• Defence Notes

  China boosts defence spending

  10th March 2015

  China revealed a defence budget of RMB886.9 billion ($141.5 billion), a rise of 10.1%, during its annual National People’s Congress session on 5 March 2015. …

• Land Warfare

  CACI to continue US Army NVESD support

  9th March 2015

  CACI International will continue supporting the US Army's Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD), under a task order announced by the company on 5 …

• Defence Helicopter

  German agreement with Airbus Helicopters gets green light

  6th March 2015

  The German parliament has approved a new framework agreement between the Bundeswehr and helicopter manufacturer Airbus Helicopters.  Details of the planned revision of the number …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Stryker Brigades get WIN-T Increment 2

  4th March 2015

  The US Army has been fielding General Dynamics' Warfighter Information Network – Tactical (WIN-T) Increment 2 to selected Stryker Brigade combat teams, the company announced …

• Military Logistics

  UK announces preferred bidder for Marchwood port

  4th March 2015

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has chosen Solent Gateway as the preferred bidder to manage and develop the Marchwood Sea Mounting Centre. The decision …

• Defence Helicopter

  US DoD approves ATIRCM for export

  3rd March 2015

  The US Department of Defense (DoD) has approved BAE Systems' Advanced Threat Infrared Countermeasures (ATIRCM) system for export, as announced on 2 March. With this …

• Defence Helicopter

  Heli-Expo 2015: Bell ‘concerned’ over surplus helicopters

  2nd March 2015

  The US Army’s decision to retire nearly 800 helicopters and potentially sell them on to foreign customers remains a concern for Bell Helicopter, the manufacturer’s …

• Land Warfare

  Scout reconnaissance vehicle completes CDR

  27th February 2015

  General Dynamics UK has completed the Critical Design Review (CDR) for the Scout Reconnaissance variant as part of the Scout Specialist Vehicle (SV) programme, the …

• Military Logistics

  TAE wins Abrams engine maintenance contract in Australia

  27th February 2015

  TAE announced on 18 February it had received a five-year contract to maintain and refresh Honeywell AGT1500 gas turbine engines used in the Australian Army’s …

• Land Warfare

  Philippines resumes hunt for 155mm howitzers

  27th February 2015

  The Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) reissued a tender for a dozen 155mm towed howitzers on 20 February 2015. This is the third time …

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2015: New Saber-25 turret launched by FNSS

  27th February 2015

  Turkish armaments manufacturer FNSS has put its new turret design on display at IDEX called the Saber-25. Fitted with a 25mm M242 cannon from ATK, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IDEX 2015: Nexter Robotics matures

  27th February 2015

  French armaments manufacturer Nexter Robotics displayed its Nerva robot technology at the IDEX exhibition following a successful year in 2014. The subsidiary, which was only …

• Land Warfare

  First serial production CV90 IFV handed over to Norway

  26th February 2015

  BAE Systems has handed over the first serial production CV90 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) to the Norwegian Defence Logistics Organisation (FLO), the company announced on …

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2015: BAE proposes first 155mm on 8x8

  26th February 2015

  The first-ever 155mm artillery gun fitted to an 8x8 armoured vehicle could become a reality following proposals from BAE Systems at the IDEX exhibition. At …

• Land Warfare

  Middle East customer orders Cubic CTCs

  25th February 2015

  Cubic has been awarded a contract worth $65 million from an unnamed Middle East army customer for two Combat Training Centers (CTCs), the company announced …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  MQ-1 Gray Eagle [US Army]

  Background Required Quantity Although the US Army first envisioned a requirement for 132 MQ-1C Gray Eagles, the US Army's Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) was increased ...

