• Defence Notes

  Australia goes on spending spree

  26th February 2016

  Australia plans to spend some US$140.5 billion over the next decade ‘to fund investment in support of the future force,’ and bring the defence budget …

• Land Warfare

  Watervliet Arsenal to develop next-gen bipods

  26th February 2016

  The US Army-owned Watervliet Arsenal has been awarded a $4.6 million contract to start a new product line for the 81mm mortar system to reduce …

• Digital Battlespace

  Finland upgrades wireless comms

  25th February 2016

  Bittium has been awarded a $3.1 million contract by the Finnish defence forces for the development of a new software package (waveform) for the Bittium …

• Naval Warfare

  Thales gets UK Type 23 contract

  25th February 2016

  Thales has been awarded a £19 million contract to perform the mid-life update to the external communications voice distribution and management of the British Royal …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  PLAAF sets up anti-UAV unit

  25th February 2016

  Amidst international concern about the unregulated use of hobbyist UAVs and larger unmanned vehicles, China has taken the step of establishing a specialist unit within …

• Digital Battlespace

  JTSi wins US Army ERP contract

  24th February 2016

  Johnson Technology Systems (JTSi) has been awarded an $846 million IDIQ contract from the US Department of the Army for ERP services, it announced on …

• Training

  US Army to get Cubic’s I-MILES IWS

  23rd February 2016

  Cubic Global Defense has received contracts worth $44 million from the US Army for the supply of its Instrumentable-Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System Individual Weapon …

• Training

  Aegis receives missile defence training contract

  23rd February 2016

  AEgis Technologies has received a prime contract for Design, Development, Demonstration and Integration (D3I) Domain 3 Enhanced Warfighter Capabilities by the US Army's Space and Missile …

• Digital Battlespace

  South Korea boosts ballistic missile defences

  23rd February 2016

  Ballistic missile defence is a top priority in South Korea after North Korea’s latest nuclear test on 6 January and rocket test on 7 February.  …

• Military Logistics

  US to get Thales UBCs

  22nd February 2016

  Thales has received a $49 million, five-year indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract from the US Army for the supply of universal battery chargers (UBC) and accessories, it …

• Land Warfare

  Thailand wants more tanks

  22nd February 2016

  The Royal Thai Army (RTA) wants to buy more main battle tanks (MBT), with Chinese and Russian offerings are most likely at this point. The RTA …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Singapore Airshow: UAV plunges into the deep end

  21st February 2016

  ST Aerospace demonstrated a novel flying and swimming unmanned vehicle at the Singapore Air Show. The Unmanned Hybrid Vehicle (UHV) is capable of through-air and …

• Defence Helicopter

  Singapore Airshow: Airbus prioritises Aussie Tiger problems

  20th February 2016

  Airbus Helicopters is making the Australian Army’s troubled Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) programme a top priority, the company insisted at the Singapore Airshow. Philippe …

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed withdraws JLTV protest

  19th February 2016

  Lockheed Martin has withdrawn its legal protest to the $6.7 billion Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) contract awarded to Oshkosh Defence. Following the protest submission …

• Land Warfare

  Mahindra and BAE Systems extend partnership

  19th February 2016

  BAE Systems has down-selected Mahindra Defence & Aerospace as its business partner for a proposed in-country Assembly, Integration & Test (AIT) facility for ultra-lightweight howitzers …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Medium UGVs

  Mission Master (RPV Sprial 3) [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 ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing

  First Person View (FPV) Drones [UK]

  Background Parliament Questions On 20 May 2025, Ben Obese-Jecty, Conservative MP for Huntingdon, asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many FPV drones had been procured ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (MIV) [UK]

  Programme Background History The UK MoD announced in March 2018 that it would re-join the Boxer programme and pursue a sole-source acquisition of the 8x8 ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

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

  Magni-X (UK)

  Programme Background On 12 January 2022, Elbit Systems UK announced it had been awarded a contract from the UK MoD's Defence Equipment & Support's Future Capability ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - small

  Black Hornet 3 PRS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army operated approximately 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS between 2013 and 2017, when the decision was made to retire ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, LTVs - 4x4

  Supacat HMT 400 & 600 [UK]

