• Land Warfare

  Sig Sauer comes out on top for Denmark's new pistol

  16th April 2018

  Denmark has selected the 9x19mm Sig Sauer P320 X-Carry as its new pistol after an evaluation of four shortlisted designs. The P320 will be fielded …

• Land Warfare

  DSA 2018: PLA fields integrated rifle/grenade launcher

  11th April 2018

  The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has fielded on a limited basis the QTS-11 individual integrated combat system. The new weapon, in the hands of a …

• Land Warfare

  British Army SA80 A3 fielding begins

  13th April 2018

  Fielding of the first tranche of upgraded SA80 A3 rifles to the British Army has begun, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 11 …

• Defence Helicopter

  DSA 2018: Asia-Pacific looks to Leonardo for helos

  17th April 2018

  Last week Leonardo demonstrated the AW159 Wildcat to the Malaysian military at RMN Base Lumut. The two Wildcats, from the UK’s 847 Naval Air Squadron, …

• Land Warfare

  DefExpo 2018: MKU goes on the offensive with weapon MoUs

  14th April 2018

  MKU, the Indian firm known for its protective products such as ballistic vests and armour products, heralded a move into a new area at DefExpo …

• Defence Notes

  US not ruling out military action in Syria

  9th April 2018

  US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on 9 April pointed toward Russia's role in a suspected poison gas attack on the Syrian rebel-held town of Douma, …

• Defence Helicopter

  US government closes in on third V-22 multi-year

  10th April 2018

  The Pentagon is preparing to finalise and sign off on a third multi-year (MY3) Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey contract, with the deal expected to be completed …

• Defence Helicopter

  UK to decide on MH-47G in 2020

  6th April 2018

  A decision on whether the UK chooses to replace or upgrade a number of its current Chinook fleet with newer MH-47G aircraft will be made …

• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA Global: Army could shift FVL focus to lighter option

  27th March 2018

  Army leaders may shift their Future Vertical Lift (FVL) focus to a lighter, attack reconnaissance helicopter in the wake of the Pentagon's new National Defense …

• Defence Notes

  Russian strikes kill 37 civilians in Ghouta

  23rd March 2018

  Russian air strikes killed 37 civilians in the Arbin area of the shrinking rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus overnight, the Syrian Observatory for …

• Land Warfare

  Chinese marines could have adopted 8x8 SPH

  27th March 2018

  It appears likely that the Marine Corps of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has adopted the PLL-09, an 8x8 SPH boasting a 122mm gun. …

• Training

  Russia trains CAR army in weapons use

  27th March 2018

  Inside a sprawling former ‘imperial palace’ near Bangui, Russian instructors have set up a camp where they are training soldiers of the Central African Republic …

• Special Operations

  Russia celebrates “SOF Day”

  22nd March 2018

  The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) celebrated the Special Operations Forces Day on 27th February with the disclosure of new video footage illustrating a series …

• Defence Notes

  Russia's Kalashnikov becomes majority private-owned

  15th February 2018

  Private investors have for the first time gained a majority share of Russia's Kalashnikov arms manufacturer, producer of the AK-47 assault rifle, Rostec announced on …

• Military Logistics

  Marines look to enhance expeditionary maintenance

  12th March 2018

  The US Marine Corps (USMC) is gathering industry information that could support the future acquisition of a commercial-off-the-shelf Expeditionary Fluid Analysis System (EFAS).As conceptualised, a …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  ZAHA (Batch 1) [Turkey]

  Background The Turkish Navy required a tracked amphibious assault vehicle to support ship-to-shore beach landings carried out from its TCG Anadolu-class Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD). ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  ZAHA (Batch 2) [Turkey]

  Background The Turkish Navy required a tracked amphibious assault vehicle to support ship-to-shore beach landings carried out from its TCG Anadolu-class Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD). ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AAV7A1 RAM/RS [Japan - 2nd Batch]

  Programme Background The Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) has procured the AAV7A1 RAM/RS to equip its Amphibious Assault Brigade formed in 2018. Tasked with ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCVPs Replacement [Netherlands]

  Background Requirements The Dutch Marine Corps needs to replace 12 Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP) from 2025. The current LCVPs will reach the end of ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  KAAV II

  Programme Background The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) operates one Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship and has launched another to support provide operational lift for the ROKMC. ...

• Amphibious assault ships

  TCG Anadolu LHD [Turkey]

  Background TCG Anadolu is a Multipurpose Assault Ship (LHD) built by Sedef in Tuzla for the Turkish Navy. The vessel, which is the single largest ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Bushmaster 4x4 [Australia]

  Programme Background Australia has bought 1,052 Bushmasters in seven variants: troop carrier; command; assault pioneer; mortar; direct fire weapons; ambulance; and, air defence. These vehicles ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  PMC KAAV (First Batch)

  Programme Background Prior to taking delivery of the KAAV, the PMC did not possess an amphibious assault vehicle. While it had previously received Landing Vehicle, ...

