• Training

  ADECS 2018: RAAF training commences on upgraded Hawk Mk 127 fleet

  26th January 2018

  With 20 of the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) BAE Systems Hawk Mk 127 fleet of 33 aircraft now converted to Lead-In Fighter Capability Assurance …

• Defence Notes

  Cobra Gold 2018 helps prepare for real-world missions

  21st February 2018

  A critical part of Exercise Cobra Gold 2018, an annual exercise held in Thailand, was a combined amphibious assault at Hat Yao Beach on 17 …

• Land Warfare

  Western demand for active protection systems intensifies

  23rd January 2018

  ADS, a member of the Rheinmetall Group, is preparing for the broader and rapid adoption of active protection systems (APS) by Western armies in response …

• Naval Warfare

  ADECS 2018: India outlines security threats

  1st February 2018

  India is extremely wary of the maritime inroads that China is making into the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Indeed, some analysts are alleging that China …

• Defence Notes

  Iran blames Yemen war on British

  26th February 2018

  Iran has rejected Western claims that it was arming Huthi rebels in Yemen, saying the conflict was instead the result of British and US arm …

• Land Warfare

  Pentagon looks to counter rivals' hypersonic missiles

  16th February 2018

  Even as the Pentagon hustles to ensure that its defences keep pace with North Korea's fast-growing rocket programme, US officials increasingly are turning attention to …

• Military Logistics

  BAE demos Modular Bridging System

  25th January 2018

  BAE Systems has demonstrated the safety and performance of its new Modular Bridging System by simulating over 22,000 crossings of the Challenger 2 main battle …

• Land Warfare

  SHOT Show 2018: New FCS for shoulder-launched weapons

  25th January 2018

  German optic specialists Hensoldt has used this year’s SHOT Show in Las Vegas to unveil a new fire control system (FCS) optimised for shoulder-launched weapons. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Australia awards Defence Innovation Hub contracts

  26th January 2018

  The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has announced the latest tranche of Defence Innovation Hub contracts totalling $13.4 million. The five innovation contracts include a …

• Defence Notes

  German Army facing 'big gaps' as spending cuts bite

  20th February 2018

  Germany's armed forces are being pushed beyond their limits as Berlin makes greater international commitments while failing to invest in and reform the military, according …

• Digital Battlespace

  US gets serious about European EW threat

  16th February 2018

  The US is embarking on a number of projects that will see it rapidly rebuild and field advanced electronic warfare capabilities, many of which have …

• Training

  USAF plans T-X base roll-out

  23rd February 2018

  The US Air Force (USAF) has detailed where it will begin the roll out of the Advanced Pilot Trainer (T-X) aircraft when it enters service …

• Defence Notes

  Turkey urged to refocus its Syria fight against IS

  15th February 2018

  US Defence Secretary, Jim Mattis, has appealed to Turkey to concentrate its fight in Syria against the Islamic State (IS) group as tensions mount between …

• Digital Battlespace

  Terma 3D-Audio system for ANG/AFRC F-16

  21st February 2018

  Terma North America has received a contract from the US Air National Guard/Air Force Reserve (ANG/AFRC) to provide a 3D-Audio System for their F-16 aircraft, …

• Defence Helicopter

  China’s ‘Black Hawk’ set to enter PLA service

  23rd February 2018

  After a small flurry of helicopter images appeared on the Chinese internet this week, the Z-20 medium helicopter is thought to be approaching low-rate initial …

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 ...