• Naval Warfare

  Royal Navy needs to expand OPV fleet

  4th September 2014

  The growing complexity of coastal security issues around the UK and the country’s expanding constabulary roles elsewhere in the world means it is essential the …

• Land Warfare

  £3.5 billion Scout SV deal finally signed

  3rd September 2014

  Some thought it would never happen but General Dynamics UK has been awarded a £3.5 billion contact to deliver 589 Scout Specialist Vehicle armoured fighting …

• Defence Helicopter

  DARPA advances Boeing’s Phantom Swift

  28th August 2014

  Boeing’s ‘Phantom Swift’ prototype for DARPA’s VTOL Experimental Aircraft (X-Plane) programme has advanced to the next stage of development.  Valued at $130 million, the VTOL X-Plane …

• Defence Notes

  German Army structural reforms forge ahead

  28th August 2014

  The German Army is pushing drastic reforms that will see a downsized force continue to retain a warfighting capability whilst focusing on low-medium intensity operations. …

• Naval Warfare

  Australian P-8A acquisition gets underway

  27th August 2014

  The US Navy has placed an advanced acquisition contract with Boeing for four P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft, as part of a foreign military sale …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Northrop keeps faith in Euro Hawk

  21st August 2014

  Germany’s Euro Hawk high altitude long endurance (HALE) UAS programme is still very much alive, senior officials at Northrop Grumman continue to insist. Speaking to …

• Land Warfare

  NZ pushes ahead with rifle replacement

  15th August 2014

  New Zealand released a request for tender (RfT) for its Individual Weapon Replacement Programme (IWRP) on 14 August. The IWRP was officially initiated in March, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Rotorcraft heavyweights selected for JMR TD phase

  13th August 2014

  In a widely anticipated move, the US Army has chosen Bell Helicopter and Sikorsky-Boeing to build demonstrators for the Joint Multi-Role - Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) …

• Naval Warfare

  UK MoD awards £348 million OPV contract

  12th August 2014

  A £348 million contract to build three new Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) for the Royal Navy has gone to BAE Systems, securing some 800 jobs …

• Naval Warfare

  RAN set for Nulka active missile decoy upgrade

  4th August 2014

  The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN’s) project to update the Nulka Active Missile Decoy launch capability is set to go ahead with the government granting First …

• Land Warfare

  Russia to counter sanctions with increased army spend

  4th August 2014

  The Russian government plans to increase defence spending to one-quarter of the federal budget by 2017. This is due to sanctions imposed on the country, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus Helicopters embarks on Clean Sky 2 programme

  17th July 2014

  Airbus Helicopters will lead the design of a large-scale compound rotorcraft demonstrator dubbed LifeRCraft (Low Impact Fast & Efficient RotorCraft) as part of Europe’s Clean …

• Digital Battlespace

  Farnborough: Year of the Gripen?

  16th July 2014

  Saab has revealed plans to inaugurate an avionics systems test rig for further development of the Gripen E fighter. Speaking at the Farnborough International Airshow, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Farnborough: TRU wins Bell 525 simulator contract

  15th July 2014

  TRU Simulation + Training has been awarded a contract by Boeing for the Bell Helicopter 525 Relentless Full Flight Simulator (FFS), it was announced at …

• Defence Helicopter

  Farnborough: APAS moves towards flight tests

  12th July 2014

  The US Army is looking to carry out a series of flight tests in early 2015 to validate a tactile cueing system that offers many …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Warmate [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Ukraine placed an order for an undisclosed number of Warmate systems in 2017. Shepherd believes units acquired in this order later were utilised ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Ashok Leyland LBPV (India - Air Force)

  Programme Background The IAF created the Garud commando force in 2004 to protect its airbases, carry out combat search and rescue and conduct covert operations ...

• Minehunters

  Awaji Class

  Programme Background Two Awaji class mine countermeasures vessels (MCMV) were ordered from the Japanese shipyard Japan Marine United (JMU) for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) initially. ...

