• Digital Battlespace

  EW Europe 2018: Race to militarise AI heats up

  31st May 2018

  Touted as a game changing technology for defence systems, the race to exploit the battlefield potential of AI has heated up in recent years, contributing …

• Military Logistics

  US Army looks to fill another boot gap

  12th June 2018

  In the wake of the identification of several ‘boot gaps’ in both US Army and US Marine Corps combat environments, as well as the ongoing …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon to expand Forest radar plant

  5th June 2018

  Raytheon is to invest $100 million to expand its radar manufacturing plant in Forest, Mississippi, the company announced on 31 May. The new 50,000 square …

• Naval Warfare

  Unfazed by frigate tracking, France expresses Asian commitment

  7th May 2018

  The French frigate FS Vendemiaire was tracked by a Chinese frigate in the South China Sea while transiting from Hong Kong to Brunei, following a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Silent Hunter counter-UAS laser showcased

  31st May 2018

  China's Poly Technologies has shown off its Silent Hunter counter-UAS laser weapon at an exhibition in Kazakhstan, China’s Ministry of National Defence announced on 30 …

• Naval Warfare

  Bulgarian shipyard unveils new vessel designs

  6th June 2018

  Two new projects were showcased by MTG Delfin for the first time at HEMUS 2018 defence exhibition held Plovdiv, Bulgaria.  The first of these is …

• Defence Helicopter

  Philippines sources Huey parts from Japan

  13th June 2018

  Japan will supply a variety of spare parts for Bell UH-1 helicopters to the Philippines, with the transfer approved earlier this month. According to the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  GA-ASI, P&W carry out MQ-25 engine test

  5th June 2018

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI)  has carried out a successful powered run of the Pratt & Whitney (P&W;) PW815 engine that will power its proposed …

• Land Warfare

  McMurdo secures PRD contract from US Army

  4th June 2018

  Orolia subsidiary McMurdo has received a $34 million contract to manufacture personnel recovery devices (PRD) for the US Army, the company announced on 30 May. …

• Naval Warfare

  Sea Venom/ANL completes second firing

  4th June 2018

  MBDA has successfully completed the second development firing of the Sea Venom/Anti-Navire Léger (ANL) missile, MBDA announced on 31 May. The missile was fired from …

• Defence Notes

  China rejects US accusations it seeks hegemony in Asia

  31st May 2018

  China on 31 May rejected accusations from top US officials that it seeks hegemony in Asia and is pushing militarisation in the South China Sea. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing receives CH-47F contract modification

  29th May 2018

  Boeing received a contract modification from the US Department of Defense on 25 May 2018.The $25,747,525 modification relates to the company's existing contract to build …

• Defence Notes

  Qatar says 'stronger' despite year-long Gulf dispute

  6th June 2018

  On the first anniversary of a bitter Gulf diplomatic rift, Qatar's foreign minister on 5 June declared his country stronger than ever and said it …

• Defence Notes

  NATO rejects Qatar membership ambition

  6th June 2018

  NATO on 6 June declined an overture by Qatar to join the Western military defence alliance, saying membership was reserved to the US and Europe. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  China parcels out deliveries to UAS

  1st June 2018

  Beihang Unmanned Aircraft System Technology is developing a new super-sized UAS for the transportation of cargo and parcels throughout Chinese airspace. The new UAS design …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  Tactical Drone System (SDT) (15-28) [France]

  Background Tactical Drone System (SDT) programme The French Army launched the SDT programme to replace the Sagem (now Safran) Sperwer Intermediate Tactical Drone System (SDTI) ...

• Military UAS - micro

  French Operational Pocket Drone / DrOP (France)

  Programme Background French UAV Procurment / DrOP Under its 2019-2025 Military Programming Law (LPM), France aims to introduce 1,200 new UAVs into service with the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBMR Griffon [France]

  Background Development of the Griffon commenced in 2014 when the consortium of Arquus, Nexter and Thales was awarded a development contract to design the VBMR ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Future UAVs: Navy Aerial Drone System (SDAM) [France]

  Background Requirement The requirement for the SDAM programme was a rotary-wing VTOL-capable UAV with a modular configuration that can host a range of payloads. France ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  C-UAS [Portugal]

  Background Portugal's Military Programming Law 2023–2034 includes $8.8724 million (€8.2 million) to acquire counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) by 2034. It is assumed that this acquisition requires ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Land Mobility Programme (Light Protected Mobility) [UK]

  This programme briefly introduces the wider Land Mobility Programme and then focuses on the Light Protected Mobility (LPM) programme. Information on the LMV and HPM can ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  ASTER / VL MICA Multi-layer [France]

