• Land Warfare

  Italy aims for $26 billion vehicle investment and prepares for cyber defence

  3rd February 2025

  Italy’s Armoured Infantry Combat System (AICS) system began seven years ago in an effort to replace older vehicles such as M113s and the force is also looking to replace its C1 Ariete Main Battle Tanks (MBTs).

• Land Warfare

  Missile production being boosted across three continents

  12th December 2024

  The demand for missiles reflects current strategic interests, such as those in the Indo-Pacific region and conflict in Europe, along with an expectation of local involvement in manufacture which also supports a drive to build capacity.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures

  6th March 2025

  The Russia-Ukraine conflict has driven another stage of evolution for drones and the counter measures to defend against them.

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed Martin builds first Saudi Arabian THAAD components

  12th May 2025

  The THAAD launcher was first procured by Saudi Arabia in 2017, with local production a key condition of the sale.

• Air Warfare

  Embraer affirms “limited” US tariff impact with 72% growth in defence revenues for Q1 2025

  6th May 2025

  The growth in Q1 2025 was supported by strong C-390 Millennium sales, according to the company’s CEO. Of the US$1.1 billion revenue increase, defence aircraft sales accounted for 13% of the total.

• Naval Warfare

  US Coast Guard announces measures to further implement Force Design 2028 strategy

  2nd July 2025

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) created new units, including five Programme Executive Offices (PEOs), to facilitate and speed up the procurement of new capabilities.

• Air Warfare

  Airbus outlines Logistics Connector plan and partners with L3Harris

  21st May 2025

  Airbus says it will aim to have a working prototype of the MQ-72C Logistics Connector by the end of the decade as it bids for a contract with the US Marine Corps.

• Land Warfare

  Unlocking the potential of Light Forces in modern warfare (Studio)

  4th December 2025

  The Ukraine conflict has highlighted the strategic importance of “Light Forces” – rapidly deployable dispersed units, able to conduct an expanding range of mission sets. What technologies and equipment are needed to ensure their success in combat?

• Air Warfare

  Paris Air Show 2025: New capabilities, partnerships and next-gen programmes remain priority for industry

  12th June 2025

  As European countries increase their defence budgets, the Paris Air Show will look to how the aerospace industry’s responds, with programme progression, new technology and industrial partnerships all expected to take centre stage at Le Bourget.

• Land Warfare

  Oshkosh Defense starts production on ROGUE-Fires and develops MTVR 4×4 variant

  12th May 2025

  Both ROGUE-Fires and the MTVR demonstrator have been designed for Indo-Pacific mobility and expeditionary operations.

• Air Warfare

  MBDA progresses Aster ramp-up with first accelerated delivery

  31st July 2025

  The first delivery comes less than two years after the first joint order was placed. MBDA has committed to halving Aster production lead-time by 2026.

• Land Warfare

  Czech Army set for more upgraded Leopards as part of an equipment swap with Ukraine

  11th December 2024

  The Czech Army is in the process of converting their 73rd Armoured Battalion from Soviet to German main battle tanks (MBTs).

• Air Warfare

  Ukraine to receive more F-16 spares and training support from the US and Czech Republic

  7th May 2025

  The US and Czech Republic have pledged different support packages, with the latter agreeing to jointly open a new F-16 training centre in partnership with a ‘coalition of the willing’.

• Land Warfare

  US Army to test droppable camera for perimeter security under the xTech programme

  12th May 2025

  Bounce Imaging’s Thermal Camera Spike is a rugged, deployable 360° surveillance tool.

• Air Warfare

  F-35 capability boost could come in next three years, says Lockheed CEO

  3rd June 2025

  Lockheed had previously spoken of ‘supercharging’ its F-35, using technology developed for its unsuccessful NGAD bid, while broader work on delivering its TR-3 aircraft to customers continues.

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, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...