• Defence Notes

  France torpedoes German and Japanese submarine bids

  26th April 2016

  France’s DCNS has been selected as winner of Australia’s AU$50 billion (US$38.5 billion) Project Sea 1000 Future Submarine programme.  The Cherbourg-based shipbuilder will help design …

• Training

  H-ITC milestone

  25th April 2016

  The DCI Helicopter International Training Centre (H-ITC) has announced that it has now flown over 1,000 flight hours with its EC120 Colibri aircraft.H-ITC is a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  EMSA tender for surveillance UAV

  25th April 2016

  The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) will issue a tender for the procurement of a UAV to assist with its data and information gathering efforts, …

• Land Warfare

  DSA 2016: PT-91 tank power-up offered

  20th April 2016

  Renk France is offering a powerpack upgrade for the Malaysian Army’s PT-91 main battle tank at the Defence Services Asia exhibition. The vehicle transmission manufacturing company …

• Naval Warfare

  DSA 2016: First NGPV-LCS due in 2019

  20th April 2016

  The Next Generation Patrol Vessel - Littoral Combat Ship (NGPV-LCS) is destined to be an important platform for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) once it …

• Land Warfare

  US approves GMLRS sale to France

  14th April 2016

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale (FMS) of guided multiple launch rocket system (GMLRS) unitary rocket pods …

• Defence Helicopter

  DSA 2016: Indonesian Panther ready to pounce

  13th April 2016

  Airbus Helicopters is looking to speed up deliveries of its new AS565 Panther MBe to launch customers Indonesia and Mexico, with deliveries now due to …

• Training

  Embraer Selects RDE for STE

  12th April 2016

  Embraer’s KC-390 tactical transport aircraft has been designed to address the C-130 replacement market which, according to Embraer, totals 700 aircraft. The company is understood …

• Training

  Exercise Griffin Strike kicks off

  12th April 2016

  Over 5,000 French and British armed forces personnel are set to participate in Exercise Griffin Strike, to test the nations' Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF) …

• Digital Battlespace

  DefExpo 2016: OIS-AT promotes four radars

  4th April 2016

  OIS Advanced Technology (OIS-AT), a private Indian company, showed four new radar types at DefExpo 2016 in Goa. In a briefing with Shephard, Sanjay Bhandari, …

• Training

  Project Cerbére gathers pace

  1st April 2016

  The French Army has launched a major upgrade of its main line training sites under a project known as Cerbére (Cerberus). The service currently operates …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales bags French SOCRATE, POINCARE contracts

  1st April 2016

  Thales has been awarded two contracts by the French defence procurement agency (DGA), it announced on 30 March. The contracts include deployment of the POINCARE …

• Naval Warfare

  DIMDEX 2016: Qatar spending spree

  30th March 2016

  Additional maintenance, equipment and training MoU’s were signed for the Qatar Emiri Armed Forces on 30 March. The contracts were with companies such as MBDA, Thales …

• Defence Helicopter

  FIDAE 2016: Chile to place helo order ‘this year’

  29th March 2016

  The Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aérea de Chile – FACH) is likely to place an order for several medium size helicopters later this year, according …

• Naval Warfare

  DIMDEX 2016: Pre-show planning by European OEMs

  28th March 2016

  European OEMs are positioning themselves for potential procurement programmes in the GCC region. They are eager to explore a maritime security and defence market still …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Mali]

  Programme Background Six Drones On 22 December 2022, Joseph Dempsey, a research associate at IISS, tweeted photographs showing a Baytraktar TB2 adorned with the Malian ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBMR-L Serval [Luxembourg]

  Programme Background Luxembourg currently operates a small military of just over 1,000 personnel. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has contributed troops to both NATO and EU ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  EBRC Jaguar [Luxembourg]

  Programme Background Luxembourg currently operates a small military of just over 1,000 personnel. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has contributed troops to both NATO and EU ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBMR Griffon [Luxembourg]

  Programme Background Luxembourg currently operates a small military of just over 1,000 personnel. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has contributed troops to both NATO and EU ...

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

  Akinci [Mali]

  Background Presentation In December 2024, Akinci drones were presented to the Malian Armed Forces by transitional President General Assimi Goita during a ceremony in Bamako, confirming ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-171Sh

  While the Burkinabe Armed Forces declined to discuss the deal when contacted by Shephard, a Burkinabe military source did acknowledge that the aircraft were being ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Surplus Maxxpro [Bangladesh - Batch 1]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires MRAPs to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the Central African ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Surplus Maxxpro [Bangladesh - Batch 2]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires MRAPs to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the Central African ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  UN Peacekeeping Vehicles [Bangladesh]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires 4x4 armoured vehicles to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the ...

