• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Gray Eagle production transitions to ER model

  13th October 2017

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has transitioned its production line from the MQ-1C Gray Eagle to its new long-range variant MQ-1C ER Gray Eagle extended …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUSA 2017: Leonardo leads the fight against UAS threat

  11th October 2017

  Under an urgent requirement for the US Army Leonardo DRS has been awarded a $42 million contract for a counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS). The C-UAS …

• Defence Notes

  AUSA 2017: Ukraine shows military might via US partnerships

  9th October 2017

  The Ukrainian defence industry has grown in strength since Russia's invasion in 2014, military and industry officials noted at an AUSA 2017 press conference in …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2017: BAE showcases SHORAD for Bradley (video)

  9th October 2017

  BAE System has brought its concept of the Bradley IFV equipped with its maneuver short range air defence (M-SHORAD) solution. Shephard spoke with Mark Signorelli, deputy and VP …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  NAVSEA cancels EOD robotic systems solicitation

  10th October 2017

  The US Navy Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) has cancelled solicitations for the Advanced Explosive Ordnance Disposal Robotic Systems (AEODRS) Increments 2 and 3. The circumstances …

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2017: Shields up for UK active protection

  13th September 2017

  The UK Ministry of Defence has officially announced that it is funding a new initiative that could see vehicle-based active protection systems (APS) fielded for …

• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA 2017: FVL progress on point (video)

  6th October 2017

  The US Army's Future Vertical Lift (FVL) programme seeks to shape the services helicopter fleet of the future.  Dan Bailey, programme director for JMR/FVL with …

• Land Warfare

  MSPO 2017: Shoulder-launched weapons ready to fire

  6th September 2017

  With the Polish Army still utilising a sizeable stock of legacy rocket-propelled grenades (RPG-7s) that are diminishing in capability, there is now a search underway …

• Defence Notes

  SSRO loses outspoken chief executive

  17th October 2017

  The UK's Single Source Regulations Office (SSRO) has suffered a further set back with the surprise resignation of the organisation’s outspoken chief executive. The resignation of …

• Defence Helicopter

  GE Aviation details T901-GE-900 testing

  12th October 2017

  GE Aviation has successfully completed testing of its T901-GE-900 turboshaft engine prototype in support of the US Army’s Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP), the company …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Regulation key sticking point for civil UAS market

  18th October 2017

  The need to introduce effective regulations to better manage the civil unmanned industry was the main topic of conversation on the first day of the …

• Naval Warfare

  Raytheon to supply JSOWs to Qatar

  10th October 2017

  Raytheon Missile Systems has received a $172.8 million contract from the US Department of Defense to provide AGM-154C Block III Joint Standoff Weapons (JSOW) to …

• Defence Helicopter

  Singapore’s Apaches celebrate 15 years

  12th October 2017

  Fifteen years after their rollout in 2002, the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF) AH-64D Apache Longbows are still innovating and picking up new capabilities …

• Special Operations

  AUSA 2017: SOCOM gets new vehicle camouflage

  10th October 2017

  US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has started to receive deliveries of a new camouflage system for its lightweight ground vehicles.  The new system is being …

• Digital Battlespace

  Saab radar for US Coast Guard

  4th October 2017

  Saab will supply the Sea Giraffe agile multi-beam, multi-mode radar (MMR) for the US Coast Guard under a contract with the US Navy announced on …

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 ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams [Poland]

  Background Requirement Since the early 2010s, Poland has wanted to upgrade its Soviet-era tank fleet due to modernisation requirements, the need to increase interoperability with NATO ...

• 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]

  Background Requirements Australia has set out requirements for a fleet of up to 18 Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels - Medium (LMV-M) with the release of a ...

• 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

  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 ...

• Main battle tanks

  Leopard 2A4 [Czech Republic]

  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 2022, ...

• 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 ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Chios class LST replacement [Greece]

  Background Requirements The Hellenic Navy’s Chios-class tank landing ship platforms have been in service for almost 30 years. Shephard estimates they will start reaching their out-of-service date (OSD) ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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. ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Project Land 400 Phase 3 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement: 2015 RfI The Land 400 Phase 3 programme will procure a new tracked IFV to replace the Australian Army's legacy fleet of ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Project Air 7003 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Land: RWS

  R400 Slinger

  The R400 Slinger is a counter-uncrewed aerial system (C-UAS) remote weapon system (RWS) being developed in Australia. The development is a response to growing international ...

• 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 ...