• Defence Notes

  F-35B: The unprecedented capabilities Singapore always wanted

  14th January 2020

  The US announcement of a sale of 12 Lockheed Martin F-35Bs to Singapore has finally put a stop to a year-long debate as to which …

• Defence Notes

  Middle East braced for Iranian reaction to US strike (updated)

  3rd January 2020

  In the aftermath of the death of Maj Gen Qasem Soleimani, head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC's) Quds Force, in a US air …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing signs Apache FMS contracts

  6th January 2020

  Boeing has confirmed contracts with the US Army to remanufacture AH-64D Apaches for three nations under US FMS programmes. The contracts cover the remanufacture of …

• Digital Battlespace

  RAAF C-130J LAIRCM reaches FOC

  5th December 2019

  The Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF’s) C-130J Large Aircraft Infra-Red Counter-Measures has achieved Final Operational Capability, the Australian Department of Defence announced on 4 December. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman awarded IBCS transformation contract

  8th January 2020

  Northrop Grumman will undertake a 28-month programme to transform the software development process for the US Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command …

• Defence Notes

  Poland takes over NATO VJTF lead

  13th January 2020

  On 1 January 2020 the Polish Army took over the lead of NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) from Germany.The core of the …

• Naval Warfare

  Thales sonars for F110 frigates

  13th December 2019

  The Spanish Navy’s five F110 frigates will be equipped with Thales sonars to provide the vessels’ anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capability, the company announced on 12 …

• Defence Notes

  Iran in the dock over potential Ukrainian airliner downing

  10th January 2020

  Don't miss out on more news and analysis from Shephard Media. Sign up to our Premium News. Firm conclusions about how Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 crashed, killing all 176 …

• Defence Helicopter

  US AFGSC names MH-139A helicopter

  3rd January 2020

  US Air Force Global Strike Command named the MH-139A helicopter ‘Grey Wolf’ during a naming ceremony at Duke Field on 19 December, 2019.The helicopters have …

• Training

  Saab to operate German Army’s GÜZ

  3rd December 2019

  Saab will operate the German Army’s Combat Training Centre, Gefechtsübungszentrum Heer (GÜZ) between 2020 and 2026 under a new contract announced on 2 December. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  Next-gen DAS order for F-35 aircraft

  6th January 2020

  Lockheed Martin has received a $98.9 million order to integrate the next generation electro-optical Distributed Aperture System into all variants of the F-35 aircraft.The work …

• Land Warfare

  US Army to test StrikeShield APS

  3rd December 2019

  The US Army is to test the StrikeShield Active Protection System under an $11 million contract awarded to Rheinmetall Protection Systems and Unified Business Technologies …

• Naval Warfare

  Maritime Strike Tomahawk development delayed

  16th January 2020

  Programme prioritisation factors have contributed to a delayed IOC for the Maritime Strike Tomahawk (MST), with the milestone not now expected to be achieved this year.  …

• Naval Warfare

  BAE Systems awarded USS Vicksburg modernisation work

  7th January 2020

  BAE Systems is to modernise the US Navy’s USS Vicksburg guided-missile cruiser under a $175 million contract announced on 6 January. The vessel will undergo …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Kratos receives target drone orders

  8th January 2020

  Kratos Defense & Security Solutions’ Unmanned Systems Division (KUSD) has received new orders worth approximately $6 million for its jet powered unmanned aerial target drone …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - micro

  Drone40 (Ukraine Aid) [Australia]

  Programme Background In August 2022, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), a think tank, held a podcast with Ukraine's ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, in which ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel - Medium (Project Land 8710 Phase 1A) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements Australia has set out requirements for a fleet of up to 18 Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels - Medium (LMV-M) with the release of ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams [Poland]

  Programme Background Requirement Since the early 2010s Poland wanted to upgrade its Soviet-era tank fleet due to modernisation requirements, the need to increase interoperability with NATO ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Land 400 Phase 2 - Boxer CRV [Australia]

  Programme Background History The Land 400 Phase 2 programme will procure a replacement for the ASLAV, a derivative of the General Dynamics Land Systems Light Armoured Vehicle ...

• Main battle tanks

  Leopard 2A4 [Czech Republic]

  Programme Background  The Czech Republic currently operates a small fleet of T-72s, which, while undergoing upgrades and life extension programmes, are increasingly obsolete. In October ...

