• Land Warfare

  New RS556 assault rifle released

  12th January 2017

  A new modular assault rifle has been jointly developed by Rheinmetall and Steyr Mannlicher called the RS556, Rheinmetall announced on 11 January. Based on Steyr …

• Defence Helicopter

  Analysis: EC635s in the Alpine skies

  25th January 2017

  The Swiss Air Force used to operate 32 Alouette IIIs and when the time came to change the fleet, the EC635, also known as the …

• Land Warfare

  Turkey receives new assault rifle

  13th January 2017

  The first batch of a new standard assault rifle has been delivered to the Turkish military from domestic manufacturer MKEK on 11 January. About 500 …

• Defence Helicopter

  The Year Ahead: Military helicopter market

  4th January 2017

  Recent global events have starkly cast the reduction in military spending across the Western world in the past six or seven years in a fresh …

• Naval Warfare

  India launches second Scorpene

  11th January 2017

  At a time when the Indian Navy (IN) is grappling with declining undersea warfare capabilities the government owned Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) will launch …

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall to upgrade Fuchs/Fox vehicles

  14th December 2016

  Rheinmetall will modernise the German armed forces’ Fuchs/Fox armoured transport vehicles under a €135 million contract announced on 12 December. The company will upgrade 90 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Luftwaffe SF to join army and navy

  27th December 2016

  German H145M Light Utility Helicopter Special Operations Forces (LUH SOF) crews will become part of the Bundeswehr's special forces as of 1 April 2017 as …

• Land Warfare

  The year ahead: European land programmes

  4th January 2017

  In Europe, falling defence expenditure means that most countries are struggling to maintain significant force sizes that can sustain one medium sized operation at a …

• Naval Warfare

  Germany upgrades minehunting vessels

  30th December 2016

  Atlas Elektronik will modernise three minehunting vessels of the German Navy under an order announced on 21 December. The contract, signed with the Federal Office …

• Defence Helicopter

  TUM developing new simulation software

  2nd January 2017

  The Technical University of Munich (TUM) is developing new simulation software to improve helicopter pilot training for extreme flight conditions. Turbulent air flows near oil …

• Land Warfare

  The year ahead: ROW land procurement

  5th January 2017

  Outside of the Americas and Europe, for land procurement there are some highlights to look out for in 2017, despite the fact there are fewer …

• Military Logistics

  Netherlands orders Leguan bridge layers

  23rd December 2016

  The Dutch Army has ordered Leguan bridge layer systems from Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) via the German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment (BAAINBw). Five Leguan bridge …

• Land Warfare

  BAE and Rheinmetall enter tank battle

  23rd December 2016

  BAE Systems and Rheinmetall have both been selected to start the competitive assessment phase for the Challenger 2 Life Extension Programme (CR2 LEP), it was …

• Land Warfare

  Enforcer in new test firings

  19th December 2016

  The development programme for the Enforcer lightweight missile has chalked up new test firings at the German military’s Technical Center for Weapons and Ammunition 91. …

• Land Warfare

  Germany delivers Marder AIFVs to Jordan

  15th December 2016

  Germany is delivering 50 Marder armoured infantry fighting vehicles (AIFVs) to Jordan to help secure its borders with Syria and Iraq. During the handover of …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light UGVs

  L3 Harris T7 [USA]

  Programme Background  In 2021 and 2022 the US Air Force ordered over 107 L3Harris T7 EOD UGVs to replace its 20 year old fleet of ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) [Spain]

  Programme Background The VAMTAC ST5 is already in Spanish service with the Spanish Army, Navy, and Air Force in various configurations. In June 2025, the ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Render Safe Sets, Kits & Outfits (RS SKO) (UAV) [US]

  Programme Background Definition The RS SKO provides capabilities needed for Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams to render safe US and foreign ordnance and improvised explosive ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Batch 3) [Germany]

  Programme Background The contract award for Germany's second batch of Pumas was originally scheduled for 2021, following the final deliveries of Germany's first batch. However, in ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Batch 1) [Germany]

  By March 2019, 269 of the 350 Pumas on order had been delivered to the German Army. Deliveries of the remaining 81 vehicles are scheduled ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Mine Countermeasures Platforms (1-12) [Germany]

  In 2018, the German Navy launched the process of acquiring a fleet of 11 Mine Countermeasures platforms. The German Navy's 'Force Structure Goals 2035+' foresees 12 ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Mine Countermeasures Platforms (1-12) [Germany]

  In 2018, the German Navy launched the process of acquiring a fleet of 11 Mine Countermeasures platforms. The German Navy's 'Force Structure Goals 2035+' foresees 12 ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | MEKO A-200 (F126 Alternative) [Germany]

