• Defence Notes

  Football offers NATO respite from ugly divisions

  11th July 2018

  Football came to the rescue of tense NATO leaders at a summit on 11 July, providing them with a welcome diversion from the tensions roiling …

• Defence Notes

  Germany says it makes 'independent decisions'

  11th July 2018

  German Chancellor Angela Merkel on 11 July said Germany makes ‘independent decisions,’ firing back at US President Donald Trump after he accused Berlin of being …

• Special Operations

  Rheinmetall receives laser light contract

  6th July 2018

  Rheinmetall has received a contract from Germany’s procurement authority to supply a lightweight, assault rifle-mounted laser light package for German Army special operators, the company …

• Naval Warfare

  Atlas, Thales combat system for German corvettes

  25th June 2018

  Atlas Elektronik and Thales Deutschland have received an order to jointly deliver the combat system for the German Navy’s five (batch two) K130 class corvettes, …

• Defence Notes

  Trump forces NATO allies to boost defence spending

  12th July 2018

  US President Donald Trump said NATO countries had agreed to increase their defence spending after he forced crisis talks over his mounting demands at a …

• Defence Notes

  NATO grapples over key policies in shadow of Trump spat

  12th July 2018

  NATO leaders will seek to dampen a febrile atmosphere as their summit wraps up on 12 July with talks on Afghanistan and Ukraine, after US …

• Land Warfare

  UK studies joining European tank effort

  25th June 2018

  Despite its imminent break up with the European Union the UK government has not ruled out involvement in future European defence projects, including the development …

• Land Warfare

  Cloudy future for Iron Curtain APS on US Army Strykers

  5th July 2018

  The fate of Artis' Iron Curtain active protection system (APS) continues to hang in the balance while the US Army  decides if it wants to …

• Defence Notes

  NATO leaders fear Trump crisis at key summit

  9th July 2018

  NATO leaders face a major threat to the credibility of their military alliance at their summit this week - not from traditional foe Russia, but …

• 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 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IAI, Airbus sign Heron TP agreement

  19th June 2018

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has signed an agreement with Airbus to lease the Heron TP UAS to Germany’s Federal Ministry of Defence, the company announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus delivers fifth H135 for German military training

  15th June 2018

  Airbus Helicopters has delivered the fifth and final H135 to the German Federal Office of armed forces Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support, the company …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Germany agrees to lease Israeli-made UAS

  14th June 2018

  Germany has agreed a nine year deal worth over half a billion dollars to lease Israeli military reconnaissance UAS capable of carrying missiles, the aircraft's …

• Naval Warfare

  Germany, Norway to cooperate on NSM

  22nd June 2018

  Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace has signed a contract with the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency for cooperation on the Naval Strike Missile (NSM), the company announced …

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2018: Lithuania receives first Boxer IFVs

  19th June 2018

  Lithuania has taken delivery of it first two pre-series Boxer prototypes configured as heavily-armed IFVs, with series production of the initial batch of vehicles also …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light UGVs

  L3 Harris T7 [USA]

  Programme Background  In 2021 and 2022 the US Air Force ordered over 107 L3Harris T7 EOD UGVs to replace its 20 year old fleet of ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) [Spain]

  Programme Background The VAMTAC ST5 is already in Spanish service with the Spanish Army, Navy, and Air Force in various configurations. In June 2025, the ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Render Safe Sets, Kits & Outfits (RS SKO) (UAV) [US]

  Programme Background Definition The RS SKO provides capabilities needed for Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams to render safe US and foreign ordnance and improvised explosive ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Batch 3) [Germany]

  Programme Background The contract award for Germany's second batch of Pumas was originally scheduled for 2021, following the final deliveries of Germany's first batch. However, in ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Batch 1) [Germany]

  By March 2019, 269 of the 350 Pumas on order had been delivered to the German Army. Deliveries of the remaining 81 vehicles are scheduled ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Mine Countermeasures Platforms (1-12) [Germany]

  In 2018, the German Navy launched the process of acquiring a fleet of 11 Mine Countermeasures platforms. The German Navy's 'Force Structure Goals 2035+' foresees 12 ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Mine Countermeasures Platforms (1-12) [Germany]

  In 2018, the German Navy launched the process of acquiring a fleet of 11 Mine Countermeasures platforms. The German Navy's 'Force Structure Goals 2035+' foresees 12 ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | MEKO A-200 (F126 Alternative) [Germany]