• Submarines: nuclear/attack

  Second Hand SSNs [Australia]

  Programme Background Timeline In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | AUKUS-SSNs (1-5) [Australia]

  In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock move, will not ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | AUKUS-SSNs (1-5) [Australia]

  In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock move, will not ...

• Main battle tanks

  Viatura Blindada de Combate-Carro de Combate (VBC-CC) [Brazil]

  Programme Background Several key technical requirements have been outlined by the Brazilian MoD. Among the most important are that the platform should weigh less than ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  HIMARS (Batch 2) [Australia]

  Programme background Prior to selecting HIMARS in January 2023, Australia did not operate an MLRS system. However, the effectiveness of Ukrainian HIMARS convinced the Australian government ...

• Military - USVs

  Bluebottle USV (16-55) [Australia]

  Programme Background Timeline The RAN purchased a number of the 6.8m-long Bluebottles, including five under an A$4.9 million ($3.3 million) contract signed in November 2022. ...

• Medium UGVs

  Mission Master (RPV Sprial 2) [UK]

  Background First announced in April 2017 and referred to in early MOD documents as the ‘last mile resupply’ initiative, the British Army is reportedly evaluating ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A1 Abrams (Ukraine Aid) [Australia]

  Programme Background Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Australia has been amongst the various Western allies providing Ukraine with military aid. Prior ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  Carl-Gustaf M3

  The Carl-Gustaf M3 is the third generation of the 84mm shoulder-fired recoilless antitank gun, first fielded by the Swedish Army in 1946. Since then, it ...

• Unguided Tank Ammunition

  120mm KE DM63 / DM53 A1 Tank Ammunition

  The 120mm kinetic energy tank ammunition is manufactured by Rheinmetall. There are several variations of the ammunition, including the DM63, which can be fired from ...

• Unguided Tank Ammunition

  120MM HEAT-TP F1A

  Franco-German KNDS-Nexter produce the 120mm High-Explosive Anti-Tank Training-Purpose F1A (HEAT-TP F1A) round to enable reduced-cost training for Main Battle Tank crews. 

• Main battle tanks

  M1/M1A1 Abrams

  The 105mm-armed M1 Abrams tracked MBT was introduced into US Army service in 1980 as a replacement for the 105mm-armed M60 MBT. In April 1991, ...

• Unguided Tank Ammunition

  120mm PELE Tank Ammunition

  The 120mm Penetrator with Enhanced Lateral Effect (PELE) tank ammunition is an inert round produced by Rheinmetall. It is suitable for use against semi-hard targets ...

• Light mortars

  60mm Mortar Ammunition

  US-based LD Systems' 60mm Mortar ammunition fulfils the NATO standard for lightweight mortar ammunition.

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  120mm L55A1

  The 120mm L55A1 is a smoothbore high-pressure gun based on the L55 tank gun. The L55A1 has been qualified and in service since 2019. It ...

• Naval: RF/IR/acoustic decoys

  Nulka

  The Nulka is an active anti-ship missile decoy originally conceived in Australia, and developed under a joint Australian-US programme. BAE Systems Australia is prime contractor, while ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  120mm L55 Tank Gun

  The 120mm L55 is a smoothbore tank gun produced by Rheinmetall. It is designed for use on the Leopard main battle tank, to which it ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A2 SEPv3

  The M1A2 System Enhancement Package 3 (M1A2 SEPv3, also known as M1A2C) is the latest production-standard variant of the Abrams MBT. Designed primarily to address ...

• Unguided Tank Ammunition

  M1147 Advanced Multi-Purpose (AMP)

  The M1147 Advanced Multi-Purpose (AMP) is a 120mm tank round developed by Northrop Grumman Defence Systems. Various customers, including Bahrain, Israel, and the US, use the tank ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  Next Generation Combat Vehicle Ammunition

  The Next Generation Combat Vehicle Ammunition (NGVA) is a family of ammunition being developed by the US Army's Armaments Center and manufactured by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  CVTESS

  Saab's Combat Vehicle Tactical Engagement Simulation System (CVTESS) is a laser-based simulator which supports every version of the Abrams Main Battle Tank and the Bradley ...

• Submarines: nuclear/attack

  SSN AUKUS

  The SSN-AUKUS will be the submarine design resulting from the AUKUS trilateral pact between Australia, the US and the UK. Expected to incorporate technology from ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  Spike LR2

  The Spike LR2 (also known as NT-S) is Rafael's fifth-generation anti-tank guided missile system. It is a long-range, multi-purpose, multi-platform weapon designed for infantry, armored ...