• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Farnborough 2018: Tekever launches AR5 for maritime missions

  17th July 2018

  Portuguese UAS manufacturer Tekever has unveiled its new twin-engined, fixed-wing unmanned aircraft – AR5 – designed for wide area maritime surveillance missions. The system holds …

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2018: Italy to finally order new tank destroyers

  4th June 2018

  After years of delay caused by budgetary uncertainty, the Italian Army is expected to sign a contract that will finally kick start low-rate production of …

• Naval Warfare

  ESG completes FCDR of Offshore Patrol Cutter

  12th July 2018

  Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) has successfully conducted the final critical design review (FCDR) with the US Coast Guard for the Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) programme, …

• Land Warfare

  Australia consults on Land 400 Phase 3 programme

  20th June 2018

  The Australian Department of Defence has commenced a consultation process with industry for its latent Land 400 Phase 3 requirement, which will see the army’s …

• Defence Helicopter

  Farnborough 2018: Boeing prepares for Block II ramp up

  9th July 2018

  As final assembly begins on the first of three engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) CH-47F Chinook Block II aircraft, Boeing is assessing how best to manage its Philadelphia …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AeroVironment selected to compete for UAS support

  12th July 2018

  AeroVironment is among seven suppliers selected by the US Army to compete for small UAS sustainment task orders under a five-year indefinite delivery indefinite quantity …

• Military Logistics

  Mikros to continue CBM system development

  11th July 2018

  Mikros Systems has received a $2.5 million follow-on contract from the US Navy to continue to develop its condition-based maintenance systems for the navy's MK …

• Land Warfare

  JGSDF unveils new NBC decontaminating set

  12th June 2018

  The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) unveiled a new decontaminating set at Camp Oomiya on 27 May, the home base for the Central Nuclear Biological …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM announces ISOF Range Day

  14th June 2018

  United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has outlined plans to hold an International Special Operations Forces (ISOF) Range Day in January 2019. The event, which was …

• Defence Notes

  Germany warns US against trade war

  4th July 2018

  German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned US President Donald Trump on 4 July against unleashing an all-out trade war after he threatened to impose steep tariffs …

• Digital Battlespace

  Farnborough 2018: Elbit's reality for civil avionics onboard military platforms

  15th July 2018

  Elbit Systems has identified a growing market for civil avionics systems in military aircraft, with the products forming a key focus for the Israeli company …

• Special Operations

  Abom to work on anti-fogging goggle

  11th July 2018

  Abom has received a phase one contract from the US Special Operations Command to conduct a feasibility study for the development of a new tactical …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MQ-8C completes operational testing aboard Coronado

  11th July 2018

  The US Navy’s USS Coronado Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 have completed the first comprehensive initial operational test and …

• Defence Notes

  Insight: Canadian intelligence spooks New Zealand

  18th June 2018

  A report by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has raised ire in New Zealand over allegations that Wellington is under Beijing’s thumb. The report, …

• Military Logistics

  US Navy, Moback collaborate on AR/VR capabilities

  4th July 2018

  The US Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD), is collaborating with Moback to research and investigate specialised augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) …

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 ...