• Defence Notes

  South Korea looks boldly ahead in mid-term plan

  14th August 2020

  On 10 August, South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) released a KRW300 trillion ($253 billion) blueprint for defence spending over the coming five years, …

• Training

  AFSPECWAR training and support attracts two more companies

  2nd September 2020

  US firms Quantico Tactical and Rapid Response Defense Systems are to provide equipment, training and product support to approximately 3,500 Air Force Special Warfare (AFSPECWAR) …

• Training

  4GD delivers to US SOF

  2nd September 2020

  UK-based immersive dismounted close combat training specialists 4GD recently delivered another major project to the SOF community in the US. This US system is a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Russia tries to close MALE UAV gap

  9th September 2020

  Russian manufacturer Kronstadt Group unveiled important developments in domestic UAV technology in late August, during the Army 2020 exhibition near Moscow. In particular, three platforms …

• Land Warfare

  Romania and USMC to receive HIMARS launchers

  2nd September 2020

  Lockheed Martin Missile Fire Controls, Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded an $183.18 million contract modification by US Army Contracting Command, to provide M142 High Mobility …

• Digital Battlespace

  Taiwan to search overseas for frigate radars

  18th September 2020

  According to Taiwanese media reports, the Republic of China Navy (ROCN) has approached both Raytheon and Thales for shipborne AESA radars for its future guided-missile …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Northrop integrates more systems on MQ-8C

  9th September 2020

  Northrop Grumman obtained an $11.64 million order from US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on 8 September, to provide non-recurring engineering for qualification testing and …

• Training

  Reliance to support Atlantic test ranges

  3rd September 2020

  Reliance Test and Technology has received a $78.08 million contract for research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E;), engineering, fleet support and management support services for …

• Defence Helicopter

  Indian and Danish Seahawks to receive ALFS

  5th August 2020

  Lockheed Martin is to produce and deliver 39 AN/AQS-22 Airborne Low Frequency Sonars (ALFS) to the USN and FMS customers, for integration into MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission …

• Land Warfare

  Danish MoD awards $23.5 million helmet contract

  31st July 2020

  The Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (DALO) has awarded Galvion a $23.5 million contract to procure helmets for the national armed forces. The company …

• Defence Notes

  Coalition Task Force Sentinel opens new HQ

  7th August 2020

  The International Maritime Security Construct held a ceremony on 6 August in Bahrain to formally open the new operational HQ for Coalition Task Force (CTF) …

• Land Warfare

  Latest IBCS tests give US Army hope for game-changing air defence

  31st August 2020

  A US army air and missile defence system, which has struggled in development for more than a decade, knocked down ballistic and cruise missile targets …

• Naval Warfare

  RDA works on ASW systems for USN

  9th September 2020

  RDA Inc has received a $19.98 million cost-plus-fixed-fee order from the US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, for continued R&D; of systems for ASW …

• Air Warfare

  USAF seeks answer to ‘money question’ after first NGAD prototype flight

  17th September 2020

  The USAF has secretly flown a full-scale prototype of a Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) aircraft, developed and built using digital design techniques and technologies. The service …

• Naval Warfare

  Lockheed Martin to undertake major Aegis integration for USN

  7th September 2020

  Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems has won a $51.87 million contract modification from US Naval Sea Systems Command to exercise options for ship integration …

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

  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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  HIMARS (Batch 2) [Australia]

  Programme background Prior to selecting HIMARS in January 2023, Australia did not operate an MLRS system. However, the effectiveness of Ukrainian HIMARS convinced the Australian government ...

• Military - USVs

  Bluebottle USV (16-55) [Australia]

  Programme Background Timeline The RAN purchased a number of the 6.8m-long Bluebottles, including five under an A$4.9 million ($3.3 million) contract signed in November 2022. ...

• Medium UGVs

  Mission Master (RPV Sprial 2) [UK]

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

• 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 ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• Naval: RF/IR/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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  Spike LR2

  The Spike LR2 (also known as NT-S) is Rafael's fifth-generation anti-tank guided missile system. It is a long-range, multi-purpose, multi-platform weapon designed for infantry, armored ...