• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Russian military funds three advanced UAV systems

  14th January 2019

  The Russian MoD has accelerated its efforts to field three new long-endurance combat UAV systems, with the first of these slated for entering service in …

• Digital Battlespace

  Russia deploys a combat laser system

  9th January 2019

  The Russian MoD has revealed that on 1 December 2018 the so-called combat-experimental alert duty deployed its first ground-based combat laser system. Known as the …

• Land Warfare

  Russian T-14 Armata MBT completes factory testing effort

  14th January 2019

  The Russian Army’s new T-14 Armata MBT completed its factory testing in 2018, and is now set to begin the more comprehensive state testing effort …

• Naval Warfare

  US lawmaker monitoring elevator woes on new aircraft carrier

  10th January 2019

  The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) has pledged to keep a close eye on US navy efforts to fix the advanced weapons …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Airbus Helicopters VSR700 flies unmanned

  2nd January 2019

  Airbus Helicopters’ VSR700 demonstrator UAS completed a fully unmanned autonomous flight at the military airbase in Istres in the south of France in December. During …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy to buy pair of aircraft carriers

  3rd January 2019

  The US Navy has received DoD approval to buy the third and fourth Ford-class aircraft carriers in one contract instead of two, an approach that …

• Defence Notes

  Airbus shares plunge on reported US corruption probe

  20th December 2018

  Shares in European aircraft maker Airbus tumbled more than 9% Thursday after French daily Le Monde reported it could face record fines of several billion …

• Land Warfare

  Germany ready to accept improved Leopard 2s early in 2019

  19th December 2018

  The German military will begin 2019 by accepting the first two upgraded Leopard 2 A7V MBTs to undergo an integration verification procedure before fielding. The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  European MALE RPAS passes PDR

  20th December 2018

  The European Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (MALE RPAS) programme  passed system preliminary design review (PDR) in late November. The milestone comes …

• Land Warfare

  Russia delivers on Vietnam and Laos tanks

  20th December 2018

  Russia is delivering T-90S and T-72B1 tanks to Vietnam and Laos respectively, fulfilling recent contracts placed by the Southeast Asian countries. The first batch from …

• Digital Battlespace

  Finland to purchase Bittium radios

  17th December 2018

  The Finnish Defence Forces' Logistics Command has been authorised to sign an agreement with Bittium Wireless for the procurement of Bittium Tough software-defined radio (SDR) …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus says improper settings played role in Mali helicopter crash

  12th December 2018

  European aircraft manufacturer Airbus said 12 December that an investigation had found improper settings to have been one factor behind the deadly 2017 crash of …

• Training

  Vobling to further develop Carl-Gustaf VR Experience

  17th December 2018

  Bublar Group subsidiary Vobling has been selected by Saab to further develop the Carl-Gustaf Virtual Reality (VR) Experience for the HTC Vive Pro and the …

• Military Logistics

  Additional Jelcz trucks for Poland

  19th December 2018

  The Polish Armament Inspectorate has signed a contract for delivery of 888 Jelcz 442.32 4x4 high mobility, medium transport trucks. The agreement, which was signed …

• 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 …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Transport

  Medium Transport Aircraft (DROP) [Poland​]

  Background Requirement Poland acquired the C-130E Hercules over a decade ago under the US FMS programme. Deliveries started in 2009 and ran through to summer ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Armoured Infantry Combat Vehicle (VBC Fuz) [Brazil]

  Programme background Technical requirements The Brazilian Army released two documents outlining the technical and operational requirements for the VBC Fuz in early 2020. These outline ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-130H Replacement [Sweden]

  Programme Background Requirements Sweden has five C-130H aircraft (designated Tp-84) and one KC-130H. Two C-130Es bought in the 1960s have retired, but the six H ...

• Military UAS - mini

  RQ-11 Raven [Czech Republic]

  Methodology PGO and programme status The contract has been awarded and completed, giving a PGO of 100%. Units required The 2009 programme involved the procurement ...

• Loitering munitions

  Warmate [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Ukraine placed an order for an undisclosed number of Warmate systems in 2017. Shepherd believes units acquired in this order later were utilised ...

• Military UAS - small

  ScanEagle (11-20) [Czech Republic]

  Methodology PGO and programme status Since Defence Insight cannot find any evidence of a procurement, the effort has been marked as cancelled. Therefore, it has ...

• Minehunters

  Awaji Class (1-4) [Japan]

  Programme Background Two Awaji class mine countermeasures vessels (MCMV) were ordered from the Japanese shipyard Japan Marine United (JMU) for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) initially. ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Ejder Yalçın (Batch 1) [Qatar]

  Background In the face of deteriorating relations with some of its neighbours in the Gulf, Qatar has forged closer defence ties with Turkey. This has ...

