ALE agreements

  25th August 2020

  The US Army on 24 August announced a set of ten Air Launched Effects (ALE) agreements with industry, worth a total of $29.75 million, in support …

• Military Logistics

  USN takes delivery of USNS Newport

  4th September 2020

  The Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport vessel USNS Newport (EPF 12) was delivered to the USN on 2 September, shipbuilder Austal USA has announced. ‘Newport is the 22nd surface ship …

• Digital Battlespace

  Leidos to help improve F/A-18 electronic countermeasures

  28th August 2020

  Leidos has been awarded a $58.91 million contract modification by US Naval Air Systems Command, to develop adaptive radar countermeasure software and firmware (ARC SW/FW) …

• Air Warfare

  New AMRAAM sale to Japan moves closer

  27th August 2020

  Japan is set to receive more AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM, after the US State Department gave the green light for Raytheon Missile Systems to sell 32 of …

• Digital Battlespace

  SFAB prepares to adopt Intercom

  4th September 2020

  The 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) in the US Army is to use the Intercom lightweight and portable system for seamless integration of all …

• Defence Helicopter

  Australia seeks capability partner for SOF helicopters

  8th August 2020

  The Australian Defence Force (ADF) released an RfP on 4 August regarding a capability enhancement programme (CEP) for the army’s forthcoming special operations rotary-wing (SORW) …

• Digital Battlespace

  ​SwRI to repair MUTES and Mini-MUTES assemblies

  2nd September 2020

  The US Air Force Sustainment Center has selected Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) to repair circuit cards and circuit card assemblies for the Multiple Threat Emitter …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman to make more mission computers for Venoms and Vipers

  27th August 2020

  Northrop Grumman has obtained a $44.55 million contract modification from Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to make more mission computers for US and FMS helicopter …

• Defence Notes

  EDCA signals deeper US ties with Poland

  20th August 2020

  US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (left of picture) and Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak signed an Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) on 15 August, …

• Air Warfare

  US lines up Hellfire FMS deal for UK

  27th August 2020

  The UK is set to receive 395 AGM-114R Hellfire II missiles from prime contractor Lockheed Martin under an FMS deal worth about $46 million. The …

• Land Warfare

  Slovenia and Lithuania confirm JLTV initial deliveries in 2021

  2nd September 2020

  Although the economic crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic has forced European militaries to consider cancelling or delaying their acquisition programmes, both Slovenia and Lithuania …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems continues instrumentation support

  24th August 2020

  The USAF has awarded BAE Systems a $495 million contract to continue providing instrumentation support and sustainment services for military and government agencies in the US …

• Defence Notes

  Rosoboronexport chief confirms second S-400 order from Turkey

  26th August 2020

  The Turkish government has signed a deal with Rosoboronexport for a second batch of S-400 SAM systems, according to Russian state-run news agency TASS. ‘The …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Land 400 Phase 3 (Logistics, Ammunition Carrier and Mortar Carrier Variants) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Australian DoD released the initial RfI for the Land 400 Phase 3 programme in November 2015. Following consultations with local industry, the ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Land 400 Phase 3 (Amphibious Vehicles) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Australian DoD released the initial RfI for the Land 400 Phase 3 programme in November 2015. Following consultations with local industry, the ...

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

  Drone40 (Ukraine Aid) [Australia]

  Programme Background In August 2022, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), a think tank, held a podcast with Ukraine's ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, in which ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams [Poland]

  Programme Background Requirement Since the early 2010s Poland wanted to upgrade its Soviet-era tank fleet due to modernisation requirements, the need to increase interoperability with NATO ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel - Medium (Project Land 8710 Phase 1A) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements Australia has set out requirements for a fleet of up to 18 Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels - Medium (LMV-M) with the release of ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Land 400 Phase 2 - Boxer CRV [Australia]

  Programme Background History The Land 400 Phase 2 programme will procure a replacement for the ASLAV, a derivative of the General Dynamics Land Systems Light Armoured Vehicle ...

