• Defence Notes

  US military spending up for first time in 7 years

  29th April 2019

  US military spending has risen for the first time in seven years, reflecting Trump administration policy, according to a new report released 29 April by …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lithuania to buy counter-UAS equipment

  30th April 2019

  The Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence has announced the purchase of counter-UAS solutions for the Lithuanian armed forces. The acqusition is being made under a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2019: Flying Sea Glider programme nears the end

  2nd May 2019

  A US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) programme to explore the technological feasibility of a swing-role UAV/UUV platform will enter flight and underwater tests in the …

• Military Logistics

  US Navy christens USNS Guam

  29th April 2019

  The US Navy christened its newest Expeditionary Fast Transport vessel, USNS Guam (T-HST 1), in Okinawa, Japan, on 27 April. USNS Guam is an aluminium …

• Training

  LMCO Australia wins prestigious ADF Core Simulation Capability

  27th March 2019

  Negotiations have been completed for the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) JP9711 Core Simulation Capability requirement and Lockheed Martin Australia, including partners Calytrix Technologies and NEC …

• Naval Warfare

  US nixes plan to retire aircraft carrier early

  2nd May 2019

  Facing heavy congressional resistance, the Trump administration has cancelled its proposal to send the US Navy’s USS Harry S Truman (CVN-75) aircraft carrier into early …

• Land Warfare

  Textron Systems delivers NGSW-T demonstrator

  28th March 2019

  Textron Systems has delivered the initial Next Generation Squad Weapon-Technology (NGSW-T) prototype demonstrator to the US Army, the company announced on 25 March. The demonstrator …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Altavian to develop new UAS prototype

  30th April 2019

  Altavian has received a contract from the US Army to develop a new military UAS prototype, the company announced on 25 April. The Short Range …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Altavian to develop new UAS prototype

  30th April 2019

  Altavian has received a contract from the US Army to develop a new military UAS prototype, the company announced on 25 April. The Short Range …

• Naval Warfare

  HII delivers eighth NSC to USCG

  3rd May 2019

  Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division has delivered the eighth Legend-class National Security Cutter (NSC), Midgett, to the US Coast Guard (USCG), the company …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australia to purchase second Triton RPA

  29th March 2019

  The Australian government is set to purchase a second MQ-4C Triton remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), the Australian Department of Defence announced on 27 March. The …

• Naval Warfare

  IMDEX Asia 2019: First Taiwanese submarine to be ready in 2026

  10th May 2019

  Taiwan’s Indigenous Defense Submarines (IDS) will be built in a new facility inside the grounds of the CSBC Corporation in Kaohsiung harbour in southern Taiwan, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Kaman to reactivate USMC K-MAX helicopters

  3rd May 2019

  Kaman Aerospace has received a contract to reactivate two US Marine Corps (USMC) K-MAX helicopters to flight-ready status, the company announced on 1 May. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon receives troposcatter comms contract

  3rd May 2019

  Raytheon has been selected to deliver new troposcatter communication systems to the US Army as part of a ten-year, IDIQ contract worth up to $663 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2019: Defence allies seek commercial collaborations

  1st May 2019

  The US Army, USSOCOM and New Zealand Defence Force are looking to the commercial unmanned industry to provide them with new technologies to support their …

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 ...