• Defence Helicopter

  Farnborough: Boeing bullish about state of rotorcraft business

  14th July 2014

  Despite a projected fall in production numbers of US military rotorcraft in coming years, Boeing remains bullish about the long-term health of the segment. The …

• Defence Notes

  Farnborough: Cameron pledges £1.1bn defence injection

  14th July 2014

  UK Prime Minister David Cameron has announced a £1.1 billion investment injection to counter emerging threats to national security such as cyber terrorism. Addressing the …

• Military Logistics

  A400M conducts successful paratrooping trials

  14th July 2014

  The first paratrooping trials have been successfully conducted by Airbus Defence and Space from the A400M airlifter, the company announced on 14 July. The first …

• Defence Helicopter

  Farnborough: APAS moves towards flight tests

  12th July 2014

  The US Army is looking to carry out a series of flight tests in early 2015 to validate a tactile cueing system that offers many …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australian Heron detachment extended to end of 2014

  10th July 2014

  The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan will continue to benefit from the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities provided by the Heron unmanned …

• Land Warfare

  Djibouti displays new acquisitions

  10th July 2014

  The Djibouti Army used the occasion of the country’s independence day celebration on 27 June to show off several new armoured vehicle types that have …

• Military Logistics

  NZDF to seek new naval tanker in 2015

  10th July 2014

  The New Zealand government has approved plans for the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) to replace the HMNZS Endeavour naval tanker, in the face of …

• Defence Helicopter

  Farnborough: SOCOM advances SOF rotary wing modernisation

  10th July 2014

  US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is moving ahead with key upgrades to its MH-60M, MH-47G, and A/MH-6M combat helicopters, including the Block III version of …

• Military Logistics

  New Zealand approves new support vessel

  10th July 2014

  The New Zealand government has given its approval for the replacement of the Royal New Zealand Navy’s tanker HMNZS Endeavour with a new replenishment ship. …

• Naval Warfare

  Double success for MBDA’s Sea Ceptor system

  7th July 2014

  Two guided firings of the Sea Ceptor air defence system have been successfully carried out by MBDA, demonstrating the functionality of the system’s Command and …

• Defence Helicopter

  China beefs up HK helicopter fleet

  4th July 2014

  An armed version of the Z-9 helicopter previously unseen in Hong Kong was exhibited by the local garrison of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) at …

• Land Warfare

  CAI announces US Army JRTC support extension

  3rd July 2014

  Cubic Applications, Inc (CAI) will continue to provide rotational and pre-deployment training to US troops under a contract modification worth more than $60 million announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Apaches deployed to Iraq

  3rd July 2014

  The Pentagon has deployed Apache attack helicopters to Iraq to protect US diplomatic facilities and personnel, as sectarian violence in the region continues to escalate.  …

• Land Warfare

  PLA displays new small arms

  3rd July 2014

  The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has displayed its new and recently acquired small arms during the Hong Kong handover celebrations on 1 July. On …

• Defence Helicopter

  Dutch Apaches get new external fuel tanks

  3rd July 2014

  The Dutch Defence Helicopter Command has recently received new external fuel tanks for use on its Boeing AH-64D Apaches, it has emerged.  Robertson Fuel Systems …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Medium UGVs

  Mission Master (RPV Sprial 3) [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 ...

• Military UAS - micro

  First Person View (FPV) Drones [UK]

  Background Parliament Questions On 20 May 2025, Ben Obese-Jecty, Conservative MP for Huntingdon, asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many FPV drones had been procured ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Magni-X (UK)

  Programme Background On 12 January 2022, Elbit Systems UK announced it had been awarded a contract from the UK MoD's Defence Equipment & Support's Future Capability ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

• 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (MIV) [UK]

  Background History The UK MoD announced in March 2018 that it would re-join the Boxer programme and pursue a sole-source acquisition of the 8x8 vehicle. ...

