• Land Warfare

  Uncertainty surrounds UK’s Warrior upgrade

  11th August 2017

  Lockheed Martin UK is hoping to secure a production contract for the UK’s Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme (WCSP) ‘as early as possible’ as uncertainty continues …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  There Israeli no driver

  4th August 2017

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has detailed the development of an unmanned HMMWV likely to be destined for use with the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).  Last …

• Digital Battlespace

  General Dynamics unveils Hook3

  3rd August 2017

  General Dynamics has introduced a new Combat Survival Radio (CSR) designed to provide direct line-of-sight voice and two-way data communications to help combat search and rescue …

• Defence Helicopter

  Brazil's Black Hawks clock-up 30,000 hours

  3rd August 2017

  The Brazilian Air Force has announced that in late July its UH-60L Black Hawk reached 30,000 flight hours. Since first beginning operations 11 years ago, …

• Military Logistics

  Boeing completes KC-46 electromagnetic testing

  2nd August 2017

  Boeing, the US Air Force and Naval Air Systems Command have completed electromagnetic testing for the KC-46air refuelling tanker, it was announced on 27 July. …

• Special Operations

  SOCOM identifies experimentation opportunities

  2nd August 2017

  USSOCOM released a public notice on 25 July outlining its next planned round of Technical Experimentation (TE) activities. The semi-annual TE ‘events’ are one of …

• Defence Notes

  Reforms are needed for Vietnam’s military

  2nd August 2017

  Vietnam must begin serious modernisation and structural reform if it wants to hold its own against China’s growing control of the South China Sea and, …

• Digital Battlespace

  EID logs new Bangladesh Army order

  1st August 2017

  Cohort company EID will supply CD-116/IP tactical field switchboards to the Bangladesh Army under a new contract announced on 31 July. The CD-116/IP provides interface …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Advances in Chinese ocean gliders are overhyped

  1st August 2017

  Chinese press recently reported on a new expedition of domestically-made glider autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV). According to multiple reports, the research vessel Kexue simultaneously deployed 12 …

• Digital Battlespace

  India reissues SIGINT aircraft request

  31st July 2017

  India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) released an RfI in late July to procure five twin-engine aircraft for signal intelligence (SIGINT) and communication jamming (COMJAM) roles …

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed’s Camden facility delivers HIMARS

  28th July 2017

  Lockheed Martin has delivered the first High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launcher in which both the chassis and launcher components were manufactured at its …

• Defence Helicopter

  Gentex wins US AAIH contract

  28th July 2017

  Gentex Corporation has been awarded a $13 million contract by the US Army for the delivery of Apache Aviator Integrated Helmets (AAIH), the company announced …

• Digital Battlespace

  Leidos tests USAF’s AgilePod

  28th July 2017

  Leidos has completed testing of sensor systems on the US Air Force's (USAF) AgilePod, a multi-sensor platform designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, the company …

• Defence Helicopter

  Indian Sea Kings riddled with problems

  28th July 2017

  The Indian Navy’s (IN) ageing UH-3H Sea Kings are riddled with deficiencies that have compromised their availability for missions, the country’s top auditor has revealed.  …

• Military Logistics

  Comment: More than just aircraft parts

  27th July 2017

  In order to improve inventory visibility, accountability and command and control (C2), the US Air Force has sought to centralise Class of Supply management in …

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 ...