• Defence Notes

  Taiwan scrambles fighter jets to track China bomber drill

  25th May 2018

  Taiwan on 25 May scrambled fighter jets to shadow Chinese bombers conducting a drill around the island, just hours after Beijing welcomed Burkina Faso's move …

• Defence Notes

  Pentagon points to Colombian's FARC deal as inspiration for Afghanistan

  30th May 2018

  At a critical point between the Afghan government and Taliban's struggle to nail down a peaceful resolution to the 17-year violent conflict, a key US …

• Special Operations

  Denmark to pull special forces out of Iraq

  17th May 2018

  NATO-member Denmark said on 17 May that its special forces taking part in the US-led coalition against the Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq would …

• Defence Notes

  Turkey detains 150 soldiers over alleged coup links

  11th May 2018

  Turkish police on 11 May detained 150 soldiers over suspected links to the movement Ankara blames for the 2016 failed coup, state media reported. The …

• Land Warfare

  Elbit concludes delivery of sights to ADF

  15th May 2018

  Elbit Systems of Australia has concluded the delivery phase of the Land 125 Phase 3C contract to supply XACTth65 thermal weapon sights to the Australian …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: RAND report looks into AFSOC recruit pass rates

  21st May 2018

  The RAND Corporation has published a series of conclusions in support of the US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), designed to increase pass rates …

• Land Warfare

  IDEB 2018: Austria concludes winter BvS10 trials

  17th May 2018

  The Austrian Army has concluded winter trials of BAE Systems’ BvS10 ahead of serial production. The first army trials have been completed following the announcement …

• Defence Helicopter

  PLA Navy shows off modified Z-9Ds in missile drills

  18th May 2018

  Recent imagery released by the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) shows three of its Z-9D anti-surface warfare (ASuW) helicopters firing YJ-9 anti-ship missiles against a …

• Defence Helicopter

  India issues Ka-226T RfP, scorns competitive process

  18th May 2018

  India’s MoD issued an RfP earlier in May for the 200 Kamov Ka-226T helicopters that it plans to buy to replace geriatric light utility platforms …

• Defence Notes

  Xi unleashes PLA on Taiwan

  8th May 2018

  China’s military and intelligence services have significantly ramped up efforts to undermine the self-ruled island of Taiwan. These strategies have much to teach regional neighbours …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: Joined-up laser thinking

  17th May 2018

  Feedback for UCATT’s Laser Engagement Interface Standard (ULEIS), now approved by SISO and also recognised as NATO STANREC 4816, is currently in process from partners, …

• Naval Warfare

  South Korea launches second LPH

  16th May 2018

  Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC) ceremonially launched a landing platform helicopter (LPH) – the second Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship – in Busan on 14 …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy sees 'period of uncertainty' in Gulf

  15th May 2018

  Iranian behaviour in the Gulf is entering a ‘period of uncertainty,’ the head of the US Navy said on 14 May following President Donald Trump's …

• Military Logistics

  China’s Y-20 conducts air delivery training

  10th May 2018

  China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has carried out airborne and air delivery training with the Y-20 heavy transport aircraft, China’s Ministry of National …

• Land Warfare

  IDEB 2018: Slovakia 8x8 IFV contract imminent

  17th May 2018

  The Slovakian Ministry of Defence is expected to award Patria with a contract for the production and delivery of a new variant of the company's 8x8 …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BTR-MDM Rakushka

  Programme Background Since 2016, 11 battalion sets of BTR-MDMs are known to have been delivered to units of the VDV in addition to 12 platforms ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMD-4M

  Programme Background Since 2017, 11 battalion sets of the BMD-4M have been delivered to units of the VDV in addition to 27 located at the ...

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

  Wolverine / Honeybadger [US]

  Programme Background During the Modern Day Marine (MDM) exhibition, held in Washington between 10-12 May 2022, XTEND announced it would supply hundreds of Wolverine platforms ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Embarked VTOL UAV [South Korea]

  Background VTOL Development In January 2024, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced that it would commence development of a VTOL-capable rotary-wing UAV to be ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) (Tranche 2) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an organic, ...