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

  Group 4/5 UAV [US Army]

  Background Request for Information (RFI) On 5 June 2024, the American DoD published an RfI with an original response date of 19 July 2024. The ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker (Sergeant Stout) (Batch 2) [USA]

  Background As part of the Army Transformation Initiative, the US DoD is fundamentally reorganising the structure of the US Army. The development of the Sergeant ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [Czech Republic]

  Background KVAČR Concept In February 2024, the Czech Army unveiled the Construction of the Army of the Czech Republic (KVAČR) concept, which outlined an increase ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Viper (Nigeria)

  Programme Background Due to its ongoing campaign against Islamist insurgents in the north of Nigeria, the Nigerian Army has procured a wide range of mine-protected armoured ...

• Military UAS - micro

  eBee Vision [US]

  Background Multiple orders In November 2025, the US Army acquired three eBee Vision systems to enhance training operations at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany. A ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) [US Army]

  Background USMC First, Army Second In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply ...

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

  Parrot Anafi (Singapore)

  Programme Background On 7 February 2022, the Singapore Army posted photographs on Facebook that showed the Anafi UAV used as training devices in a five-day ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker DVH [USA]

  Background The US Army has been operating the Stryker since 2002. The Stryker DVH is an upgraded variant that has additional armour on its underside ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Titan-B [Colombia]

  Background Colombia is understood to have a requirement for as many as 100 APCs capable of carrying up to 20 troops and protecting their occupants ...

• Military UAS - small

  Small UAS [Spain]

  Programme Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational ...

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

  FPV Drones [Czech Republic]

  Background KVAČR Concept In February 2024, the Czech Army unveiled the Construction of the Army of the Czech Republic (KVAČR) concept, which outlined an increase in ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [Spain]

  Programme Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible, cohesive operational organisations, highly ...

• 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 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, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  StreamCaster Mini 4210

  The StreamCaster Mini 4210 (SM4210) is a single-channel data radio (SCDR) that can create MANET mesh networks. It is currently in use with the US ...

• 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 ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  German Army Aviation School

  CAE is the prime contractor for the German Army’s Night-Time Low-Level Flight Training Facility, commonly known as the German Army Aviation School, at Bückeburg. This ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  US Army AVCATT PDSS

  L3Harris Technologies is the prime contractor for the US Army’s Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (AVCATT) Post Deployment Software Support (PDSS) programme. L3Harris Technologies is ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  M2A4/M7A4 Bradley

  Since 2011, the US Army and BAE Systems have been developing modifications for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle platform to address concerns regarding its ever-increasing weight, ...

• 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 ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  ROC Army UH-60M OFT

  L3 Link (now L3Harris Technologies) gained ready-for-training certification in 2015 on two UH-60M OFT delivered to the Taiwan Army. These training devices are similar to ...

• Major networking projects

  Army BCT Modernisation Program Increment 1

  The US Army brigade combat team (BCT) modernisation strategy will build a mix of mobile, networked BCTs that can gain leverage from mobility, protection, information ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Australian Army S-70 Training System

  The Australian Army S-70A-9 Black Hawk is a turnkey programme including a full flight and mission simulator (FF&MS;), building, facilities and maintenance support. This CAE-built ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  German Army CH-53 Simulator Upgrades

  In 2011, CAE completed major upgrades on two CAE-built CH-53 full mission simulators operated at the German Army Aviation School at Bückeburg. Airbus Helicopters has ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72A/B Lakota

  In 2006, the US Army selected a version of the medium-sized, twin-engine H145, designated the UH-72A Lakota,  to meet its requirement for a new Light ...

• Military UAS - mini

  ZAPICAN 01-02

  In May 2026, a sample aircraft, called the ZAPICAN 01-02, was showcased at the headquarters of the “Oriental” Infantry Battalion No. 4, with attendants from ...

• Land: battle management systems

  ARTEMIS BMS

  The Army Tactical Engagement and Information System (ARTEMIS) is a battle management system in service with the Singapore Army. Designed for applications between the Platoon ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58 Kiowa

  The single-engine OH-58 Kiowa, derived from the Bell 206, entered US Army service in 1969 as a light observation helicopter. More than 2,200 were built for ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  M1150 ABV

  The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) project, launched by the USMC in 2002, is a joint programme to meet the requirements of both the US ...