• Land Warfare

  Australia boosts firepower by signing up for HIMARS and NSM

  8th January 2023

  Deals have been inked for rocket launchers and anti-ship missiles, as Australia enhances its range and lethality.

• Digital Battlespace

  UK forces to receive enhanced IED protection under multi-year project

  31st October 2022

  British troops, ground vehicles and military bases will receive new digital protection against remote and radio-controlled IEDs under a £45 million contract.

• Air Warfare

  UPDATED: Australia cements interest in AARGM-ER missile with FMS request

  1st March 2023

  The US has approved Australia's FMS request for supply of the upcoming AARGM-ER missile, but the weapon is appealing to other F-35 users as well.

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall wins major work order for US Army remote weapon stations

  18th January 2023

  The agreement with CROWS prime contractor Kongsberg will extend Rheinmetall's involvement with the programme for another five years.

• Naval Warfare

  Harland & Wolff boss touts UK credentials of support ship win

  25th November 2022

  Harland & Wolff hopes investment in its yards and partnership with Navantia can help deliver three new ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary on time.

• Naval Warfare

  Second LPD on the table in Algeria-Italy shipbuilding deal

  27th February 2023

  Algeria could get a second Landing Platform Dock (LPD) under a shipbuilding cooperation agreement being developed by Rome and Algiers.

• Training

  Top trends in military training and simulation for 2023

  17th January 2023

  The training and simulation sector had a stimulating 2022, but this year may hold even more exciting technological developments for the industry. Bohemia Interactive Simulations' CPO Pete Morrison gave Shephard some hot topics to watch for 2023.

• Training

  US university to enhance army tactical vehicle training

  6th January 2023

  A Rowan University team will create VR, AR and MR environments featuring armoured and tactical vehicles, gunner protection kits, threats and engagement scenarios to improve US Army tactical vehicle training.

• Air Warfare

  GCAP programme 'well positioned' to develop 6th-generation fighter by 2035

  12th January 2023

  The Global Combat Air Programme partners are confident a sixth-generation combat jet will fly by the middle of the 2030s. Other nations may be able to join the partnership in the future but the 'core club' window is closing soon.

• Naval Warfare

  Japan’s military enhances transport capability to offshore islands

  29th January 2023

  Japan, concerned by the vulnerability of its southwest archipelago, is seeking to boost its military transport capacity to the area.

• Air Warfare

  KAI wins production contract for Light Attack Helicopter

  4th January 2023

  The first series production examples of the Light Attack Helicopter have been ordered by the South Korean government.

• Land Warfare

  Thailand’s first LG1 towed howitzers touch down

  7th February 2023

  The first of Thailand's new 105mm field guns have arrived home, while the country's Defense Technology Institute (DTI) pursues other indigenous programmes such as combat reconnaissance vehicles and an MRAP.

• Air Warfare

  Regulus Cyber unveils system for drone swarm defeat

  19th January 2023

  The Ring R1 counter-UAS system uses GPS signal manipulation to control or neutralise hostile drones.

• Air Warfare

  Updated: Austria doubles down on Leonardo helicopter procurement

  20th January 2023

  Austria has formally finalised procurement of an additional 18 AW169 helicopters for multirole and training purposes from Italy.

• Land Warfare

  ROK Army gains cutting-edge firepower with new mortar carriers, light machine guns

  12th January 2023

  South Korea's procurement agency has approved or implemented a variety of programmes, including counter-battery radars, rocket launchers, light machine guns and mortar carriers.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Magni-X (UK)

  Programme Background On 12 January 2022, Elbit Systems UK announced it had been awarded a contract from the UK MoD's Defence Equipment & Support's Future Capability ...

• Military UAS - small

  Black Hornet 3 PRS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army operated approximately 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS between 2013 and 2017, when the decision was made to retire ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, LTVs - 4x4

  Supacat HMT 400 & 600 [UK - Option]

  Programme Background Programme Requirements The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated in a Contract Notice that it had a requirement for at least 70 new HMT platforms ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8, APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Bulldog FV432 Mk 3 Replacement [UK]

  Programme Background Requirement Serving in several iterations since 1963, the FV432 Mk3 'Bulldog' remains operational and deployed as command vehicles, ambulances, and recovery vehicles within the British Army. Although ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer MIV [UK]

  Programme Background History The UK MoD announced in March 2018 that it would re-join the Boxer programme and pursue a sole-source acquisition of the 8x8 ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Project [UK]

  Programme Background Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Project The British Army launched the RAS project to provide the "direction required to exploit emerging technologies to ...