• Military UAS - small

  Black Hornet 3 PRS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army operated approximately 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS between 2013 and 2017, when the decision was made to retire ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  HMT Extenda [UK]

  Background Programme requirements The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated in a Contract Notice that it required at least 240 new HMT platforms to mitigate ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, LTVs - 4x4

  Supacat HMT 400 & 600 [UK]

  Background Programme requirements The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated in a Contract Notice that it had a requirement for at least 70 new HMT platforms with ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Project [UK]

  Programme Background Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Project The British Army launched the RAS project to provide the "direction required to exploit emerging technologies to ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Ajax [UK]

  Background Under its $4.3 billion production contract, GDUK will provide 589 Ajax to the British Army. These will be delivered in six different variants: 245 ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Multi-Role Vehicle (Protected) (MRV-P) Package 1 (UK)

  Programme Background Requirement The MRV-P programme was intended to procure replacements for a diverse fleet of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles purchased during the wars in Iraq ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Recce Strike Vehicle 4x4 [UK]

  Background Under Project Niala, the British Army has sought a new recce strike vehicle to augment the operations of 11th Brigade. This sits outside of ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, LTVs - 4x4

  Supacat HMT 400 [UK]

  Background Programme requirements The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated in a Contract Notice that it required at least 240 new HMT platforms to mitigate a shortfall ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Land Mobility Programme (Light Protected Mobility) [UK]

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

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  British Army Apache Training Facilities

  Aviation Training International (ATIL) – a Leonardo Helicopters/Boeing joint venture formed in 1998 - was selected to provide the attack helicopter training service to the ...

• Main battle tanks

  Challenger 1

  420 Challenger 1 MBTs were delivered to the British Army between 1983 and 1990. Developed from the Shir 2 MBT originally designed for Iran, the ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  HIDAS

  Leonardo’s Helicopter Integrated Defensive Aids System (HIDAS) combines laser, missile and Radar Warning Receivers, and a Chaff and Flare Dispensing System (CFDS). The system is ...

• Unguided Artillery Ammunition

  L52 Smoke

  The L52 Smoke is a 105mm smoke artillery round manufactured by BAE Systems.  The British Army uses it in its L118 Light Guns.

• Unguided Artillery Ammunition

  L21 High Explosive (HE)

  The L21 High Explosive (HE) is a 155mm artillery shell manufactured by BAE Systems. The British Army uses the L21 with its Archer artillery systems.

• Towed guns

  105mm Light Gun

  The 105mm Light Gun was designed and manufactured by Royal Ordnance Nottingham (now BAE Systems), with the first guns introduced to the British Army in ...

• Main battle tanks

  Challenger 2

  The 120mm-armed Challenger 2 MBT was introduced into British Army service in 1994 as a replacement for the Challenger 1, which was successfully employed in ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  FV432 Mk 3 Bulldog

  The FV432 Mk 3 Bulldog is an upgraded version of the long-serving FV432 family of tracked vehicles, of which approximately 3,000 were delivered to the British ...

• Unguided Artillery Ammunition

  L17 Inert

  The L17 Inert is a 155mm training artillery round manufactured by BAE Systems.  It is in service with the British Army, where its Archer artillery systems use ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  Buffalo MPCV

  The Buffalo Mine-Protected Clearance Vehicle (MPCV) is in service with the armed forces of Canada, France, Italy, Pakistan, the UK and the US and has ...

• Subsystems: software

  Exonaut Software Suite

  Since 2000, 4C has been developing the Exonaut software suite. The products within the Exonaut suite can either be used standalone or as part of ...

• Self-propelled guns

  AS90

  The AS90 155mm/39cal tracked SPH was designed and built by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering (acquired by BAE Systems in 1999) to meet the requirements of ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  Instrumented Ground Combat Training Systems

  Cubic supplies combat training systems for CTCs, homestations and forward-deployed environments. The systems are designed to support missions including force-on-force, urban operations, joint, combined arms ...

• Main battle tanks

  Olifant

  The Olifant (Elephant) is a South African variant of the British Centurion MBT. Development of the Centurion began in 1943. It was introduced into service ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  Trojan

  In 2001, Vickers Defence Systems (now part of BAE Systems) received a £250 million ($300 million) UK MoD contract to build 66 Engineer Tank Systems ...