• Defence Notes

  Chinese bombers make debut landing on disputed South China Sea runway

  19th May 2018

  China has for the first time landed several bombers on an island in the disputed South China Sea, a move that could provoke renewed tensions …

• Defence Notes

  Australian innovation hub contracts awarded

  16th May 2018

  Defence Innovation Hub contracts have been issued to three Australian companies for development of three new defence technologies, the Australian Department of Defence announced on …

• Defence Notes

  Government change likely to impact Malaysian defence procurements

  23rd May 2018

  The discovery by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed’s newly elected government that Malaysia has a MYR1 trillion ($251.7 billion) debt is likely to impact ongoing and …

• Military Logistics

  Hybrid Halvorsen loader set for demo

  15th May 2018

  The US Air Force has awarded a contract to Concurrent Technologies Corporation to design, develop and test a hybrid repower kit to convert the Halvorsen …

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed receives Lot 13 GMLRS contract

  10th May 2018

  Lockheed Martin has received a $828 million contract from the US Army for Lot 13 production of Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets and …

• Land Warfare

  IDE delivers upgraded M109 to Hellenic Army

  8th May 2018

  Intracom Defense Electronics (IDE) has delivered the first M109s upgraded with Hybrid GenAirCon to the Hellenic Army following successful live firings, the company announced on …

• Special Operations

  Wearable C-UAS for special ops forces

  16th May 2018

  MyDefence has developed a wearable UAS detection platform for Special Operations Forces, the company announced on 14 May. Called Wingman 103, the counter-UAS solution has …

• Digital Battlespace

  Advenica receives FMV encryption products order

  14th May 2018

  Advenica has received an order worth $2.2 million from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) to provide hardware encrypted Virtual Private Network (VPN) products, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Insitu and partners progress payload offerings

  15th May 2018

  Alongside its recently launched ScanEagle 3, Insitu is evolving its payload capabilities for its family of unmanned solutions with new technologies on the horizon. At its …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army receives new communication system

  15th May 2018

  The US Army has introduced a new communication system to the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team ahead of a company-level combined arms live-fire exercise, the …

• Land Warfare

  Latvia begins trials for new tactical 4x4

  15th May 2018

  Testing has begun on four platforms selected by the Latvian Ministry of Defence for phase two of the nation's acquisition of new 4x4 tactical vehicles. …

• Land Warfare

  USMC to field Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle

  11th May 2018

  The US Marine Corps (USMC) is adopting the Mk13 Mod 7 as its primary sniper rifle, the USMC announced on 9 May. The bolt-action rifle …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: Joined-up laser thinking

  17th May 2018

  Feedback for UCATT’s Laser Engagement Interface Standard (ULEIS), now approved by SISO and also recognised as NATO STANREC 4816, is currently in process from partners, …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: USSOCOM releases Advanced Sniper Rifle solicitation

  16th May 2018

  United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has released the official solicitation for the Advanced Sniper Rifle (ASR) program. While the majority of ASR solicitation material …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: Holovis forms simulation group

  15th May 2018

  UK-based Holovis has formed a simulation group to leverage technologies from its enterprise and entertainment divisions. Formed in 2004, the company has its roots in …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• MPVs - 4x4

  Land 121 Phase 4 [Australia]

  Programme background Three suppliers were originally down-selected to meet the Land 121 Phase 4 requirement: Thales Australia, General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) and Force Protection ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35C (FY2021-2025) [USA]

  Background In order to achieve their ultimate goal of 340 F-35C fighters, the U.S. Navy contracted a total of 101 platforms between FY2021 and FY2025. ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35C (FY2026-2030) [USA]

  Background In order to achieve their ultimate goal of 340 F-35C fighters, the U.S. Navy contracted a total of 101 platforms between FY2021 and FY2025. ...

• Loitering munitions

  Project Instigator [UK]

  Background Prior Information Notice (PIN) On 21 October 2024, the MoD published a PIN in collaboration with the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S;). The notice announced ...

• Loitering munitions

  Phoenix Ghost (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Background Presidential Drawdown Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, on 21 April 2022, President Biden announced an $800 million Presidential Drawdown security ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Land 400 Phase 3 (Amphibious Vehicles) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Australian DoD released the initial RfI for the Land 400 Phase 3 programme in November 2015. Following consultations with local industry, the ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Land 400 Phase 3 (Logistics, Ammunition Carrier and Mortar Carrier Variants) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Australian DoD released the initial RfI for the Land 400 Phase 3 programme in November 2015. Following consultations with local industry, the ...

