• Defence Notes

  China launches first home-built carrier

  26th April 2017

  China launched its first indigenously built aircraft carrier, widely referred to as the Type 001A, on 26 April, an event that had been eagerly anticipated …

• Digital Battlespace

  UK election delays Sentinel decision

  20th April 2017

  An announcement on whether the Royal Air Force (RAF) will retain all five of its Sentinel R1 intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, or reduce …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sea Venom cleared for Lynx exports

  6th April 2017

  European missile manufacturer MBDA has successfully completed air carriage and jettison trials of its new Sea Venom anti-ship missile from a Royal Navy Lynx Mk8 …

• Land Warfare

  LAAD 2017: Brazil FMS upgrades roll on

  6th April 2017

  Mistaken reports of the arrival of the first upgraded M109A5+ self-propelled howitzer to the Brazilian Army have been rebuffed by manufacturer BAE Systems.The company has …

• Land Warfare

  ​LAAD 2017: Guarani slows down

  5th April 2017

  As the Brazilian defence budget gets more constrained the army is being forced to delay it major programmes.The VBTP-MR Guarani 6x6 armoured vehicle programme is …

• Defence Notes

  F-35s for Taiwan: Will US cross China’s ‘red line’?

  12th April 2017

  Taiwan's National Security Council has made repeated requests to the Trump White House for the Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter, a high-level US defence industry …

• Special Operations

  ​SOFINS: Counter terror UAVs on display

  2nd April 2017

  French company CM Drones showcased two specialist UAVs designed specifically for counter-terror operations at the SOFINS exhibition, near Bordeaux from 28-30 March.The company promoted its …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Saudi factory to churn out Chinese UCAVs

  29th March 2017

  When Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud visited China in mid-March, one of the many deals that he signed was to set up a factory …

• Land Warfare

  LAAD 2017: Turret developments for Guarani

  5th April 2017

  As Brazilian Army vehicle programmes begin to stall, there is still scope for the installation of new turrets.On the back of a contract to build …

• Special Operations

  ​SOFINS: Anti-UAV rifle targets the drones

  3rd April 2017

  Monaco-based company MC-CLIC presented its anti-UAV rifle at the SOFINS exhibition, near Bordeaux, which was developed to meet a requirement from the government of the …

• Land Warfare

  LIMA 2017: Starstreak penetrates Southeast Asia

  27th March 2017

  Thales is in the delivery phase for its Starstreak very short-range air defence missile system to the Malaysian Armed Forces.The company is working with Malaysian …

• Special Operations

  SOFINS: French GIGN gets new rifle

  30th March 2017

  The French National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN) has ordered a new standard issue weapon.It has selected the Bren 2 assault rifle from Czech company CZ. …

• Defence Helicopter

  First AS565 MBe Panthers arrive in Indonesia

  29th March 2017

  Two base AS565 MBe Panther platforms have arrived in Indonesia for completion by PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI), Airbus Helicopters announced on 29 March. The Indonesian …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ​SOFINS: Long endurance UAV to protect air bases

  3rd April 2017

  The French military presented the hydrogen fuel cell-powered Long Endurance Multi-Mission (LEMM) multi-rotor UAV, which is claimed to have 'an unprecedented endurance within its class'.At …

• Defence Helicopter

  Belarus to receive final Mi-8MTV-5s

  27th March 2017

  Russian Helicopters will deliver the second batch of Mi-8MTV-5 helicopters to the Belarus Ground Forces in April 2017, the company announced on 22 March.This final …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Transport

  A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  Programme Background At IDEX 2025, two Airbus representatives shared insights into a possible offer from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Data links

  Data links | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• OPVs

  PPAs Procurement [Indonesia]

  Programme Background Timeline In October 2023, Italian Junior Defence Minister Matteo Perego di Cremnago told Defense News that Italy is in discussions with Indonesia to ...

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

  MQ-9B [UAE]

  Programme Background Requirement The programme is required to meet current and future threats faced by the UAE by proving ISR, target acquisition, locating submarines and counter-land and ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Seeker 400 - Second Batch (UAE)

  Programme Background The UAE has a long history of transactions with Denel Dynamics. The country has been purchasing various Seeker systems from as far back ...

