• Defence Notes

  Opinion: Fractious NATO gives Russia upper hand in Europe

  27th July 2018

  NATO is an alliance founded to protect member states being threatened by a strategic shock.  Yet the most recent NATO summit saw the previously unthinkable …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Vendors wait for India to finalise UAS regulations

  13th July 2018

  India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has released draft regulations on requirements for civil UAS operations, but it is yet to release its regulatory …

• Defence Notes

  Israel graduates first women tank commanders

  28th June 2018

  The Israeli army on Thursday graduated the first four women from its tank commanders' school, a step toward the formation of all-female tank crews. Another …

• Military Logistics

  AECOM to support US Cooperative Threat Reduction programme

  24th July 2018

  AECOM has received one of six indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ), multiple award services contracts from the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency to provide support for the US …

• Digital Battlespace

  GTT receives telecom services contract

  26th July 2018

  GTT Communications has received a contract from the Defensive Information Technology Contracting Organization (DITCO) to provide telecom services in Afghanistan, the company announced on 19 …

• Military Logistics

  Marines seek improved collapsible fuel tanks

  27th June 2018

  The United States Marine Corps Program Manager for Engineer Systems (PM ES), Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM) has released a request for information (RFI) seeking …

• Military Logistics

  USAF orders AAR 463L cargo pallets

  26th July 2018

  AAR Mobility Systems has received $25.3 million in task orders from the US Air Force to produce and repair 463L cargo pallets, the company announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Longbow receives FCR order

  25th July 2018

  Longbow will supply Longbow Fire Control Radar (FCR) hardware for the Apache AH-64E helicopter to the US Army under a $170.5 million contract.The hardware will …

• Land Warfare

  Saab to deliver Carl-Gustaf ammo to US

  29th June 2018

  Saab has received an ammunition order for the Carl-Gustaf man-portable weapon system from the US Department of Defense (DoD), the company announced on 26 June. …

• Military Logistics

  Boeing earnings up, but reports higher costs on tanker

  25th July 2018

  Boeing reported a jump in second-quarter profits on 25 July due to higher commercial airplane deliveries but said costs on a closely-watched US Air Force …

• Defence Notes

  India, US to hold key talks in September

  23rd July 2018

  India will host US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Chief James Mattis in September 2018 for high-level talks that were postponed twice earlier, …

• Naval Warfare

  Australia announces Hunter-class vessel names

  5th July 2018

  The Royal Australian Navy’s future guided missile frigates will be named the Hunter class with the first of these guided missile frigates to be commissioned …

• Land Warfare

  PAC-3 MSE sets distance record in intercept test

  30th July 2018

  Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptor has successfully intercepted an air-breathing threat (ABT) in a test at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, …

• Training

  UFA delivers ATTower tower simulator to Fort Huachuca

  26th July 2018

  UFA has delivered its ATTower tower simulator to the US Army Fort Huachuca’s Libby Army Airfield, the company announced on 19 July. UFA was awarded …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IAI, SNC to develop tactical VTOL UAS

  23rd July 2018

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) have signed a strategic collaboration agreement to support the development of a new tactical vertical takeoff …

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 ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams [Poland]

  Background Requirement Since the early 2010s, Poland has wanted to upgrade its Soviet-era tank fleet due to modernisation requirements, the need to increase interoperability with NATO ...

• 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]

  Background Requirements Australia has set out requirements for a fleet of up to 18 Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels - Medium (LMV-M) with the release of a ...

• 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

  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

  Leopard 2A4 [Czech Republic]

  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 2022, ...

• 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 ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Chios class LST replacement [Greece]

  Background Requirements The Hellenic Navy’s Chios-class tank landing ship platforms have been in service for almost 30 years. Shephard estimates they will start reaching their out-of-service date (OSD) ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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. ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Project Land 400 Phase 3 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement: 2015 RfI The Land 400 Phase 3 programme will procure a new tracked IFV to replace the Australian Army's legacy fleet of ...

• 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, ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Land: RWS

  R400 Slinger

  The R400 Slinger is a counter-uncrewed aerial system (C-UAS) remote weapon system (RWS) being developed in Australia. The development is a response to growing international ...

• 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 ...