• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SMSS successfully operated via satellite control

  20th February 2013

  Lockheed Martin has successfully demonstrated the ability for the Squad Mission Support System (SMSS) to be operated via satellite at a distance of more than …

• Land Warfare

  Excalibur Ib enters low-rate initial production

  20th February 2013

  Raytheon’s Increment Ib precision-guided projectile has entered low-rate initial production (LRIP) under a US Army contract announced on 20 February. The contract for the production …

• Land Warfare

  Raytheon targets Mobile Range at Middle East

  20th February 2013

  Raytheon used IDEX 2013 as the venue to launch its Mobile Range concept, designed to be a total solution for all complex weapon testing missions. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Raytheon JLENS aerostat successfully detects missile threats

  19th February 2013

  Raytheon has announced that its Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System (JLENS) tethered surveillance aerostat managed to detect and track four …

• Digital Battlespace

  ISAF withdrawal prompts Afghan air power changes

  18th February 2013

  Despite ISR assets being critical to the ISAF mission in Afghanistan, as coalition forces withdraw from theatre this capability will not immediately be carried over …

• Land Warfare

  Mortar-capable MRAP destined for Afghanistan

  18th February 2013

  A new mortar variant of the Commando MRAP family of vehicles built by Textron Marine & Land Systems has been shown at the IDEX exhibition …

• Land Warfare

  Thales and Renault team for vehicle digitisation

  17th February 2013

  Under an agreement announced at the IDEX exhibition in Abu Dhabi, Thales and Renault Defense Trucks will cooperate on the development of digitised vehicle systems. …

• Land Warfare

  Oshkosh Defense unveils JLTV utility vehicle bid

  15th February 2013

  Oshkosh Defense has unveiled its Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle (L-ATV) utility variant for the US Army-led Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) programme. The company …

• Defence Helicopter

  Lockheed Martin to continue Apache M-TADS/PNVS upgrades

  14th February 2013

  Lockheed Martin has announced that it will continue upgrades of the Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) programme for the Apache attack …

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems to supply combat helmets to USMC

  14th February 2013

  BAE Systems is to produce lightweight combat helmets for the US Marine Corps (USMC) following the award of a $28 million order. The order is …

• Defence Helicopter

  Raytheon/Thales team awarded US Army CHMD contract

  14th February 2013

  Raytheon Technical Services Company (RTSC) and Thales Visionix Inc (TVI) will perform engineering and manufacturing work for the US Army’s Common Helmet Mounted Display (CHMD) …

• Land Warfare

  Denmark shortlists APCs for testing

  13th February 2013

  The Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO) announced on 12 February that it has selected five armoured personnel carriers for evaluation to replace the …

• Land Warfare

  Thales to supply upgraded LAV III vehicle optronics

  12th February 2013

  Thales Canada will supply uncooled optronics technology for the LAV III combat vehicles being modernised for the Canadian Army under a new sub-contract announced on …

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall to supply additional Gladius soldier systems

  8th February 2013

  Rheinmetall has announced that the German Army has placed further orders for the Gladius soldier system. The order, announced on 8 February, will see the …

• Defence Notes

  Aero India 2013: VSHORAD contenders square off

  8th February 2013

  Contenders for the Indian Army’s Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORAD) requirement presented their respective offerings at the Aero India exhibition as a downselect …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  J-10 [China]

  Programme Background The aircraft performed its maiden flight in 1998 and entered service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) in 2004. According to ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Data links

  Data links | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Corvettes

  Jiangdao Class (Type 056)

  Programme Background The Type 056 corvette is referred to by the Chinese as the new-generation light guided-missile frigates. They have been built for the People's Liberation ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Rapid Minelayers Procurement (1-4) [Taiwan]

  Development and Procurement Four new rapid minelayers are being built for the Taiwanese Navy in a bid to counter the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Rapid Minelayers Procurement (5-10) [Taiwan]

  Programme Background Requirements The revelation of a Chinese bridge-barge landing system for amphibious operations, designed for a Taiwan invasion, has underscored the need for Taipei ...

