• Defence Notes

  Can the US get a foot in Vietnam’s door?

  25th July 2017

  The China-Vietnam relationship might be less complicated than Washington would wish, despite Beijing’s recent threat to use force against Hanoi to stop drilling in the …

• Special Operations

  Special forces trigger Latin American exercise

  19th July 2017

  Special Forces from across Latin America started the annual Fuerzas Comando competition in Paraguay on 18 July as they seek to improve doctrine, concepts of …

• Naval Warfare

  Damen, Metal Shark partner for NCPVs

  14th July 2017

  Damen Shipyards has entered into a partnership with Metal Shark to construct up to 13 Damen SPa 2606 patrol boats, Damen announced on 12 July. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Brazilian Navy receives CSAR H225M

  10th July 2017

  Helibras, a local operation of Airbus Helicopters, recently handed over the first of three H225M helicopters in CSAR configuration to the Brazilian Navy. The aircraft, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus H145 gets increased payload capacity

  3rd July 2017

  Airbus Helicopters is offering its H145 twin-engine light utility helicopter with Alternate Gross Weight (AGW) of 3,800kg, the company announced on 28 June. The optional increase …

• Military Logistics

  China preps ‘logistics base’ in Djibouti

  13th July 2017

  Chinese ships and troops departed the port of Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province on 11 July, destined for a new so-called ‘logistics facility’ that Beijing is currently …

• Naval Warfare

  Russia to supply Syria with patrol boats

  6th July 2017

  Russia will supply up to patrol vessels and associated equipment to the Syrian coast guard to assist in its efforts to secure the country’s ports …

• Defence Helicopter

  SKCG receives Second S-92 helicopter

  30th June 2017

  The South Korea Coast Guard (SKCG) has received its second S-92 search and rescue helicopter from Sikorsky, Lockheed Martin announced on 27 June. The unit will …

• Defence Helicopter

  German armed forces receives final H145M

  29th June 2017

  Airbus Helicopters has delivered the 15th and final H145M multi-role helicopter to the German armed forces (Bundeswehr), the company announced on 26 June.  Stationed in …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus Helicopters receives H125, H215 orders

  28th June 2017

  Airbus Helicopters Japan has received contracts from Akagi Helicopter and the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) for the supply of one H125 single-engine helicopter and one …

• Military Logistics

  C-27J deliveries to Air Station Sacramento completed

  26th June 2017

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) Air Station Sacramento, California, has taken delivery of the sixthC-27J Spartan medium range surveillance aircraft, marking the completion of the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Thales’ helicopter FFMS for Kuwait forces

  22nd June 2017

  Thales will provide the Kuwait military with flight and mission training solutions for the H225M Caracal helicopters on order from Airbus Helicopters, the company announced on …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG orders additional FRCs

  21st June 2017

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) has awarded a $289 million contract option to Bollinger Shipyards to produce and deliver an additional six Fast Response Cutters (FRCs), …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: EMSA signs off on UAS capabilities

  21st June 2017

  The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) was named in two deals this week for fixed-wing and VTOL unmanned systems that will be used to provide …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG commissions 22nd FRC

  20th June 2017

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) has commissioned its 22nd Fast Response Cutter (FRC) Bailey Barco in Juneau, Alaska, the USCG announced on 15 June. The cutter …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  Type 206/209 Replacement (PLOTEOS) [Colombia]

  Programme Background Requirements The 2042 "Plan de Desarrollo Naval" (Naval Development Plan) outlines the intention to procure four new SSKs for the Colombian Navy. In ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Sistema RPAS Táctico de Altas Prestaciones (SiRTAP) [Colombia]

  Background MoU In 2017, it was announced that Spain was jointly developing a MALE UAV with Colombia to meet the ISR requirement of both armed ...

• Military UAS - small

  Search And Rescue (SAR) UAV [USCG]

  Background Need for Drones In 2023, a US Naval Institute (USNI) article noted the impact UAVs could have on search and rescue (SAR) operations within ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Sistema RPAS Táctico de Altas Prestaciones (SiRTAP) [Serbia]

  Background MoU In 2017, it was announced that Spain was jointly developing an MALE UAV with Colombia to meet the ISR requirement of both armed ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AW149

  The AW149s are being used for utility, search and rescue, emergency medical service and troop transport tasks.

