• Defence Helicopter

  ​Helicopter OEMs defy pessimists

  15th August 2017

  In an environment of continued uncertainty in the oil and gas market, political instability and exchange rate fluctuations, four of the largest helicopter OEMs have …

• Military Logistics

  Lockheed wins SOF GLSS contract

  15th August 2017

  Lockheed Martin has been selected as the prime contractor for US Special Operations Command’s (USSOCOM's) next-generation logistics and sustainment support programme, the company announced on …

• Naval Warfare

  Thailand requests Harpoon Block II missiles

  14th August 2017

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale of RGM-84L Harpoon Block II surface launched missiles to Thailand, the …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army orders more MFoCS

  10th August 2017

  Leonardo DRS has received orders to supply additional Mounted Family of Computer Systems (MFoCS) to the US Army, the company announced on 8 August. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Analysis: Frantic year for military helicopter market

  10th August 2017

  While progress has continued across US military helicopter programmes, one platform that has garnered its share of headlines this side of 2017 has been the …

• Training

  DiSTI wins UH-72A Lakota VMT option

  9th August 2017

  DiSTI has won a second year option of interim contractor support for the US Army's UH-72A Lakota Virtual Maintenance Trainer (VMT). The initial contract included …

• Digital Battlespace

  Chemring bags MJU-66 decoy order

  9th August 2017

  Chemring Countermeasures USA will manufacture MJU-66 special material decoys for the US Air Force under a two year contract announced on 7 August. Total value …

• Training

  British forces prepare for HMS Queen Elizabeth

  9th August 2017

  UK Royal Navy and Royal Marine vessels and personnel are taking part in NATO Exercise Saxon Warrior off the coast of Scotland as part of …

• Naval Warfare

  US coastal patrol ships test Griffin missiles

  8th August 2017

  US Navy coastal patrol ships assigned to Patrol Coastal Squadron (PCRON) One have carried out proficiency fire testing of their MK 60 Griffin Missile Systems …

• Defence Helicopter

  Presidential helicopter VH-92A takes flight

  8th August 2017

  The VH-92A test aircraft has successfully completed its maiden flight, Lockheed Martin announced on 3 August. The flight marks the beginning of the 250-hour flight …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army orders HMS radios for testing

  8th August 2017

  Rockwell Collins has received a follow-on contract from the US Army Program Executive Office C3T to produce 101 Handheld, Manpack, and Small Form Factor (HMS) …

• Land Warfare

  Indian SOEs to upgrade BMP-2 fleet

  26th July 2017

  India is modernising 693 examples of its licence-built BMP-2/2K Sarath infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), with the project valued at around $375 million. The programme, which …

• Military Logistics

  Rheinmetall buying stake in Supashock

  24th July 2017

  Rheinmetall Defence is acquiring a 49% stake in Australia-based Supashock to help develop suspension and load handling products for its military vehicles, the company announced …

• Land Warfare

  Slovakia receives Carl-Gustaf M4

  21st July 2017

  Slovakia will become the first country to deploy Saab's Carl-Gustaf M4 multi-role weapon, with delivery to the Slovakian armed forces having now taken place, Saab announced …

• Land Warfare

  French prepare for new anti-tank missile

  20th July 2017

  The French Army is on schedule to take delivery of its new MMP (Missile Moyenne Portée) portable anti-tank weapon by year end, French officials have …

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 ...