• Defence Notes

  Pentagon conducts latest test of US-Japan interceptor

  12th December 2018

  The US military on 11 November successfully conducted a test of a new ballistic-missile interceptor system, which is being co-developed with Japan. The launch marks …

• Land Warfare

  Lithuania howitzers kick off year of military modernisation

  18th December 2018

  The Lithuanian Armed Forces recently took delivery of two upgraded Panzerhaubitze 2000 (PzH2000) howitzers from Germany. This delivery kicks off a busy year of military …

• Training

  US Army enhances BAT technology

  10th December 2018

  The US Army has enhanced the UH-60 Black Hawk aircrew trainer (BAT) with the development of the Collective Aircrew Proficiency Environment (CAPE) to jointly train …

• Military Logistics

  Exoskeleton suits for US shipyard

  13th December 2018

  The US Navy’s Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) is testing Levitate’s Airframe exoskeleton suits as a way of reducing the risk of injury to the workforce, …

• Land Warfare

  Poland nears Wisla final decision

  13th December 2018

  The Polish MoD has confirmed that negotiations for the next phase of the Wisla air and missile defence programme are moving forward as planned and …

• Digital Battlespace

  US DoD seeks GPS anti-jam system standardisation

  10th December 2018

  The US DoD is looking to develop an interface standard between GPS digital antenna electronics (DAE) and both current and future GPS receivers to promote …

• Land Warfare

  Antifreeze and balaclavas: NATO troops in cold war games

  2nd November 2018

  ‘This is my second time seeing snow, so it's a rather new experience,’ said a tank operative, a Florida native more accustomed to ice boxes …

• Military Logistics

  Lockheed, Airbus sign agreement on aerial refuelling

  11th December 2018

  Lockheed Martin and Airbus have signed an agreement to explore opportunities to meet growing demand for aerial refuelling for US defence customers. Under the agreement, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  British Army calls for speedy adoption of manned-unmanned teaming

  13th December 2018

  For the British Army the future is autonomous, and manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) will be the starting point for this in 2019.  This is according to …

• Military Logistics

  AAR to produce 463L cargo pallets

  13th December 2018

  AAR Mobility Systems has received a task order worth $27.5 million from the US Air Force to produce 463L cargo pallets, the company announced on …

• Land Warfare

  Indonesia improves air defence with Skyshield and ForceShield

  22nd November 2018

  Beginning in late 2019, the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) will receive a second batch of Oerlikon Skyshield air defence systems from Rheinmetall.  Meanwhile, deliveries of …

• Defence Helicopter

  Philippines sizes up Black Hawk as best fit

  10th December 2018

  According to a Philippine Air Force (PAF) technical working group (TWG), Sikorsky’s S-70/UH-60 has been identified as the best solution for the air force’s Combat …

• Military Logistics

  Japan to get first post-WWII aircraft carriers

  19th December 2018

  Japan will get its first aircraft carriers since World War II, and buy dozens of fighter jets, under a new defence plan approved on 18 …

• Special Operations

  Special Operations explores “Mindfulness” training

  10th December 2018

  Special operations forces could use mindfulness training to overcome cognitive burdens associated with increased reliance upon C4ISTAR technology and other human machine interfaces, academic sources …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Belgium looks to follow UK with SkyGuardian

  19th November 2018

  Belgium looks to be following the UK in the procurement of the General Atomics (GA-ASI) MQ-9B SkyGuardian UAV, after the announcement on 19 November that …

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, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  AUKUS-SSNs (1-5) [Australia]

  Programme Background AUKUS Australia announced on 16 September 2021 that the contract with Naval Group signed in 2016 had been cancelled. Although not a surprising ...

• Medium UGVs

  Mission Master (RPV Sprial 2) [UK]

  Programme Background First announced in April 2017 and referred to in early MOD documents as the ‘last mile resupply’ initiative, the British Army is reportedly ...

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

  Project Air 7003 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

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 ...

• S-64 Helitanker Fire-fighting Equipment

  Erickson's 10,031l tank for the S-64 helitanker drops water, retardant or foam mix at a rate of around 95l/h. Microprocessor-controlled tank doors offer eight individual ...

• Naval: RF, IR and 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...