• Defence Notes

  Analysis: Djibouti – China’s first base challenges American dominance

  16th August 2017

  For a strategic planner looking for a critical maritime chokepoint, beyond canals there are only two really scary ones on the planet worthy of attention …

• Defence Helicopter

  Brazil's Black Hawks clock-up 30,000 hours

  3rd August 2017

  The Brazilian Air Force has announced that in late July its UH-60L Black Hawk reached 30,000 flight hours. Since first beginning operations 11 years ago, …

• Defence Helicopter

  MDHI, Robertson partner for fuel systems

  4th August 2017

  MD Helicopters (MDHI) has a partnered with Robertson Fuel Systems to develop next-generation Ballistic Tolerant Crashworthy Fuel Systems (BTCWFS) for MDHI’s family of military helicopters. …

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed Martin bags GMLRS Lot 12 contract

  17th July 2017

  Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $471 million contract by the US Army for Lot 12 production of Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  There Israeli no driver

  4th August 2017

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has detailed the development of an unmanned HMMWV likely to be destined for use with the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).  Last …

• Land Warfare

  APU gives Thai howitzers greater mobility

  3rd August 2017

  The Royal Thai Army (RTA) has developed an auxiliary power unit (APU) designed for installation aboard its 155mm GHN-45 towed howitzers to give them autonomous …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG in budgetary dilemma

  26th July 2017

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) continues to lack a clear fleet modernisation plan and it remains unclear if the service can afford all the new …

• Training

  Thailand procures more T-50 trainers

  31st July 2017

  Thailand has bought eight additional T-50TH Golden Eagle advanced jet trainers from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), with an approximate $260 million government-to-government contract signed on …

• Defence Helicopter

  German Army Tiger helicopter crashes in Mali

  2nd August 2017

  An Airbus Helicopters Tiger attack helicopter belonging to the German Helicopter Detachment (HELIDET) based in Gao, Mali, crashed South of Tabankort on 26 July according …

• Defence Helicopter

  Chinook Block II moves forward

  31st July 2017

  Boeing has been awarded an engineering, manufacturing and development contract for the manufacture of three CH-47F Chinook Block II aircraft, the US DoD announced on …

• Land Warfare

  Poland relaunches 4x4 Mustang tender

  21st July 2017

  The Polish Armament Inspectorate has relaunched a competition for a new light multipurpose 4x4 vehicle, after the initial tender fell through last month. The new …

• Digital Battlespace

  Australian tanks to get BMS hardware

  28th July 2017

  Leonardo DRS is supplying battle management system (BMS) hardware to the Australian Army for fitment in its M1A1 AIM Abrams main battle tanks (MBT). The …

• Land Warfare

  US Army to field XM17 from November

  26th July 2017

  The US Army will begin fielding the new Sig Sauer XM17 Modular Handgun to soldiers in November 2017, it was announced on 21 July. The US …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky refurbishing Black Hawks for Australian fire-fighting

  3rd August 2017

  Sikorsky Australia is to refurbish ten ex-US Army UH-60A Black Hawk helicopters for firefighting and disaster relief operations in Australia. The A$63 million contract announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Gentex wins US AAIH contract

  28th July 2017

  Gentex Corporation has been awarded a $13 million contract by the US Army for the delivery of Apache Aviator Integrated Helmets (AAIH), the company announced …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Nauru 1000C [Brazil]

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

• 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 - small

  Nauru 1000C

  Manufactured by XMobtos, the Nauru 1000C, or V2-1 Nauru, is a VTOL-capable small fixed-wing UAV. The UAV features a hybrid propulsion system, autopilot and a gyro-stabilised payload.  In ...

• 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 ...

• 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, ...