• Main battle tanks

  Main Battle Tank Upgrade [Australia]

  Programme Background Between 2006 and 2007, the Australian Army received 59 M1A1 AIM SA Abrams MBTs under Project Land 907 Phase 1. These vehicles were planned to ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  Land Ground Based Air Defence [UK]

  Background In November 2023, the UK published the Land Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) Prior Information Notice, which informed industry of the future direction of the ...

• Loitering munitions

  Land Lethality Pipeline [UK]

  Background Defence Investment Plan (DIP) In late June 2026, the UK published its delayed Defence Investment Plan (DIP), which outlined plans to spend £298 billion ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Land Mobility Programme (Light Mobility Vehicle) [UK]

  This programme briefly introduces the wider Land Mobility Programme and then focuses on the Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) programme. Information on the LPM and HPM can ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB3 [Turkish Army]

  Background Land Forces Command Delivery In late October 2024, Haluk Bayraktar, Baykar's CEO, stated that the Bayraktar TB3 had entered mass production and could be exported ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Light utility vehicle replacement [Portugal]

  Background The Portuguese Army currently operates several classes of light utility vehicle, including the Mercedes G-Wagon, Toyota Land Cruiser, Land Rover Defender and Mitsubishi L200. ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV (Batch 2) [USA]

  Background The Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked vehicles. ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  NASAMS [Australia]

  Background The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) initiated the LAND 19 Phase 7b programme, which intends to replace the Bofors RBS 70 VSHORAD system with ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• LTVs - 4x4

  Hawkei

  Thales Australia developed the 4x4 Hawkei for the Australian Army's Land 121 Phase 4 Protected Mobility Vehicle – Light (PMV-L) project.  The prototype was unveiled in ...

• Towed mortars

  Soltam K6 120mm Lightweight Towed Mortar

  The Soltam K6 120mm Lightweight Towed Mortar has a maximum range of 7,200m using conventional unassisted bombs. The K6 was selected for US Army service ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  Land 125

  In 1994, Australia initiated Project Wundurra to develop an integrated soldier combat system, and by 2005 this had evolved into the multi-phase Land 125 programme ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Land Ceptor

  MBDA Land Ceptor is a medium-to-long range ground-based air defence missile system based on the Common Anti-Air Modular Missile (CAMM) family of surface-to-air missiles developed ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  ALADIN

  ALADIN is a miniature system consisting of a man-portable GCS and a hand-launched air vehicle with exchangeable sensor payloads.  The UAV, which can be operated ...

• Transport

  C-40 Clipper

  The USN began replacing its ageing fleet of 29 McDonnell Douglas C-9B Skytrain aircraft in 1997 with the C-40A Clipper, a military version of the ...

• Land: vehicle surveillance/target acquisition systems

  T-VIEW-Land

  The T-VIEW-Land is a lightweight EO/IR, gyro-stabilised sensor, installed on vehicles for day/night observation. It incorporates two cameras: a thermal imager and a colour charge-coupled ...

• Towed guns

  Boran

  Turkey’s Makina ve Kimya Endustrisi Kurumu (MKEK), working with Aselsan, has developed the 105mm Boran towed artillery gun to meet a Turkish Land Forces Command ...

• Land: vehicle surveillance/target acquisition systems

  Hawkeye Land Surveillance Systems

  Launched at DSEI 2015, the Chess Dynamics Hawkeye family of multi-sensor surveillance systems is designed to provide short- to extended-range optical surveillance and target acquisition ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  G-Wagon

  Mercedes-Benz G-Wagons are designed to meet specific military needs and have been in production since 1979. The vehicle comes in several variants, including 4x4 and 6x6 versions. ...

• Military vehicle engines

  V903

  The V903 is a series of heavy-duty V8 diesel engines developed to power military vehicles. Production began in 1981 after the 500 hp VTA-903-500 variant ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  SA 316/319 Alouette III

  The SA 316/319 Alouette III is a single-engine utility helicopter that was in production from 1959-85. Almost 2,000 Alouette IIIs were built in France and ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER

  The AGM-84H Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) is an American air-launched cruise missile designed as a long-range weapon system to provide day, night and ...

• Land: manned turrets

  TRT-R30MK

  The TRT-R30MK is a new version of the TRT remotely operated gun turret family. The system draws on development from systems such as the TRT-25, ...

• Land: handheld NV devices

  NPL-1M BROM

  The NPL-1M binocular is a lightweight NV device designed for the observation of land in poor visibility and at night. The NPL-1M includes a wide ...