• Defence Notes

  Airbus, Dassault Aviation to carry out FCAS study

  12th February 2019

  Airbus and Dassault Aviation have received a joint concept study (JCS) contract from France and Germany for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme, the …

• Defence Notes

  US offers Niger operations centre to fight Boko Haram

  5th February 2019

  The US turned over a communications and operations centre to the Niger army on Monday to help the African nation battle Boko Haram.  The planning …

• Defence Notes

  Qatar takes delivery of first French-built Rafale jet fighters

  7th February 2019

  Qatar on 6 February 2019 took delivery of the first of 36 Rafale multi-purpose jet fighters it has ordered from French manufacturer Dassault. The hand-over …

• Naval Warfare

  Saudi agrees joint venture with French firm to boost navy

  18th February 2019

  Saudi Arabia's state arms producer and a French government-majority firm signed an agreement on 17 February 2019 on a joint venture to boost the kingdom's …

• Land Warfare

  NATO members receive new land munitions

  6th February 2019

  Denmark, France and the Netherlands have received the first shipment of new anti-tank weapons under the Land Battle Decisive Munition (LBDM) multi-national NATO project. The …

• Military Logistics

  Saab to support French Giraffe AMB

  11th February 2019

  Saab has received a contract from the French Ministry of Defence’s Directorate of Aeronautical Maintenance to support the Giraffe AMB surface-based radar system, the company …

• Defence Notes

  Aero India 2019: Indian Rafale deal comes under scrutiny

  20th February 2019

  The Comptroller & Auditor General’s (CAG) report on capital acquisitions in the Indian Air Force (IAF) was tabled in parliament on 13 February. It examined …

• Defence Notes

  Spain joins France and Germany on new combat fighter

  12th February 2019

  Spain will join a Franco-German project to build a new fighter plane to replace the Eurofighter and Rafale, the defence ministry said on 11 February …

• Military Logistics

  Safran opens turbine blade research centre

  8th February 2019

  Safran has opened a new research centre for advanced turbine blades used on airplane and helicopter engines at its plant in Gennevilliers, France, the company …

• Military Logistics

  OCCAR orders new support ships for French Navy

  5th February 2019

  The European Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation (OCCAR) has awarded a €1.7 billion contract to Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Naval Group to deliver four new …

• Land Warfare

  Thailand buys more VN1s from China

  6th February 2019

  The Royal Thai Army (RTA) has approved the purchase of 39 more VN1 8x8 armoured vehicles from Norinco, following a first order of 34 vehicles in …

• Defence Notes

  Pence demands EU isolate Iran as Israelis and Arabs unite

  15th February 2019

  US Vice President Mike Pence demanded on 14 February 2019 that Europeans drop a nuclear deal with Iran and join in seeking to cripple the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Delair opens UAS maintenance centres in US

  31st January 2019

  Delair has expanded its customer service operations with the qualification and opening of its first two UAS repair and maintenance centres in the US, the …

• Defence Helicopter

  NH90 MTT ready for the high seas

  8th February 2019

  Although there are numerous NH90 sub-variants, more than there are customer nations, there are currently two main variants, the Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) and NATO …

• Military Logistics

  CNIM receives contract for French EDA-S

  24th January 2019

  CNIM, in partnership with Socarenam, Mauric and CNN MCO, has received a contract to replace the French Navy's existing landing craft with 14 new Standard …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Mali]

  Programme Background Six Drones On 22 December 2022, Joseph Dempsey, a research associate at IISS, tweeted photographs showing a Baytraktar TB2 adorned with the Malian ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBMR-L Serval [Luxembourg]

  Programme Background Luxembourg currently operates a small military of just over 1,000 personnel. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has contributed troops to both NATO and EU ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  EBRC Jaguar [Luxembourg]

  Programme Background Luxembourg currently operates a small military of just over 1,000 personnel. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has contributed troops to both NATO and EU ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBMR Griffon [Luxembourg]

  Programme Background Luxembourg currently operates a small military of just over 1,000 personnel. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has contributed troops to both NATO and EU ...

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

  Akinci [Mali]

  Background Presentation In December 2024, Akinci drones were presented to the Malian Armed Forces by transitional President General Assimi Goita during a ceremony in Bamako, confirming ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-171Sh

  While the Burkinabe Armed Forces declined to discuss the deal when contacted by Shephard, a Burkinabe military source did acknowledge that the aircraft were being ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Surplus Maxxpro [Bangladesh - Batch 1]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires MRAPs to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the Central African ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Surplus Maxxpro [Bangladesh - Batch 2]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires MRAPs to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the Central African ...