  Background The Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation, acting on behalf of France, awarded EUROSAM a contract on April 30th, 2026, for the development of the ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Medium Range Air Defence [Portugal]

  Background Portugal's Military Programming Law 2023-2034 includes a requirement for medium-range air defence. In order to facilitate this, Portugal has joined the European Sky Shield Initiative ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Navio Polivalente Logistico (NAVPOL) (Portugal)

  Programme Background Requirements The NAVPOL is expected to feature a flexible and modular LPD design capable of amphibious operations and HADR tasks. Timeline The plans for ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  ASTER / VL MICA Multi-layer (additional) [France]

  Background In October 2026, France ordered four additional firing units of the SAMP/T NG air and missile defence system. With this order, the total number of SAMP/T ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Eurodrone [France]

  Background Inception (Stage One) The European MALE RPAS programme was launched in September 2016. Germany, Spain, France and Italy had negotiated and agreed, in collaboration ...

• ISR/special mission

  Strategic Intelligence Aircraft [France]

  Background In February 2018, the Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, announced that the strategic intelligence aircraft program CUGE Universal EW Capability began to ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [France]

  Background Airbus formally delivered the first production A400M to the French Air Force in August 2013. The French Air Force took delivery of its 15th ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Serval LAD [France]

  Background France's Military Planning Law 2025-2030 committed it to purchasing 12 variants of the Serval MPVS specialised for counter-drone operations. Following Senate criticism, this figure was ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Land Mobility Programme (Medium Protected Mobility) [UK]

  This programme briefly introduces the wider Land Mobility Programme and then focuses on the Medium Protected Mobility (MPM) programme. Information on the LMV and MPM can ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Medium UGVs

  Centurio

  At Eurosatory 2024, KNDS unveiled the Centurio family of 4x4 UGVs. Based on the Phobos UGV by SOGECLAIR, Centurio has been developed in the 2024-30 ...

• Land: handheld NV devices

  O-NYX

  The Thales O-NYX is a Ultra-Compact Night Vision Goggle used by the French armed forces. They have an enlarged field of vision to 51° compared ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Patroller

  The Patroller is a long-endurance, multi-mission UAS manufactured by Safran Electronics & Defence. Designed for ISR operations, the platform hosts a Euroflir 410 EO/IR pod and can accommodate ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  Urban Ranges

  Cubic Range Design Solutions has provided facilities around the world for military and law enforcement training in urban terrain. It uses its previous experience, as ...

• Sniper rifles

  Model 95

  The Model 95 is a bolt-action 50cal sniper rifle in a bullpup configuration, which entered production in 1995. Its buttplate, magazine well and trigger housing ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  SandCat

  The 4x4 SandCat family of vehicles was designed by Israeli armour specialist Plasan Sasa in 2005 for a range of military, special operations, homeland security, ...

• Pistols

  P30

  The P30 is available in 9x19mm and .40 S&W; calibres with six variants of each. The grip of the P30 has exchangeable backstrap and grip ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  EK 001 Blue Whale

  The EK 001 Blue Whale is a large, rotary-wing UAV capable of carrying a payload of 23kg. It is in the early stages of development. ...

• Suppressors

  FA556-212

  The Fast Attach 5.56mm (FA556)-212 sound suppressor is designed for use on the AR-15, C8 SFW, HK416, M4, M16 and SA-80. Firearms with 266.7mm barrels ...

• Pistols

  Jericho Steel

  Designed for military and law enforcement users, the Jericho pistol in steel frame configuration is available in 9x19mm and .45 ACP calibres and in standard ...

• Pistols

  P Series

  The S120 pistol series has been used globally in law enforcement and military organisations, with the weapons initially designed as tactical and task force pistols ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  IA-12A Stark

  The IA-12A Stark is a small, rotary-wing UAV that features a dual propulsion system, swappable payload bay, retractable landing gear, single operator control, ground mission planning, ...

• Pistols

  Jericho Polymer

  Jericho pistols have been used for over three decades by military and police units, including law-enforcement entities in Israel and around the world. Designed for ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Tiger LPV

  The MDT Armor 4x4 Tiger Light Protected Vehicle (LPV) is designed to meet the requirements of military and law enforcement customers for a survivable, light ...

• Sniper rifles

  ALIAS CS5

  The ALIAS Concealable Subsonic/Supersonic Suppressed Sniper System (CS5) is designed for concealment in urban settings. With the buttstock and suppressor detached, the CS5 is 597mm ...