• Defence Notes

  Chinese railgun puts US on notice

  22nd March 2018

  China is fond of magic-bullet weapons, whether they are anti-ship ballistic missiles such as the DF-21D, hypersonic glide vehicles or anti-satellite weapons capable of blinding or …

• Defence Helicopter

  Pakistan inaugurates first AW139 squadron

  7th March 2018

  The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) held a ceremony at PAF Base Shahbaz in Jacobabad, Sindh on 3 March to inaugurate the Leonardo AW139 into No. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Petards to supply comms equipment to UK

  28th February 2018

  Petards has received contracts to provide communications equipment and services to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). The contracts are worth a total of £1.5 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Ball’s antennas for NTCDL System

  2nd March 2018

  Ball Aerospace will work with BAE Systems to provide multi-beam phased array antenna systems for the US Navy Network Tactical Common Data Link (NTCDL) system, …

• Digital Battlespace

  JHMCS II for ROKAF F-16

  23rd February 2018

  Rockwell Collins ESA Vision Systems (RCEVS) will integrate the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System II (JHMCS II) helmet-mounted display into the Republic of Korea Air …

• Defence Notes

  Russia's Kalashnikov becomes majority private-owned

  15th February 2018

  Private investors have for the first time gained a majority share of Russia's Kalashnikov arms manufacturer, producer of the AK-47 assault rifle, Rostec announced on …

• Digital Battlespace

  Cubic acquires MotionDSP

  28th February 2018

  Cubic Corporation has acquired MotionDSP, a supplier of advanced image processing software for public safety, security and government applications. MotionDSP will enhance Cubic Mission Solutions' …

• Defence Helicopter

  Playing the Ace card with the Austrian Armed Forces

  8th March 2018

  Despite setbacks with contracts and the adjustment of onboard tech, Ace Aeronautics, manufacturers of the Ace Deck VL 60 avionics suite, is not only confident …

• Digital Battlespace

  Japan, China enhance recon satellite coverage

  1st March 2018

  The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries launched an optical reconnaissance satellite into orbit aboard an H-IIA launch vehicle from the Tanegashima …

• Training

  USAF plans T-X base roll-out

  23rd February 2018

  The US Air Force (USAF) has detailed where it will begin the roll out of the Advanced Pilot Trainer (T-X) aircraft when it enters service …

• Special Operations

  IDF prepares for multinational SOF exercise

  26th February 2018

  Israeli special operations forces are set to host a multinational exercise towards the end of 2018 designed to encourage extended levels of cooperation and interoperability …

• Naval Warfare

  Report: 'Sudden turn' by US warship led to collision

  8th March 2018

  A ‘sudden turn’ by the American warship USS John S. McCain led to a collision with a tanker in 2017 off Singapore that left 10 …

• Digital Battlespace

  IDE delivers iDefender to Indonesia

  22nd February 2018

  Intracom Defense Electronics (IDE) has delivered an iDefender Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO) suite-based solution to the Indonesian Navy, the company announced on 20 February. The …

• Land Warfare

  Indian Army buying more BMP-2s, updating tank fleet

  22nd February 2018

  India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved the acquisition of 156 BMP-2/BMP-2K IFVs on 20 February, which will be licence-produced by the state-owned Ordnance Factory Board …

• Land Warfare

  FN FCU Mk3 for German Army

  1st March 2018

  FN Herstal’s FN Fire Control Unit (FCU) Mk3 has been selected for the German Army’s Future Soldier Expanded System (IdZ-ES) programme, the company announced on …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - micro

  EVO Max 4T [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Ukraine On 6 October 2023, Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's Miniter of Digital Transformation, announced that the Army of Drones sent nearly 2,000 EVO Max ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer IFV (Schakal) [Germany]

  Background The Boxer is currently in service with both Germany and the Netherlands, having entered service in 2009 and 2013, respectively.  In October 2025, the ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW101-Norway

  AgustaWestland is also providing initial support and training services, including spares at each of the operating bases and aircrew training. It will then provide performance ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F -Kenya

  Crew transition training took place at the MD Helicopters headquarters in Mesa, Arizona, with field service support, armament, and gunnery training scheduled to occur at ...

• Trainer

  T-54A Multi-Engine Training System (METS) [USA]

  Programme Background Multi-Engine Training System is a USN programme to replace the ageing T-44C Pegasus fleet and modernize multi-engine aircraft training. Multi-Engine Training System provides ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Gray Eagle 25M (13-28) [US National Guard]

  Background Requirement In FY2021, the National Guard Association of the United States (NGUAS) announced that it was “critical” that it fielded the MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended Range (ER). The ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) (3) [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Malaysian Navy are in the process of a fleet transformation plan known as the 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, which ...

