• Defence Notes

  China boosts defence spending

  10th March 2015

  China revealed a defence budget of RMB886.9 billion ($141.5 billion), a rise of 10.1%, during its annual National People’s Congress session on 5 March 2015. …

• Defence Notes

  South Korea accepts two bids for KF-X fighter

  10th March 2015

  Two companies have submitted bids for South Korea’s US$7.9 billion programme to develop and procure a locally-build fighter. The project suffered a slight hiccup when …

• Land Warfare

  CACI to continue US Army NVESD support

  9th March 2015

  CACI International will continue supporting the US Army's Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD), under a task order announced by the company on 5 …

• Military Logistics

  US team successfully demonstrates microgrid system

  6th March 2015

  An advanced microgrid system capable of off-grid operation using stored and high penetration renewable energy has been demonstrated by a team comprised of Raytheon, the …

• Naval Warfare

  Rescue 21 gets 'Safety of Life at Sea' Declaration

  5th March 2015

  The General Dynamics-built Rescue 21 system has achieved 'Safety of Life at Sea' Declaration from US Department of Homeland Security, the company announced on 3 …

• Defence Helicopter

  DARPA awards Sikorsky ALIAS Phase 1 contract

  5th March 2015

  Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. has been awarded a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for Phase 1 of the Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Heli-Expo 2015: ASU brings new microgimbal to the UAV market

  4th March 2015

  Aviation Specialities Unlimited (ASU) is demonstrating the new Observation Wide-Area Low-Altitude Sensor (OWLS) microgimbal at Heli-Expo 2015.   Adapted for small UAVs, the new sensor is …

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed's ATHENA disables truck engine

  4th March 2015

  Lockheed Martin's Advanced Test High Energy Asset (ATHENA) laser weapon disabled the engine of a small truck in a recent field test, the company said …

• Land Warfare

  Sagem Sigma 30 on VL MICA missiles

  3rd March 2015

  Sagem's Sigma 30 navigation and pointing systems will be integrated onto several MBDA Vertical Launch (VL) MICA surface-to-air weapon systems for international markets, as part …

• Defence Notes

  US-India tech cooperation slows

  3rd March 2015

  The US-India Defense Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI) appears to be at a standstill. Three unsigned agreements remain to be signed before the four Pathfinder …

• Military Logistics

  Avalon 2015: RAAF to trial tanker with allied aircraft

  27th February 2015

  Following a successful remediation program, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) expects to conduct boom refuelling trials with its Airbus KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transports (MRTT) …

• Defence Helicopter

  Australian DSTO, AGAP form strategic alliance

  27th February 2015

  The Australian Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) and Airbus Group Australia Pacific (AGAP) have formed a new strategic alliance, as announced by the DSTO …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IDEX 2015: Nexter Robotics matures

  27th February 2015

  French armaments manufacturer Nexter Robotics displayed its Nerva robot technology at the IDEX exhibition following a successful year in 2014. The subsidiary, which was only …

• Digital Battlespace

  DRS Canada awarded NZ ANZAC frigate comms contract

  26th February 2015

  DRS Technologies Canada will provide tactical integrated communications systems for the Royal New Zealand Navy's ANZAC-class frigates, it has been announced. The company was awarded …

• Military Logistics

  ADSB, Thales sign MoU for support services

  26th February 2015

  Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) and Thales have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide engineering support services for military vessels, as announced by …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - micro

  eBee Vision [US]

  Background Multiple orders In November 2025, the US Army acquired three eBee Vision systems to enhance training operations at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany. A ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Invincible Class (Type 218SG) (5-6) [Singapore]

  In March 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Defence (Mindef) announced it would acquire two more submarines to complement its four Type 218SG Invincible-class submarines. Speaking to ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Invincible Class (Type 218SG) (5-6) [Singapore]

  In March 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Defence (Mindef) announced it would acquire two more submarines to complement its four Type 218SG Invincible-class submarines. Speaking to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Small-Sized Suicide Drones [South Korea]

  Programme Background Drone Ambition As reported by Shephard, South Korea has ambitions to possess a large arsenal of drones. In May 2024, the presidential office ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  Next-Generation Air-Refueling System (NGAS) [USA]

  Background The U.S. Air Force originally planned the KC-Y programme as a follow-on acquisition of an estimated 179 tankers to bridge the gap between the delayed ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Switch V2 [India]

  Background June 2025 In June 2025, India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the signing of 13 contracts under the Emergency Procurement (EP) mechanism. The procurements, ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Wolf 2 (Batch 1) [Germany]

  Background The Wolf 2 was designed by Mercedes-Benz to replace the German Bundeswehr's ageing fleet of Wolf utility vehicles. The Bundeswehr is currently replacing its Wolf ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Type 707 (1-2) [Germany]

