• Land Warfare

  British Army orders 50 L3Harris T4 EOD robots

  10th May 2024

  The contract includes UGVs as well as support and maintenance and follows L3Harris’ successful delivery of Project STARTER, a programme that replaced the UK’s legacy fleet of large EOD robots with 122 T7 systems that have been operational since 2019.

• Air Warfare

  How Russia’s declining arms sales is reshaping the global defence industry

  16th April 2024

  As Serbia considers a multi-billion-euro deal for French Rafale fighter jets, its move towards Western arms has signalled a significant departure from its reliance on Russian equipment, reflecting broader shifts in global defence procurement.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigates to receive life rafts from Survitec

  27th March 2024

  Babcock has signed a contract with the survival tech company for forty life rafts, which will be extended into 2028.

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed beats out Northrop on $17 billion US missile contract

  16th April 2024

  The Next Generation Interceptor and accompanying radars will play a key role in protecting the US against long-range ballistic missile threats.

• Air Warfare

  General Atomics Mojave performs live fire tests amid push for FARA replacement

  24th April 2024

  During the test the Mojave showcased its capability to act as a sensor, shooter and sustainer, potentially strengthening General Atomics’ pitch towards a FARA replacement.

• Defence Notes

  US Congress prepares $4 billion package to fund Iron Dome and Arrow 3 for Israel

  8th July 2024

  US representatives plan to allocate resources from the FY2025 defence and foreign operations budget to support the improvement of Jerusalem’s missile-defence architecture.

• Training

  MASA blends the virtual and constructive in French Army artillery experiment

  18th April 2024

  A recent demonstration by the French Army saw MASA’s SWORD simulation software integrated with Bohemia Interactive’s Virtual Battlespace to conduct a counter-battery scenario that showcased enhanced training capabilities via realistic visualisation and the execution of military operations.

• Defence Notes

  CUAS platforms, security systems and MBTs steal the spotlight as the curtain falls on Eurosatory 2024

  21st June 2024

  Eurosatory 2024 is done, the boxes are mostly put away, vehicles sent home to bed, stalls torn down, ripped carpet rolled up and weary business directors and their engineers have, for the last time for this edition, hung their MKU lanyards around their necks. But what, if anything, have we learned from this show in suburban Paris?

• Land Warfare

  US Army chooses Textron Systems and Griffon Aerospace in final showdown for FTUAS

  26th April 2024

  The US Army plans to procure a Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) to replace the Textron Systems RQ-7Bv2 Shadow tactical UAV currently in service with the US Army's Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). The FTUAS is being developed under the wider Future UAS (FUAS) programme.

• Training

  Australian Army acquires immersive countermine training solution

  8th May 2024

  FLAIM Systems announced the award of a $1.32 million contract for the supply of multiple FLAIM Sweepers at the SOF Week 2024 exhibition.

• Land Warfare

  CV90 upgrade programme helps BAE meet growing demand for IFV

  3rd June 2024

  The CV90 IFV has seen demand rockets leading its manufacturer to increase investments in production facilities. Tarkan Turkcan, CV90 platform director for BAE Systems Hägglunds, outlined the latest CV90 updates for Shephard.

• Land Warfare

  US deploys Mid-Range Capability missile defence system to the Philippines

  16th April 2024

  Mid-Range Capability (MRC) missile defence system has leveraged Lockheed Martin’s expertise with two in-service USN systems: the MK 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) and the Aegis Weapon System.

• Land Warfare

  Arquus wins French fuel tanker order

  17th May 2024

  Arquus will develop three versions of the 8x8 tanker, a large armoured tanker and two smaller tankers, one protected and one unprotected.

• Naval Warfare

  Singapore launches fourth and final Type 218SG submarine

  23rd April 2024

  The era of southeast Asian submarine modernisation has been in full swing fuelled by growing tensions in the South China Sea.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy to invest $3 billion in UAS and C-UAS capabilities

  30th July 2024

  UAS and C-UAS funding for the US Navy in FY2025 will cover R&D and procurement programmes along with improvements to the branch’s current inventory.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Nauru 1000C [Brazil]

  Programme Background The Logistics Command (COLOG) of the Brazilian Army purchased three Nauru 1000C UAVs, training, 36-month interested logistics support, two EO/MWIR XSIS 222A gimbals, two ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  WanderB or ThunderB [Colombia]

  Programme Background Expodefensa 2019 During Colombia's Expodefensa 2019 exhibition, BlueBird Aero Systems displayed its ThunderB VTOL small UAV. Reportedly, the Colombian Army requested information on ...

• VMOE

  Programme Background The Spanish Army's SOF units are procuring the VMOE to meet their requirements for an SOV with sufficient firepower, mobility and mine-protection to ...

