• Air Warfare

  Leonardo’s Proteus structural tests “nearing completion” ahead of first flight

  30th June 2025

  The company has tested over 15 mission sets for the drone, with the rotorcraft used to demonstrate the viability of armed forces utilising large uncrewed aerial systems’ (UAS) for autonomous missions in the future.

• Naval Warfare

  Australian navy commissions two additional Austal-built patrol boats

  15th May 2025

  Despite bolstering its patrol fleet with new Evolved Cape-class vessels, the Royal Australian Navy’s offshore patrol vessel programme remains mired in delays, indecision and criticism over underwhelming capabilities.

• Land Warfare

  Australia inducts new QinetiQ EOD robots and 9mm pistols into service

  8th April 2025

  The new inductions will add significantly to the ADF’s infantry capabilities, especially during in-combat explosive ordnance disposal situations.

• Naval Warfare

  New contract enhances local building commitment of Colombia’s PES frigate programme

  13th March 2025

  Damen Naval has signed a contract with Heinen & Hopman, which will use local Colombian HVAC-R experts to fit out the fleet.

• Naval Warfare

  New mine countermeasures vessel enters service in Japan

  19th March 2025

  The new vessel, JS Nomi, is the fourth countermeasures vessels in the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force's Awaji class, and a fifth and sixth have been costed.

• Air Warfare

  Will drone motherships form part of tomorrow’s warfare?

  26th August 2025

  While motherships offer multiple operational advantages, the changes in the character of warfare may bring new tactics to the battlefield, reducing their role.

• Air Warfare

  US Navy's next-gen aircraft contract award expected this week

  25th March 2025

  The F/A-XX programme is the US Navy’s answer to improving air superiority against the rising threat of China in the Indo-Pacific.

• Naval Warfare

  Saab relaunches third upgraded Gotland-class submarine

  14th February 2025

  More than 20 of the central systems in HMS Halland were replaced as part of the upgrade, including sensors and command systems.

• Defence Notes

  US reforms its defence acquisition system to focus on commercial capabilities

  21st August 2025

  This shift is planned to accelerate the procurement and fielding of capabilities. As part of this strategy, the US also intends modernise its regulations in an attempt to change its bureaucratic and risk-averse culture.

• Naval Warfare

  Newest Arleigh Burke Flight III destroyer launched and ready for fitting

  27th March 2025

  DDG 129, which will become the USS Jeremiah Denton on commissioning, was moved to dry dock to begin its technical fitting and testing.

• Naval Warfare

  Denmark commits to three new Arctic vessels in light of Trump’s Greenland comments

  29th January 2025

  The vessels have been a necessity for years, but now Denmark is planning a stronger Arctic presence.

• Land Warfare

  Will we see a rise in MBT alternatives in future armoured warfare?

  25th November 2025

  In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of militaries procuring alternative vehicles to the traditional tank. The spread of these vehicles appears to be driven by the ever-increasing cost of MBTs and the changing nature of the modern battlefield.

• Air Warfare

  Indonesia commits to further collaboration with Turkey, eyes Kaan jet and MILDEN programmes

  14th April 2025

  The two countries have already signed defence industrial partnerships in recent years, most recently between Republikorp and Turkish firm Baykar in February 2025.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Australian Navy’s plan for fleet refresh continues in the face of headwinds

  5th August 2025

  Australia has selected the Mogami-class frigate from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) to replace Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Anzac-class frigates. The decision has been made as the RAN pushes to introduce delayed offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), awaits criticised Hunter-class ships and lives in the shadow of threats to the Collins-class submarine replacement efforts.

• Naval Warfare

  NAVDEX 2025: First of UAE Navy’s four Falaj-3 OPVs commissioned

  21st February 2025

  The vessels were first discussed a full ten years before the commissioning ceremony, and three more are due within the next three years.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Rosomak [Poland - Third Batch]

  Programme Background The Polish Army selected the Rosomak 8x8 armoured vehicle (a version of Patria's Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) 8x8 produced under licence by Rosomak) ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Rosomak [Poland - Fourth Batch]

  Programme Background The Polish Army selected the Rosomak 8x8 armoured vehicle (a version of Patria's Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) 8x8 produced under licence by Rosomak) ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Rosomak [Poland - Sixth Batch]

  Programme Background The Polish Army selected the Rosomak 8x8 armoured vehicle (a version of Patria's Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) 8x8 produced under licence by Rosomak) ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Rosomak [Poland - Fifth Batch]

  Programme Background The Polish Army selected the Rosomak 8x8 armoured vehicle (a version of Patria's Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) 8x8 produced under licence by Rosomak) ...

