• Naval Warfare

  New phase of Greek P-3B upgrade

  7th November 2017

  Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract to continue the modernisation and upgrade of Greece’s P-3B Orion aircraft. The contract modification for the mid-life upgrade …

• Military Logistics

  Dubai Airshow 2017: Qatar enhances F-15 fleet with support services

  6th November 2017

  Qatar is bolstering its wider rearmament programme through a potential FMS deal with the US DoD for service support of its recently-acquired Boeing F-15QA aircraft. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Dubai Airshow 2017: Russia’s Middle Eastern strides

  6th November 2017

  Russian-made helicopters are not a common sight in the majority of Middle Eastern countries but the situation is changing slowly with the latest sales and …

• Defence Helicopter

  Mali receives two Mi-35M helicopters

  9th October 2017

  Russian Helicopters has delivered two Mi-35M helicopters to Mali, the company announced on 3 October. Mi-35M is an attack/transport helicopter capable of fire engagement, transporting …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Franco-British unmanned alliance makes gains

  23rd October 2017

  New details are emerging about the Franco-British collaboration on a Future Combat Air System (FCAS) as the programme readies for the transition from planning and …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales offers radar for Tejas LCA

  18th October 2017

  Thales has developed an active array radar for Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's (HAL's) Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), the company announced on 16 October. The radar …

• Training

  QinetiQ launches Mirach, Firejet aerial targets simultaneously

  17th October 2017

  QinetiQ has flown Firejet and Mirach aerial targets together for the first time during a live exercise from Ministry of Defence (MoD) Hebrides on the …

• Digital Battlespace

  NATO's ballistic missile exercise sends signals to Russia

  24th October 2017

  While all eyes may currently be on North Korea, NATO’s decision to host its most recent ballistic missile defence (BMD) exercise in the Atlantic theatre is …

• Land Warfare

  Indra’s InShield DIRCM in flight test

  9th October 2017

  Indra’s InShield Directed Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) system has successfully passed in-flight tests during the NATO Trial EMBOW XVI exercise, the company announced on 5 October. …

• Naval Warfare

  France and Italy agree on naval cooperation

  28th September 2017

  Following recent tensions between France and Italy, the two governments have launched a joint roadmap to strengthen future naval defence cooperation and sealing the future …

• Special Operations

  Pacific 2017: Tempting Australia with SDVs

  3rd October 2017

  Australia is looking forward to obtaining 12 new Future Submarines from Naval Group’s design studio under its Sea 1000 programme, but one French company is …

• Naval Warfare

  Nigerian Navy commissions new FPB 72 patrol vessels

  3rd October 2017

  The Nigerian Navy commissioned into service two new FPB 72 Mk II patrol vessels, the NNS Shiroro (P185) and NNS Ose (P186), following their official …

• Training

  HUTC certifies Entrol H135 T2+ simulator

  26th September 2017

  The Heli-Union Training Center (HUTC) has certified its Entrol H135 T2+ FTD Level 2 simulator, expanding its helicopter simulator training programmes. The simulator includes a …

• Defence Helicopter

  Burkina Faso orders Mi-171Sh helicopters

  18th September 2017

  The air force of Burkina Faso has placed an order for the procurement of two Russian Helicopters Mi-171Sh, Rostec announced at the end of August …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus announces safety measure for Tiger pilots

  8th September 2017

  Airbus Helicopters has issued an alert service bulletin (ASB) in relation to Tiger pilots changing from autopilot to manual operation during challenging environments. The safety …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 [Mali]

  Programme Background Six Drones On 22 December 2022, Joseph Dempsey, a research associate at IISS, tweeted photographs showing a Baytraktar TB2 adorned with the Malian ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBMR-L Serval [Luxembourg]

  Programme Background Luxembourg currently operates a small military of just over 1,000 personnel. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has contributed troops to both NATO and EU ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  EBRC Jaguar [Luxembourg]

  Programme Background Luxembourg currently operates a small military of just over 1,000 personnel. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has contributed troops to both NATO and EU ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBMR Griffon [Luxembourg]

  Programme Background Luxembourg currently operates a small military of just over 1,000 personnel. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has contributed troops to both NATO and EU ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Akinci [Mali]

  Background Presentation In December 2024, Akinci drones were presented to the Malian Armed Forces by transitional President General Assimi Goita during a ceremony in Bamako, confirming ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-171Sh

  While the Burkinabe Armed Forces declined to discuss the deal when contacted by Shephard, a Burkinabe military source did acknowledge that the aircraft were being ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Surplus Maxxpro [Bangladesh - Batch 1]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires MRAPs to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the Central African ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Surplus Maxxpro [Bangladesh - Batch 2]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires MRAPs to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the Central African ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  UN Peacekeeping Vehicles [Bangladesh]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires 4x4 armoured vehicles to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the ...