• Military UAS - MALE

  Sistema RPAS Táctico de Altas Prestaciones (SiRTAP) [Spain]

  Background MoU In 2017, it was announced that Spain and Colombia were jointly developing a MALE UAV to meet the ISR requirements of both countries’ ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H-145M-Luxembourg

  With a MTOW of 3.7t, the H145M can be used for a wide range of tasks, including troop and passenger transport, surveillance, air rescue, reconnaissance ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  AW119 Koala-Portugal

  The order includes options for a further two aircraft. The helicopters will be deployed in a range of missions, including training, MEDEVAC, troop transport and ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Spain HT-29 Caiman (NH90 TTH) - Air Force Second Batch

  The HT-29 Caiman will replace AS332 Super Puma fleet in service with the Spanish Air Force. The Spanish version of the NH90 TTHs can perform ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Submarine Rescue Vessel (Ratownik) [Poland]

  Background Timeline For a long time, Poland has been trying to procure submarine rescue vessels. A contract for the acquisition of up to two such ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Spain HT-29 Caiman (NH90 TTH) - Air Force First Batch

  The HT-29 Caiman will replace AS332 Super Puma fleet in service with the Spanish Air Force. The Spanish version of the NH90 TTHs can perform ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M-Spain

  In December 2018, Spain Air Force took delivery of its first A400M. The aircraft will be operated by the Air Transport Wing (ATW) 31 of the ...

• Military UAS - small

  Nauru 500C [Brazil]

  Background Delivery On 10 October 2024, the Maritime Search and Rescue Service (SALVAMAR), part of the Brazilian Navy, took delivery of the Nauru 500C, designated ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Navajo Class (T-ATS) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) are replacing the ageing three remaining T-ATF 166 class tugboats and two remaining T-ARS 50 class ships with ...

• 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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Light machine guns

  K3/K3 Para

  The K3 5.56mm light machine gun was developed to replace the 7.62mm M60 in service with Republic of Korea Army (ROKA) infantry squads. The K3 ...

• Light machine guns

  FN Minimi 7.62 Mk3

  In the 1970s, the FN Minimi was developed in 5.56mm and 7.62mm variants before NATO standardised on 5.56mm for light weapons. In 2002, the 7.62mm ...

• Land: battle management systems, Land: fire control systems

  SITUAR

  Developed by Avibras, SITUAR ( Sistema Integrado Tático Universal para Artilharia) is a universal tactical integrated artillery command and control system. It allows various artillery ...

• Light machine guns

  FN Minimi 5.56 Mk3

  The original FN Minimi 5.56 was developed in the 1970s to meet the requirements of NATO nations for an LMG and is now in service ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MDM-HF

  The MDM-3001, MDM-2201 and MDM-2501 multi-mode HF data modems provide single-tone (serial) HF data communications capability in accordance with the requirements of MIL-STD-188-110A (para 5.3). ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  skyISTAR

  skyISTAR is a platform-agnostic sensor mission management system. Its service-orientated architecture eases system reconfiguration and the introduction of different sensor suites to match a range ...

• Suppressors

  FA556MG

  The Fast Attach 5.56mm Machine Gun sound suppressor (FA556MG) is designed for use on the M249, MK46 or Para versions of the Minimi M249 SAW.  ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  RF-7800H-MP

  The L3Harris RF-7800H-MP is a manpack HF radio with expanded data capabilities for long-range communications. First delivered in 2012, it remains in service with several militaries ...

• Maritime patrol

  ATR 72MP

  The ATR 72MP is a twin-turboprop aircraft optimised for maritime patrol missions. It is built by the Franco-Italian ATR consortium, a JV between Airbus and Leonardo.

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS)

  Developed by Collins Aerospace, the Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS) is based on the Flight2 open system architecture design and includes an advanced hardware, software ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/PRC-112G CSAR Transceiver

  The software-defined, upgradeable AN/PRC-112G Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) Transceiver sends encrypted global positioning, two-way messages and identification, providing location and rescue information. The single, ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Poseidón - Underwater Intervention Maritime Action Vessel (BAM-IS)

  The Buques de Acción Marítima de Intervención Subacuática (BAM-IS), Poseidon (A-21), is a submarine rescue vessel being built by Navatia. The ship will enter service ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Special & Diving Operations-Submarine Rescue Ship (SDO-SURS)

  The Special & Diving Operations-Submarine Rescue Ship (SDO-SURS) is a Submarine Rescue Ship set to join the Italian Navy by 2025. In June 2021, the Italian ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Helicopter Underwater Escape Training Simulator (HUET)

  The Helicopter Underwater Escape Trainer (HUET) facility is designed and built by Meteksan Defence based on international standards and OPITO criteria (an international organization defining qualification ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems, Air: mission management systems

  ASARS-G

  The Airborne Search and Rescue System (ASARS) consists of the ARS-700G installed in CSAR aircraft. This communicates with personal survival radios (PSRs) such as the ...