• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SOFEX 2018: Jordanian CH-4 makes public debut

  8th May 2018

  The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) CH-4 MALE UAV in service with the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) has made its first public …

• Special Operations

  SOFEX 2018: Oshkosh touts S-ATV to international market

  9th May 2018

  Having tested its Special Purpose All Terrain Vehicle (S-ATV) in an unnamed Middle Eastern country, Oshkosh is now showcasing the vehicle to the international market …

• Defence Notes

  US-backed Kurdish fighters resume anti-IS ops

  8th May 2018

  A US-backed Kurdish-led alliance in the week started 7 May launched a new offensive against holdouts from the Islamic State group in eastern Syria, an …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: SOF increasingly rely on soft power

  16th May 2018

  Global special operations forces are becoming increasingly reliant on ‘soft power’ to increase their relevance and mission success across the contemporary operating environment (COE), the …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy looks to re-establish North Atlantic fleet

  5th May 2018

  The US Navy (USN) will re-establish its Second Fleet to conduct maritime operations in the North Atlantic, in a move that could be interpreted as …

• Land Warfare

  DSA 2018: Rapid Ranger rides into Malaysia

  20th April 2018

  Thales, in conjunction with local partner Global Komited (a Weststar subsidiary), exhibited a Starstreak very short-range air defence system mounted on a URO Vamtac 4x4 vehicle at …

• Naval Warfare

  Navantia Australia signs MoU with CBG Systems

  13th April 2018

  Navantia Australia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CBG systems for insulation and fire protection supply for its bid for Australia’s Future Frigate …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SOFEX 2018: Opportunities in the air for UAV exports to Middle East

  7th May 2018

  As the Trump administration looks to looks to open up the export restrictions concerning unmanned technologies, one company that could see gains, especially in the …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: A new approach to visual systems?

  15th May 2018

  Although US-based RSi Visual Systems mainly concentrates on supplying visual systems to the commercial airline sector, a newly announced programme in April could also have …

• Special Operations

  SOFEX 2018: Light all-terrain vehicles take the stage

  10th May 2018

  While the Jordanian armed forces already operate a fleet of MRZR 4s (pictured) light all-terrain vehicles, Polaris is keen to push its portfolio of other …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Shots fired from ground robot in live testing

  11th May 2018

  Rheinmetall Canada has confirmed it has conducted successful live firings from its weaponised 8x8 UGV. Live firing tests were conducted in Canada in the fourth quarter …

• Digital Battlespace

  GDIT receives USAF cloud services contract

  11th May 2018

  General Dynamics Information Technology has received a $9 million sole-source contract from the US Air Force (USAF) for Cloud Hosted Enterprise Services (CHES), the company …

• Defence Notes

  China rejects US military claims of laser attacks on pilots

  4th May 2018

  China on 4 May rejected US allegations that Chinese nationals shone military-grade lasers at American pilots in Djibouti, dismissing the claims as ‘inconsistent with facts’. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ScanEagle 3 could push price point down for original platform

  18th May 2018

  Just two weeks after unveiling its ITAR-free ScanEagle 3 design at Xponential in Denver, Insitu made its first public flight of the new UAV at …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: FlightSafety adds to KC-46A aircrew training

  9th May 2018

  The US DoD has announced that FlightSafety Services Corporation (FSSC) has been awarded a $35 million modification to a previously awarded contract for the KC-46A …

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

  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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...