• OPVs

  Inlay Class (second OPV)

  Programme Background The Inlay class originally consists of a single OPV in service with the Myanmar Navy. However, a second Inlay-class OPV has been reported under construction since ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Aerostar [Mexico]

  Methodology Unit cost Based on the UAV’s MTOW and the Defence Insight database, Shephard estimates the aircraft’s 2026 gross and flyaway unit costs are $1.95 million and $1.58 million, respectively. Based ...

• Military UAS - small

  HUSAR (2023 Order) [Germany]

  Programme Background First Order In 2015, the German Army launched the HUSAR programme to identify a replacement for its Airbus Defence & Space KZO and ...

• OPVs

  Cyprus Second Sa'ar 62 OPV

  Programme BackgroundThe Republic of Cyrus' Ministry of Defence placed an order with Israel Shipyards for its first Sa'ar 62  OPV in December 2015 in a project valued ...

• Patrol boats

  Rajshree Class (Flight II)

  Programme BackgroundThe Rajshree class is to consist of 13 FPVs built in two separate flights. Flight I saw construction begin in 2010 and all eight vessels ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8A Poseidon [Germany]

  Background 2017 MPA programme (cancelled) In 2017, Germany and France announced that they would be developing a maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) to replace their current ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Makassar Class LPD (7)

  Indonesia signed a contract for $150 million for two LPDs in the Makassar class, KRI Makassar and KRI Surabaya, with South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Pistols

  Jericho Pistol 941

  Designed for military and law enforcement users, the Jericho Pistol 941 is available in 9mm, .40 S&W; and .45 ACP calibres and in standard, short ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Guará WS

  Avibras is marketing the 4x4 Guará WS light armoured vehicle, a further development of its 4x4 AV-VB4 RE Guará prototype. Developed in cooperation with the ...

• Land: manned turrets

  TORC30

  The TORC30 is a stabilised unmanned turret armed with a Rheinmetall MK30-2/ABM 30mm cannon being developed by Ares, an Elbit subsidiary, and the Brazilian Army’s ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  V-RAPTOR

  Unveiled at LAAD 2023 in Rio de Janeiro, the V-RAPTOR is a tactical police armoured vehicle from domestic manufacturer Combat Armor Defense do Brasil.

• Military UAS - mini

  Nauru 100D

  The Nauru 100D is a mini fixed-wing UAV from Xmobots. Unveiled at the 2025 LAAD Defence & Security tradeshow, the aircraft is VTOL-capable, developed for ISTAR, and ...

• Air: Displays

  Panoramic Cockpit Display

  Developed by L3Harris and Elbit Systems America, the Panoramic Cockpit Display (PCD) is a touchscreen MFD integrated into F-35 aircraft. It provides two electronically divided ...

• Anti-ship missiles

  MANSUP/MANSUP-ER

  MANSUP (Míssil Antinavio Nacional de Superfície) is a surface-to-surface anti-ship missile developed in Brazil. Its first test launch was conducted in 2018. MANSUP is going to ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  Armadillo TA-2

  The Armadillo TA-2 is an automatic or manned rocket launcher system designed to be fully retracted inside a 4x4 light vehicle.The concept, which was being ...

• EW test systems, Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  CAST-easy

  RUAG unveiled the Countermeasure Advanced System Test Equipment (CAST-easy) in 2017 earmarking it for the Panavia Tornado series of combat aircraft. The 2017 announcement stated ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390/C-390 Millennium

  The KC-390 is a high-wing, twin-turbofan, T-tail design intended to meet the needs of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) for a tanker/transport aircraft. Developed and ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  Drone Deterrence System

  First unveiled at the LIMA 2017 exhibition by Mitsubishi Electric, the Drone Deterrence System began to be developed in 2014 and made its first sale in ...

• Individual assault/anti-tank weapons

  Fletcher

  Arnold Defense, which has produced more than 1.1 million 2.75in/70mm rocket launchers for airborne applications since 1961, unveiled the Fletcher 2.75in/70mm Weapon System at the September ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  FJ33-5A

  The FJ33-5A is a turbofan engine manufactured by Williams. The engine achieved EASA certification in April 2017, and is used onboard the XQ-58 Valkyrie UAV. 

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Albion Class

  The two Albion-class Landing Platform Dock (LPD) ships, HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, were built for the UK Royal Navy to replace the older 1960s vintage ...

• Minehunters

  Kormoran II Class

  Three Kormoran II-class minehunters were budgeted for the Polish Navy in 2011, and a contract was placed for a prototype in 2013, with the first ...