• Digital Battlespace

  MoD launches Project Morpheus

  22nd June 2015

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has formally launched Project Morpheus to consider and develop a replacement for its current Bowman tactical communications system, it …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ADF begins Wasp UAV training exercises

  19th June 2015

  The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has begun training exercises with the AeroVironment RQ-12 Wasp unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as part of an army soldier modernisation …

• Naval Warfare

  China issues rules for ship use

  19th June 2015

  China is implementing technical guidelines that will ensure civilian vessels can be mobilised and operated by the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) during an emergency. …

• Military Logistics

  Spain orders Iveco military trucks

  18th June 2015

  The Spanish Army has signed a contract with Iveco Defence Vehicles for the supply of 700 multi-purpose military trucks for the Spanish armed forces, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Security instability creates new UAV markets

  18th June 2015

  Textron Systems is exploring new opportunities in the western and eastern European UAV markets following instability created as a result of the conflict in the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Belarus orders 12 Mi-8MTV-5 helicopters

  18th June 2015

  Russian Helicopters signed a contract to deliver 12 Mi-8MTV-5 military transport helicopters to the Belarus Department of Defence at the Army-2015 forum on 16 June. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Seven countries prep for Italian Blade

  16th June 2015

  The European Defence Agency's (EDA) Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP) training event, Italian Blade 2015, will begin in Viterbo, Italy on 22 June. Around 40 helicopters …

• Land Warfare

  India to replace T-72 tanks

  16th June 2015

  The Indian Army has issued an RfI to replace its extensive fleet of T-72M1 main battle tanks (MBT) that began entering service in the mid-1980s. …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army extends Boeing deal

  15th June 2015

  The US Army Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD) awarded a five-year contract to extend its partnership with Boeing that supports the overhaul of complex parts …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: Costs hamper heli ops

  15th June 2015

  While rotorcraft are ‘utterly essential’ to modern military operations, vulnerability, range and cost issues continue to hamper their utility, according to one senior British Army …

• Land Warfare

  Phantom MRAP seen in Thailand

  15th June 2015

  The Royal Thai Marine Corps (RTMC) recently concluded a three-month trial of a new MRAP vehicle in southern Thailand, it has emerged.  The prototype, named …

• Military Logistics

  Saab bags camo equipment order

  12th June 2015

  Saab has received order to manufacture and deliver camouflage equipment to the US Army, the company announced on 11 June. The equipment will be delivered …

• Land Warfare

  Industry teams bid for Aussie CRV

  12th June 2015

  Australia's Request for Tender (RfT) for the Land 400 Phase 2 programme will close in August as contenders have struggled to respond. The initial date of …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales teams with DRS for Canada's LRSS

  12th June 2015

  Thales has partnered with DRS Sustainment Systems to provide command and control capabilities for the Canadian Army's Light Armoured Vehicle-Reconnaissance Surveillance System (LRSS) project, Thales …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  CUV debuts new tactical aerostat

  11th June 2015

  The latest version of Carolina Unmanned Vehicles’(CUV) Small Tactical Multi-Payload Aerostat System (STMPAS), called STMPAS-II has made its debut at the North Carolina Federal Advanced …

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

• 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 ...

• Medium mortars

  W87 81mm Mortar

  In service with the People's Liberation Army since the early 1980s to replace older 82mm mortars, the W87 was the first 81mm mortar to enter ...

• Light machine guns

  Type 81

  The 7.62mm Type 81 light machine gun (LMG) is the squad support variant of Norinco’s 7.62mm Type 81 assault rifle that was introduced into the ...

• Light mortars

  QLT89

  Norinco's QLT89 Silent Grenade Launcher is a handheld 50mm smoothbore light mortar in service with People's Liberation Army infantry platoons. No noise, smoke or flash ...

• 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 ...

• Assault rifles/carbines/shotguns

  Type 97A

  The Type 97A, also known as the QBZ-97A, is a variant of Norinco's QBZ-95 bullpup rifle family developed for the export market. Unlike the People's ...

• Individual grenade launchers

  XM25 CDTE

  In March 2011, the US Army awarded ATK, teamed with Heckler & Koch, an initial engineering and manufacturing development contract for the 25mm XM25 Counter-Defilade ...

• Sniper rifles

  AX50

  The 50cal AX50 long-range anti-materiel rifle is based on the company's AW50. It has an external stock design with the aim of facilitating a secure, ...

• Individual assault/anti-tank weapons

  RGW 90 LRMP

  The RGW 90 LRMP (Long Range Multi-Purpose) is a shoulder-launched individual weapon system which has a programmable warhead effective against targets up to 1,200m away. ...

• Individual grenade launchers

  M320 GLM

  The M320 Grenade Launcher Module (GLM) is a further development of the HK AG36 (see separate entry) to meet a US Army requirement. The M320 ...

• Individual assault/anti-tank weapons

  Alcotan-100

  The Alcotan-100 is a recoilless, shoulder-launched, antitank rocket launcher developed to meet a Spanish Army requirement, entering service in 2008. In 2014, the Peruvian Army ...

• Light machine guns

  MG4

  The 5.56mm MG4 has been in German Army service since 2005 and sold to at least five export customers, including the Spanish Army. The MG4 ...

• Sniper rifles

  M2010 ESR

  In September 2010, the US Army awarded Remington a competitive contract to supply up to 3,600 XM2010 (as it was then classified) Enhanced Sniper Rifles ...

• Individual assault/anti-tank weapons

  M141 BDM

  Originally developed and fielded as the SMAW-D (Shoulder-launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon-Disposable) to meet the requirements of the US Army, the service redesignated the weapon the ...

• Sniper rifles

  M24 SWS

  The 7.62mm bolt-action M24 Sniper Weapon System (SWS), a military and police derivative of the Remington 700, entered service with the US Army in 1988 ...