• Defence Notes

  Singapore Airshow 2018: Lightning strikes twice in Singapore

  8th February 2018

  The defence equipment creating the most excitement at Singapore Airshow 2018 is probably the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II fighter, with a pair of USMC …

• Defence Helicopter

  HMS Queen Elizabeth sails for helo trials

  7th February 2018

  Two Chinook helicopters landed onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth for the first time before the vessel sailed for helicopter trials at sea, the Royal Navy announced …

• Military Logistics

  BAE Systems to modernise US Navy ships

  5th February 2018

  BAE Systems has been awarded two contracts to modernise the US Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS America and the guided missile cruiser USS Cape St. …

• Special Operations

  SHOT Show 2018: SOG builds on SOF heritage

  26th January 2018

  Representatives for knife and tool manufacturer SOG highlighted the company’s SOF heritage and the continuing influence of that community in its equipment designs. According to …

• Defence Helicopter

  Columbia Helicopters consolidate airlift support

  6th February 2018

  Columbia Helicopters has received a modified contract from the US Transportation Command for rotary-wing airlift support. The work will be performed in Afghanistan and focus …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Unmanned Systems 2018: US Army’s SMET stalled

  7th February 2018

  While the US is once again on the brink of a government shutdown, the US Army is warning that programmes like its Squad Multipurpose Equipment …

• Defence Helicopter

  Body part recovered after Japanese military helicopter crash

  6th February 2018

  Japanese authorities announced on 6 February that they had recovered a body part during the search for a crew member missing in a deadly military …

• Defence Notes

  Boost to Japan's bid to relocate US base

  5th February 2018

  Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on 5 January welcomed the result of a mayoral election in the southern Japanese island of Okinawa seen as key …

• Defence Helicopter

  Two feared dead in Japan Army helicopter crash

  5th February 2018

  Two crew were feared dead on 5 February after a Japanese military helicopter crashed in a residential area in the southwest of the country, setting …

• Land Warfare

  Singapore Airshow 2018: NGAFV to reach Singapore Army next year

  7th February 2018

  ST Kinetics will begin production of its Next Generation Armoured Fighting Vehicle (NGAFV) ‘soon’, the company said, as the tracked vehicle made its first appearance …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG orders 20 RB-S IIs

  22nd January 2018

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) has issued an $8 million order to Metal Shark Aluminum Boats for the supply of 20 response boats-small II (RB-S …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM eyes contractor owned and operated UAS

  23rd January 2018

  The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is currently seeking information on a contractor-owned, contractor-operated (COCO) UAS for future ISR missions. USSOCOM has stipulated the …

• Defence Notes

  Norway's wealth fund excludes nine groups from portfolio

  16th January 2018

  Norway's $1 trillion sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest, has excluded nine groups, including the UK's military equipment maker BAE Systems, from its portfolio based …

• Defence Notes

  ADECS 2018: Babcock contributes to South Korean submarines

  23rd January 2018

  Babcock International has already commenced manufacture of weapons handling and launch equipment in fulfilment of a contract to equip South Korean KSS-III conventional submarines, each …

• Defence Notes

  US power not in decline across Asia-Pacific: Dunford

  6th February 2018

  US commitment to the Asia-Pacific remains unwavering even though rivals falsely depict its influence as waning, the country's top general said on 6 February. The …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Submarines nuclear, ballistic missile

  Dreadnought Class (Successor Programme) (1-4) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirements The Dreadnought-class, prior to being named in October 2016, was known as the Successor programme, which was approved by the government in May ...

• Minehunters

  Mine Sweeping Hunter II (MSH-II) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirements Under the Mine Sweeping Hunter II (MSH-II) programme, South Korea is seeking a replacement for the Ganggyeong-class minehunters, which are due to leave service ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (13-22) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B Batch-II ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Puma 2 AE [Estonia]

  Programme Background The US DoD announced that it had awarded AeroVironment an $8.868 million firm-fixed-price contract to supply an undisclosed number of RQ-20B Puma AE ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (9-12) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B Batch-II ...

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

  Wing Loong II [Nigeria]

  Programme Background First Order On 5 November 2020, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Chief, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, stated that the force was set to ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  KSS-III Batch II (4-6) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Timeline In March 2019, the construction of the first KSS-III Batch II was approved. On 30 March 2023, Hanwha Ocean laid the keel of ...

