• Air Warfare

  Slovakia approved for US$600 million AH-1Z helicopter order

  1st August 2024

  The US offered a dozen AH-1Z Viper helicopters to Slovakia at two-thirds discount with the latter sending fighter aircraft to Ukraine, which would extend H-1 production beyond 2024.

• Land Warfare

  ‘A true force multiplier’ – where AI can make the most impact in defence

  3rd October 2024

  In Conversation... ST Engineering’s Ravinder Singh talks to Shephard's Gerrard Cowan about how AI can enhance human performance, the best ways to build trust in the technology among defence customers, and the areas where AI can transform military operations

• Naval Warfare

  Pakistan Navy takes delivery of multi-mission Offshore Patrol Vessel Hunain

  29th July 2024

  The Hunain is the first OPV 2600 in the Pakistan Navy’s fleet and will be used across a range of coastal defence roles.

• Naval Warfare

  Intermarine and Leonardo unite for Italian Navy minehunter contract

  26th July 2024

  Five modern minehunters will undertake sweeps of leading maritime areas of interest.

• Air Warfare

  Israeli Air Force to receive first KC-46A aerial refuelling aircraft in May 2025

  31st July 2024

  The delivery would mark an end to long delays in the programme with additional aircraft expected through to 2027.

• Land Warfare

  Challenger 3 programme promises capability upgrade as first delivery milestone approaches

  23rd August 2024

  The British Army’s Challenger 3 main battle tank (MBT) will replace existing Challenger 2s with a smaller but more capable fleet of vehicles with improved protection and notably a 120mm L55A1 smoothbore gun firing an Enhanced Kinetic Energy round. The programme is advancing rapidly with several hurdles cleared in the past year.

• Defence Notes

  Russia is evading sanctions and purchasing US components for its arsenal, warns US Senate

  13th September 2024

  Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal has claimed that Russian bombs, missiles and drones “supported by American technologies” have been fatally used on Ukrainians soldiers and civilians.

• Naval Warfare

  Second Belgian mine counter-measure ship launched

  3rd July 2024

  Twelve new Mine Countermeasures Vessels (MCMVs) are being built to replace the Tripartite-class MCMV. The programme is a joint Dutch-Belgian procurement and a contract was awarded to Belgium Naval Robotics (BNR) in 2019.

• Digital Battlespace

  L3Harris on track to deliver Viper Shield in 2025

  17th June 2024

  L3 Harris had a busy 2023 as it passed several milestones in the development of its Viper Shield. Both 2024 and 2025 are looking to be just as lively as delivery of production items nears.

• Special Operations

  Avon Protection wins orders and unveils total protection CBRN system

  20th June 2024

  The Eurosatory exhibitor has been clocking up the contract awards in recent months and one of the more notable wins was for a respirator contract worth up to US$47 million from UK MoD but the focus is also on opportunities with police and security forces.

• Air Warfare

  US Air Force F-16 fitted with IVEWS approaches flight tests

  18th July 2024

  Trials conducted at the US Air Force J-PRIMES enabled the solution to reach the skies in a couple of weeks.

• Land Warfare

  Laser Precision: The Key to Countering the Rising UAS Threat (Studio)

  12th June 2024

  The rise of drones in warfare is revolutionising the battlefield, introducing new threats that require innovative countermeasures. Lasers, with their advantages of precision and efficiency, are at the forefront of this technological defence.

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall receives order for millions-of-euros of 35mm ammunition

  28th May 2024

  Each round of Rheinmetall’s AHEAD (Advanced Hit Efficiency and Destruction) ammunition has been programmed to eject its payload of 152 tungsten sub-projectiles at the optimum point to destroy the target.

• Air Warfare

  GA-ASI to develop new ABAD pod for MQ-9A

  15th May 2024

  A collaboration between General Atomics and US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) will seek to equip the MQ-9A Reaper with enhanced threat detection and protection against Radio Frequency and Infrared threats.

• Digital Battlespace

  Anduril Industries launches 'Pulsar' EW systems at SOF Week

  7th May 2024

  Anduril Industries introduced 'Pulsar,' a cutting-edge modular EW system utilizing AI and ML to counter diverse electromagnetic threats, at SOF Week. Featuring vehicle and aircraft configurations, Pulsar enhances situational awareness and response capabilities in multi-domain operations.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Minehunters

  MCMV 47 [Brazil]

  The original plan for the Brazilian Navy to acquire two new mine countermeasures vessels to replace the aging Aratu-class vessels which were delivered from Germany ...

• Minehunters

  Project SEA 1905 - MMCMMS [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements Australia is looking to acquire up to eight new advanced mine countermeasures/hydrographic survey vessels under the Project SEA 1905 Maritime Mine Countermeasures ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H-145M (Serbia)

  Serbia's aircraft will be equipped with a fast roping system, high-performance camera, fire support equipment, ballistic protection as well as an electronic countermeasures system. The ...

