• Air Warfare

  Chinese military jet engine production plans exposed

  24th January 2020

  Intriguing details about the production of Chinese aircraft jet engines for the next six years were exposed by a subsidiary of the Central Iron & …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon receives further NGJ-MB funding

  28th January 2020

  Raytheon has been awarded a $403 million contract for the US Navy for the Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB). The contract covers System Demonstration Test …

• Naval Warfare

  State of the navy: US surface fleet programmes

  31st January 2020

  With its share of the US DoD’s budget reduced from the Cold War, the USN is having to manage a range of surface fleet shipbuilding …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Air Force seeks modern missile warning architecture

  29th January 2020

  Raytheon is to help the US Air Force modernise its missile warning architecture with a new system that will collect and fuse data from an …

• Defence Helicopter

  Kenya to receive MD-530F​ helicopters in US FMS

  24th January 2020

  The Kenya Defence Force (KDF) is to receive six MD-530F helicopters under a US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme. The programme was announced by the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Battle of the CH-47F vs CH-53K heats up in Israel

  30th January 2020

  The Israeli Air Force's (IAF's) quest to find a replacement for its ageing CH-53 Yas'ur heavy-lift transport helicopter took a significant step forward with the …

• Air Warfare

  First RAF P-8 Poseidon arrives in country

  5th February 2020

  The Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) first P-8 Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft has arrived in the UK, the Ministry of Defence announced on 4 February. The …

• Naval Warfare

  First HC-130J Block 8.1 upgrade complete

  5th February 2020

  The first US Coast Guard HC-130J outfitted with the Block 8.1 upgrade has successfully completed operational testing, Lockheed Martin announced on 4 February. The upgrade …

• 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 …

• Digital Battlespace

  DefExpo 2020: India crafts a suite of special mission aircraft

  6th February 2020

  In India the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) is working on several projects to give the Indian Air Force (IAF) dedicated special mission aircraft …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army funds Apache remanufacture work

  30th December 2019

  Boeing has received a contract modification worth $564.5 million for the remanufacture of AH-64E Apacheaircraft, the US Department of Defense announced on 18 December. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  Dstl leads Space Situational Awareness experiment

  5th February 2020

  A collaborative experiment being led by the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has the potential to lead to significant improvements in Space Situational …

• Training

  MetaVR VRSG for additional ANG F-16 simulators

  6th February 2020

  MetaVR’s Virtual Reality Scene Generator (VRSG) is to equip additional US Air National Guard (ANG) F-16 simulators, the company announced on 5 February.A total of …

• Defence Notes

  DoD plays it safe on air power spending

  12th February 2020

  The proposed US DoD FY2021 defence budget runs at a shortfall of $800 million for aircraft and associated systems compared to last year’s figures. In total, …

• Naval Warfare

  Is the Philippine Navy’s modernisation rudderless?

  27th February 2020

  Amidst the controversy surrounding Manila’s termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement with the US, the Philippine Navy (PN) finds itself in a peculiar position as …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-1 Gray Eagle [US Army]

  Background Required Quantity Although the US Army first envisioned a requirement for 132 MQ-1C Gray Eagles, the US Army's Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) was increased ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Ajax IFV [UK]

  Programme Background Prior to commencing development of the Ajax the UK utilised the Warrior was its primary IFV. However, the Warrior entered service in 1987 making ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior [India]

  Programme Background Make In India The 'Make In India' initiative is an effort by the Indian government to boost domestic manufacturing. In the context of ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Naval Collaborative Combat Air Vehicle (N-CCAV) [India]

  Programme Background CATS Warrior The Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) is a planned, uncrewed and crewed family of aircraft in development by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited ...

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

  Orbiter 3 (Croatia)

  Programme Background The Croatian government launched a competitive tender for the procurement of a short-range UAV in October 2017. Although the tender was opened on ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8, APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Land Mobility Programme (Heavy Protected Mobility) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirement Serving in several iterations since 1963, the FV432 Mk3 'Bulldog' remains operational and deployed as command vehicles, ambulances, and recovery vehicles within the British Army. Although ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Protected 4x4 Replacement [Argentina]

  Programme Background Argentina currently operates the AML, Spartan 4x4 APC and Dongfeng Warrior CSK131, with 45 still in service across the three vehicles. It also previously operated ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, LTVs - 4x4

  Supacat HMT 400 & 600 [UK]

  Programme 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (MIV) [UK]

  Programme 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 ...

• Main battle tanks

  NGCV: DLP

  Programme Background Requirement The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in ...

• 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 UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) [US Army]

  Background USMC First, Army Second In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AMPV [USA]

  Programme Background Platform Development The US Army initiated the AMPV programme to acquire a replacement for several variants of the M113 tracked APC, which has ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/PRC-170

  The AN/PRC-170 Javelin is a single-channel, small-form-factor radio that supports TSM waveform. Produced by Thales, it provides voice and data communications across multipath and dynamic environments. ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MUBC

  The Modular Universal Battery Charger (MUBC) is a scalable charging system for a range of military and commercial batteries. It provides for the addition of ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Warrior Systems

  General Dynamics Mission Systems is prime contractor and system integrator for the US Army’s Warrior soldier systems, which include Air Warrior, Future Force Warrior, Land Warrior ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Joint Battle Command - Platform

  Joint Battle Command - Platform (JBC-P) is a networked mission command information system designed for the US Army and USMC. It can provide real-time blue ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 400

  At AUSA 2025, AeroVironment (AV) unveiled the Switchblade 400, a rocket-launched, medium-range, man-portable loitering munition. AV states the aircrat has been designed to defeat tanks and heavy ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Shadowcat

  General Dynamics Shadowcat radio provides low-visibility communications in a small form factor package. Capable of forming mesh networks, it provides voice, video and data communications ...

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

  InstantEye Mk-3 GEN4-HL

  Manufactured by InstantEye Robotics, the InstantEye Mk-3 GEN4-Heavy Lift (HL) is a rotary-wing UAV that is involved in the US Army's Render Safe Sets, Kits & ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58D Kiowa Warrior

  The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, manufactured by Bell Helicopter Textron, is a two-person, light scout helicopter with a day/night mast-mounted sight, glass cockpit and four-bladed rotor system. ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F Cayuse Warrior

  An evolution of the OH-6 Cayuse light observation helicopter, the MD 530F was initially Federal Aviation Administration-certified in July 1985 as the Model 369FF. It ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Warrior

  The Warrior IFV entered service with the British Army in mid-1987. A total of 789 vehicles were delivered in IFV, infantry command, anti-tank, recovery, repair, ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  Convoy/C-IED Training System

  Laser Shot’s Convoy/Counter IED Training System consists of an immersive training environment that places soldiers in high-fidelity, virtual scenarios in order to train on a ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  M792 High Explosive Incendiary Tracer

  The M792 High Explosive Incendiary Tracer (HEI-T) is a 25mm medium calibre round manufactured by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems.

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  DANES

  Initial efforts to field a complete soldier system through the Danish Army Network-Enabled Soldier (DANES) concept were abandoned, following an evaluation of the US Land ...

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

  Falcon II Nyx

  The Falcon II Nyx is a rotary-wing drone from Wave Aerospace. It is in the US Army's Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment (AEWE) programme. Primarily designed to operate in ...

• Land: NVGs

  AN/PSQ-20B ENVG

  The AN/PSQ-20B ENVG (Enhanced Night Vision Goggle) is a helmet-mounted dual-waveband monocular night vision system. As a fusion system that combines image intensification technology with ...