• Defence Notes

  Boeing dismisses accusations of fallout with UK

  23rd October 2017

  US aerospace giant Boeing has reaffirmed its commitment to the UK, despite souring relations with the UK government following the US Department of Commerce’s decision …

• Digital Battlespace

  MILCOM 2017: USAF looks to commercial SATCOM reform

  24th October 2017

  Momentum is building to reform the US military’s acquisition processes and help the US Air Force finally acquire long-term commercial satellite communication (SATCOM) capabilities. Reform …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IAI demos Air Hopper for IDF

  4th October 2017

  Israel Aerospace Industries' (IAI) unmanned helicopter has completed a proof-of-concept demonstration for the Israel Defence Force, the company announced on 2 October. The Air Hopper …

• Special Operations

  US Army SOF highlights support in Northern Syria

  20th October 2017

  US Army special operations leaders have highlighted the contributions of Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF) in supporting indigenous forces, particularly in northern Syria.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australian award puts wind in Bluebottle’s sail

  9th October 2017

  For development progress of its Bluebottle persistent USV to date, Ocius Technology received on 4 October the Defence SME Innovation Grant. This was one of …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG’s sUAS for NSC programme achieves milestone

  25th October 2017

  The US Coast Guard’s (USCG) small UAS National Security Cutter (NSC) programme has received approval to progress to the next phase, the USCG announced on …

• Naval Warfare

  BAE proposes digital shipyard for Australia

  27th September 2017

  BAE Systems Australia will invest A$100 million in a new digital shipyard in Adelaide, South Australia, if the company is selected for the Royal Australian …

• Naval Warfare

  Pacific 2017: Pacific Patrol Boat production gathers steam

  5th October 2017

  Good progress is being made on the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement (PPR-B) programme, with the first vessel slated for Papua New Guinea on schedule for …

• Military Logistics

  Leonardo’s ILS for US naval air stations

  19th October 2017

  Leonardo has received a $20.9 million contract from the US Navy to deliver Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) for installation at US naval stations, the company …

• 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 …

• Defence Notes

  D&S 2017: Malaysian budget promises new equipment

  30th October 2017

  The Malaysian government has given the go-ahead for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) to purchase four maritime patrol aircraft and the Malaysian Army to …

• Training

  Sikorsky conducts HH-60W training systems CDR

  27th October 2017

  Sikorsky has successfully conducted the critical design review (CDR) of HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH) programme training systems, Lockheed Martin announced on 25 October. This …

• Military Logistics

  Mobile tank equipment goes military

  21st September 2017

  GOFA, a German supplier of mobile tank equipment, is increasingly targeting the military market, seeing strong potential for intermodal tank containers, the company told Shephard. …

• Military Logistics

  Royal Navy faces cannibalisation risks

  1st November 2017

  The Royal Navy could face further equipment cannibalisation despite the introduction of a Common Support Model (CMS) for the maintenance of its vessels this year. Findings …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris wins tactical radios contract

  17th October 2017

  Harris Corporation has received a five-year, $765 million indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract to provide tactical radios and ancillary devices to the US Navy and …

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 ...