• Military UAS - micro

  NX70 Microdrone (First Batch)

  Programme Background The French Army procured the NX70 to meet an urgent operational requirement for a small UAS that could provide short-range ISR for dismounted ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CU172 Blackjack (Second System) [Canada]

  Programme Background Requirement The Canadian Army identified a requirement for two new tactical UAV systems after recognising that the squadron and company-level Aerovironment RQ-11 Raven ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  US Army Maneuver Support Vessel Light (MSVL)

  Programme BackgroundThe Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) or MSV(L) contract was awarded by the US Army to Vigor in 2017 and are being built to replace ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow On

  Programme Background In March 2019, Airbus stated that it expected orders from the US Army for between 12 and 15 UH-72A helicopters. In March 2020, ...

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

  French Operational Pocket Drone / DrOP (France)

  Programme Background French UAV Procurment / DrOP Under its 2019-2025 Military Programming Law (LPM), France aims to introduce 1,200 new UAVs into service with the ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Batch 1) [Germany]

  By March 2019, 269 of the 350 Pumas on order had been delivered to the German Army. Deliveries of the remaining 81 vehicles are scheduled ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 (Pre-War) [Ukraine Army]

  Programme Background The Ukraine Army purchased 12 TB2 units in January 2019 for a reported $69 million. The units were reportedly delivered from June 2019 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Rosomak [Poland - Second Batch]

  Programme Background Requirement The Polish Army selected Patria's XC-360 Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) to meet its requirement for a new 8x8 armoured vehicle to replace ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CU172 Blackjack (First System) [Canada]

  Background Requirement The Canadian Army identified a requirement for two new tactical UAV systems after recognising that the squadron and company-level Aerovironment RQ-11 Raven (CU173 ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement In 2018, the US Army initiated the FARA project to develop a replacement for Army attack and scout helicopters, such as the OH-58D Kiowa and AH-64 ...

• AGMV 1.1

  Programme Background The US Army has been seeking a lightweight, air-droppable, high mobility vehicle since as early as 2014, when it initiated its Ultra Light ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Project Land 4503 [Australia]

  Programme Background The Australian Army has begun its search for a successor to the Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), with an RfI issued by the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCU 2000 (Runnymede-class)

  The LCU 2000 class is in service with the US Army. They were built by VT Halter Marine and first entered service in February 1990. The ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  WZ-8

  First shown in October 2019, the WZ-8 is HALE UAV. Two closed-cycle liquid-fuelled rocket engines power the WZ-8 to a claimed supersonic speed of Mach 3.  In ...

• Land: RWS

  Guardian 2.0

  The Guardian 2.0 RWS is an upgraded version of Escribano's Guardian RWS in service with the Spanish Army, which offers improved sensors and better stabilisation. ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Sapsan-Bekas

  Unveiled at ARMY-2019 in Moscow, the Sapsan-Bekas is a C-UAS system comprising active radar, video and EO tracking, signal detection and jamming subsystems. The system ...

• Main battle tanks

  C2 Ariete

  The C2 Ariete is an upgraded variant of the C1 Ariete, designed for the Italian Army in the 1990s. Work on the C2 began in ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Nauru 1000C

  Manufactured by XMobtos, the Nauru 1000C is a VTOL-capable small fixed-wing UAV. The UAV features a hybrid propulsion system, autopilot and a gyro-stabilised payload. It is designed to ...

• 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 ...

• Sniper rifles

  SV-18

  The SV-18 is a light sniper rifle in a 12.7mm calibre, designed to be easier to carry and operate than existing rifles of that family. 

• Military helicopters - light/training

  LUH

  The Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) is being developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to meet the requirements of the Indian Army and Indian Air Force ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  RBS 70 missile

  The RBS 70 missile was produced to meet the requirements of the Swedish Army's short-range air defence needs. The missile is unique in being the ...

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Night Intruder 600 Vertical Take-Off (NI-600VT)

  The Night Intruder 600 Vertical Take-Off (NI-600VT) is an in-development UAV from Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) based on an MD 500 twin-seat American commercial helicopter airframe. With the ...

• Light UGVs

  T7

  The T7 is a multi-mission robotic system designed for military, police and hazardous missions. At DSEI 2017, the UK MoD awarded the Harris Corporation a ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Ezuwgu

  The Ezuwgu is an MRAP 4x4 APC designed and produced by the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON). 

• Land: air defence radar, Land: indirect fire location radar

  AN/TPQ-50

  The AN/TPQ-50 is a lightweight, L-Band counterfire radar that performs early warning for indirect fire, target acquisition, and air surveillance modes. Part of SRC’s Lightweight ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  BTR-82AT

  The BTR-82AT is an upgraded version of the BTR-82A and BTR-82AM 8x8 IFVs developed for the Russian Army. Introduced in 2019, it features a new, ...