• Land Warfare

  Israeli military technology discovered in Kuwait, despite ban

  9th January 2018

  The Kuwaiti armed forces have been found to be using Israeli military technology, despite the Arab country not recognising the Jewish state and imposing a …

• Training

  PZL to modernise 130 Orlik TC-I trainers

  27th December 2017

  PZL Warszawa-Okęcie has received a contract to upgrade the Polish Air Force’s PZL 130 Orlik TC-I trainer aircraft fleet to the latest standard, Airbus announced …

• Naval Warfare

  South Korea pushes ahead with sub rescue ship

  20th December 2017

  South Korea is developing a new submarine rescue ship, with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) declaring that phase one, a required operational capability test, …

• Special Operations

  SOCOM moves from ThunderDrone to Game of Drones

  19th December 2017

  In the aftermath of its recently-completed ThunderDrone Prototype Rodeo, held in early November at the SOFWERX facility in the Ybor City area of Tampa, Florida, …

• Land Warfare

  Laser Centrum contracted for Swedish Mjölner

  21st December 2017

  BAE Systems has signed a contract with Czech company Laser Centrum to manufacture mechanical components for the Swedish Army’s Mjölner mortar system, the company announced …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Four selected for US Army cargo carrying robots

  15th December 2017

  The US Army has selected four UGVs to enter Phase II of its Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transport (SMET), it has been revealed. The selected entries …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Second Sea Hunter hull gets go-ahead

  18th December 2017

  A second Sea Hunter USV is to be built by US-based Leidos in a continuation of the programme to deliver a viable long-endurance unmanned ASW …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Bangladeshi MALEs come under scrutiny

  21st December 2017

  The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) is seeking to join the ranks of nations operating a MALE UAV, with the release of an RfP for one …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MANET radios integrated on new US Army UGV

  13th December 2017

  Persistent Systems has teamed up with Endeavor Robotics to provide its mobile ad hoc network (MANET) technology as part of the US Army’s Man-Transportable Robotic …

• Defence Notes

  China’s ICBMs come to maturity

  1st December 2017

  Recent Chinese-language media reports indicate that China’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) will be deployed by the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF) in early 2018. The …

• Training

  Lockheed Martin ELGTRs for NATO countries

  7th December 2017

  Lockheed Martin has signed a five-year agreement to provide its Enhanced Laser Guided Training Rounds (ELGTRs) to the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), the …

• Special Operations

  US Army outlines $1 billion in SOF training opportunities

  7th December 2017

  Last week’s I/ITSEC exhibition in Orlando, Florida, featured updates on training programmes across the armed services. As the US Army Project Manager for Instrumentation, Targets and Threat …

• Land Warfare

  Al-Khalid production lags behind capacity

  12th December 2017

  Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT), the Pakistani state-owned manufacturer of heavy weapons, is producing around 18 Al-Khalid-I MBTs annually, but this figure is nowhere near its …

• Naval Warfare

  Taiwan cancels minehunters amidst shipbuilder scandal

  15th December 2017

  Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense announced it had terminated a minehunter contract between the Republic of China Navy (ROCN) and Ching Fu Shipbuilding on 13 …

• Land Warfare

  GDA 2017: Kuwait National Guard modernisation continues

  15th December 2017

  The Kuwait National Guard is pushing forward with an extensive modernisation agenda with ground vehicles, command and control (C2) infrastructure and airborne assets at the …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Submarines: nuclear/ballistic missile

  Dreadnought Class (Successor Programme) (1-4) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirements The Dreadnought-class, prior to being named in October 2016, was known as the Successor programme, which was approved by the government in May ...

• Minehunters

  Mine Sweeping Hunter II (MSH-II) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirements Under the Mine Sweeping Hunter II (MSH-II) programme, South Korea is seeking a replacement for the Ganggyeong-class minehunters, which are due to leave service ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (13-22) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B Batch-II ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Puma 2 AE [Estonia]

  Programme Background The US DoD announced that it had awarded AeroVironment an $8.868 million firm-fixed-price contract to supply an undisclosed number of RQ-20B Puma AE ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (9-12) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B Batch-II ...

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

  Wing Loong II [Nigeria]

  Programme Background First Order On 5 November 2020, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Chief, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, stated that the force was set to ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Cloud Leopard II 8x8 [Taiwan]

  Programme Background The Cloud Leopard II will offer greater strategic mobility, as well as enhanced protection and lethality, than the legacy tracked and wheeled vehicles ...

