• Naval Warfare

  US Navy ponders prolonging Los Angeles subs

  10th August 2019

  The US Navy is studying whether to extend the service life of some of its ageing Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) by 12 years …

• Naval Warfare

  Work proceeds on Attack-class design

  17th July 2019

  The design of Australia’s new Attack-class submarines is set to mature rapidly under the next phase of the Sea 1000 programme. A submarine design contract …

• Naval Warfare

  Airspeed awarded Global Combat Ship contract

  10th July 2019

  Airspeed has been awarded a contract to provide the replenishment at sea stump mast (RASSM) for the first batch of three Type 26 ships being …

• Digital Battlespace

  Fifth AEHF communications satellite launched

  9th August 2019

  The US Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center’s fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) communications satellite was launched from Space Launch Complex-41 on 8 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Data Link Solutions to upgrade MIDS LVTs

  8th August 2019

  Data Link Solutions will upgrade Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) low volume terminals under a contract modification worth up to $75 million announced on 7 …

• Naval Warfare

  South Korea eyes a ‘Lightning carrier’

  23rd July 2019

  As China begins the build of a planned multi-hull LHD fleet and Japan prepares to operate F-35B fighters from its two newest ‘helicopter destroyers’, the …

• Naval Warfare

  AN/AQS-20 deploy and receive systems ordered

  7th August 2019

  Raytheon will supply deploy and retrieve systems in support of the US Navy’s AN/AQS-20 programme under an $11.7 million contract announced on 6 August. The …

• Naval Warfare

  TADTE 2019: Taiwanese missile systems will improve the odds in war

  15th August 2019

  As part of Taiwan’s asymmetric strategy to respond to any military threat around home waters, four-and-a-half land-based missile squadrons (known as Hai Feng Mobility Squadrons) …

• Defence Notes

  US Navy orders AARGM

  31st July 2019

  Northrop Grumman has been awarded Lot 8 Full Rate Production of the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) by the US Navy. The awarded, announced …

• Military Logistics

  USAF A-10 completes wing replacement programme

  15th August 2019

  The US Air Force’s A-10 Thunderbolt II close air support aircraft has completed an eight-year wing replacement programme, with the last of 173 new wing …

• Defence Notes

  US air superiority effort faces uncertain funding

  8th August 2019

  The USAF is trying to stave off a deep budget cut to its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) technology development programme. While the air force …

• Naval Warfare

  Boeing and Airbus sign MoU for RAAF Poseidon through life support

  4th July 2019

  Boeing Defence Australia and Airbus Australia Pacific have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) extending their commitment to the sustainment of the P-8A Poseidon maritime …

• Digital Battlespace

  First LRDR reaches milestone

  8th August 2019

  The Missile Defense Agency's (MDA's) Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) is coming together, with the first radar panel delivered to Clear, Alaska and the final …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM looks to combat diver experimentation

  8th August 2019

  USSOCOM is preparing to hold a technical experimentation (TE) event focused on enhancing the capabilities of special operations forces combat swimmers/divers.  The upcoming event was …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing opens new V-22 facility

  2nd August 2019

  Boeing has invested in a facility outside Philadelphia to support its V-22 and MV-22 programmes. The 350,000 square foot site has been transformed into a …

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 ...