• Land Warfare

  D&S 2015: Ukraine conflict hits Thai exports

  5th November 2015

  Exports from Ukraine to Thailand are being delayed and a new agreement will amend the delivery schedule. Ukrspecexport, Ukraine’s state agency responsible for military imports …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Watchkeeper crash probe begins

  4th November 2015

  The UK's Defence Safety Authority (DSA) has begun an inquiry into the crash landing of a WK450 Watchkeeper UAV on 2 November. The British Army confirmed to …

• Digital Battlespace

  US awards support contract to CACI

  4th November 2015

  The US Army has awarded a contract to CACI International to provide software application development and sustainment support for the army’s Communications-Electronics Command's (CECOM) Software …

• Land Warfare

  Belarus re-caps land equipment

  4th November 2015

  The Belarus Army has started a couple of recapitalization programmes that will improve their armour and air defence capabilities. The army has signed contracts for …

• Land Warfare

  D&S 2015: First Win wins first exports

  4th November 2015

  Chaiseri Metal and Rubber Company, the Thai developer and manufacturer of the First Win 4x4 mine resistant ambush protected (MRAP) vehicle, is accumulating its first …

• Digital Battlespace

  BMDS showcases layered defences

  4th November 2015

  The US’ ballistic missile defense system (BMDS) has undergone operational testing to demonstrate its ability to defeat three near-simultaneous air and missile targets, consisting of …

• Land Warfare

  D&S 2015: Black Widow Spider grows up

  4th November 2015

  The Black Widow Spider, an effort by Thailand’s Defence Technology Institute (DTI) to create an 8x8 armoured vehicle, has grown from a mock-up two years …

• Naval Warfare

  Croatian Navy fires RBS15

  3rd November 2015

  The Croatian Navy has fired the Saab RBS15 anti-ship missile from the Kralj-class missile boat Dmitar Zvonimir, marking the force’s first firing of the missile …

• Land Warfare

  Cobham to develop C-IED system

  3rd November 2015

  The US Army has awarded a contract to Cobham to develop next-generation technologies for the detection of landmines and other explosive hazards hidden in the …

• Land Warfare

  Ukraine to ramp up arms production

  3rd November 2015

  Ukraine's state-owned defence firm Ukroboronprom will increase weapon supplies to the Ukrainian army from next year.    The company plans to increase production of the BM …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army orders counterfire radars

  3rd November 2015

  The US Army has ordered seven additional AN/TPQ-53 (Q-53) counterfire target acquisition radars from Lockheed Martin, the company announced on 2 November. The order is valued …

• Land Warfare

  D&S 2015: Thailand explores fast attack

  3rd November 2015

  With Thai soldiers regularly using motorcycles to patrol the insurgent-plagued southern provinces of their country, the military is exploring the use of a lightly armoured …

• Land Warfare

  D&S 2015: Thai mobilises artillery

  3rd November 2015

  Thailand is continuing attempts at modernising and making its ageing 105mm and 155mm artillery inventory more mobile via three programmes initiated by the Weapon Production …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  D&S 2015: Serbian UAVs break cover

  2nd November 2015

  Serbia, via Yugoimport, promoted two UAV platforms to Thailand and the Southeast Asian region at the Defence & Security 2015 exhibition in Bangkok. The two …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  D&S 2015: Upgrades for DTI’s UAV family

  2nd November 2015

  Thailand’s state-owned Defence Technology Institute (DTI) has initiated a range of upgrades to its existing UAV portfolio, including the Tiger Shark II and TEagle Eye …

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...