• MPVs - 4x4, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Multi-Role Vehicle (Protected) (MRV-P) Package 1 (UK)

  Programme Background Requirement The MRV-P programme was intended to procure replacements for a diverse fleet of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles purchased during the wars in Iraq ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Ajax [UK]

  Programme Background Under its $4.3 billion production contract, GDUK will provide 589 Ajax to the British Army. These will be delivered in six different variants: ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, LTVs - 4x4

  Supacat HMT 400 & 600 [UK - Contracted]

  Programme Background Programme Requirements The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated in a Contract Notice that it required at least 240 new HMT platforms to mitigate ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Land Mobility Programme (Light Protected Mobility) [UK]

  This programme briefly introduces the wider Land Mobility Programme and then focuses on the Light Protected Mobility (LPM) programme. Information on the LMV and MPM can ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Land Mobility Programme [UK - Medium Protected Mobility]

  This programme briefly introduces the wider Land Mobility Programme and then focuses on the Medium Protected Mobility (MPM) programme. Information on the LMV and MPM can ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  French Operational Pocket Drone / DrOP (France)

  Programme Background French UAV Procurment / DrOP Under its 2019-2025 Military Programming Law (LPM), France aims to introduce 1,200 new UAVs into service with the ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Black Hornet 3 (First Order) [Norway]

  Programme Background First Batch The Norwegian Home Guard has procured the Black Hornet 3 to provide each of its districts with a nano UAS that ...

• Tanks

  Leclerc Upgrade (UAE)

  Programme Background The UAE MoD has not disclosed any intention to modernise or replace its Leclerc MBTs, but an unconfirmed report published by the Asian Defence ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  British Army Apache Training Facilities

  Aviation Training International (ATIL) – a Leonardo Helicopters/Boeing joint venture formed in 1998 - was selected to provide the attack helicopter training service to the ...

• Tanks

  Challenger 1

  420 Challenger 1 MBTs were delivered to the British Army between 1983 and 1990. Developed from the Shir 2 MBT originally designed for Iran, the ...

• Unguided Artillery Ammunition

  L52 Smoke

  The L52 Smoke is a 105mm smoke artillery round manufactured by BAE Systems.  The British Army uses it in its L118 Light Guns.

• Self-propelled guns

  AS90

  The AS90 155mm/39cal tracked SPH was designed and built by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering (acquired by BAE Systems in 1999) to meet the requirements of ...

• Unguided Artillery Ammunition

  L21 High Explosive (HE)

  The L21 High Explosive (HE) is a 155mm artillery shell manufactured by BAE Systems. The British Army uses the L21 with its Archer artillery systems.

• Towed guns

  105mm Light Gun

  The 105mm Light Gun was designed and manufactured by Royal Ordnance Nottingham (now BAE Systems), with the first guns introduced to the British Army in ...

• Tanks

  Challenger 2

  The 120mm-armed Challenger 2 MBT was introduced into British Army service in 1994 as a replacement for the Challenger 1, which was successfully employed in ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  FV432 Mk 3 Bulldog

  The FV432 Mk 3 Bulldog is an upgraded version of the long-serving FV432 family of tracked vehicles, of which approximately 3,000 were delivered to the British ...

• Unguided Artillery Ammunition

  L17 Inert

  The L17 Inert is a 155mm training artillery round manufactured by BAE Systems.  It is in service with the British Army, where its Archer artillery systems use ...

• Subsystems: software

  Exonaut Software Suite

  Since 2000, 4C has been developing the Exonaut software suite. The products within the Exonaut suite can either be used standalone or as part of ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  Buffalo MPCV

  The Buffalo Mine-Protected Clearance Vehicle (MPCV) is in service with the armed forces of Canada, France, Italy, Pakistan, the UK and the US and has ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  Instrumented Ground Combat Training Systems

  Cubic supplies combat training systems for CTCs, homestations and forward-deployed environments. The systems are designed to support missions including force-on-force, urban operations, joint, combined arms ...

• Tanks

  Olifant

  The Olifant (Elephant) is a South African variant of the British Centurion MBT. Development of the Centurion began in 1943. It was introduced into service ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Cougar 6x6

  The Cougar 6x6 has its origins as a South African vehicle manufactured by Force Protection, a company eventually purchased by General Dynamics. Mine-protected vehicles manufactured ...

• Infrastructure - bridges

  IAB

  The Infantry Assault Bridge (IAB) is a lightweight foot bridge for light infantry and airborne troops to cross dry or wet gaps. One complete bridge ...