  Programme Background Programme Requirements The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated in a Contract Notice that it had a requirement for at least 70 new HMT platforms ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  HMT Extenda [UK]

  Programme Background Programme Requirements The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated in a Contract Notice that it required at least 240 new HMT platforms to ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Project [UK]

  Programme Background Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Project The British Army launched the RAS project to provide the "direction required to exploit emerging technologies to ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Multi-Role Vehicle (Protected) (MRV-P) Package 1 (UK)

  Programme Background Requirement The MRV-P programme was intended to procure replacements for a diverse fleet of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles purchased during the wars in Iraq ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Ajax [UK]

  Programme Background Under its $4.3 billion production contract, GDUK will provide 589 Ajax to the British Army. These will be delivered in six different variants: ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Land Mobility Programme (Light Protected Mobility) [UK]

  This programme briefly introduces the wider Land Mobility Programme and then focuses on the Light Protected Mobility (LPM) programme. Information on the LMV and HPM can ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, LTVs - 4x4

  Supacat HMT 400 & 600 [UK]

  Programme Background Programme Requirements The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated in a Contract Notice that it required at least 240 new HMT platforms to mitigate ...

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

  French Operational Pocket Drone / DrOP (France)

  Programme Background French UAV Procurment / DrOP Under its 2019-2025 Military Programming Law (LPM), France aims to introduce 1,200 new UAVs into service with the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  British Army Apache Training Facilities

  Aviation Training International (ATIL) – a Leonardo Helicopters/Boeing joint venture formed in 1998 - was selected to provide the attack helicopter training service to the ...

• Main battle tanks

  Challenger 1

  420 Challenger 1 MBTs were delivered to the British Army between 1983 and 1990. Developed from the Shir 2 MBT originally designed for Iran, the ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  HIDAS

  Leonardo’s Helicopter Integrated Defensive Aids System (HIDAS) combines laser, missile and Radar Warning Receivers, and a Chaff and Flare Dispensing System (CFDS). The system is ...

• Unguided Artillery Ammunition

  L52 Smoke

  The L52 Smoke is a 105mm smoke artillery round manufactured by BAE Systems.  The British Army uses it in its L118 Light Guns.

• Self-propelled guns

  AS90

  The AS90 155mm/39cal tracked SPH was designed and built by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering (acquired by BAE Systems in 1999) to meet the requirements of ...

• Unguided Artillery Ammunition

  L21 High Explosive (HE)

  The L21 High Explosive (HE) is a 155mm artillery shell manufactured by BAE Systems. The British Army uses the L21 with its Archer artillery systems.

• Towed guns

  105mm Light Gun

  The 105mm Light Gun was designed and manufactured by Royal Ordnance Nottingham (now BAE Systems), with the first guns introduced to the British Army in ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  FV432 Mk 3 Bulldog

  The FV432 Mk 3 Bulldog is an upgraded version of the long-serving FV432 family of tracked vehicles, of which approximately 3,000 were delivered to the British ...

• Main battle tanks

  Challenger 2

  The 120mm-armed Challenger 2 MBT was introduced into British Army service in 1994 as a replacement for the Challenger 1, which was successfully employed in ...

• Unguided Artillery Ammunition

  L17 Inert

  The L17 Inert is a 155mm training artillery round manufactured by BAE Systems.  It is in service with the British Army, where its Archer artillery systems use ...

• Subsystems: software

  Exonaut Software Suite

  Since 2000, 4C has been developing the Exonaut software suite. The products within the Exonaut suite can either be used standalone or as part of ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  Buffalo MPCV

  The Buffalo Mine-Protected Clearance Vehicle (MPCV) is in service with the armed forces of Canada, France, Italy, Pakistan, the UK and the US and has ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  Instrumented Ground Combat Training Systems

  Cubic supplies combat training systems for CTCs, homestations and forward-deployed environments. The systems are designed to support missions including force-on-force, urban operations, joint, combined arms ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Cougar 6x6

  The Cougar 6x6 has its origins as a South African vehicle manufactured by Force Protection, a company eventually purchased by General Dynamics. Mine-protected vehicles manufactured ...

• Main battle tanks

  Olifant

  The Olifant (Elephant) is a South African variant of the British Centurion MBT. Development of the Centurion began in 1943. It was introduced into service ...