• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Leonardo’s SW-4 takes off solo

  5th March 2018

  Leonardo’s SW-4 Solo optionally piloted helicopter (OPH) has successfully completed its maiden flight with no safety pilot onboard at Taranto-Grottaglie Airport in Italy, the company announced …

• Defence Notes

  Insight: Trump signs Taiwan Travel Act

  19th March 2018

  China’s Foreign Ministry expressed displeasure over US President Donald Trump’s signing of the Taiwan Travel Act (HR 535) on 16 March. The legislation, though non-binding, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Pakistan inaugurates first AW139 squadron

  7th March 2018

  The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) held a ceremony at PAF Base Shahbaz in Jacobabad, Sindh on 3 March to inaugurate the Leonardo AW139 into No. …

• Defence Notes

  China boosts defence budget by 8.1%

  5th March 2018

  Kicking off the National People’s Congress session on 5 March, China announced a defence budget of RMB1.107 trillion ($175 billion), which equates to an increase …

• Digital Battlespace

  SCTX 2018: MoD to flight test Elbit’s Spectro XR

  8th March 2018

  Flight trials of Elbit System’s advanced electro-optic system, the Spectro XR, are scheduled to be conducted in May 2018 with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). …

• Naval Warfare

  Poland eyes export opportunities for new minehunters

  7th March 2018

  Since the Polish Navy commissioned its first prototype ORP Kormoran (601) minehunter of the new Kormoran II-class questions have been asked about exporting the Polish-designed …

• Defence Notes

  ICAN condemns surge in nuclear arms investments

  7th March 2018

  Global nuclear tensions helped boost investments in atomic weapons production by around $81 billion in 2017, campaigners said on 7 March, urging investors to blacklist …

• Defence Notes

  Turkey court rejects appeal to free Greek soldiers

  5th March 2018

  A Turkish court 5 March rejected a request for the release of two Greek soldiers arrested last week for illegally entering the country, local media …

• Military Logistics

  Russia donates An-26 transport aircraft to Nicaragua

  28th February 2018

  Russia has donated two Antonov An-26 transport aircraft to Nicaragua. The aircraft were formally handed over to the Nicaraguan Army on the 23 February during …

• Naval Warfare

  US aircraft carrier arrives in Vietnam

  5th March 2018

  A US aircraft carrier arrived in Vietnam 5 March for the first time since the end of the war, as the former foes bolster military …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Tapas in user configuration has a long road ahead

  2nd March 2018

  Delayed by over five years, and even seemingly confused over whether to call it Tapas or Rustom II, the Indian Defence Research Development Organisation’s (DRDO) MALE …

• Military Logistics

  CPI to deliver E-2D wing components

  23rd February 2018

  CPI Aerostructures has received additional purchase orders from Northrop Grumman to supply wing componentsfor the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft, the company announced on 20 February. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Two Pilot Project activities complete

  27th February 2018

  Two research activities, SPIDER and EuroSWARM, part of the Pilot Project on defence research, have completed successfully, the European Defence Agency (EDA) announced on 23 …

• Defence Notes

  Airbus’s net profit reached $3.6 billion in 2017

  15th February 2018

  According to Airbus record deliveries, windfall gains from divestments and favourable exchange rates enabled profits to lift off in 2017, even though it booked a …

• Digital Battlespace

  EO/IR Special Report: Elbit prepares As-Pac optics deliveries

  25th February 2018

  Elbit Systems is preparing to deliver the Condor 2 airborne sensor system for integration on an undisclosed Asia-Pacific fighter fleet next year. Under a $82 …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• ISR/special mission

  ISTAR Aircraft - India

  Programme Background New Delhi has a long standing requirement for ISTAR aircraft to increase the IAF's capability to track mobile ground targets, map natural disaster areas, ...