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  Submarines Procurement [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements In 2015, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) issued the so-called 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, which envisioned the service to be standardised ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Gray Eagle 25M (1-12) [US National Guard]

  Background Requirement In FY2021, the National Guard Association of the United States (NGUAS) announced that it was “critical” that it fielded the MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended ...

• ISR/special mission

  Shadow R1 [UK]

  Background The RAF is moving forward with an ambitious plan to transform its intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) force to enable greater interoperability ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Beyond Vision UAVs [Portugal]

  Background Contract award On 14 February 2023, Beyond Vision announced that it had been awarded a €600,375 contract for the acquisition of “6 Multirotor and ...

• CUAS - jammers

  Stationary C-UAS [Croatia]

  Background Croatia is procuring counter-UAS systems, covering stationary and mobile systems. The procurement of the systems is a response to growing security threats and the ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  Mobile C-UAS [Croatia]

  Background Croatia is procuring counter-UAS systems, covering stationary and mobile systems. The procurement of the systems is a response to growing security threats and the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer IFV (Schakal) [Netherlands]

  Background The Boxer is currently in service with both Germany and the Netherlands, having entered service in 2009 and 2013, respectively.  In October 2025, the ...

• Frigates

  Littoral Combat Ship Programme (8-12) [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements At DSA 2024, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) unveiled the RMN 15 to 5 Transformation Program Realignment. The original 15 to 5 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Major networking projects

  ACT

  Allied Command Transformation (ACT) is leading at strategic command level the transformation of NATO’s military structure, forces, capabilities and doctrine. It is working to enhance ...

• Loitering munitions

  Trypillian SSG

  Manufactured by Trypillian, a British-Ukrainian start-up, the Trypillian SSG is an autonomous, deep-strike loitering munition, designed to operate in GNSS-denied environments.  Trypillian states that it is an asymmetric ...

• Light UGVs

  D-21-11

  Unveiled in January 2024, the D-21-11 is a 4x4 wheeled UGV from Brave1. The Ukrainian vehicle features a flatbed that can host various equipment, such ...

• Loitering munitions

  Backfire

  The Backfire is a Ukrainian fire-and-forget loitering munition. The catapult-launched system is GPS-guided, meaning it is resistant to radio-electronic interference. Reportedly, its lack of real-time ...

• Medium UGVs

  Ironclad

  The Ironclad is a Ukrainian 4x4 UGV developed by Roboneers, a technology incubator that solicits ideas and pairs them with potential investors. Fitted with a ShaBlya ...

• Ultra-light UGVs

  Ratel S

  The Ratel S, sometimes also called the Medoed or Honey Badger, is a Ukrainian kamikaze UGV that can be armed with a TM-62 anti-tank mine or two 82mm ...

• Military UAS - small

  Vampire

  The Vampire is a hexacopter drone developed by the Ukrainian company Skyfall. It can carry and drop various types of ammunition on the enemy. In ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  DRTS

  The Digital Range Training System (DRTS) was developed under a 2011 contract to provide an immersive training environment for US Army vehicle crews. Training includes ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  Live Training Systems-Range Instrumentation

  End-to-end, networked, live training communications systems providing live training range products, communications infrastructure and instrumented participant voice, video and data communications. These include range voice, ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Nomad (Group 4/5)

  In October 2025, Sikorsky unveiled the Nomad family of drones. The family can be scaled from a small Group 3 UAV to a Group 4/5 system with ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  USN T-44C Training Services

  In late 2013, CAE USA received a contract to provide the USN with comprehensive T-44C aircrew training services at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. CAE USA ...

• Data links

  CLIP

  Common Link Integration Processing (CLIP) is a software product that performs data transformation and processes protocols for dissimilar communications formats. It meets requirements for common ...

• Loitering munitions

  Mighty Hornet IV

  Unveiled in September 2025, the Mighty Hornet IV is a development of the MQM-178 target drone designed for attack missions. Kratos and the National Chung-Shan Institute ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Digital Battle Management System

  The Digital Battle Management System (BMS) is a single complete solution designed for sharing battalion-level land and air-land combat information. Digital BMS optimises real-time information ...

• Sea: weapon training, Military - USVs

  Sprite

  The Sprite is a USV developed by QinetiQ and designed for live-fire training exercises.