• Military Logistics

  DIMDEX 2018: DND's search for treasure continues

  13th March 2018

  Naval logistics forms the backbone for any naval force deployed persistently overseas, removing much of the requirements for vessels to leave stations for lengthy trips …

• Special Operations

  US Army prepares for new weapon milestone

  4th March 2018

  The US Army has released a draft prototype opportunity notice (PON) for its Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle (NGSAR).  The 1 March release is seen …

• Land Warfare

  Featured: Philippines eyes wheeled and tracked AFVs

  6th March 2018

  The Philippine Army told Shephard as far back as 2014 that it harboured ambitions to procure main battle tanks within the 2020-28 period. However, a …

• Military Logistics

  Marines look to enhance expeditionary maintenance

  12th March 2018

  The US Marine Corps (USMC) is gathering industry information that could support the future acquisition of a commercial-off-the-shelf Expeditionary Fluid Analysis System (EFAS).As conceptualised, a …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems Australia to upgrade JORN

  6th March 2018

  BAE Systems Australia has been selected to upgrade Australia’s Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN), the company announced on 5 March. The long-range high frequency radar …

• Special Operations

  DSA 2018: Testing times ahead for Malaysian SOF vehicles

  16th April 2018

  The competition is hotting up for new special operations vehicles for special forces and airborne units of the Malaysian Army, with a quartet of companies …

• Naval Warfare

  Vietnam receives six patrol boats from US

  29th March 2018

  The US delivered six patrol boats and equipment worth a combined $20 million to Vietnam, the US Embassy in Hanoi said on 29 March, as …

• Military Logistics

  KC-46 gets fuel on-load certification

  6th April 2018

  Boeing’s KC-46 tanker programme has completed its required Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) fuel on-load testing, the company announced on 4 April. The certification was achieved …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG Sentinel class continues to grow

  4th April 2018

  The US Coast Guard has received its latest fast response cutter (FRC), Nathan Bruckenthal, in Key West, Florida, on 29 March.This is the 28th FRC …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Sea-Air-Space 2018: Riptide to test compact UUV for DARPA

  9th April 2018

  Riptide Autonomous Solutions will begin sea testing a new version of its deep rated UUV as part of a DARPA phase II Small Business Innovation …

• Land Warfare

  DSA 2018: PLA fields integrated rifle/grenade launcher

  11th April 2018

  The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has fielded on a limited basis the QTS-11 individual integrated combat system. The new weapon, in the hands of a …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM seeks aviation maintenance collaboration

  11th April 2018

  USSOCOM is seeking industry collaboration in the modernization of its aviation maintenance capabilities.  Interest in a possible collaborative effort was outlined in a 10 April …

• Special Operations

  DSA 2018: Philippines activates unified SOF command

  11th April 2018

  The Armed Forces of the Philippines stood up a new integrated joint command, called the AFP Special Operations Command (AFPSOCOM), on 6 April. Putting them …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bell Helicopter awarded H-1 work

  30th March 2018

  Bell Helicopter has been awarded a delivery order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement for engineering and logistics in support of the US Navy’s …

• Land Warfare

  British Army to drop light machine gun

  13th March 2018

  The British Army is expected to move ahead with plans to remove the Light Machine Gun (LMG) from its dismounted infantry platoons. While the decision …

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 ...