  The German Bundestag is considering allocating funds up to 7.8 billion (US$9.14 billion) towards the procurement of an alternative to the F126, currently being manufactured ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | MEKO A-200 (F126 Alternative) [Germany]

  The German Bundestag is considering allocating funds up to 7.8 billion (US$9.14 billion) towards the procurement of an alternative to the F126, currently being manufactured ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV [Germany]

  Programme Background The SPD-led approach Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany has been under consistent pressure to increase its defence spending. In the ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Zielplan Marine 2035+ (Rotary-Wing UAVs) [Germany]

  Background Zieplan Marine 2035+ Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at the 2022 Bundeswehr Conference that Germany must become the "cornerstone of conventional defence in Europe". To ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Vector / Scorpion (Ukraine Aid) [Germany]

  Programme Background German Enablement Initiative On 18 April 2024, Quantum-Systems announced that German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck and Ukrainian Minister of Strategic Industry Alexander Kamyshin had opened the ...

• Loitering munitions

  12,000 Loitering Munitions [Germany]

  Background Testing Models Between April 2023 and April 2025, the German Army acquired various loitering munitions to further assess their suitability for the German Armed ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Type 212CD (1-2) [Germany]

  Programme Background Norway selected TKMS as the shipbuilder for its new class of Type 212CD submarines to replace the six Ula-class SSKs currently in service. ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Batch 2) [Germany]

  Programme Background The contract award for the second batch of Pumas had been delayed until 2022 at the earliest. However, in April 2021, German media ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• MPVs - 4x4

  Shrek

  The Shrek is an MRAP vehicle developed by the Streit Group in collaboration with the Ukrainian Kremenchug Automotive Plant (KrAZ). It is available in three ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  DURO IIIP

  The DURO IIIP (also known as the GMTF) 6x6 is a protected, mobile off-road armoured vehicle based on the DURO (Durable, Robust) family of 4x4 ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  German HFTS

  Helicopter Flight Training Services (HFTS) was founded by the consortium of CAE, Airbus Helicopters, Thales and Rheinmetall Defence Electronics. Each company owns a 25% share ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Fuchs 1

  Spanning now 8 variants, the Fuchs 1 is the German Army's longstanding wheeled armoured personnel carrier. The army received 1,125 Fuchs, with most delivered between 1979-86. ...

• Land: UGV simulators

  Remote Controlled Vehicle Simulation

  The Remote Controlled Vehicle Simulation is designed for users such as EOD forces.  Key features: use of original control devices; PC-based VR simulation; multiple scenarios ...

• Military - UUVs

  Bluefin-HAUV

  The Bluefin Hovering AUV (HAUV) is a two-man system used for ship hull and infrastructure inspection, port and harbour security and MCM. Operators are able ...

• Light UGVs

  Oto-TRP7-HS

  The Oto-TRP7-HS (Homeland Security) is a semi-autonomous, electric-powered, tracked UGV. It is designed to undertake a number of homeland security missions. 

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  Manpack-6 Bomb Ranger

  Manpack-6 is a portable jamming system that can be carried by a person in areas where there is a risk of encountering remoted controlled improvised ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Eagle V 4x4

  GDELS unveiled the fifth generation of its Eagle light tactical vehicle at Eurosatory 2012. The platform has replaced earlier-generation vehicles in production. More than 1,250 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Eagle V 6x6

  GDELS unveiled the fifth generation of its Eagle light tactical vehicle in both 4x4 and 6x6 models at Eurosatory 2012. The Eagle V has replaced ...

• Light UGVs

  Zeus

  NIC Instruments' Zeus UGV is a development of its First Responder (see separate entry) platform and was unveiled at Milipol Paris in November 2017. The company ...

• EO/IR systems

  Gyrocam 15DHD

  Gyrocam 15DHD is a 15in dual system that delivers HD and mid-wave thermal optics, in a modular payload that supports ISR missions. The 15DHD features ...

• Light UGVs

  Vanguard

  The Vanguard UGV is designed to provide mission support for EOD technicians in both law enforcement and the military. It can be deployed in EOD/IED ...

• Light UGVs

  Telemax tEODor PRO

  The Telemax EOD and observation robot (Telemax tEODor) PRO is designed to complement Cobham's tEODor UGV (see separate entry) by providing a smaller EOD robot ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Varan

  Streit unveiled the Varan 6x6 amphibious armoured vehicle at the IDEX defence exhibition in February 2013. The vehicle can be fitted with additional ballistic protection ...