• Training

  Simulator preps for F-35-QEC operations

  31st March 2017

  BAE Systems' flight engineering simulator is set to begin training for F-35 Lightning II pilots preparing for flight trials on the UK's incoming Queen Elizabeth …

• Special Operations

  SOFINS: New marine assault suit makes a splash

  31st March 2017

  The US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has awarded Mustang Survival a $7 million contract for its Maritime Assault Suit System (MASS) programme, service officials have …

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall gets mine clearing system order

  31st March 2017

  Rheinmetall Denel Munition has announced several contracts from an unnamed international customer for mine clearing equipment and ammunition. The contracts are estimated to value more …

• Special Operations

  Interview: Pentagon revamps USSOCOM support

  30th March 2017

  Tom Palmer, liaison officer in the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), speaks exclusively to Shephard about the agency's role in providing support to the special operations …

• Digital Battlespace

  ​Opgal unveils new image processor

  30th March 2017

  Opgal Optronic Industries has introduced a new image processor designed to significantly improve the clarity of thermal images, the company announced on 29 March.Opgal Eye-Q …

• Special Operations

  SOFINS: French GIGN gets new rifle

  30th March 2017

  The French National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN) has ordered a new standard issue weapon.It has selected the Bren 2 assault rifle from Czech company CZ. …

• Land Warfare

  Bosnia receives HMMWVs from US government

  30th March 2017

  The US government has donated 24 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs) to the armed forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), with the vehicles handed …

• Special Operations

  SOFINS: ​Airvada unveils inflatable UAVs

  29th March 2017

  French start-up company Airvada is presenting its range of innovative DIODON inflatable unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) at SOFINS, near Bordeaux.The idea which led to the …

• Special Operations

  ​SOFINS: Nexter unveils new ARX 25 turret variant

  29th March 2017

  French equipment manufacturer Nexter is showcasing the concept for its new ARX 25 'Low Profile' turret designed specifically for special forces (SF) use at the …

• Land Warfare

  Belarus upgrades armour

  29th March 2017

  The Belarus military has given the go-ahead for two programmes to upgrade the Land Forces armour inventory. It will be undertaken by domestic companies, which …

• Special Operations

  ​SOFINS: French SF showcase new tactical vehicle

  29th March 2017

  The French Military's Special Operations Command (COS) is showcasing its new Special Forces Heavy Weight (PLFS) tactical vehicle at SOFINS, in Souge.The new vehicle was …

• Naval Warfare

  China reveals naval product specifications at LIMA

  29th March 2017

  At last week's LIMA 2017 exhibition in Langkawi, Malaysia, the China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Company (CSOC) behaved no differently from any other Chinese defence …

• Military Logistics

  Cambodia receives donated Kia vehicles

  28th March 2017

  Cambodia held a ceremony on 23 March to celebrate reception of a sizeable batch of second-hand military vehicles from South Korea, all of which were …

• Digital Battlespace

  IAI awarded border protection contract

  28th March 2017

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is to supply border protection systems to a South American country under a contract announced on 27 March.The solutions will include …

• Digital Battlespace

  Rheinmetall, Rohde and Schwarz enter partnership

  27th March 2017

  Rheinmetall and Rohde & Schwarz have agreed to establish a joint venture to compete for two major procurement projects of the German ground forces, Rheinmetall …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• LTVs - 4x4

  Infantry Squad Vehicle [USA]

  Background The JLTV, HMMWV, and ISV constitute the US Army’s Light Tactical Vehicle (LTV) fleet. The US Army has evaluated the ISV as part of ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Land 121 Phase 4 [Australia]

  Programme background Three suppliers were originally down-selected to meet the Land 121 Phase 4 requirement: Thales Australia, General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) and Force Protection ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35C (FY2021-2025) [USA]

  Background In order to achieve their ultimate goal of 340 F-35C fighters, the U.S. Navy contracted a total of 101 platforms between FY2021 and FY2025. ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35C (FY2026-2030) [USA]

  Background In order to achieve their ultimate goal of 340 F-35C fighters, the U.S. Navy contracted a total of 101 platforms between FY2021 and FY2025. ...

• Loitering munitions

  Project Instigator [UK]

  Background Prior Information Notice (PIN) On 21 October 2024, the MoD published a PIN in collaboration with the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S;). The notice announced ...