• Loitering munitions

  Harop [Azerbaijan]

  Programme Background According to a December 2020 report by the Centre for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), Azerbaijan acquired an estimated 50 Harop loitering munitions ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Mexico]

  Programme Background In April 2016, Mexico finalised an order for seven additional UH-60M platforms. At the time of procurement, the Mexican Air Force already had ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16 Block 52 Pakistan

  Programme Background The 2016 FMS was proposed to the US Congress as a way to help increase Pakistan's ability to conduct counter-insurgency and counterterrorism operations. ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1Z [Romania]

  The Romanian MoD has a long-standing requirement for new rotary platforms, including troop transport, supply and attack configurations. According to the the Military Strategy document, ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Data links

  Data links | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  CH-4 [Jordan]

  Methodology PGO and programme status The CH-4Bs appear to have been delivered in 2016, meaning the programme is complete and has therefore been assigned a ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Paraguay VAMTAC ST5

  Programme Background Paraguay's Joint Task Force is in need of new armoured vehicles that can provide sufficient protection against the small arms, mines and IEDs ...

• Military UAS - small

  Aerosonde Mk 4.7 [Qatar]

  Background Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) At DIMDEX 2016, a QAR 54.7 million ($14.97 million) MoU between the Qatar Armed Forces and the US company Textron Systems for ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28UB - Russia

  Programme BackgroundThe Russian MoD plans to acquire up to 60 Mi-28UB aircraft for the Russian Air Force by mid-2020s. Moscow signed a contract with Russian Helicopters ...

• Maritime patrol

  Fixed-Wing Search And Rescue Aircraft Replacement Project- Canada

  Background The fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft replacement project was launched to replace the Canadian CC-115 Buffalo and CC-130H Hercules aircraft.  The initial request for ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  WhAP

  The Wheeled Amphibious Armoured Platform (WhAP) is being designed and developed in collaboration with India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to meet an Indian ...

• Self-propelled mortars

  Soltam Spear MK II

  Elbit Systems publicly unveiled the Soltam Spear Mk II 120mm recoil mortar system at Defexpo 2016. It is a second-generation development of the Soltam Spear ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Otaman 6x6

  First unveiled in 2016 at Defexpo in India, the Otaman 6x6 was designed by Practika to meet the requirements of the Armed Forces of Ukraine ...

• Towed guns

  Dhanush

  India's state-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) developed the Dhanush 155 mm L/45 towed howitzer using technology transferred as part of a late 1980s deal for ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  LAMV

  At Defexpo India in February 2014, Tata Motors unveiled a prototype of the Light Armoured Mobility Vehicle (LAMV) which it is offering to meet Indian Army ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Arjun Catapult Mk II

  India's Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE) publicly unveiled the Arjun Catapult Mk II at Defexpo India in February 2014. The Arjun Catapult is ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Tanan

  The Tanan is VTOL UAS developed for maritime and land missions. It is capable of completing eight hour missions over a 180km range with a ...

• OPVs

  Shachi Class (Project 21)

  Project 21 (P-21) Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels (NOPVs)  was intended to enhance the maritime surveillance and patrol capabilities of the Indian Navy. The design of ...

• Towed guns

  Sharang

  The Sharang 155mm towed artillery gun is an upgraded version of the Russian-made M-46 130mm howizter produced by the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB). It is ...

• Towed guns

  M777

  The Ultralightweight Field Howitzer (UFH), now designated the M777, was designed in 1987 in order to satisfy US Army requirements for a lightweight 155mm howitzer. ...

• Naval: COMINT and ELINT systems

  Vigile LW

  Thales' Vigile LW was introduced in 2010 at DEFEXPO (India), it is a lightweight radar ESM system for small naval platforms, providing a real-time tactical view ...

• Military - USVs

  High-Speed Intercept Boat

  Poly Technologies displayed its High-Speed Intercept Boat at DSA in Malaysia in 2016. 

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  Tor-M1 (SA-15 Gauntlet)

  The Tor-M1, NATO reporting name SA-15 Gauntlet, is a highly mobile, short- to medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system developed by the Soviet Union to provide ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  BTR-82A/BTR-82AM

  The Military Industrial Company (VPK) unveiled the BTR-82A 8x8 amphibious vehicle, an upgraded version of the BTR-80A IFV, in December 2009. The BTR-82A IFV offers ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Mbombe 4

  The Mbombe 4 is the 4x4 variant of Paramount's Mbombe family of mine-protected vehicles.  Capable of carrying up to 11 personnel, the Mbombe 4 shares ...