• Defence Helicopter

  China’s Z-20 gets its first public airings

  23rd October 2019

  The Z-20 helicopter manufactured by the Harbin Aircraft Industry Group – but clearly copied from the Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk – has enjoyed a flurry …

• Naval Warfare

  RAN decommissions HMAS Melbourne

  28th October 2019

  The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has decommissioned Adelaide class guided missile frigate, HMAS Melbourne, during a ceremony at Garden Island in Sydney.The frigate served 27 …

• Defence Notes

  Asia-Pacific dominates MPA market

  8th November 2019

  The global market for procurement of new maritime patrol aircraft (MPAs) is forecast to be worth $28 billion between 2019 and 2029 and is dominated …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  New Chinese armed robot handles gunfire (video)

  8th August 2019

  A private company called Shenyang Donglang Technology Dev (SDT) has created a UGV named Realblow, a device designed to act as an armed assailant for …

• Land Warfare

  Finnish Leopard 2A6 fleet complete

  29th October 2019

  The Finnish Defence Forces received its final Leopard 2A6 main battle tanks (MBT) from the Netherlands on 25 October. Finland ordered 100 used surplus Leopard …

• Military Logistics

  Mercedes-Benz reinvents Zetros truck

  28th October 2019

  With the defence vehicle market set to grow substantially over the next decade Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks unveiled its new version of the Zetros truck after …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Schiebel to enhance Camcopter S-100

  28th October 2019

  Schiebel is to provide customers with an enhanced Camcopter S-100 developed under a forthcoming Capability Update Programme (CUP), the company announced on 28 October.The programme …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AOC 2019: Coyote Block 2 to integrate Howler

  23rd October 2019

  Raytheon expects to conduct a final demonstration of its Coyote Block 2 UAV for a counter-UAS role before the end of March 2020. Additionally, in …

• Defence Notes

  Podcast: Walking the halls of AUSA, upgrading the capabilities of the AH-64E Apache and a look at the fixed wing market

  25th October 2019

  Welcome to Episode 40 of The Weekly Defence Podcast. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more. Sign up to an early email alert of future podcasts here.

• Defence Notes

  $111 billion being spent globally on transport and tanker aircraft over next decade

  1st November 2019

  The global market for tactical airlift, strategic transports and tanker aircraft is expected to reach $111 billion over the next ten years, according to new …

• Defence Notes

  France's Macron says NATO experiencing 'brain death'

  7th November 2019

  French President Emmanuel Macron said he believed NATO was undergoing ‘brain death,’ lamenting a lack of coordination between Europe and the United States and unilateral …

• Digital Battlespace

  AOC 2019: DARPA makes its case for Mosaic Warfare

  29th October 2019

  In an effort to move away from overarching CONOPS or C2 structures, DARPA has used the platform of AOC 2019 to make its case for …

• Naval Warfare

  USS Indianapolis commissioned

  28th October 2019

  The US Navy has commissioned its 17th Littoral Combat Ship, USS Indianapolis, into service in Burns Harbor, Indiana. USS Indianapolis is the navy’s ninth Freedom-variant …

• Naval Warfare

  RAAF looks at AI for low-cost SAR

  1st November 2019

  The Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF’s) Plan Jericho initiative has introduced an artificial intelligence (AI) prototype called Ai-Search to improve airborne search and rescue (SAR) …

• Special Operations

  Babcock to offer bid for Australia SOF helicopters

  29th October 2019

  Babcock Australasia has confirmed that it will submit a bid for the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF's) Special Operations Helicopter capability, the company announced on 25 …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  J-10 [Pakistan]

  Programme Background A video clip released by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) disclosed that a deal to acquire the J-10 from China was signed on 25 ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  CV90 [Czech Republic]

  Programme Background The Czech Republic has been working on modernising its mechanised units at least since 2017, when the country launched its "Tracked IFV" programme ...

• AEW&C

  AEW&C Aircraft [India]

  Programme Background India is planning to increase its AEW&C; capabilities with indigenous radar systems.  A330 Bid In 2015, the IAF has requested to procure six ...

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

  MALE Combat Drones [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events ...