• Main battle tanks

  Leopard 2A4 [Czech Republic]

  Programme Background  The Czech Republic currently operates a small fleet of T-72s, which, while undergoing upgrades and life extension programmes, are increasingly obsolete. In October ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  Second Hand SSNs [Australia]

  Programme Background Timeline In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | AUKUS-SSNs (1-5) [Australia]

  In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock move, will not ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | AUKUS-SSNs (1-5) [Australia]

  In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock move, will not ...

• Main battle tanks

  Viatura Blindada de Combate-Carro de Combate (VBC-CC) [Brazil]

  Programme Background Several key technical requirements have been outlined by the Brazilian MoD. Among the most important are that the platform should weigh less than ...

• Medium UGVs

  Mission Master (RPV Sprial 2) [UK]

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

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  AUKUS-SSNs (1-5) [Australia]

  Programme Background AUKUS Australia announced on 16 September 2021 that the contract with Naval Group signed in 2016 had been cancelled. Although not a surprising ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A1 Abrams (Ukraine Aid) [Australia]

  Programme Background Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Australia has been amongst the various Western allies providing Ukraine with military aid. Prior ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Project Air 7003 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  Carl-Gustaf M3

  The Carl-Gustaf M3 is the third generation of the 84mm shoulder-fired recoilless antitank gun, first fielded by the Swedish Army in 1946. Since then, it ...

• Unguided Tank Ammunition

  120mm KE DM63 / DM53 A1 Tank Ammunition

  The 120mm kinetic energy tank ammunition is manufactured by Rheinmetall. There are several variations of the ammunition, including the DM63, which can be fired from ...

• Unguided Tank Ammunition

  120MM HEAT-TP F1A

  Franco-German KNDS-Nexter produce the 120mm High-Explosive Anti-Tank Training-Purpose F1A (HEAT-TP F1A) round to enable reduced-cost training for Main Battle Tank crews. 

• Main battle tanks

  M1/M1A1 Abrams

  The 105mm-armed M1 Abrams tracked MBT was introduced into US Army service in 1980 as a replacement for the 105mm-armed M60 MBT. In April 1991, ...

• Unguided Tank Ammunition

  120mm PELE Tank Ammunition

  The 120mm Penetrator with Enhanced Lateral Effect (PELE) tank ammunition is an inert round produced by Rheinmetall. It is suitable for use against semi-hard targets ...

• S-64 Helitanker Fire-fighting Equipment

  Erickson's 10,031l tank for the S-64 helitanker drops water, retardant or foam mix at a rate of around 95l/h. Microprocessor-controlled tank doors offer eight individual ...

• Naval: RF, IR and acoustic decoys

  Nulka

  The Nulka is an active anti-ship missile decoy originally conceived in Australia, and developed under a joint Australian-US programme. BAE Systems Australia is prime contractor, while ...

• Light mortars

  60mm Mortar Ammunition

  US-based LD Systems' 60mm Mortar ammunition fulfils the NATO standard for lightweight mortar ammunition.

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  120mm L55A1

  The 120mm L55A1 is a smoothbore high-pressure gun based on the L55 tank gun. The L55A1 has been qualified and in service since 2019. It ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  120mm L55 Tank Gun

  The 120mm L55 is a smoothbore tank gun produced by Rheinmetall. It is designed for use on the Leopard main battle tank, to which it ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A2 SEPv3

  The M1A2 System Enhancement Package 3 (M1A2 SEPv3, also known as M1A2C) is the latest production-standard variant of the Abrams MBT. Designed primarily to address ...

• Unguided Tank Ammunition

  M1147 Advanced Multi-Purpose (AMP)

  The M1147 Advanced Multi-Purpose (AMP) is a 120mm tank round developed by Northrop Grumman Defence Systems. Various customers, including Bahrain, Israel, and the US, use the tank ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  Next Generation Combat Vehicle Ammunition

  The Next Generation Combat Vehicle Ammunition (NGVA) is a family of ammunition being developed by the US Army's Armaments Center and manufactured by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  SSN AUKUS

  The SSN-AUKUS will be the submarine design resulting from the AUKUS trilateral pact between Australia, the US and the UK. Expected to incorporate technology from ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  CVTESS

  Saab's Combat Vehicle Tactical Engagement Simulation System (CVTESS) is a laser-based simulator which supports every version of the Abrams Main Battle Tank and the Bradley ...