• Defence Notes

  French defence spending spike to hit NATO target

  8th February 2018

  France has announced plans to boost defence spending by more than 40%, bringing it into line with NATO targets after complaints from US President Donald …

• Defence Notes

  Airbus to pay $99 million fine in Eurofighter case

  9th February 2018

  Airbus has agreed to pay a fine of $99 million to settle a corruption probe into the 2003 sale of Eurofighter jets to Austria, German …

• 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 …

• Land Warfare

  France accelerates Scorpion modernisation programme

  15th February 2018

  Deliveries of the French Army’s new armoured vehicles, being procured under its ambitious Scorpion modernisation programme, will be accelerated by the government under new defence …

• Military Logistics

  Airbus delivers 15th A400M to Germany

  18th January 2018

  Airbus Defence and Space has delivered the 15th A400M multi-role military transporter aircraft to the German Air Force, the company announced on 15 January. Germany …

• Defence Notes

  French Army helicopters involved in fatal collision

  2nd February 2018

  French police have confirmed five people were killed on 2 February after two of the country's army training helicopters crashed into each other near a …

• Defence Notes

  OPCW probing reports of Syria chemical attacks

  7th February 2018

  The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said on 7 February it is probing ‘all credible allegations’ of the use of chemical weapons …

• Digital Battlespace

  France awards Symphonie contract to Airbus

  23rd January 2018

  Airbus has received the Symphonie contract from the French joint services directorate for defence infrastructure networks and information systems for a period of seven years, …

• Military Logistics

  France receives first C-130J Super Hercules

  19th January 2018

  The first C-130J Super Hercules aircraft has been delivered to the French Air Force 62st Transport Wing at Orléans-Bricy Air Base in France, Lockheed Martin …

• Defence Notes

  Russia dismisses evidence of Iran-made missiles to Yemen

  31st January 2018

  Russia on 31 January dismissed evidence presented by the US and UN experts that Iran had supplied missiles to Yemen's Houthi rebels as inconclusive, signalling …

• Defence Notes

  Germany calls for NATO talks on Turkey's Syria offensive

  25th January 2018

  Germany voiced ‘great concern’ about Turkey's cross-border offensive against a Kurdish militia in northern Syria and called for NATO to discuss the operation. The German …

• Naval Warfare

  Leonardo to lead OCEAN2020 project

  17th January 2018

  Leonardo has been awarded the tender for the European Defence Fund’s OCEAN2020 initiative, the company announced on 12 January. The project aims to use unmanned …

• Training

  Qatar boosts Hawk trainer purchase

  17th January 2018

  Qatar intends to increase its purchase of Hawk training aircraft from BAE Systems, the country's defence minister has announced. Speaking at the Royal United Services …

• Land Warfare

  Turkey awards missile system study contract

  9th January 2018

  Turkey has awarded a contract to Eurosam, Aselsan and Roketsan to jointly conduct a definition study of Turkey's future long-range air and missile defence system, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  European unmanned ambitions continue into 2018

  10th January 2018

  The European MALE RPAS project enters 2018 on schedule and on budget as industrial partners begin the development phase, Shephard understands. The three industry members, Airbus …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Mali]

  Programme Background Six Drones On 22 December 2022, Joseph Dempsey, a research associate at IISS, tweeted photographs showing a Baytraktar TB2 adorned with the Malian ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-171Sh

  While the Burkinabe Armed Forces declined to discuss the deal when contacted by Shephard, a Burkinabe military source did acknowledge that the aircraft were being ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Surplus Maxxpro [Bangladesh - Batch 1]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires MRAPs to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the Central African ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Surplus Maxxpro [Bangladesh - Batch 2]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires MRAPs to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the Central African ...

• Fardier SOV

  Programme Background The French Army's airborne units previously operated 280 Lohr FL500 Fardier utility vehicles to carry heavy equipment. Those vehicles increased the tactical mobility ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  UN Peacekeeping Vehicles [Bangladesh]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires 4x4 armoured vehicles to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the ...