  The German Bundestag is considering allocating funds up to 7.8 billion (US$9.14 billion) towards the procurement of an alternative to the F126, currently being manufactured ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | MEKO A-200 (F126 Alternative) [Germany]

  The German Bundestag is considering allocating funds up to 7.8 billion (US$9.14 billion) towards the procurement of an alternative to the F126, currently being manufactured ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV [Germany]

  Programme Background The SPD-led approach Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany has been under consistent pressure to increase its defence spending. In the ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Zielplan Marine 2035+ (Rotary-Wing UAVs) [Germany]

  Background Zieplan Marine 2035+ Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at the 2022 Bundeswehr Conference that Germany must become the "cornerstone of conventional defence in Europe". To ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Vector / Scorpion (Ukraine Aid) [Germany]

  Programme Background German Enablement Initiative On 18 April 2024, Quantum-Systems announced that German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck and Ukrainian Minister of Strategic Industry Alexander Kamyshin had opened the ...

• Loitering munitions

  12,000 Loitering Munitions [Germany]

  Background Testing Models Between April 2023 and April 2025, the German Army acquired various loitering munitions to further assess their suitability for the German Armed ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Type 212CD (1-2) [Germany]

  Programme Background Norway selected TKMS as the shipbuilder for its new class of Type 212CD submarines to replace the six Ula-class SSKs currently in service. ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Batch 2) [Germany]

  Programme Background The contract award for the second batch of Pumas had been delayed until 2022 at the earliest. However, in April 2021, German media ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• MPVs - 4x4

  Shrek

  The Shrek is an MRAP vehicle developed by the Streit Group in collaboration with the Ukrainian Kremenchug Automotive Plant (KrAZ). It is available in three ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  DURO IIIP

  The DURO IIIP (also known as the GMTF) 6x6 is a protected, mobile off-road armoured vehicle based on the DURO (Durable, Robust) family of 4x4 ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  German HFTS

  Helicopter Flight Training Services (HFTS) was founded by the consortium of CAE, Airbus Helicopters, Thales and Rheinmetall Defence Electronics. Each company owns a 25% share ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Fuchs 1

  Spanning now 8 variants, the Fuchs 1 is the German Army's longstanding wheeled armoured personnel carrier. The army received 1,125 Fuchs, with most delivered between 1979-86. ...

• Land: UGV simulators

  Remote Controlled Vehicle Simulation

  The Remote Controlled Vehicle Simulation is designed for users such as EOD forces.  Key features: use of original control devices; PC-based VR simulation; multiple scenarios ...

• Military - UUVs

  Bluefin-HAUV

  The Bluefin Hovering AUV (HAUV) is a two-man system used for ship hull and infrastructure inspection, port and harbour security and MCM. Operators are able ...

• Light UGVs

  Oto-TRP7-HS

  The Oto-TRP7-HS (Homeland Security) is a semi-autonomous, electric-powered, tracked UGV. It is designed to undertake a number of homeland security missions. 

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  Manpack-6 Bomb Ranger

  Manpack-6 is a portable jamming system that can be carried by a person in areas where there is a risk of encountering remoted controlled improvised ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Eagle V 4x4

  GDELS unveiled the fifth generation of its Eagle light tactical vehicle at Eurosatory 2012. The platform has replaced earlier-generation vehicles in production. More than 1,250 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Eagle V 6x6

  GDELS unveiled the fifth generation of its Eagle light tactical vehicle in both 4x4 and 6x6 models at Eurosatory 2012. The Eagle V has replaced ...

• 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 ...

• EO/IR systems

  Gyrocam 15DHD

  Gyrocam 15DHD is a 15in dual system that delivers HD and mid-wave thermal optics, in a modular payload that supports ISR missions. The 15DHD features ...

• Light UGVs

  Vanguard

  The Vanguard UGV is designed to provide mission support for EOD technicians in both law enforcement and the military. It can be deployed in EOD/IED ...

• Light UGVs

  Telemax tEODor PRO

  The Telemax EOD and observation robot (Telemax tEODor) PRO is designed to complement Cobham's tEODor UGV (see separate entry) by providing a smaller EOD robot ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Varan

  Streit unveiled the Varan 6x6 amphibious armoured vehicle at the IDEX defence exhibition in February 2013. The vehicle can be fitted with additional ballistic protection ...