• Training

  Paris Air Show: UK leads the way in synthetic wrap

  22nd June 2017

  Following the award of a $35 million Area Weapons Effects Simulation (AWES) upgrade contract to Cubic Global Defense earlier this year by the UK MOD, …

• Military Logistics

  Dry dock brings strategic succour to Indian Navy

  22nd June 2017

  A $71 million floating dock (FDNavy-2) built by Larsen and Toubro (L&T;) at its Kattupalli yard near Chennai will considerably improve dry dock slot constraints …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris receives manpack radio contract

  21st June 2017

  Harris Corporation will supply the US Special Operations Command with next-generation multi-channel manpack radios under a six-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract announced on 19 June. In …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG orders additional FRCs

  21st June 2017

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) has awarded a $289 million contract option to Bollinger Shipyards to produce and deliver an additional six Fast Response Cutters (FRCs), …

• Training

  Paris Air Show: CAE sets a record

  21st June 2017

  On 31 May, CAE released its end of year financial results. By any standard, the results were significant and saw a record breaking CAD$7.5 billion …

• Military Logistics

  Huntington Ingalls signs LHA 8 contract

  21st June 2017

  Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) shipbuilding division has received a $3 billion contract for the detail design and construction of the US Navy's Bougainville (LHA 8) amphibious …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: Sikorsky on track with CH-53K

  21st June 2017

  As Sikorsky’s CH-53K King Stallion enters production, company officials are confident that the US Marine Corps (USMC) Heavy Lift Replacement Programme is on track. With initial …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: EMSA signs off on UAS capabilities

  21st June 2017

  The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) was named in two deals this week for fixed-wing and VTOL unmanned systems that will be used to provide …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG commissions 22nd FRC

  20th June 2017

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) has commissioned its 22nd Fast Response Cutter (FRC) Bailey Barco in Juneau, Alaska, the USCG announced on 15 June. The cutter …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Tight timeframe in Heron saga

  20th June 2017

  The unmanned systems arm of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is hopeful that a decision on the proposed lease of Heron TP medium altitude, long endurance …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Wing Loong II makes its mark

  20th June 2017

  As the presence of China’s Wing Loong II UAV at Paris Air Show continues to draw crowds, officials associated with the system were coy in …

• Land Warfare

  India’s DRDO test-fires Nag ATGM

  20th June 2017

  India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully test-fired the Nag anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) in the desert ranges of Rajasthan. The test firing, …

• Special Operations

  Textron to compete for MEUAS III task orders

  20th June 2017

  Textron Systems has been selected as one of two companies to compete for Mid-Endurance Unmanned Aircraft Systems (MEUAS) III task orders from the US Special …

• Training

  Paris 2017: Leonardo plays T-100 US content card

  20th June 2017

  One of three contenders for the USAF’s Advanced Pilot Training (APT) T-X programme, the Leonardo T-100 will be ‘an aircraft made in the US with …

• Digital Battlespace

  Australia to improve space-based ISR capabilities

  20th June 2017

  The Australian government is investing A$500 million ($380.78 million) to improve the country’s space-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, the Department of Defence announced …

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 ...