• Medium UGVs

  THeMIS [Netherlands and Estonia]

  Programme Background The Estonian Armed Forces had already been operating the THeMIS UGV in Mali for a year at the time the programme was announced ...

• Medium UGVs

  THeMIS [Sweden]

  Programme Background Many countries have been acquiring small numbers of Milrem's THeMIS UGV since its success in the hands of Estonian Forces in Mali. The ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VBCI Replacement [France]

  Programme Background The VBCI is currently France's primary IFV. As an 8x8 wheel vehicle, it fits within a French force structure that favours agile, manoeuvrable ...

• Minehunters

  Mine Warfare Vessels [France]

  Programme Background Requirements France’s Mine Warfare Vessels programme is aimed at replacing the ageing Eridan-class minehunters. The programme will follow the Future Naval Mine Action System ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  Long-Range Ground Strike (FLP-T) [France]

  Background The French Army currently operates the M270 as its only MLRS. France previously procured a total of 55, though this number had reduced to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9 Reaper [France]

  Programme Background 2013 (Block 1) The then-French Defence Minister, Kean-Yves Le Drian, confirmed on 31 May 2013 that France had ordered its first two MQ-9 platforms. The ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: mission management systems

  FINDSAT - BFT System

  Using geo-satellite positioning, Nexter’s BFT system (FINDSAT) is capable of identifying and locating friendly personnel who are not equipped with networked information or radio systems. ...

• Medium UGVs

  THeMIS

  Milrem's Tracked Hybrid Modular Infantry System (THeMIS) is a modular, hybrid UGV.  The vehicle's modular design and open architecture allow it to be reconfigured to ...

• Land: indirect fire location radar

  GA10

  The Ground Alerter 10 (GA10), developed by Thales, is a portable Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) early warning system. It provides 360° azimuth coverage with ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  HOT 3

  Designed to destroy reactive armour, the HOT (Haut subsonique Optiquement Téléguidé Tiré d'un Tube, or High Subsonic, Optical, Remote-Guided, Tube-Launched) family has demonstrated its multipurpose capability. Tens ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-8/Mi-17

  The Mil Mi-8 (NATO reporting name Hip) is a twin-engine, multirole, medium helicopter developed from 1960 to meet Soviet military requirements. More than 18,000 examples of the ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Heron Mk 1

  The Heron, now called the Heron Mk I, is a MALE UAS manufactured by Isreal Aerospace Industries' (IAI) Malat Division. Designed for various missions, including ISTAR and artillery fire ...

• Light UGVs

  Probot

  The 4x4 Professional Robot (Probot) is suitable for various applications, both indoor and outdoor, and is designed to carry a payload of up to 700kg. ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AS532

  The AS532 is a development of the SA 330 Puma, with a long fuselage and marketed for tactical transport and logistical support missions. It has ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Puma M36 Mk 5

  OTT developed the Puma M36 Mk 5 to meet the needs of African customers for a lower-cost vehicle that offers a greater payload than its ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  TopOwl

  The TopOwl binocular helmet-mounted sight and display has been chosen by 16 countries for their army, navy and/or air force attack and transport helicopters. It ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VBCI

  Nexter developed the VBCI to meet a French Army requirement for an infantry fighting vehicle to replace the tracked AMX-10P. The 8x8 design was specified ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Protivnik-GE

  The Protivnik-GE is a mobile 3D surveillance radar distributed by Russian supplier Rosoboronexport and is currently used by the Russian Armed Forces and the Egyptian ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  SPREOS

  Bird Aerosystems’ SPREO is a Directional Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) designed to protect rotary and fixed-wing aircraft against incoming infrared (IR) guided surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. ...

• Frigates

  La Fayette/Kang Ding Class

  The La Fayette-class frigates have a stealthy design and are in service with France and Taiwan, with some variance between the ships on length and ...

• Air-to-air missiles

  9M39 Igla-V

  The 9M39 Igla-V (‘needle’) is a Russian IR homing SAM adapted for helicopter use. It is an air-launched version of the Igla MANPADS, which the ...