• Defence Notes

  Latvia amends legislation to improve readiness of armed forces

  13th May 2020

  Latvia is set to enhance the readiness of its armed forces, after government minister approved legislative amendments that will implement a comprehensive national defence system …

• Military Logistics

  Technical issues linger with KC-46, says CRS

  28th April 2020

  The US Congressional Research Service (CRS) last week released the latest update of its background document for the KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft (pictured). New information …

• Defence Notes

  DoD invests in medical swab production

  30th April 2020

  The US Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded Puritan Medical Products a $75.5 million investment as part of the Defence Production Act Title 3 funding. …

• Training

  MetaVR to assist USAF Reaper training

  1st May 2020

  The USAF Joint Systems Integration Lab (JSIL) has placed an order for an additional 171 MetaVR Virtual Reality Scene Generator (VRSG) licences for the MALET-JSIL …

• Defence Notes

  Mexico factory closures hit US defence production

  21st April 2020

  The Department of Defense (DoD) has confirmed that the industrial impact of COVID-19 is beginning to hit the US defence industry, particularly due to factory …

• Land Warfare

  UVZ demonstrates Msta-S to Middle Eastern clients

  25th March 2020

  Rostec company Uralvagonzavod (UVZ) demonstrated the upgraded Msta-S self-propelled howitzer to undisclosed Middle Eastern customers at the Nizhny Tagil Institute of Metal Testing’s (NTIIM’s) Staratel …

• Training

  RN issues RfI for command and staff trainer

  7th May 2020

  The RN has issued an RfI for a Maritime Command and Staff Trainer (MCAST), with responses from industry due by 29 May 2020. Issued by …

• Defence Helicopter

  UAE secures spares and repairs for helicopter fleet via FMS

  24th April 2020

  The UAE is to receive common spares/repair parts from the US for its fleet of AH-64 Apache, UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook (pictured) helicopters, …

• Defence Notes

  Pentagon extends travel restrictions to end of June

  21st April 2020

  US Secretary of State, Mark T Esper, has extended the stop move order for all DoD personnel until 30 June, to minimise the risk of …

• Naval Warfare

  FREMM-derived design wins out in USN FFG(X) programme

  1st May 2020

  The decision by the USN on 30 April to award the contract for the build up to ten of the future FFG(X) guided missile frigates …

• Digital Battlespace

  CACI awards AFSCN contract to Serco

  30th April 2020

  Serco announced on 29 April that it has secured a £25 million contract ($31 million) contract from CACI for control, maintenance and operation of the …

• Land Warfare

  NVK Iskra finishes test of 90K6E radar

  30th April 2020

  NVK Iskra (a subsidiary of Ukroboronexport) has successfully completed testing export models of its 90K6E 3D mobile surveillance radar. Two days of tests confirmed the …

• Naval Warfare

  COVID-19 exposes USN fault lines

  23rd April 2020

  Worldwide disruption continues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the global response imposing many changes to normal routines and activity. For armed forces …

• Air Warfare

  US eyes B-1 for prototype air-launched hypersonic strike capability

  27th April 2020

  The USAF plans to upgrade B-1 Lancer bombers (pictured) to carry substantial loads of some of the most advanced long-range munitions in the US inventory, …

• Naval Warfare

  Spain to gain Aegis fire control via FMS

  23rd April 2020

  Lockheed Martin was, on 17 April, awarded a new $519 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee undefinitised contract to provide Aegis fire control loop development to Spain. US …

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, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  AUKUS-SSNs (1-5) [Australia]

  Programme Background AUKUS Australia announced on 16 September 2021 that the contract with Naval Group signed in 2016 had been cancelled. Although not a surprising ...

• 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 ...

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

  Project Air 7003 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

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 ...

• S-64 Helitanker Fire-fighting Equipment

  Erickson's 10,031l tank for the S-64 helitanker drops water, retardant or foam mix at a rate of around 95l/h. Microprocessor-controlled tank doors offer eight individual ...

• Naval: RF, IR and 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...