• Frigates

  Frigates Procurement Programme [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Saudi Navy urges to enhance its combat capabilities and to replace older vessels. Riyadh has recently embarked on major naval ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Al Jawf Class Replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  The Royal Saudi Navy urges the replacement of three Al Jawf-class minehunters, which Shephard forecasts will leave service by the end of the decade. At WDS ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Al Jawf Class Replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  The Royal Saudi Navy urges the replacement of three Al Jawf-class minehunters, which Shephard forecasts will leave service by the end of the decade. At WDS ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Submarines Procurement Programme [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) is in the process of a fleet transformation plan which, so far, has seen the procurement ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Boraida Class Replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Saudi Navy urges the replacement of three Boraida-class minehunters. Based on the Durance-class design, the ships entered service in the ...

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

  Akinci [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Erdogan Visit On 17 July 2023,  President Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Jeddah for the first stop of his Gulf tour. The following day, ...

• Minehunters

  Al Jawf Class Replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Saudi Navy urges the replacement of three Al Jawf-class minehunters. Based on the Sandown-class design, the ships entered service in the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Rosomak [Poland - Second Batch]

  Programme Background Requirement The Polish Army selected Patria's XC-360 Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) to meet its requirement for a new 8x8 armoured vehicle to replace ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Delta [Nigeria]

  Programme Background 2022 Defence Here, a Turkish-based defence website, reported that a Nigerian Air Force delegation visited Fly BVLOS's facilities in July 2022. Since then, ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 300 (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (16 March 2022 & 13 April 2022) On 16 March 2022, President Biden announced $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine through ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Phoenix Ghost (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (21 April 2022) Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, on 21 April 2022, President Biden announced an $800 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8N

  The PT-8D is an IR system from Overwatch Imaging. It is fitted with multiple HD thermal cameras and has been designed to conduct missions at dusk ...

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

  Samoom

  Unveiled at the World Defence Show 2022, the Samoon is a Saudi Arabian UCAV manufactured by Intra Defence Technologies.  It is powered by Belgian ULPower Aero ...

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8D

  Marketed as a cost-effective solution, the PT-8D is a wide-area search and ISR payload from Overwatch Imaging. It features an RGB colour camera and a ...

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8DN

  The PT-8DN is a versatile day-night payload from Overwatch Imaging.  It has dual RGB sensors of different focal lengths and an HD LWIR sensor. It also ...

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

  Autonomous Collaborative Platform (ACP)

  In July 2022, BAE Systems revealed two UAV concepts, one later being branded Concept 2, or the Autonomous Collaborative Platform (ACP), at DSEI 2023.  Signage near ...

• Guided munitions

  Sabir

  The Sabir 155mm artillery guided ammunition, presented by KNDS France at WDS 2024, is a locally-produced precision munition aimed at aligning with Saudi Arabia's Vision ...

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

  Milkor 380

  The Milkor 380 is a MALE UCAV with extensive mission payloads for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR) and precision strike missions. This range of payloads can be attached ...

• Air: helicopter radar, Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: UAS radar

  ELM-2022

  The ELM-2022, developed by IAI ELTA, is a maritime patrol radar family operating in the X-band designed for manned and unmanned, fixed- or rotary-wing airborne platforms. It is engineered for ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Milkor Commander

  At WDS 2024, Milkor UAE unveiled a new 16m patrol craft named Commander. Milkor revealed that more of the Commander’s capabilities will be showcased during ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Pars Alpha 8x8

  Unveiled at the World Defense Show 2024 in Riyadh, the Pars Alpha is the latest 8x8 Armoured Vehicle from Turkish manufacturer FNSS. Featuring improvements on ...

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

  Wing Loong 10

  The Wing Loong 10 is a HALE UAV, known as the WL-10 in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and formally known as the Cloud ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  SKAT 350

  Based on the Supercam 350, the SKAT 350 is a mini fixed-wing UAV manufactured by Kalashnikov Concern JSC. The drone was revealed in early 2024, ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Cockerill i-X

  The Cockerill i-X is a wheeled armoured vehicle designed as a light armoured platform with a modular turret for intercepting enemy forces. John Cockerill Defense unveiled the new ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  T-650

  Debuted at DSEI 2021, the T-650, or T650, is a multi-role quadcopter UAS manufactured by BAE Systems in collaboration with Malloy Aeronautics.  The electric-powered platform produces ...

• 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 ...