• Land Warfare

  Four issues the armoured vehicle industry needs to tackle

  18th June 2024

  As evident at Eurosatory 2024, the procurement of armoured vehicles is progressing, but some projects have stalled or been abandoned due to the fluid geopolitical and conflict landscape. Buyers, manufacturers and operators have been reassessing their needs, desires and capabilities amid tightening budgets and escalating demands.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army prepares troops and equipment to avoid drone surveillance and attacks

  22nd May 2024

  The branch has been improving its C-UAS inventory in addition to purchasing advanced counter-drone solutions.

• Training

  US Africa Command’s largest annual joint exercise concludes in Senegal

  3rd June 2024

  US and NATO allies converged on Senegal, along with three other African nations, to enhance interoperability between armed forces and combined infantry tactics.

• Land Warfare

  Northrop Grumman partners with Hanwha Defense Australia to add Bushmaster gun to Redback IFV

  5th June 2024

  First unveiled in scale model in 2018, the AS21 Redback is a tracked infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) selected for the Australian Army's Land 400 Phase 3. It has been based on the K21 IFV hull used by the South Korean Army.

• Land Warfare

  Allison’s latest propulsion system designed specifically for AFVs

  24th June 2024

  A transmission manufactured by Allison Transmission has been selected for the XM30 OMFV which will replace the US Army’s M2 Bradley IFV.

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed Martin awarded $756 million for long-range hypersonic weapon

  20th May 2024

  Lockheed Martin delivered equipment for the first Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LTHW) battery, referred to as Dark Eagle, to US soldiers in 2021. The system has been designed to deliver additional capability for the nation’s ground-based hypersonic weapon system.

• Training

  Rheinmetall and Lightspace Technologies to develop augmented reality systems

  14th June 2024

  The new agreement is continuation of development work which took place in 2023 and marks a strengthening in the collaboration between the two companies.

• Land Warfare

  Poland’s Borsuk IFV awaits production contract

  25th June 2024

  Poland showcased its latest Borsuk infantry fighting vehicle at Eurosatory in Paris, highlighting its domestically funded development, advanced weaponry and planned production of 1,400 units to replace Soviet-era models.

• Land Warfare

  Texelis outlines 6x6 Celeris and ongoing work on 8x8 variant at Eurosatory

  19th June 2024

  Texelis and Nexter, a KNDS company, manufacture the Serval 4x4 lightweight multi-role armoured vehicle together but Texelis has started selling the rolling chassis of the vehicle as a separate system.

• Land Warfare

  Brazil gets go-ahead for 12 Black Hawk helicopters

  28th May 2024

  The Brazilian Army announced in 2023 that it was aiming to replace the eight HM-3 Cougar (Airbus Helicopters AS532 UE) and four HM-2 Black Hawk helicopters (Sikorsky S-70A) that have been in service with Army Aviation Command, with the aircraft beginning to be decommissioned in December 2023.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy to invest $3 billion in UAS and C-UAS capabilities

  30th July 2024

  UAS and C-UAS funding for the US Navy in FY2025 will cover R&D and procurement programmes along with improvements to the branch’s current inventory.

• Digital Battlespace

  Security orders grow for Northrop Grumman’s FAAD C2

  18th June 2024

  Increased demand for security applications, especially for border and critical asset protection, has boosted orders for the company's Forward Area Air Defense Command and Control (FAAD C2).

• Defence Notes

  US Congress prepares $4 billion package to fund Iron Dome and Arrow 3 for Israel

  8th July 2024

  US representatives plan to allocate resources from the FY2025 defence and foreign operations budget to support the improvement of Jerusalem’s missile-defence architecture.

• Land Warfare

  Just released: Armoured Vehicles Technology Report 2024 now available to read

  30th May 2024

  How uncrewed systems and modular vehicle kits are defining the future of combat engineering and support.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  How Airbus’s UH-72 Unmanned Logistics Connector is revolutionising USMC logistics

  18th June 2024

  Unveiled in early 2024, the UH-72 Logistics Connector is a pivotal component of the Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC), aimed at addressing the logistics needs of the US Marine Corps (USMC).

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• MPVs - 4x4

  Titan-B [Colombia]

  Background Colombia is understood to have a requirement for as many as 100 APCs capable of carrying up to 20 troops and protecting their occupants ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Titan-C [Colombia]

  Background Colombia is understood to have a requirement for as many as 100 APCs capable of carrying up to 20 troops and protecting their occupants ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  M1117 Guardian ASV [Colombia]

  Background The Colombian Army requested surplus M1117s to assist with counter-insurgency and counter-narcotics operations. Due to a lack of armoured vehicles suitable for troop transport, ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  M113A3 [Colombia]

  Background The Colombian Army currently operates 54 M113A1 and M113A2 APCs, which are divided among two mechanised infantry battalions and a training school. Known as ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Secure Personnel Transport Vehicle [Colombia]

  Background Colombia is understood to have a requirement for as many as 100 APCs capable of carrying up to 20 troops and protecting their occupants ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  PETEF (LAV III) [Colombia]

  Background Since the replacement of the M113 is understood to be a priority for the Colombian Army, it is anticipated that a contract could materialise ...

