• Defence Notes

  MBDA upholds European defence collaboration

  16th March 2017

  Against a backdrop of Brexit and political uncertainty across Europe, MBDA will to continue down the road of European defence industry collaboration as its looks …

• Training

  MAN training for ADF gathers pace

  16th March 2017

  The Australian Defence Force's (ADF) introduction into service (IIS) training conversion programme for drivers is in full swing as the military continues to roll out …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris’ RF-300H radio earns NSA certification

  15th March 2017

  Harris Corporation has received National Security Agency (NSA) Type-1 certification for its Falcon III RF-300H wideband HF manpack radio system, the company announced on 13 …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA Global: HIMARS vehicle back in production

  15th March 2017

  Lockheed Martin once had a vision that it would now be producing Joint Light Tactical Vehicles at its Camden, Arkansas facility. While that vision might …

• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA Global: New divestiture thinking for US Army

  14th March 2017

  The US Army is looking at new concepts for the divestiture of obsolete military equipment.This means re-defining how they manage processes at the US Army's …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA Global: US Army looks to cross domain fires

  14th March 2017

  The US Army is looking to introduce new concepts that will enable cross-domain fire support across land, sea and air.US Army Training and Doctrine Command …

• Land Warfare

  Polish Krab back on track

  14th March 2017

  Poland is set to get a boost in its artillery capability with the acquisition of new modern guns.The army expects to receive all of the …

• Military Logistics

  USAF looks at UAS flightline maintenance

  14th March 2017

  The US Air Force's 412th Test Wing's Emerging Technologies Combined Test Force (CTF) has used a quadcopter UAS to carry out maintenance inspection of a …

• Land Warfare

  Navistar details MRAP contracts

  14th March 2017

  Navistar Defense will perform work on the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle fleets of two countries under two contracts worth a combined $475 million …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed upgrades AML testbed

  14th March 2017

  Lockheed Martin has updated its Airborne Multi-INT Lab (AML) testbed aircraft in order to improve its ability to deliver intelligence for its customers, the company …

• Military Logistics

  Portsmouth Dockyard jetty read for QEC

  14th March 2017

  Work to refurbish the jetty at the Royal Navy's Dockyard Portsmouth has been completed as part of preparations for the arrival of the first Queen …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Gray Eagle deploys to Korea

  14th March 2017

  The US is increasing its unmanned systems capability on the Korean Peninsula providing more surveillance and strike assets.It is sending a UAV company to South …

• Naval Warfare

  Austal's PPB-R facility opens

  14th March 2017

  Austal's new Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement (PPB-R) shipbuilding facility has been officially opened in Naval Base, Western Australia, the company announced on 8 March.The company …

• Land Warfare

  NRL developing transparent armour

  13th March 2017

  The US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is working on a new transparent thermoplastic elastomer armour that is lighter than bullet-resistant glass while maintaining superior ballistic …

• Military Logistics

  Qinetiq North America wins WiPPR contract

  13th March 2017

  The US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) has awarded a $3 million contract to Qinetiq North America for its Wind Profiling Portable Radar …

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 ...