• Medium UGVs

  THeMIS [Netherlands and Estonia]

  Programme Background The Estonian Armed Forces had already been operating the THeMIS UGV in Mali for a year at the time the programme was announced ...

• Medium UGVs

  THeMIS [Sweden]

  Programme Background Many countries have been acquiring small numbers of Milrem's THeMIS UGV since its success in the hands of Estonian Forces in Mali. The ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VBCI Replacement [France]

  Programme Background The VBCI is currently France's primary IFV. As an 8x8 wheel vehicle, it fits within a French force structure that favours agile, manoeuvrable ...

• Minehunters

  Mine Warfare Vessels [France]

  Programme Background Requirements France’s Mine Warfare Vessels programme is aimed at replacing the ageing Eridan-class minehunters. The programme will follow the Future Naval Mine Action System ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  Long-Range Ground Strike (FLP-T) [France]

  Background The French Army currently operates the M270 as its only MLRS. France previously procured a total of 55, though this number had reduced to ...

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

  MQ-9 Reaper [France]

  Programme Background 2013 (Block 1) The then-French Defence Minister, Kean-Yves Le Drian, confirmed on 31 May 2013 that France had ordered its first two MQ-9 platforms. The ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: mission management systems

  FINDSAT - BFT System

  Using geo-satellite positioning, Nexter’s BFT system (FINDSAT) is capable of identifying and locating friendly personnel who are not equipped with networked information or radio systems. ...

• Medium UGVs

  THeMIS

  Milrem's Tracked Hybrid Modular Infantry System (THeMIS) is a modular, hybrid UGV.  The vehicle's modular design and open architecture allow it to be reconfigured to ...

• Land: indirect fire location radar

  GA10

  The Ground Alerter 10 (GA10), developed by Thales, is a portable Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) early warning system. It provides 360° azimuth coverage with ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  HOT 3

  Designed to destroy reactive armour, the HOT (Haut subsonique Optiquement Téléguidé Tiré d'un Tube, or High Subsonic, Optical, Remote-Guided, Tube-Launched) family has demonstrated its multipurpose capability. Tens ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-8/Mi-17

  The Mil Mi-8 (NATO reporting name Hip) is a twin-engine, multirole, medium helicopter developed from 1960 to meet Soviet military requirements. More than 18,000 examples of the ...

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

  Heron Mk 1

  The Heron, now called the Heron Mk I, is a MALE UAS manufactured by Isreal Aerospace Industries' (IAI) Malat Division. Designed for various missions, including ISTAR and artillery fire ...

• Light UGVs

  Probot

  The 4x4 Professional Robot (Probot) is suitable for various applications, both indoor and outdoor, and is designed to carry a payload of up to 700kg. ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AS532

  The AS532 is a development of the SA 330 Puma, with a long fuselage and marketed for tactical transport and logistical support missions. It has ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Puma M36 Mk 5

  OTT developed the Puma M36 Mk 5 to meet the needs of African customers for a lower-cost vehicle that offers a greater payload than its ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  TopOwl

  The TopOwl binocular helmet-mounted sight and display has been chosen by 16 countries for their army, navy and/or air force attack and transport helicopters. It ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VBCI

  Nexter developed the VBCI to meet a French Army requirement for an infantry fighting vehicle to replace the tracked AMX-10P. The 8x8 design was specified ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Protivnik-GE

  The Protivnik-GE is a mobile 3D surveillance radar distributed by Russian supplier Rosoboronexport and is currently used by the Russian Armed Forces and the Egyptian ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  SPREOS

  Bird Aerosystems’ SPREO is a Directional Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) designed to protect rotary and fixed-wing aircraft against incoming infrared (IR) guided surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. ...

• Frigates

  La Fayette/Kang Ding Class

  The La Fayette-class frigates have a stealthy design and are in service with France and Taiwan, with some variance between the ships on length and ...

• Air-to-air missiles

  9M39 Igla-V

  The 9M39 Igla-V (‘needle’) is a Russian IR homing SAM adapted for helicopter use. It is an air-launched version of the Igla MANPADS, which the ...