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

  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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Rabdan 8x8 IFV (UAE)

  In addition to the standard IFV variant, the Rabdan will also be delivered in APC, command and control, ambulance, mortar carrier, repair and recovery configurations. ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Iraq Federal Police 4x4 Patrol Vehicle

  The failure of this Iraqi Federal Police requirement for an additional 300 vehicles to translate into a contract may be related to issues encountered with ...

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

  Vector / Scorpion [Romania]

  Programme Background On 14 May 2024, Quantum Systems secured a contract valued at €18.4 million ($19.7 million) to supply its Vector drone to the Romanian MoD. ...

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

  Vector / Scorpion [Spain]

  Background Two Tenders On 4 May 2025, Quantum Systems announced it had won two tenders from the Spanish Armed Forces to provide it with two ...

• Maritime patrol

  Challenger 650 ISR - UAE

  Programme Background In February 2019 at IDEX, the UAE announced that it will procure a new special mission aircraft with an option for the second ...

• Loitering munitions

  RW-24 [Serbia]

  Programme Background During his visit to IDEX 2023, Aleksandar Vučić, Serbia's president, met with UAE ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and announced that his ...

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

  Vector / Scorpion (Selected) [Ukraine]

  Programme Background 500 Systems Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Quantum-Systems has provided many drones to Ukraine. Over 400 units have been provided as aid ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• MPVs - 4x4

  Bars-6

  Bogdan publicly unveiled the 7t Bars-6 (Panther) 4x4 light APC at IDEX 2015, and in July 2016, the company introduced an upgraded version ready for ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Sarsar-2

  Unveiled at IDEX 2015, MIC's Sarsar-2 APC is based on the KIA 1.2t 4x4 chassis, which the Sudanese company is licensed to produce. The company ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Enigma

  Unveiled in 2015, the Enigma is an 8x8 armoured personnel carrier. The vehicle is 8.3m long and 2.8m wide. It has a height of 2.39m ...

• Military vehicle engines

  TCD 2015

  The TCD 2015 is a modern water-cooled four stroke diesel V-engine that is currently integrated on the RG41 armoured vehicle.

• Land: RWS

  AU-220M

  The AU-220M unmanned turret, developed by TsNII Burevestnik, a subsidiary of Uralvagonzavod (UVZ), mounts a dual-feed 57mm automatic cannon and a PKTM 7.62mm coaxial machine ...

• Military - USVs

  B-7

  The B-7 is a USV designed by Al Marakeb that has been in development since 2009. Designed for coastal defence, the B-7 is able to monitor ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Phantom

  The Phantom is a 4x4 APC that was developed in the UAE and publicly unveiled at the IDEX exhibition in 2015. It features a five-door ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Fiona

  The Fiona is a 6x6 MRAP armoured vehicle based on the underpinnings of the KrAZ-6322 all-wheel-drive off-road cargo truck. Publicly unveiled for the first time ...

• Deployable/static missile systems

  Oerlikon Laser Gun

  Rheinmetall showcased the applications for its High Energy Laser (HEL) guns for the first time at IDEX 2015 in Abu Dhabi. The Oerlikon Laser Gun ...

• Pistols

  APX

  Designed specifically for the military market, Beretta unveiled its modular APX pistol at the IDEX 2015 show and offered it for the US Army's Modular ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Patriot R2

  The new-generation Patriot R2 UAS is used for military and civil/commercial applications and provides reconnaissance support. It was designed in response to fighting that occurred ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Ajban LRSOV

  The Ajban Long-Range Special Operations Vehicle (LRSOV) is an open-top 4x4 long-range reconnaissance vehicle based on Nimr's Ajban multipurpose vehicle. The LRSOV seats four crew ...

• Naval guns

  Sea deFNder

  The Sea deFNder is a maritime Remote Weapons System (RWS) designed for naval and coast guard forces in surveillance, anti-terrorism,  anti-piracy, or maritime traffic interception ...

• Tanks

  K21-105 Light Tank

  At IDEX 2013, Doosan and John Cockerill Defense presented the K21-105 Light Tank concept which integrates the Cockerill 105mm-armed XC-8 turret on the Doosan K21 ...

• Loitering munitions

  LS Skysword 101

  The LS-Skysword 101 is a loitering munition from Life Shield. The Saudi Arabian platform is described as a stealth precision-guided weapon with a man-in-the-loop capability.  The platform ...