• Minehunters

  Mine Warfare Vessels [France]

  Programme Background Requirements France’s Mine Warfare Vessels programme is aimed at replacing the ageing Eridan-class minehunters. The programme will follow the Future Naval Mine Action System ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Parrot Anafi (Singapore)

  Programme Background On 7 February 2022, the Singapore Army posted photographs on Facebook that showed the Anafi UAV used as training devices in a five-day ...

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

  MQ-9 Reaper [France]

  Programme Background 2013 (Block 1) The then-French Defence Minister, Kean-Yves Le Drian, confirmed on 31 May 2013 that France had ordered its first two MQ-9 platforms. The ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Wheeled Armoured Vehicles (Sri Lanka)

  Programme Background Requirement The Sri Lankan army operates armoured vehicles from several countries, with Russia and China being its biggest suppliers. Its wheeled APC inventory ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

• Data links

  Data links | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) - (Greece)

  Programme Background EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) was announced in early 2022 and the project contract was awarded ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: mission management systems

  FINDSAT - BFT System

  Using geo-satellite positioning, Nexter’s BFT system (FINDSAT) is capable of identifying and locating friendly personnel who are not equipped with networked information or radio systems. ...

• Military UGVs

  THeMIS

  Milrem's Tracked Hybrid Modular Infantry System (THeMIS) is a modular, hybrid UGV.  The vehicle's modular design and open architecture allow it to be reconfigured to ...

• Land: indirect fire location radar

  GA10

  The Ground Alerter 10 (GA10), developed by Thales, is a portable Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) early warning system. It provides 360° azimuth coverage with ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  HOT 3

  Designed to destroy reactive armour, the HOT (Haut subsonique Optiquement Téléguidé Tiré d'un Tube, or High Subsonic, Optical, Remote-Guided, Tube-Launched) family has demonstrated its multipurpose capability. Tens ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-8/Mi-17

  The Mil Mi-8 (NATO reporting name Hip) is a twin-engine, multirole, medium helicopter developed from 1960 to meet Soviet military requirements. More than 18,000 examples of the ...

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

  Heron Mk 1

  The Heron, now called the Heron Mk I, is a MALE UAS manufactured by Isreal Aerospace Industries' (IAI) Malat Division. Designed for various missions, including ISTAR and artillery fire ...

• Military UGVs

  Probot

  The 4x4 Professional Robot (Probot) is suitable for various applications, both indoor and outdoor, and is designed to carry a payload of up to 700kg. ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  TopOwl

  The TopOwl binocular helmet-mounted sight and display has been chosen by 16 countries for their army, navy and/or air force attack and transport helicopters. It ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Puma M36 Mk 5

  OTT developed the Puma M36 Mk 5 to meet the needs of African customers for a lower-cost vehicle that offers a greater payload than its ...

• Frigates

  La Fayette/Kang Ding Class

  The La Fayette-class frigates have a stealthy design and are in service with France and Taiwan, with some variance between the ships on length and ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VBCI

  Nexter developed the VBCI to meet a French Army requirement for an infantry fighting vehicle to replace the tracked AMX-10P. The 8x8 design was specified ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Protivnik-GE

  The Protivnik-GE is a mobile 3D surveillance radar distributed by Russian supplier Rosoboronexport and is currently used by the Russian Armed Forces and the Egyptian ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  SPREOS

  Bird Aerosystems’ SPREO is a Directional Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) designed to protect rotary and fixed-wing aircraft against incoming infrared (IR) guided surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale

  The Rafale is a delta-wing agile aircraft with forward canards, which allow for short landing and slower speeds, powered by two Snecma M88 engines. The ...

• Trainer

  TB 30 Epsilon

  The Socata TB 30 Epsilon is a light truboprop trainer aircraft. The first aircraft flew in 1979 and entered service in 1983. It is in ...