• Minehunters

  Pulau Rengat Class MCMV Replacement [Indonesia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Indonesian Navy (TNI-AI) currently operate two ageing Dutch-built Pulau Rengat-class MCMVs, which entered service in March 1988. These are now fast approaching ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-50 [Thailand]

  The purchase had been earlier approved by the Thai cabinet on 11 July 2017.  AVM Pongsak Semachai revealed that the aircraft would be paid for ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  ReDrone [Romania]

  Background Romania signed a contract with Elbit Systems to receive its ReDrone multi-layered unmanned air defense systems (C-UAS). The ReDrone is equipped with a DAiR ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Skeldar V-200 (2020) [Netherlands]

  Background Joint programme For the joint MCM programme between Belgium and the Netherlands, the Dutch Ministry of Defence issued a notice in 2018 calling for ...

• Minehunters

  P6359 Future Naval Mine Countermeasures system (NMCM) [Norway]

  Programme Background Requirements Norway's current inventory of mine countermeasures (MCM) vessels consists of two Oksøy-class mine hunting vessels and two Atla-class mine sweeping vessels with a ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-50 Follow-On [Thailand]

  Programme Background The Royal Thai Air Force  (RTAF) exercised its option to purchase additional two aircraft from an earlier deal. The RTAF purchased four T-50 jets in ...

• Minehunters

  Mine Countermeasures Platforms (1-12) [Germany]

  Background Requirements According to German media outlets, in 2018, Germany started the process for the acquisition of 11 new minehunters to bolster the current Type 332 ...

• 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. ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  KCR-60M (5-6) [Indonesia]

  Programme Background Timeline The KCR-60M (Kapal Cepat Redul) is a fast missile attack craft in service with the Indonesian Navy.  Also known as the Sampari-class, ...

• Minehunters

  Awaji Class (5-9) [Japan]

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

• MPVs - 4x4

  Multi-Role Vehicle (Protected) (MRV-P) Package 1 (UK)

  Programme Background Requirement The MRV-P programme was intended to procure replacements for a diverse fleet of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles purchased during the wars in Iraq ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Skeldar V-200 [Belgium]

  Background Joint Programme For the joint MCM programme between Belgium and the Netherlands, the Dutch Ministry of Defence issued a notice in 2018, calling for ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: RF/IR/acoustic decoys

  RF and IR Countermeasures (Current)

  Chemring Countermeasures provides both radar-reflective and IR 130mm cartridges, as well as payloads in varying calibres up to 130mm for a range of current decoy ...

• Naval: RF/IR/acoustic decoys

  RF and IR Countermeasures (Developmental)

  Chemring Countermeasures' development of RF distraction capability is focused on a single-burst chaff payload that features variable range and height control of the deployment point. ...

• Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  Alloy Surfaces and Kilgore IRCM flares

  Chemring Countermeasures develops and manufactures the Alloy Surfaces and Kilgore range of airborne IR flares that are compatible with most available dispensers on a variety ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  MRA

  The Miniature Radar Altimeter (MRA) provides a radar solution weighing 400g with a 105cm² footprint that is claimed to be one of the world’s smallest ...

• Naval: RF/IR/acoustic decoys

  C-Guard

  C-Guard, formerly known as SKWS, is a lightweight decoy launching system developed for small and large ships using standard NATO SeaGnat 130mm tubes in fixed ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  MEB Mk 3 Type 1

  Chemring’s MEB Mk.3 Type-1 is a chaff magazine which can equip standard NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) countermeasures dispensers. The company says in its official ...

• Light UGVs

  Zeus

  NIC Instruments' Zeus UGV is a development of its First Responder (see separate entry) platform and was unveiled at Milipol Paris in November 2017. The company ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  Chaff Pack BOL Mk2 Type 1

  Chemring developed the BOL Mk.2 Type-1 chaff pack to work with Saab’s BOL countermeasures dispenser. The latter is deployed widely on fast jets through the ...

• Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  RR129 Chaff Cartridge

  Chemring’s RR129 chaff cartridge is designed to equip fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft protecting them against radar-guided air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles. The company’s official literature says ...

• Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  Fighter Countermeasures

  Lacroix makes a range of chaff IR and EO decoy cartridges dedicated to the protection of all airborne platforms. Decoy cartridges are compatible with any ...

• Naval: RF/IR/acoustic decoys

  Naval Countermeasures

  Lacroix's naval countermeasures are shipborne expendable decoys for seduction, distraction and seduction/dissimulation, using both chaff and IR modules and chaff rockets. Chaff covers I/J band. ...

• Light UGVs

  Ibis

  Unveiled in September 2008, the 6x6 Ibis UGV has been designed for EOD clearance, reconnaissance and rescue operations. It features a manipulator arm possessing a ...

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems, Land: Defensive Systems - DF systems

  Resolve EW Suite

  Resolve is a manpack electronic surveillance system designed for the interception, geolocation and exploitation of tactical communications. It has a true 40MHz instantaneous wideband capability, ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/ALQ-214 IDECM RFCM

  The ALQ-214 Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures RF Countermeasures (IDECM RFCM) subsystem comprises an onboard technique generator developed by Harris integrated with an offboard fibre-optic towed ...

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  Broadshield- LCS

  The Lightweight Countermeasures Suite (LCS) is a small form factor manpack inhibitor. Utilising the company's modular countermeasures suite (MCS) technology, the LCS offers active only ...