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  KSS-III Batch II (4-6) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Timeline In March 2019, the construction of the first KSS-III Batch II was approved. On 30 March 2023, Hanwha Ocean laid the keel of ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (5-8) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW 212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Add-On [U.S. Army]

  Programme Background Following two contracts for Lots 4 and 5 at the end of 2025, Boeing received a new order from the U.S. Army for ...

• Trainer

  T-6 Texan II [Japan]

  Programme Background  In January 2025, Textron Aviation confirmed that the T-6C Texan II was selected as the new trainer aircraft for the Japanese Air Self-Defence ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (1-4) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B Batch-II fast attack ...

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  KSS-III (Boats 7-9) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Timeline The new KSS-III Dosan Ahn Chang-Ho-class submarines for the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) are a significant advance on the earlier KSS-II and ...

• Trainer

  T-6C [Thailand]

  Programme Background The contract is for 12 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II advanced military training aircraft, ground-based training systems for pilots and maintenance professionals, a mission ...

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

  Wing Loong II (Morocco)

  Programme Background OkDiario Report On 2 October 2022, the Spanish newspaper OkDiario reported, quoting "Spanish military intelligence", that Morocco had acquired an unknown quantity of ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Surface-to-surface missiles

  UGM-133 Trident II

  The UGM-133 Trident II, also known as the Trident D5, is a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) developed and produced by Lockheed Martin for the United ...

• Submarines: nuclear/ballistic missile

  Vanguard Class

  The UK Royal Navy’s Vanguard class of ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) provide the UK with its continuous-at-sea deterrent (CASD) coverage and have done so since 1994 ...

• Submarines: nuclear/ballistic missile

  Ohio Class

  The US Navy’s (USN’s) Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) – known as the SSBN 726-class – provide the US with its sea-based nuclear deterrent. It ...

• Submarines: nuclear/ballistic missile

  Columbia Class

  The USN’s new Columbia-class SSBN, also known as the SSBN 826-class, is planned to replace the existing Ohio-class boats as the cornerstone of the US ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Trident TL

  The Trident TL is a low-cost, foldable, ground- or air-launched UAS. Designed for commercial and federal agency use, this system uses autonomous navigation for launch, ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  Trident 140TD2

  The Trident 140TD2 is a compression-ignition engine designed for MALE platforms. Based on the Trident 100TD2, it is a lightweight, four-cylinder design that is intended ...

• Sea: optronic masts and periscopes

  Type 8 Mod 3

  The Type 8 Mod 3 is an updated version of the Type 8-series periscopes. The Type 8B/J Mod 3 provides extremely high-frequency low-data-rate communications capability ...

• Guided munitions

  Ninja

  The Ninja is a free-fall guided munition from Astra Systems. It can be launched from manned or uncrewed platforms and uses GPS-INS guidance when airborne.  Several warhead ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  EX-3M Trident

  The EX-3M Trident is an open-architecture, high-speed, developmental fixed-wing UAV. Manufactured by Exosonic, the UAV commenced flight trials of a demonstrator in May 2023, with the actual drone conducting its ...

• Loitering munitions

  Spear

  The Spear is a loitering munition manufactured by Astra Systems. It is designed for air-to-ground and ground-to-ground attack operations. The system uses electric propulsion, giving it ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  Trident 180TD2

  The Trident 180TD2 is a compression-ignition engine designed for heavier UAVs up to the 2t class. The design is intended to improve efficiency, while being ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Tryzub Laser

  Ukraine's Tryzub (Trident) laser was revealed during the European Defence Industry: Prospects for Cooperation with the Ukrainian Defence Industry conference in 2025. Video footage from ...

• Submarines: nuclear/ballistic missile

  Dreadnought Class

  The UK is building four new Dreadnought-class SSBNs for the Royal Navy that will take over the nuclear deterrent role from the existing four Vanguard-class submarines. ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  Trident 100TD2

  The Trident 100TD2 is a compression-ignition engine that is capable of operating on various types of heavy fuel. It is claimed to offer up to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  BE-45

  The BE-45 is a multi-mission fixed-wing UAV from Astra Systems. It is a dual-engined platform that can operate with little to no available infrastructure. It is ...