• Defence Notes

  US Air Force deciding if prototype-first approach is a good fit

  16th May 2018

  The US Army may be racing ahead with its prototype-first approach, but its sister service in the air is deciding if it wants to charge …

• Defence Helicopter

  BAE to demonstrate optical seeker for DARPA

  9th May 2018

  BAE Systems has received a $13.1 million contract from DARPA to demonstrate a new optical seeker for precision-guided munitions, the company announced on 7 May. …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: Pentagon fields X-MADIS to down drones

  21st May 2018

  A US military service has fielded a new technology to jam and down incoming enemy UAS. At the request of the military, the Sierra Nevada …

• Land Warfare

  Russia’s WMD receives Shturm-S systems

  14th May 2018

  Artillery units of the Russian armed forces’ Western Military District have received a batch of Shturm-S anti-tank missile systems, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: RAAF receives first F-35 trainers

  9th May 2018

  As part of a multi-million dollar investment in infrastructure and training equipment at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Williamtown, New South Wales, the RAAF has now …

• Special Operations

  AAR to repair ISU containers for USASOC

  15th May 2018

  AAR Mobility Systems has received a $1.2 million contract from the US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) to repair 500 ISU containers for the 1st …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  British Army continues search for robot tech

  25th April 2018

  As the British Army continues its pursuit of robotic technologies the service is gearing up for the Army Warfighting Experiment (AWE) - Autonomous Land Warrior …

• Land Warfare

  US Army grapples with future operating concepts

  10th May 2018

  As the threat from near-peer adversaries looms once again over Western nations, the US is having to re-learn operating concepts that have laid dormant for …

• Land Warfare

  SOFEX 2018: Workhorse of the German Army rehomed in Jordan

  9th May 2018

  With the ex-German Army Marder 1A3s now making a home in Jordan, Rheinmetall says it has plenty of stock left of the IFV for other …

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed receives Lot 13 GMLRS contract

  10th May 2018

  Lockheed Martin has received a $828 million contract from the US Army for Lot 13 production of Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets and …

• Digital Battlespace

  Say ta-ta to communication and surveillance problems

  17th May 2018

  At last month’s DefExpo 2018 exhibition in Chennai, Tata Aerospace & Defence showed a 4x4 SUV-type solution offering mobile communications for both military and disaster …

• Naval Warfare

  US to continue FONOP drumbeat in South China Sea

  30th May 2018

  Whilst on a flight to Hawaii on 29 May for a Pacific Command (PACOM) change-of-command ceremony, US Defence Secretary James Mattis commented to media on US …

• Land Warfare

  Elbit concludes delivery of sights to ADF

  15th May 2018

  Elbit Systems of Australia has concluded the delivery phase of the Land 125 Phase 3C contract to supply XACTth65 thermal weapon sights to the Australian …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Shots fired from ground robot in live testing

  11th May 2018

  Rheinmetall Canada has confirmed it has conducted successful live firings from its weaponised 8x8 UGV. Live firing tests were conducted in Canada in the fourth quarter …

• Training

  Australia receives F-35A training equipment

  4th May 2018

  The Royal Australian Air Force has received F-35A training equipment for the F-35A Integrated Training Centre. This was the first delivery of Australia’s training equipment …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Nauru 1000C [Brazil]

  Background Contract award The Logistics Command (COLOG) of the Brazilian Army purchased three Nauru 1000C UAVs, training, 36-month integrated logistics support, two EO/MWIR XSIS 222A gimbals, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  WanderB or ThunderB [Colombia]

  Programme Background Expodefensa 2019 During Colombia's Expodefensa 2019 exhibition, BlueBird Aero Systems displayed its ThunderB VTOL small UAV. Reportedly, the Colombian Army requested information on ...

• VMOE

  Programme Background The Spanish Army's SOF units are procuring the VMOE to meet their requirements for an SOV with sufficient firepower, mobility and mine-protection to ...

• Military UAS - micro

  NX70 Microdrone (First Batch)

  Programme Background The French Army procured the NX70 to meet an urgent operational requirement for a small UAS that could provide short-range ISR for dismounted ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CU172 Blackjack (Second System) [Canada]

  Programme Background Requirement The Canadian Army identified a requirement for two new tactical UAV systems after recognising that the squadron and company-level Aerovironment RQ-11 Raven ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  US Army Maneuver Support Vessel Light (MSVL)

  Programme BackgroundThe Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) or MSV(L) contract was awarded by the US Army to Vigor in 2017 and are being built to replace ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow On

  Programme Background In March 2019, Airbus stated that it expected orders from the US Army for between 12 and 15 UH-72A helicopters. In March 2020, ...

