• Defence Notes

  War, conflict fuel arms imports to Middle East, Asia

  12th March 2018

  Weapons imports to the Middle East and Asia have boomed over the past five years, fuelled by war and tensions in those regions, a new …

• Training

  DSET 2018: US Army seeks solutions

  8th March 2018

  At the Defence Simulation, Education & Training conference (DSET) Brig Gen William Cole, commander of the US Program Executive Office Simulation Training & Instrumentation (PEO …

• Military Logistics

  Tempus procures six Lockheed L-1011s

  15th March 2018

  Tempus Applied Solutions has acquired six Lockheed L-1011 aircraft formerly owned and operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF), the company announced on 12 March. …

• Land Warfare

  Turkish Army beefs up missile protection for Syria ops

  19th February 2018

  The Turkish Army is bolstering the number of upgraded M60T ‘Fırat’ tanks – equipped with new anti-tank missile protection systems and remote weapon stations – …

• Naval Warfare

  DIMDEX 2018: Deployment in Syria showcases Russian equipment

  14th March 2018

  Russian state-owned arms company Rosoboronexport highlighted its capabilities at DIMDEX in Qatar adding that many of its technologies have been proved during the country's operations …

• Defence Helicopter

  Army says key FVL decisions are coming

  16th March 2018

  US Army Chief of Staff Gen Mark Milley side stepped assertions that development of the new Future Vertical Lift (FVL) helicopter is slipping but acknowledged …

• Digital Battlespace

  US agencies need to join efforts against Russia cyber threat

  8th March 2018

  US government agencies are not adequately coordinating efforts to counter the cyber threat from Russia, even as Moscow conducts a ‘campaign of destabilisation,’ the commander …

• Land Warfare

  Deliveries conclude for Stryker 30mm guns

  15th March 2018

  Orbital ATK has completed deliveries of 30mm XM813 cannons to the US Army, concluding its initial production contract for the service’s Stryker lethality upgrade programme. …

• Digital Battlespace

  InDyne to support SSPARS

  14th March 2018

  InDyne has received a contract to support operations and maintenance of the US Air Force's Solid State Phased Array Radar System (SSPARS), the company announced …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army's counter-UAS timelines 'inadequate', says report

  9th March 2018

  A report exploring the possible threats posed by small UAS (sUAS) to the US military and how battalion and smaller formations can effectively counter has …

• Defence Helicopter

  Singapore Airshow 2018: H145M angles for As-Pac requirements

  12th February 2018

  With several attack helicopter requirements gathering steam in the Asia-Pacific region, Airbus Helicopters chose the venue of Singapore Airshow 2018 to promote its H145M, which …

• Military Logistics

  KBR receives CWSS contract from UK MoD

  16th March 2018

  KBR has received a contract from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to design, manufacture, supply and store a Combat Water Supply System (CWSS), the …

• Naval Warfare

  US aircraft carrier arrives in Vietnam

  5th March 2018

  A US aircraft carrier arrived in Vietnam 5 March for the first time since the end of the war, as the former foes bolster military …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG delivers another HC-130J for MSS+ retrofit

  8th March 2018

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) has delivered another HC-130J aircraft to L3 Technologies for Minotaur missionisation, the USCG announced on 5 March. The HC-130J Super …

• Digital Battlespace

  Doubts persist for laser-based ballistic missile defence

  21st March 2018

  Kinetic weapons are still the best option for intercepting ballistic missiles in their initial boost phase despite recent indications this could be performed by directed …

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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

  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 ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  AUKUS-SSNs (1-5) [Australia]

  Programme Background AUKUS Australia announced on 16 September 2021 that the contract with Naval Group signed in 2016 had been cancelled. Although not a surprising ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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, ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R [Spain]

  Programme Background On 16 March 2022, the US State Department approved an FMS to Spain for eight MH-60R helicopters and associated equipment and weaponry for $950 ...

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 ...

• S-64 Helitanker Fire-fighting Equipment

  Erickson's 10,031l tank for the S-64 helitanker drops water, retardant or foam mix at a rate of around 95l/h. Microprocessor-controlled tank doors offer eight individual ...

• Naval: RF, IR and 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...