• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Taiwan develops anti-radiation ‘kamikaze’ UAV

  24th June 2019

  After the Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) obtained a NT$80 billion ($2.54 billion) budget over a five-year period to develop and manufacture an anti-radiation …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Valkyrie flies again

  18th June 2019

  Kratos Defense & Security Solutions’ XQ-58A Valkyrie completed its latest successful test/demonstration flight on 11 June.According to the company, during the 71 minute flight the …

• Special Operations

  Boeing to build more MH-47G Chinooks

  14th June 2019

  Boeing is to build additional next-generation MH-47G Chinooks for the US Army Special Operations Aviation Command. This $194 million second lot MH-47G Block II aircraft …

• Training

  ITEC 2019: eSim Games upgrades Austrian Leopard 2 tank simulator (video)

  15th May 2019

  Nils Hinrichsen, director of eSim Games talks to Shephard through the Leopard 2 gunnery simulator hardware and software upgrades for the Austrian Army, together with Diehl …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Air Force studying options for new battle management system

  14th June 2019

  A key study on the US Air Force’s (USAF) future Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) is on track to be finished this fall, according to …

• Defence Notes

  Russian Air and Space force takes its first MiG-35s

  24th June 2019

  The MiG-35 development, test and production effort has marked a serious advance in the last three years according to Ilya Tarasenko, director general at Russian …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing receives Chinook funding

  12th June 2019

  Boeing has received a $10 million contract modification to support the US Army’s CH-47F Block II Engineering and Manufacturing Development programme. The company was issued …

• Special Operations

  US Army Psychological Operations achieves grade recognition

  18th June 2019

  Reflective of their recognized contribution to special operations, Soldiers from the US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) Psychological Operations Regiment …

• Defence Notes

  Paris Air Show: Poland to enhance its airlift capability

  15th June 2019

  The Polish Armaments Inspectorate has recently announced the start of its technical dialogue in preparation for the future acquisition of a new fleet of transport …

• Naval Warfare

  Keel laid for first Arafura-class OPV

  13th May 2019

  The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has laid the keel for its first Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV), the Arafura, at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in …

• Defence Notes

  Lockheed Martin grows in Camden

  19th June 2019

  Lockheed Martin is investing $142 million in its Camden facility in Arkansas, the company announced on 17 June.The Camden facility produces the High Mobility Artillery …

• Training

  Kratos awarded BQM-177A target contract

  10th June 2019

  Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has received a $25 million contract for Lot 3 of Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) of the BQM-177A Subsonic Aerial …

• Naval Warfare

  US lawmakers aim to ease ‘Buy America’ restrictions on new frigate

  10th June 2019

  To avoid a potential snag in the competition to build the US Navy’s future guided missile frigate (FFG(X)) a congressional panel has approved a proposal …

• Digital Battlespace

  USMC orders full rate production G/ATORs

  11th June 2019

  Northrop Grumman has received an order from the US Marine Corps for Lot 6 full-rate production Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) systems. Announced by the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris receives second order for AN/PRC-158

  17th June 2019

  Harris Corporation has received a second low-rate initial production (LRIP) order from the US Army for the AN/PRC-158 multi-channel radio. The order falls under the …

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, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  AUKUS-SSNs (1-5) [Australia]

  Programme Background AUKUS Australia announced on 16 September 2021 that the contract with Naval Group signed in 2016 had been cancelled. Although not a surprising ...

• Medium UGVs

  Mission Master (RPV Sprial 2) [UK]

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

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

  Project Air 7003 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

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 ...

• S-64 Helitanker Fire-fighting Equipment

  Erickson's 10,031l tank for the S-64 helitanker drops water, retardant or foam mix at a rate of around 95l/h. Microprocessor-controlled tank doors offer eight individual ...

• Naval: RF, IR and 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...