• Loitering munitions

  Phoenix Ghost (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Background Presidential Drawdown Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, on 21 April 2022, President Biden announced an $800 million Presidential Drawdown security ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Main battle tanks

  Main Battle Tank Upgrade [Australia]

  Programme Background Between 2006 and 2007, the Australian Army received 59 M1A1 AIM SA Abrams MBTs under Project Land 907 Phase 1. These vehicles were planned to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Land Lethality Pipeline [UK]

  Background Defence Investment Plan (DIP) In late June 2026, the UK published its delayed Defence Investment Plan (DIP), which outlined plans to spend £298 billion ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB3 [Turkish Army]

  Background Land Forces Command Delivery In late October 2024, Haluk Bayraktar, Baykar's CEO, stated that the Bayraktar TB3 had entered mass production and could be exported ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Light utility vehicle replacement [Portugal]

  Background The Portuguese Army currently operates several classes of light utility vehicle, including the Mercedes G-Wagon, Toyota Land Cruiser, Land Rover Defender and Mitsubishi L200. ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook-Saudi Arabia- Contracted

  The helicopters will increase the Royal Saudi Land Forces Aviation Command's interoperability with the US and advance the development of the country's heavy-lift helicopter capability.

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV (Batch 2) [USA]

  Background The Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked vehicles. ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Land Mobility Programme (Light Mobility Vehicle) [UK]

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

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Trainer, Transport

  EMB-121 Xingu

  The EMB-121 Xingu is a twin-turboprop light transport and advanced multi-engine trainer aircraft developed by Embraer based on the EMB-110 Bandeirante. Its maiden flight was ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Hawkei

  Thales Australia developed the 4x4 Hawkei for the Australian Army's Land 121 Phase 4 Protected Mobility Vehicle – Light (PMV-L) project.  The prototype was unveiled in ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Aertos 121

  The Digital Aerolus Aertos 121 ducted-fan quadrotor UAV is an improved version of the Aertos 120 infrastructure inspection platform. It is designed as an asset for ...

• Towed mortars

  Soltam K6 120mm Lightweight Towed Mortar

  The Soltam K6 120mm Lightweight Towed Mortar has a maximum range of 7,200m using conventional unassisted bombs. The K6 was selected for US Army service ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  Land 125

  In 1994, Australia initiated Project Wundurra to develop an integrated soldier combat system, and by 2005 this had evolved into the multi-phase Land 125 programme ...

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

  Land Ceptor

  MBDA Land Ceptor is a medium-to-long range ground-based air defence missile system based on the Common Anti-Air Modular Missile (CAMM) family of surface-to-air missiles developed ...

• Land: air defence radar

  KRONOS Land

  KRONOS is a mobile multifunctional C-band radar system designed by Leonardo to support air and coastal defence tactical operations.  The system simultaneously performs surveillance, dedicated target ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Superav Land

  The Superav Land 8x8 is a modular vehicle with a large diameter turret ring that can be adjusted to fit a wide variety of remote-controlled ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  ALADIN

  ALADIN is a miniature system consisting of a man-portable GCS and a hand-launched air vehicle with exchangeable sensor payloads.  The UAV, which can be operated ...

• Transport

  C-40 Clipper

  The USN began replacing its ageing fleet of 29 McDonnell Douglas C-9B Skytrain aircraft in 1997 with the C-40A Clipper, a military version of the ...

• Towed guns

  Boran

  Turkey’s Makina ve Kimya Endustrisi Kurumu (MKEK), working with Aselsan, has developed the 105mm Boran towed artillery gun to meet a Turkish Land Forces Command ...

• Land: vehicle surveillance/target acquisition systems

  T-VIEW-Land

  The T-VIEW-Land is a lightweight EO/IR, gyro-stabilised sensor, installed on vehicles for day/night observation. It incorporates two cameras: a thermal imager and a colour charge-coupled ...

• Naval guns, Land: RWS

  Naval/Land Rogue

  The Land Rogue is an RWS developed by Reutech for installation on armoured vehicles. Capable of being armed with a 7.62mm machine gun, a 12.7mm ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  G-Wagon

  Mercedes-Benz G-Wagons are designed to meet specific military needs and have been in production since 1979. The vehicle comes in several variants, including 4x4 and 6x6 versions. ...

• Military vehicle engines

  V903

  The V903 is a series of heavy-duty V8 diesel engines developed to power military vehicles. Production began in 1981 after the 500 hp VTA-903-500 variant ...