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

  Anka-S (Second Batch) [Turkey]

  Programme Background First Batch Based on comments by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Turkish media in 2018, Shephard believes that Türkiye acquired 26 Anka-S drones ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Medium Range Precision Strike (MRPS) [UK]

  Programme Background Prior Information Notice (PIN) On 21 October 2024, the MoD published a PIN in collaboration with the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S;). The notice ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 Special Forces [France]

  Programme Background In French service, advanced H225M Caracals with aerial refuelling capabilities are used by SOF units of the French Air Force (FAF) and French ...

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

  MQ-9A Reaper [Spain]

  Programme Background First Contract The US State Department approved a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of MQ-9 Block 5 aircraft and associated parts, equipment, and logistical ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV [Slovenia - 2nd Batch]

  Programme Background  Slovenia began its procurement of Oshkosh Defence's JLTV 4x4 armoured vehicle in 2018, although a US government FMS contract was not signed until ...

• Loitering munitions

  Echelon 1: Ground Organic Precision Strike Systems (GOPSS) [USSOCOM]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has made loitering capabilities a priority in its efforts to support counter-violent extremist organization (C-VEO) operations ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  L-39NG Senegal

  The aircraft will feature five hard-points, two external fuel tanks with 350 lt capacity, Mk 81 and Mk 82 bombs, guided and unguided rockets, single ...

• LRSS

  Programme Background The LRSS programme will meet the Canadian Army's need for a long-range on-the-move digital surveillance system mounted on the LAV 6.0 8x8 armoured ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R Seahawk (Saudi Arabia)

  The sale is aimed at improving Saudi Arabia’s capability to meet current and future threats from enemy weapon systems, provide the capability to identify, engage ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  CRATOS

  The Clip-On Ruggedized Advanced Thermal Optical Sight (CRATOS) is a miniaturised all-in-one thermal weapon sight designed for handheld, clip-on or stand-alone use. 

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  HuntIR Mk 2

  The HuntIR Mk 2 thermal weapon and reconnaissance sight is designed for clip-on use on mid- and long-range small arms. The standalone weapon sight has ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  XACT th family

  The XACT thermal weapon sight product family includes: the XACT th64 short/medium-range weapon-mounted or handheld sight; the XACT th65 clip-on marksman sight; and the XACT ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  CNVD-T

  The Clip-On Night Vision Device-Thermal (CNVD-T) is a handheld or weapon-mounted thermal sight based on the military SU-232/PAS. 

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  UTCx

  The UTCx (Universal Thermal Clip-on) sight is a universal thermal clip-on to existing weapon sights, currently fielded by the US military and supporting long-range sniper ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  AN/PAS-13G(V)1 LWTS

  The AN/PAS-13G(V)1 Light Weapon Thermal Sight (LWTS) is a handheld or weapon-mounted thermal sight. The TI capability of the LWTS allows for longwave infrared observation ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  TISI-M

  Designed for assault and sharpshooter rifles, SMGs and machine guns, the TISI-M is a lightweight uncooled thermal day and night weapon sight which can be ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  AN/PVS-30

  The AN/PVS-30 is a long-range thermal clip-on sniper night sight. The sight is able to extend the range of engagement by up to 1,000m and ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  Lily-L

  The Lily-L clip-on thermal sight for long-range sniper weapons can be mounted on a Picatinny rail in front of a day scope. It is designed for ...

• Weapon sights for night use (image intensifiers)

  MilSight S135 MUNS

  The MilSight S135 Magnum Universal Night Sight (MUNS) AN/PVS-27 is a high-resolution clip-on weapon sight that mounts forward of an existing scope, adding NV capabilities ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  ThermoSight HISS-XLR

  The HISS extended long-range (XLR) clip-on thermal weapon sight allows snipers to detect and recognise man-sized targets at up to 2,000m, offering a 25% increase ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  MUNSTI

  The MUNSTI uncooled thermal imaging clip-on sight is compact and lightweight, designed for use in front of a day optical sight. It is suitable for ...

• Individual grenade launchers

  UBGL

  The single-shot 40mm Under-Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) can be attached to most modern assault weapons using a MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rail system. The breech is swung ...

• Sniper rifles

  Dan.338

  IWI launched the Dan.338, the first of a new family of bolt-action sniper rifles, at the Eurosatory 2014 exhibition. Chambered for .338 Lapua Mag ammunition, ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  TVC 60

  The TVC 60 is a clip-on thermal weapon sight designed to be used in conjunction with a magnified day optic. The shooter relies on the ...