• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall integrates MELLS into Marder IFV

  22nd March 2018

  Rheinmetall has integrated the MELLS anti-tank missile system into the German Army’s Marder 1A5 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), the company announced on 20 March. Rheinmetall received …

• Defence Helicopter

  Autoflug joins Sikorsky's STH team

  12th March 2018

  Autoflug has joined Sikorsky's team for Germany’s heavy transport helicopter (STH) competition, the company announced on 6 March. The companies have signed a letter of …

• Naval Warfare

  DIMDEX 2018: Regulations fail to match pace of HEL gun development

  12th March 2018

  Regulations determining the implementation and use of laser weapons are failing to keep pace with the development of such technologies, according to Rheinmetall Defence. Showcasing …

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed, MBDA form JV for Germany’s TLVS

  13th March 2018

  Lockheed Martin and MBDA Deutschland have formed a new joint venture (JV) to pursue the German military’s next generation integrated air and missile defence system, …

• Defence Notes

  UK to invest in chemical weapons defence centre

  15th March 2018

  Britain will invest £48 million in a new chemical weapons defence centre and vaccinate thousands of British soldiers against anthrax, the country’s defence minister said …

• Training

  UK MoD moves ASDOT forward

  16th March 2018

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has initiated a new phase in the Air Support to Defence Operational Training (ASDOT) programme with the down-select of …

• Defence Helicopter

  Lockheed Martin prepared for heavy lifting on CH-53K

  8th March 2018

  In advance of formally presenting its case to the German government on how the CH-53K King Stallion meets heavy-lift competition requirements, Lockheed Martin is negotiating …

• Digital Battlespace

  SCTX 2018: Chemring launches radio initiator system, LORIS

  7th March 2018

  Chemring Technology Solutions has launched a new Long-range Radio Initiator System (LORIS) at the Security and Counter Terror Expo (SCTX) in London. LORIS, a high …

• Naval Warfare

  Thyssenkrupp presents German design for Polish submarine requirement

  5th March 2018

  As the Polish Navy is on the verge of choosing its strategic partner in the Orka programme, Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) wants to persuade authorities …

• Defence Notes

  Britain signs Saudi Eurofighter order

  9th March 2018

  Britain has signed a multi-billion-pound preliminary order from Saudi Arabia for 48 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, military equipment maker BAE Systems said on Friday. The …

• Land Warfare

  FN FCU Mk3 for German Army

  1st March 2018

  FN Herstal’s FN Fire Control Unit (FCU) Mk3 has been selected for the German Army’s Future Soldier Expanded System (IdZ-ES) programme, the company announced on …

• Naval Warfare

  German Navy frigate begins in-port trials

  27th February 2018

  The German Navy’s third F125 class frigate, the Sachsen-Anhalt, has sailed for the first time from the shipyard in Hamburg, Thyssenkrupp announced on 22 February. …

• Land Warfare

  Boxer scores KO in Australian competition

  14th March 2018

  Rheinmetall’s Boxer has come out on top of BAE Systems’ Patria AMV35 in a bitter fight to win a lucrative contract for 225 Combat Reconnaissance …

• Training

  DSET 2018: US Army seeks solutions

  8th March 2018

  At the Defence Simulation, Education & Training conference (DSET) Brig Gen William Cole, commander of the US Program Executive Office Simulation Training & Instrumentation (PEO …

• Defence Notes

  German Army facing 'big gaps' as spending cuts bite

  20th February 2018

  Germany's armed forces are being pushed beyond their limits as Berlin makes greater international commitments while failing to invest in and reform the military, according …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - mini

  X10D (Airman’s toolkit) [USAF]

  Background November 2025 contract award Skydio announced in November 2025 that the USAF had awarded it two initial multi-million dollar contract awards to acquire the ...

• Light UGVs

  L3 Harris T7 [USA]

  Programme Background  In 2021 and 2022 the US Air Force ordered over 107 L3Harris T7 EOD UGVs to replace its 20 year old fleet of ...

• Military UAS - mini

  X10D (Base defence) [USAF]

  Background Contract award On 8 April 2026, Skydio announced that it had been awarded a $9 million contract by the US Air Forces Central (USAFCENT), the air component ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) [Spain]

  Background The VAMTAC ST5 is already in Spanish service with the Spanish Army, Navy, and Air Force in various configurations. In June 2025, the Spanish ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Render Safe Sets, Kits & Outfits (RS SKO) (UAV) [US]

  Programme Background Definition The RS SKO provides capabilities needed for Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams to render safe US and foreign ordnance and improvised explosive ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VTMM 2 [Italy]

  Background The Italian Army has a requirement for 633 VTMMs, known as the Orso (Bear) in Italian service. These will be used to perform specialised ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Batch 3) [Germany]