• 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 ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Secure Personnel Transport Vehicle [Colombia]

  Background Colombia is understood to have a requirement for as many as 100 APCs capable of carrying up to 20 troops and protecting their occupants ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Coelum (Colombia)

  Programme Background Testing Colombian Aeronautical Industry Cooperation (CIAC) was working on a project called Dron Coelum X-001. In late 2020, the CIAC tested a redesigned prototype of the ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  PETEF (Tracked IFV) [Colombia]

  Background Since a programme to procure a tracked IFV has yet to be launched by the Colombian Army, it is unclear how many tracked IFVs ...

• Self-propelled guns

  ATMOS [Colombia]

  Programme background The Colombian army currently operates a variety of towed artillery platforms. The acquisition of self-propelled platforms is intended to enhance the capabilities of ...

• Main battle tanks

  New MBT [Colombia]

  Background The Colombian Army has evaluated several offers for MBT platforms in the past, though none of these have progressed to the formal contract stage. ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Kfir Replacement [Colombia]

  Background Timeline In May 2021, budget constraints prompted new Colombian finance minister José Manuel Restrepo (in post since 3 May) to place on indefinite hold ...

• Frigates

  Plataforma Estratégica de Superficie (PES) - Frigate Acquisition Programme [Colombia]

  Programme Background The replacement of the existing ageing Almirante Padilla-class frigates was first initiated in 2015. The predecessors, built by Germany's Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) have been in service ...

• OPVs

  OPVs (4-7) [Colombia]

  Programme Background Requirements The 2042 "Plan de Desarrollo Naval" (Naval Development Plan) outlines the intention to have seven in-service OPVs by 2042.  In particular, the new ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• MPVs - 4x4

  Titan

  Blindex developed the Titan series of APCs to provide the Colombian Army with an affordable means of transporting large numbers of troops for internal security ...

• Military UAS - small

  Quimbaya X-003

  The Quimbaya X-003 is a Colombian fixed-wing UAV designed and developed by the Colombian Aeronautical Industry Corporation (CIAC). Reportedly, following evaluation tests in late 2023, ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  M1117 Guardian ASV

  In December 1995, the US Army selected a design based on the Textron ASV 150 to provide the military police with a vehicle that combined ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Coelum

  Manufactured by Corporación de la Industria Aeronáutica Colombiana (CIAC), the Coelum is a mini UAV that is fitted with a 40x zoom EO/IR camera payload for ISR missions.  The ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Dragom

  Colombian Aeronautical Industry Corporation (CIAC) unveiled the Dragom in mid-2025 at F-AIR Colombia 2025.  The rotary-wing quadcopter is designed for reconnaissance and guided attack missions. 

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  PRC-710

  The PRC-710 is a VHF/FM voice and data handheld radio with COMSEC and ECCM capabilities. Designed in response to emerging combat requirements, the PRC-710 is ...

• Frigates

  SIGMA 10514

  The Martadinata-class frigates, also known as the Perusak Kawal Rudal-class (PKR), are based on Damen's Sigma 10514 design. Two frigates have been jointly built by PT ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  LPR 40 MKII

  The LPR acts as a command boat for the group of tactical riverine combat boats operated by the Colombian Marine Corps. It is equipped with ...

• OPVs

  OPV 93C

  The OPV 93C is an offshore patrol vessel designed and developed by Cotecmar. The Colombian Navy ordered one platform in November 2022 and one in ...

• Sea: optronic masts and periscopes

  SERO 250

  The SERO 250 is a compact submarine periscope that can be installed in both new-build and upgraded boats. Little or no structural modifications are required ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Barak MR (MRAD)

  The Barak Medium Range (MR) missile, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), is an advanced surface-to-air interceptor designed to counter a wide spectrum of aerial threats, ...

• Fighter - multirole

  J-10

  The J-10 (NATO reporting name Firebird) is a multirole fighter developed by China to replace second-generation J-7 and Q-5 aircraft. The aircraft is also known ...

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  Type 209/1200

  The Type 209/1200 diesel-electric submarine is a variant of the Type 209 submarine designed by the German company Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft exclusively for the export market. ...

• Naval guns

  OTO Strales/Davide

  The OTO Strales represents the second iteration of the OTO 76/62mm Super Rapido gun from Leonardo. The weapon, which is in service with the Italian ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  EMB-312 Tucano

  The EMB-312 Tucano (Brazilian designation T-27) is a trainer and light attack aircraft developed by Embraer to meet the training requirements of the Brazilian Air ...