• Main battle tanks

  Arjun Mark-II

  Programme Background While original plans envisioned the production of up to 250 Arjun Mk IIs, the programme's many delays have prompted the Indian Army to ...

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

  Wing Loong II (Pakistan)

  Programme Background Negotiations On 6 October 2018, the Pakistani Air Force (PAF) announced it would acquire 48 Wing Loong II UAVs in a social media post. ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (5-8) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW 212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Cloud Leopard II 8x8 [Taiwan]

  Programme Background The Cloud Leopard II will offer greater strategic mobility, as well as enhanced protection and lethality, than the legacy tracked and wheeled vehicles ...

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

  Wing Loong II [Democratic Republic of Congo]

  Background Reports In April 2025, various reports emerged that stated the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was in the process of acquiring three Wing Loong ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (1-4) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B Batch-II fast attack ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  KSS-III (Boats 7-9) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Timeline The new KSS-III Dosan Ahn Chang-Ho-class submarines for the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) are a significant advance on the earlier KSS-II and ...

• Trainer

  T-6C [Thailand]

  Programme Background The contract is for 12 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II advanced military training aircraft, ground-based training systems for pilots and maintenance professionals, a mission ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Surface-to-surface missiles

  UGM-133 Trident II

  The UGM-133 Trident II, also known as the Trident D5, is a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) developed and produced by Lockheed Martin for the United ...

• Submarines nuclear, ballistic missile

  Vanguard Class

  The UK Royal Navy’s Vanguard class of ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) provide the UK with its continuous-at-sea deterrent (CASD) coverage and have done so since 1994 ...

• Submarines nuclear, ballistic missile

  Ohio Class

  The US Navy’s (USN’s) Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) – known as the SSBN 726-class – provide the US with its sea-based nuclear deterrent. It ...

• Submarines nuclear, ballistic missile

  Columbia Class

  The USN’s new Columbia-class SSBN, also known as the SSBN 826-class, is planned to replace the existing Ohio-class boats as the cornerstone of the US ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Trident TL

  The Trident TL is a low-cost, foldable, ground- or air-launched UAS. Designed for commercial and federal agency use, this system uses autonomous navigation for launch, ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  Trident 140TD2

  The Trident 140TD2 is a compression-ignition engine designed for MALE platforms. Based on the Trident 100TD2, it is a lightweight, four-cylinder design that is intended ...

• Sea: optronic masts and periscopes

  Type 8 Mod 3

  The Type 8 Mod 3 is an updated version of the Type 8-series periscopes. The Type 8B/J Mod 3 provides extremely high-frequency low-data-rate communications capability ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  Trident 180TD2

  The Trident 180TD2 is a compression-ignition engine designed for heavier UAVs up to the 2t class. The design is intended to improve efficiency, while being ...

• Guided munitions

  Ninja

  The Ninja is a free-fall guided munition from Astra Systems. It can be launched from manned or uncrewed platforms and uses GPS-INS guidance when airborne.  Several warhead ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Tryzub Laser

  Ukraine's Tryzub (Trident) laser was revealed during the European Defence Industry: Prospects for Cooperation with the Ukrainian Defence Industry conference in 2025. Video footage from ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  EX-3M Trident

  The EX-3M Trident is an open-architecture, high-speed, developmental fixed-wing UAV. Manufactured by Exosonic, the UAV commenced flight trials of a demonstrator in May 2023, with the actual drone conducting its ...

• EFASS 20.4m Hangar

  The 20.4m hangar was the first of the Expeditionary Forces Aircraft Shelter System (EFASS) range of soft-walled temporary buildings to be designed to meet the ...

• Loitering munitions

  Spear

  The Spear is a loitering munition manufactured by Astra Systems. It is designed for air-to-ground and ground-to-ground attack operations. The system uses electric propulsion, giving it ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  Trident 100TD2

  The Trident 100TD2 is a compression-ignition engine that is capable of operating on various types of heavy fuel. It is claimed to offer up to ...

• Submarines nuclear, ballistic missile

  Dreadnought Class

  The UK is building four new Dreadnought-class SSBNs for the Royal Navy that will take over the nuclear deterrent role from the existing four Vanguard-class submarines. ...