  Background The contract award for Germany's second batch of Pumas was originally scheduled for 2021, following the final deliveries of Germany's first batch. However, in April ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Tornado Replacement (F-35A) [Germany]

  Background Requirement In March 2020, it emerged that the German government was considering  30 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets to replace 45 nuclear-capable Tornados. The remaining 40 Tornados ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV [Germany]

  Background The SPD-led approach Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany has been under consistent pressure to increase its defence spending. In the immediate ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Vector / Scorpion (Ukraine Aid) [Germany]

  Programme Background German Enablement Initiative On 18 April 2024, Quantum-Systems announced that German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck and Ukrainian Minister of Strategic Industry Alexander Kamyshin had opened the ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  Skyranger 30 [Germany]

  Background The SPD-led approach Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany has been under consistent pressure to increase its defence spending. In the immediate ...

• Military UAS - small

  Zielplan Marine 2035+ (Rotary-Wing UAVs) [Germany]

  Background Zieplan Marine 2035+ Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at the 2022 Bundeswehr Conference that Germany must become the "cornerstone of conventional defence in Europe". To ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (Heavy Weapons Infantry Carrier) [Germany]

  Background The German Army is believed to require a total of 43 Boxer Heavy Weapons Infantry Carriers to equip its Division 2027. 36 of these ...

• Main battle tanks

  Leopard 2A8 [Germany]

  Background The SPD-led approach Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany has been under consistent pressure to increase its defence spending. In the immediate ...

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  Type 212CD (1-2) [Germany]

  Background Norway selected TKMS as the shipbuilder for its new class of Type 212CD submarines to replace the six Ula-class SSKs currently in service. TKMS ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• MPVs - 4x4

  Shrek

  The Shrek is an MRAP vehicle developed by the Streit Group in collaboration with the Ukrainian Kremenchug Automotive Plant (KrAZ). It is available in three ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  DURO IIIP

  The DURO IIIP (also known as the GMTF) 6x6 is a protected, mobile off-road armoured vehicle based on the DURO (Durable, Robust) family of 4x4 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Fuchs 1

  Spanning now 8 variants, the Fuchs 1 is the German Army's longstanding wheeled armoured personnel carrier. The army received 1,125 Fuchs, with most delivered between 1979-86. ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  German HFTS

  Helicopter Flight Training Services (HFTS) was founded by the consortium of CAE, Airbus Helicopters, Thales and Rheinmetall Defence Electronics. Each company owns a 25% share ...

• Land: UGV simulators

  Remote Controlled Vehicle Simulation

  The Remote Controlled Vehicle Simulation is designed for users such as EOD forces.  Key features: use of original control devices; PC-based VR simulation; multiple scenarios ...

• Military - UUVs

  Bluefin-HAUV

  The Bluefin Hovering AUV (HAUV) is a two-man system used for ship hull and infrastructure inspection, port and harbour security and MCM. Operators are able ...

• Light UGVs

  Oto-TRP7-HS

  The Oto-TRP7-HS (Homeland Security) is a semi-autonomous, electric-powered, tracked UGV. It is designed to undertake a number of homeland security missions. 

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  Manpack-6 Bomb Ranger

  Manpack-6 is a portable jamming system that can be carried by a person in areas where there is a risk of encountering remoted controlled improvised ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Eagle V 6x6

  GDELS unveiled the fifth generation of its Eagle light tactical vehicle in both 4x4 and 6x6 models at Eurosatory 2012. The Eagle V has replaced ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Eagle V 4x4

  GDELS unveiled the fifth generation of its Eagle light tactical vehicle at Eurosatory 2012. The platform has replaced earlier-generation vehicles in production. More than 1,250 ...

• Light UGVs

  Zeus

  NIC Instruments' Zeus UGV is a development of its First Responder (see separate entry) platform and was unveiled at Milipol Paris in November 2017. The company ...

• EO/IR systems

  Gyrocam 15DHD

  Gyrocam 15DHD is a 15in dual system that delivers HD and mid-wave thermal optics, in a modular payload that supports ISR missions. The 15DHD features ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  MPV/GFF 4

  Iveco Defence Vehicles cooperated with KMW to develop the Medium Protected Vehicle (MPV). This vehicle is designed to have sufficient payload, protection, capacity and mobility to ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Varan

  Streit unveiled the Varan 6x6 amphibious armoured vehicle at the IDEX defence exhibition in February 2013. The vehicle can be fitted with additional ballistic protection ...

• Light UGVs

  Vanguard

  The Vanguard UGV is designed to provide mission support for EOD technicians in both law enforcement and the military. It can be deployed in EOD/IED ...