• 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Batch 1) [Germany]

  By March 2019, 269 of the 350 Pumas on order had been delivered to the German Army. Deliveries of the remaining 81 vehicles are scheduled ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 (Pre-War) [Ukraine Army]

  Programme Background The Ukraine Army purchased 12 TB2 units in January 2019 for a reported $69 million. The units were reportedly delivered from June 2019 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Rosomak [Poland - Second Batch]

  Programme Background Requirement The Polish Army selected Patria's XC-360 Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) to meet its requirement for a new 8x8 armoured vehicle to replace ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CU172 Blackjack (First System) [Canada]

  Background Requirement The Canadian Army identified a requirement for two new tactical UAV systems after recognising that the squadron and company-level Aerovironment RQ-11 Raven (CU173 ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement In 2018, the US Army initiated the FARA project to develop a replacement for Army attack and scout helicopters, such as the OH-58D Kiowa and AH-64 ...

• AGMV 1.1

  Programme Background The US Army has been seeking a lightweight, air-droppable, high mobility vehicle since as early as 2014, when it initiated its Ultra Light ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Project Land 4503 [Australia]

  Programme Background The Australian Army has begun its search for a successor to the Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), with an RfI issued by the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCU 2000 (Runnymede-class)

  The LCU 2000 class is in service with the US Army. They were built by VT Halter Marine and first entered service in February 1990. The ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Nauru 1000C

  Manufactured by XMobtos, the Nauru 1000C, or V2-1 Nauru, is a VTOL-capable small fixed-wing UAV. The UAV features a hybrid propulsion system, autopilot and a gyro-stabilised payload.  In ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  WZ-8

  First shown in October 2019, the WZ-8 is HALE UAV. Two closed-cycle liquid-fuelled rocket engines power the WZ-8 to a claimed supersonic speed of Mach 3.  In ...

• Land: RWS

  Guardian 2.0

  The Guardian 2.0 RWS is an upgraded version of Escribano's Guardian RWS in service with the Spanish Army, which offers improved sensors and better stabilisation. ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Sapsan-Bekas

  Unveiled at ARMY-2019 in Moscow, the Sapsan-Bekas is a C-UAS system comprising active radar, video and EO tracking, signal detection and jamming subsystems. The system ...

• Main battle tanks

  C2 Ariete

  The C2 Ariete is an upgraded variant of the C1 Ariete, designed for the Italian Army in the 1990s. Work on the C2 began in ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Comm@nder Army

  Comm@nder Army is an integrated C4I system suitable for use in command post operational environments (infrastructure, shelter-based), providing specialised application services from the HQ of ...

• Sniper rifles

  SV-18

  The SV-18 is a light sniper rifle in a 12.7mm calibre, designed to be easier to carry and operate than existing rifles of that family. 

• Military helicopters - light/training

  LUH

  The Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) is being developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to meet the requirements of the Indian Army and Indian Air Force ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  RBS 70 missile

  The RBS 70 missile was produced to meet the requirements of the Swedish Army's short-range air defence needs. The missile is unique in being the ...

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Night Intruder 600 Vertical Take-Off (NI-600VT)

  The Night Intruder 600 Vertical Take-Off (NI-600VT) is an in-development UAV from Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) based on an MD 500 twin-seat American commercial helicopter airframe. With the ...

• Light UGVs

  T7

  The T7 is a multi-mission robotic system designed for military, police and hazardous missions. At DSEI 2017, the UK MoD awarded the Harris Corporation a ...

• Land: air defence radar, Land: indirect fire location radar

  AN/TPQ-50

  The AN/TPQ-50 is a lightweight, L-Band counterfire radar that performs early warning for indirect fire, target acquisition, and air surveillance modes. Part of SRC’s Lightweight ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Ezuwgu

  The Ezuwgu is an MRAP 4x4 APC designed and produced by the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON). 

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  BTR-82AT

  The BTR-82AT is an upgraded version of the BTR-82A and BTR-82AM 8x8 IFVs developed for the Russian Army. Introduced in 2019, it features a new, ...