• Fardier SOV

  Programme Background The French Army's airborne units previously operated 280 Lohr FL500 Fardier utility vehicles to carry heavy equipment. Those vehicles increased the tactical mobility ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  UN Peacekeeping Vehicles [Bangladesh]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires 4x4 armoured vehicles to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the ...

• Medium UGVs

  THeMIS [Netherlands and Estonia]

  Programme Background The Estonian Armed Forces had already been operating the THeMIS UGV in Mali for a year at the time the programme was announced ...

• Medium UGVs

  THeMIS [Sweden]

  Programme Background Many countries have been acquiring small numbers of Milrem's THeMIS UGV since its success in the hands of Estonian Forces in Mali. The ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VBCI Replacement [France]

  Programme Background The VBCI is currently France's primary IFV. As an 8x8 wheel vehicle, it fits within a French force structure that favours agile, manoeuvrable ...

• Minehunters

  Mine Warfare Vessels [France]

  Programme Background Requirements France’s Mine Warfare Vessels programme is aimed at replacing the ageing Eridan-class minehunters. The programme will follow the Future Naval Mine Action System ...

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

  MQ-9 Reaper [France]

  Programme Background 2013 (Block 1) The then-French Defence Minister, Kean-Yves Le Drian, confirmed on 31 May 2013 that France had ordered its first two MQ-9 platforms. The ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: mission management systems

  FINDSAT - BFT System

  Using geo-satellite positioning, Nexter’s BFT system (FINDSAT) is capable of identifying and locating friendly personnel who are not equipped with networked information or radio systems. ...

• Medium UGVs

  THeMIS

  Milrem's Tracked Hybrid Modular Infantry System (THeMIS) is a modular, hybrid UGV.  The vehicle's modular design and open architecture allow it to be reconfigured to ...

• Land: indirect fire location radar

  GA10

  The Ground Alerter 10 (GA10), developed by Thales, is a portable Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) early warning system. It provides 360° azimuth coverage with ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  HOT 3

  Designed to destroy reactive armour, the HOT (Haut subsonique Optiquement Téléguidé Tiré d'un Tube, or High Subsonic, Optical, Remote-Guided, Tube-Launched) family has demonstrated its multipurpose capability. Tens ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-8/Mi-17

  The Mil Mi-8 (NATO reporting name Hip) is a twin-engine, multirole, medium helicopter developed from 1960 to meet Soviet military requirements. More than 18,000 examples of the ...

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

  Heron Mk 1

  The Heron, now called the Heron Mk I, is a MALE UAS manufactured by Isreal Aerospace Industries' (IAI) Malat Division. Designed for various missions, including ISTAR and artillery fire ...

• Light UGVs

  Probot

  The 4x4 Professional Robot (Probot) is suitable for various applications, both indoor and outdoor, and is designed to carry a payload of up to 700kg. ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AS532

  The AS532 is a development of the SA 330 Puma, with a long fuselage and marketed for tactical transport and logistical support missions. It has ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  TopOwl

  The TopOwl binocular helmet-mounted sight and display has been chosen by 16 countries for their army, navy and/or air force attack and transport helicopters. It ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Puma M36 Mk 5

  OTT developed the Puma M36 Mk 5 to meet the needs of African customers for a lower-cost vehicle that offers a greater payload than its ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Protivnik-GE

  The Protivnik-GE is a mobile 3D surveillance radar distributed by Russian supplier Rosoboronexport and is currently used by the Russian Armed Forces and the Egyptian ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  SPREOS

  Bird Aerosystems’ SPREO is a Directional Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) designed to protect rotary and fixed-wing aircraft against incoming infrared (IR) guided surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VBCI

  Nexter developed the VBCI to meet a French Army requirement for an infantry fighting vehicle to replace the tracked AMX-10P. The 8x8 design was specified ...

• Frigates

  La Fayette/Kang Ding Class

  The La Fayette-class frigates have a stealthy design and are in service with France and Taiwan, with some variance between the ships on length and ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Storm

  The Storm is a light APC based on the Toyota Land Cruiser 79 commercial SUV developed by Qatari armoured vehicle manufacturer Stark Motors.  The Storm ...