• 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 ...

• Frigates

  Jiangkai II Class (Type 054A)

  Built by Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard and Huangpu shipyards the frigates were first seen being constructed from 2005. The class is referred to as the workhorses of China's ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  VP1/Type 89 (Nigeria)

  Programme Background The Nigerian Army has an ongoing need for new armoured vehicles to replace losses incurred in its conflict with extremist organisations operating within ...

• Corvettes

  Shadhinota Class (Type C13B)

  The Shadhinota class (Type C13B) corvettes are a platform based on the Type 056 Jiangdao class used by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), built by the ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  S26T [Thailand]

  Programme Background The Royal Thai Navy has been in the process of acquiring a new submarine for a number of years. They formally selected China's ...

• Frigates

  Jiangkai III Class (Type 054B / Type 057)

  Following the rapid production and relative success of the Type 054A Jiangkai II class frigates, the Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) are developing a successor to ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• AEW&C, Transport

  Y-8

  The Y-8 (Yunshuji-8) medium-sized transport and multirole aircraft was developed by Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation and is based on the Soviet Antonov An-12. More than 36 ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Z-8

  Developed by Changhe Aircraft Industry Group, the Z-8 (known also as Z-18) is a derivative of the AC313 civil helicopter, which is itself a copy of ...

• Submachine guns

  CS/LS2

  Norinco’s CS/LS2 is a 9mm bullpup SMG designed for use with a suppressor. It has been in service with the People's Liberation Army since about ...

• Fighter - multirole

  J-8

  The J-8 (NATO reporting name Finback) is a multirole fighter domestically developed by China. It has design similarities with Soviet MiG-21 and Su-15 aircraft.  The ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  KZ-800

  China National Electronics Import and Export’s (CEIEC) KZ-800 is an airborne Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) gathering system believed to be in widespread use onboard People’s Liberation ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  Type GCZ110

  Norinco announced in 2014 that it had completed development of the Type GCZ110 armoured engineer vehicle based on a modified Type 79 tank chassis equipped ...

• Fighter - multirole

  J-10

  The J-10 (NATO reporting name Firebird) is a multirole fighter developed by China to replace second-generation J-7 and Q-5 aircraft. The aircraft is also known ...

• Tanks

  VT2

  The 125mm-armed VT2 tracked MBT, which was unveiled at DSA 2012, is the export version of the People's Liberation Army Type 96A. As of early ...

• Fighter - ground attack

  J-16

  The J-16 is a multirole fighter developed by China. It is based on the J-11 air superiority fighter, itself a licence-built version of the Russian ...

• EO/IR systems

  Loong Eye LE380

  The Loong Eye (Dragon's Eye) LE380 is a two-axis stabilised gimbal incorporating EO/IR sensors, laser designators, and laser rangefinders. Originally developed by the Luoyang Opto-Electro ...

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

  Sky Saker FX400A

  The Sky Saker FX400A is a fixed-wing drone manufactured by Norinco. Capable of hosting both ISR and attack payloads, such as the Blue Arrow 7 ...

• Air-to-air missiles, Surface-to-air missiles

  TY-90

  TY-90 is a multi-purpose, short-range, IR-guided, tactical surface-to-air missile developed by China to defend against helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and cruise missiles at low and super-low ...

• Medium/general-purpose machine guns

  Type 80

  The Type 80 is a general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) manufactured by Norinco in China, based on the Soviet PKM. Certified in 1980, it entered PLA ...

• Air-launched ASW torpedoes, Ship-launched torpedoes

  Yu-11 lightweight torpedo

  Yu-11 is a Chinese-made surface and air-launched lightweight torpedo to repel submarine threats from long distances.

• Tanks

  Type 62

  The Type 62 light tank entered production for the Chinese People's Liberation Army in 1963. Essentially a smaller, lighter clone of the Type 59 MBT, it is ...