• Patrol boats

  UNPAV - Angelo Cabrini Class

  The Angelo Cabrini class consists of two high-speed multipurpose patrol boats (UNPAV) intended for the Italian Navy special forces. The vessels were built by Intermarine, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV (Batch 2) [USA]

  Background The Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked vehicles. ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV (Batch 3) [USA]

  Background The Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked vehicles. ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  KAAV (Batch 2) [Philippines]

  Programme Background Prior to taking delivery of the KAAV, the PMC did not possess an amphibious assault vehicle. While it had previously received Landing Vehicle, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV (Batch 4) [USA]

  Background The Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked vehicles. ...

• Main battle tanks

  Main Battle Tank Upgrade [Australia]

  Programme Background Between 2006 and 2007, the Australian Army received 59 M1A1 AIM SA Abrams MBTs under Project Land 907 Phase 1. These vehicles were planned to ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Coelum (Colombia)

  Programme Background Testing Colombian Aeronautical Industry Cooperation (CIAC) was working on a project called Dron Coelum X-001. In late 2020, the CIAC tested a redesigned prototype of the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Assault rifles/carbines/shotguns

  AK-12

  Kalashnikov publicly unveiled the AK-12 assault rifle in January 2012. The AK-12 uses the same gas-operated long-stroke piston system as previous Kalashnikov rifles. A 5.45x39mm ...

• Military UAS - mini

  SKAT 350

  Based on the Supercam 350, the SKAT 350 is a mini fixed-wing UAV manufactured by Kalashnikov Concern JSC. The drone was revealed in early 2024, ...

• Assault rifles/carbines/shotguns

  AK-19

  The Kalashnikov Concern unveiled its developmental AK-19 assault rifle in August 2020. Compared to the AK-12 assault rifle upon which it is based, the AK-19 ...

• Individual grenade launchers

  GP-34

  Kalashnikov designed the single-shot GP-34 40mm underbarrel grenade launcher for use with the company’s 5.45mm, 5.56mm and 7.62mm assault rifles. The sight allows the firer ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  Vikhr

  The 9A4172K Vikhr-1 (AT-16) long-range antitank guided missile is a large dual-purpose antitank/air-to-air missile. The laser-guided antitank projectile can be launched from air, land or ...

• Assault rifles/carbines/shotguns

  AK-101/103

  The AK-100, or Century series, applies modern production techniques to the legacy AK design. The 5.56mm AK-101 and 7.62mm AK-103 are full-length assault rifles. Forearm, ...

• Assault rifles/carbines/shotguns

  AK-15

  Developed under the Ratnik modernisation programme, the AK-15 assault rifle was first unveiled in 2016. It is designed for elite units and law enforcement and ...

• Pistols

  PL-15

  The PL-15 is a double-action-only pistol chambered for the ubiquitous 9x19mm parabellum cartridge. Developed by firearms designer and target shooter Dmitry Lebedev and manufactured by ...

• Military UAS - small

  Legionnaire E33K

  The Legionnaire E33K is a small fixed-wing UAV developed by Kalashnikov Concern. The drone is designed for various tasks, including cargo carrying.  An electric motor powers ...

• Light machine guns

  RPK-16

  Kalashnikov unveiled its 5.45x39mm RPK-16 light support weapon at the Army 2016 exhibition. Intended to supersede the RPK-74 light machine gun, the RPK-16 can be ...

• Assault rifles/carbines/shotguns

  AK-200

  The AK-200 family of assault rifles and carbines was developed by the Kalashnikov Concern for export customers and domestic law enforcement agencies. Designed as an ...

• Loitering munitions

  RUS-PE

  The RUS-PE is an X-wing-shaped loitering munition from Kalashnikov Concern.  Appearing visually similar to the HERO-90, the system is designed for swift, precise strikes against individual, stationary, ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Karakurt

  The Karahurt is a Russian tube-launched rotary-wing platform manufactured by Kalashnikov Concern. It bears visual similarities with SpearUAV's range of drones and has been designed ...

• Light machine guns

  RPL-20

  After testing with the RPK-16 light machine gun uncovered several issues with the design, Kalashnikov initiated development of the new RPL-20 light machine gun to ...

• Weapon sights for night use (image intensifiers)

  PCS-5/5M GABRO

  The PCS-5/PCS-5M passive NVD is a lightweight telescopic sight designed for use on portable weapons. It can be used for battlefield observation, detection and target ...