  Programme Background Requirements The German Navy approved an acquisition to start replacing the two ageing Rhön-class (Type 704) class single-hulled tankers, which were constructed in the ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Wolf 2 (Batch 2) [Germany]

  Background The Wolf 2 was designed by Mercedes-Benz to replace the German Bundeswehr's ageing fleet of Wolf utility vehicles. The Bundeswehr is currently replacing its Wolf ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Indonesian Interim Readiness Submarine Class (IRSC) Programme

  Following the sinking of KRI Nanggala in April 2021, the Indonesia Ministry of Finance (MoF) has granted approval to obtain up to $600 million in foreign loans ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Indonesian Interim Readiness Submarine Class (IRSC) Programme

  Following the sinking of KRI Nanggala in April 2021, the Indonesia Ministry of Finance (MoF) has granted approval to obtain up to $600 million in foreign loans ...

• AEW&C

  E-7 Wedgetail (737) [UK]

  Programme Background Seeking to replace its six ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AEW&C;, the British Royal Air Force awarded Boeing a £1.89 billion contract in 2019 covering the ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Batch 1) [Germany]

  Background The Puma tracked IFV was developed by PSM, a joint venture between KMW and Rheinmetall, to replace the German Army's legacy Marder IFVs. In ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye [Canada]

  Background Canada and Sweden have been strengthening ties, particularly in defence, as middle powers continue to diversify their relationships due to increasingly strained relations with ...

• Corvettes

  Ada Class Corvettes (1-2) [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Timeline In October 2020, the MoD of Ukraine and the President of the Turkish Defence Industries signed a memorandum of understanding. This outlined ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Guided munitions

  LG-155

  Unveiled for the first time at Saha Expo 2024, the LG-155 is a 155 mm artillery round developed by Roketsan. This laser-guided projectile is engineered ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Oerlikon Laser Gun

  Rheinmetall showcased the applications for its High Energy Laser (HEL) guns for the first time at IDEX 2015 in Abu Dhabi. The Oerlikon Laser Gun ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Locust

  BlueHalo's Locust is a laser weapon system. The system delivers a complete kill chain, providing a layered and broadband detection capability that is coupled with electronic ...

• Light machine guns

  LSAT LMG

  Textron Systems Unmanned Systems is developing and maturing a Lightweight Small Arms Technologies (LSAT) family of weapons and ammunition with the US Army that fires ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - mini

  Attritable Multirotor First Person View (AM-FPV)

  Unveiled in May 2025, the Attritable Multirotor First Person View (AM-FPV) is a low-cost, rapidly deployable platform for strike and ISR missions, inspired by battlefield lessons from ...

• CUAS - interceptors

  TLR C-UAS Interceptor

  In response to the growing demand for lower-priced interceptors, Czechia-based TRL created the TRL Interceptor, designed to counter drones.

• Land: fire control systems

  Oerlikon Skymaster

  Oerlikon Skymaster is the command and control unit of Rheinmetall's Skynex air defence system. The Skymaster is intended to support tactical and operational level air ...

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  MEWS

  The Modular Electronic Warfare System (MEWS) is a land COMINT sensor that was jointly developed by L3 TRL and Qinetiq. Utilising L3 TRL compact receiver ...

• Land: air defence radar

  X-TAR 3D

  The X-Band Tactical Acquisition Radar 3D (X-TAR 3D) air surveillance and acquisition radar is the newest member of Rheinmetall’s X-TAR family. The fully coherent phased-array ...

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  Smartscan- MEWS

  MEWS (Modular Electronic Warfare System) is a software-driven spectrum surveillance system covering two megahertz to three gigahertz. It is designed to detect, collect and geolocate ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  CM32/33/34 Yunpao

  The CM32 Yunpao (Cloud Leopard) family of 8x8 armoured vehicles has been developed to meet the requirements of the Republic of China Army to replace ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  SBTS

  The Shore-Based Sonar Training System (SBTS), launched in 2016, incorporates technology from the Model 997 Hull/Bow-Mounted Sonar Model 980 ALOFTS system to help support sonar ...

• Subsystems: visual

  Apogée 7

  Apogée 7 is an integrated COTS-based image generation system. It provides functions enhancing overall fixed- or rotary-wing simulation efficiency, image quality and supports large-area realistic ...

• Land: handheld NV devices

  NVS 7 Binocular Series

  Based on the NVS 7-3AG NVG, the NVS 7 Binocular Series uses Gen III auto-gated NV technology and is suitable for defence, marine and SAR ...

• Land: handheld NV devices

  Jaguar

  MKU's Jaguar 14 monoculars and Jaguar 7 binoculars have Gen III technology with military-grade Schott lenses. An automatic bright light cut-off sensor provides protection from ...