• Loitering munitions

  Harop [Azerbaijan]

  Programme Background According to a December 2020 report by the Centre for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), Azerbaijan acquired an estimated 50 Harop loitering munitions ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Mexico]

  Programme Background In April 2016, Mexico finalised an order for seven additional UH-60M platforms. At the time of procurement, the Mexican Air Force already had ...

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

  Short Range/Short Endurance (SR/SE) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16 Block 52 Pakistan

  Programme Background The 2016 FMS was proposed to the US Congress as a way to help increase Pakistan's ability to conduct counter-insurgency and counterterrorism operations. ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1Z [Romania]

  The Romanian MoD has a long-standing requirement for new rotary platforms, including troop transport, supply and attack configurations. According to the the Military Strategy document, ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Data links

  Data links | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BTR-MDM

  The BTR-MDM Rakushka is an amphibious tracked armoured vehicle developed by Kurganmashzavod to meet the Russian Airborne Forces' (VDV) need for a new air-droppable APC. ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MDM-HF

  The MDM-3001, MDM-2201 and MDM-2501 multi-mode HF data modems provide single-tone (serial) HF data communications capability in accordance with the requirements of MIL-STD-188-110A (para 5.3). ...

• Data links

  Link 11 DTS

  The programmable Data Terminal Set (DTS) uses real-time processor architectures and signal processing algorithms. It is designed for controlled network operation in a Link 11 ...

• Data links

  MDM-2X02N

  The MDM-2X02N is a tactical data link modem that combines the functionalities of a Link 11 DTS and Link 22 signal processor controller (SPC) into ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MDM-Q9604

  Collins Aerospace’s MDM-Q9604 high-speed, high-data-rate HF modem is capable of transmitting data over a standard 3KHz single sideband at 9,600b/s or a 6kHz ISB at ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMD-4M

  The BMD-4M is based on the BMD-4, which has been in the Russian Army's airborne forces (VDV) service since 2004. It was developed to provide an ...

• Military - USVs

  High-Speed Intercept Boat

  Poly Technologies displayed its High-Speed Intercept Boat at DSA in Malaysia in 2016. 

• MPVs - 4x4

  Bars-6

  Bogdan publicly unveiled the 7t Bars-6 (Panther) 4x4 light APC at IDEX 2015, and in July 2016, the company introduced an upgraded version ready for ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Mini UAV Fixed Wing I

  The Jordan Design and Development Bureau (JODDB) unveiled the hand-launched Mini UAS (also known as Mini UAV Fixed-Wing I) at SOFEX 2016, along with a wider family ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Mysterious Bee

  The Mysterious Bee hybrid, fixed-wing/quadcopter UAV was unveiled at the Zhuhai Airshow 2016. It is designed to operate from ships, small islands, mountainous areas and ...

• Self-propelled mortars

  2S42 Lotos

  The 2S42 Lotos (Lotus) is a self-propelled artillery system that is being developed by Rostec subsidiary TsNIITochMash to replace the Russian VDV airborne forces' and ...

• Land: RWS

  Asgard RCT

  The Asgard RCT (Remote Control Turret) is the unmanned member of the Asgard 127 modular one-person turret family introduced in 2016. It is suitable for ...

• Military - USVs

  SeaFly-01

  The SeaFly-01 USV, developed by Beijing Sifang Automation, was showcased at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China in November 2016. It is designed for various ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Phoenix

  The Phoenix UAV is a delta-wing platform designed largely for civilian applications such as policing, border patrol, coast guard, fire-fighting and surveillance, as well as ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VN2C

  The VN2C 6x6 armoured vehicle was introduced at the Zhuhai Airshow in November 2016. Aimed at the export market, it appears to be an updated version ...