• Uncrewed Vehicles

  C-Worker 4 in Arctic survey

  14th August 2018

  A team of research engineers is using a C-Worker 4 autonomous surface vessel (ASV) to explore the use of autonomy for charting surveys in Arctic …

• Training

  Airbus upgrades army training centre comms network

  14th August 2018

  Airbus is upgrading the US Army’s secure mobile communication system at the Fort Irwin National Training Center in California. Based on the company’s Tetrapol Internet …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Navy’s MUOS approved for expanded use

  7th August 2018

  The US Navy’s next generation narrowband satellite communication system has been approved for expanded operational use by the US Strategic Command, it was announced on …

• Training

  ADF details RIMPAC success

  8th August 2018

  The Australian Defence Force has detailed a number of training milestones carried out during Exercise RIMPAC 2018, the world’s largest multinational maritime exercise.RIMPAC 2018 included …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ScanEagle set for export sales

  8th August 2018

  Insitu’s ScanEagle UAV is set for further export success as the US Navy intends to award a sole source contract for up to five of …

• Naval Warfare

  ManTech selected for maritime aircraft tech upgrades

  6th August 2018

  ManTech has received a $71 million four-year task order from the US Air Force for technology transformation in maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, the company …

• Training

  CAE USA Mission Solutions acquires AOCE

  3rd August 2018

  CAE USA Mission Solutions has acquired Alpha-Omega Change Engineering (AOCE) to enhance the company’s core capabilities as a training systems integrator, CAE announced on 1 …

• Defence Notes

  Kuwait requests Mk-series munitions from US

  6th August 2018

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a possible foreign military sale of various Mk- series munitions to Kuwait, the Defense Security Cooperation …

• Naval Warfare

  Austal receives additional order for LCS work

  9th August 2018

  Austal USA has received a $14.84 million order from the US Department of Defense to provide services for the Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), USS …

• Defence Notes

  Taiwan's Tsai seeks $11 billion defence budget as China threat grows

  6th August 2018

  Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen said on 6 August that she is seeking to ramp up spending on the armed forces, as relations with China deteriorate. …

• Training

  Farnborough 2018: German personnel training for Heron TP to begin soon

  18th July 2018

  Fresh from the confirmation that the German armed forces will indeed operate the Heron TP UAV – despite protests by US-based General Atomics (GA-ASI) over …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon opens radar development facility

  9th August 2018

  Raytheon has opened a new radar development facility at its Andover, Massachusetts-based site, the company announced on 6 August. The new $72 million, 30,000sq ft …

• Digital Battlespace

  Attain receives DISA contract

  9th August 2018

  Attain has been selected by the US Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) for a contract with its Compartmented Enterprise Services Organization Program Management Office, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USMC retires RQ-7B Shadow UAS

  6th August 2018

  The US Marine Corps RQ-7B Shadow UAS has officially retired from the service after its final flight during the culmination event for the Rim of …

• Training

  Alion receives TSC IV contract

  8th August 2018

  Alion Science and Technology has received a Training Systems Contract (TSC) IV for training systems, services and content to support the Naval Air Warfare Center …

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

  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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  HIMARS (Batch 2) [Australia]

  Programme background Prior to selecting HIMARS in January 2023, Australia did not operate an MLRS system. However, the effectiveness of Ukrainian HIMARS convinced the Australian government ...

• Military - USVs

  Bluebottle USV (16-55) [Australia]

  Programme Background Timeline The RAN purchased a number of the 6.8m-long Bluebottles, including five under an A$4.9 million ($3.3 million) contract signed in November 2022. ...

• Medium UGVs

  Mission Master (RPV Sprial 2) [UK]

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

• 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 ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• Naval: RF/IR/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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  Spike LR2

  The Spike LR2 (also known as NT-S) is Rafael's fifth-generation anti-tank guided missile system. It is a long-range, multi-purpose, multi-platform weapon designed for infantry, armored ...