• Defence Notes

  Mattis in Macedonia to counter 'Russian influence' against name change

  17th September 2018

  US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis arrived in Skopje on 17 September to back a 'yes' vote at this month's referendum on Macedonia's name change and …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Mexican cartels present new security threat with drone IEDs

  16th September 2018

  A shift in tactics by Mexico’s drug cartels is underway, incorporating unmanned technology into their armed wings instead of simply using the devices for surveillance, …

• Defence Notes

  Juncker urges EU to assume stronger world role

  12th September 2018

  Europe must become a ‘global player’ with a muscular foreign policy to match its economic strength, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker urged on 12 September, …

• Defence Notes

  Russia boosts Syrian air defence after plane shot down

  24th September 2018

  Moscow on Monday announced new security measures to protect its military in Syria, including supplying the Syrian army with a new S-300 air defence system …

• Defence Notes

  Pompeo, Mattis hold talks with Indian counterparts

  6th September 2018

  US President Donald Trump's top two envoys met with their Indian counterparts in Delhi on 6 September to deepen a fast-growing partnership but also to …

• Defence Helicopter

  Whole lotta love for the Lakotas from US Army

  6th September 2018

  The US Army’s acquisition of the Airbus UH-72A Lakota continues to go from strength to strength as yet another order for more of the aircraft …

• Training

  FAAC receives funding for VCTS updates

  14th September 2018

  Arotech’s FAAC has received $10.2 million in funding for the US Army's Virtual Clearance Training Suite (VCTS) follow-on programme, Arotech announced on 10 September. The …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG releases RFI for MSS+ programme

  14th September 2018

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) has released a request for information for installation of the Minotaur mission system suite (MSS+) and a block upgrade for …

• Military Logistics

  Boeing receives contract for fourth KC-46A lot

  13th September 2018

  Boeing has received a $2.9 billion contract from the US Air Force to deliver 18 additional KC-46A tanker aircraft with spares, support equipment, spare engines …

• Special Operations

  Sig Sauer to deliver SOF carbine upgrade

  15th August 2018

  Sig Sauer has been tasked by the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to deliver Suppressed Upper Receiver Group (SURG) technology to force components in order …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Danger zone: SkyGuardian flight precautions emerge

  20th September 2018

  Temporary danger and diversion areas were established by the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to assist the July 2018 transatlantic flight and UK touch down of …

• Digital Battlespace

  Liteye receives follow-on contract for C-AUDS

  12th September 2018

  Liteye Systems has received an $18 million follow-on contract from the US Air Force to deliver its containerised anti-unmanned aircraft systems (C-AUDS), the company announced …

• Defence Notes

  India, US to hold large military exercises in 2019

  6th September 2018

  The US and Indian militaries will carry out large-scale joint exercises off India in 2019, top officials said on 6 September. The drills would be …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed upgrading GPS ground systems

  12th September 2018

  Lockheed Martin is providing a series of updates to the GPS ground control system to support the US Air Force in gaining early command and …

• Defence Notes

  Congress poised to pass 2019 defence bill

  14th September 2018

  US House and Senate conferees emerged from behind closed doors with a compromise to fund the Pentagon with $674.4 billion next year, while padding missile …

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 ...

• 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, ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R [Spain]

  Programme Background On 16 March 2022, the US State Department approved an FMS to Spain for eight MH-60R helicopters and associated equipment and weaponry for $950 ...

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 ...