• OPVs

  Inlay Class (second OPV)

  Programme Background The Inlay class originally consists of a single OPV in service with the Myanmar Navy. However, a second Inlay-class OPV has been reported under construction since ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Eagle V 4x4

  According to documents released by the Danish Ministry of Defence, a total of 233.6 million Danish Krone (US$34.669 million) were allocated to this programme. 62.1 ...

• OPVs

  Cyprus Second Sa'ar 62 OPV

  Programme BackgroundThe Republic of Cyrus' Ministry of Defence placed an order with Israel Shipyards for its first Sa'ar 62  OPV in December 2015 in a project valued ...

• Loitering munitions

  Warmate (2017) [Poland]

  Programme Background Order In November 2017, Poland ordered 100 sets of Warmate loitering munitions, each consisting of ten platforms, for a reported 100 million Polish Zloty ...

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

  HUSAR (2023 Order) [Germany]

  Programme Background First Order In 2015, the German Army launched the HUSAR programme to identify a replacement for its Airbus Defence & Space KZO and ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Makassar Class LPD (7)

  Indonesia signed a contract for $150 million for two LPDs in the Makassar class, KRI Makassar and KRI Surabaya, with South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering ...

• Patrol boats

  Rajshree Class (Flight II)

  Programme BackgroundThe Rajshree class is to consist of 13 FPVs built in two separate flights. Flight I saw construction begin in 2010 and all eight vessels ...

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

  HUSAR (2017 Order) [Germany]

  Programme Background Requirement In 2015, the German Army launched the HUSAR programme to identify a replacement for its Airbus Defence & Space KZO and first-generation ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  New Exploration and Escort Helicopter (NEES) (Phase I) [Italy]

  Programme Background In 2017, the Italian government signed a contract with Leonardo to replace its fleet of AW129 Mangusta attack helicopters with the in-development AW249, ...

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

  ScanEagle [Czechia]

  Programme Background Earmarked The ACR took delivery of ten ScanEagle systems (100 UAVs), which were received as a donation from the US in 2015. In ...

• Aircraft carriers

  Queen Elizabeth Class

  The contract to begin the construction of the first ship was awarded in 2008, ten years after the programme was announced in the 1998 SDR. ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  S26T [Thailand]

  Programme Background The Royal Thai Navy has been in the process of acquiring a new submarine for a number of years. They formally selected China's ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Pistols

  Jericho Pistol 941

  Designed for military and law enforcement users, the Jericho Pistol 941 is available in 9mm, .40 S&W; and .45 ACP calibres and in standard, short ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  V-RAPTOR

  Unveiled at LAAD 2023 in Rio de Janeiro, the V-RAPTOR is a tactical police armoured vehicle from domestic manufacturer Combat Armor Defense do Brasil.

• OPVs

  Israel Shipyards OPV

  The Israel Shipyards OPV design is a 400t-500t vessel designed for naval security operations. The 500t version can equip a light marine helicopter (up to five ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Guará WS

  Avibras is marketing the 4x4 Guará WS light armoured vehicle, a further development of its 4x4 AV-VB4 RE Guará prototype. Developed in cooperation with the ...

• Land: manned turrets

  TORC30

  The TORC30 is a stabilised unmanned turret armed with a Rheinmetall MK30-2/ABM 30mm cannon being developed by Ares, an Elbit subsidiary, and the Brazilian Army’s ...

• Air: Displays

  Panoramic Cockpit Display

  Developed by L3Harris and Elbit Systems America, the Panoramic Cockpit Display (PCD) is a touchscreen MFD integrated into F-35 aircraft. It provides two electronically divided ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  Armadillo TA-2

  The Armadillo TA-2 is an automatic or manned rocket launcher system designed to be fully retracted inside a 4x4 light vehicle.The concept, which was being ...

• EW test systems, Air: chaff, flare and decoy systems

  CAST-easy

  RUAG unveiled the Countermeasure Advanced System Test Equipment (CAST-easy) in 2017 earmarking it for the Panavia Tornado series of combat aircraft. The 2017 announcement stated ...

• Naval guns, Land: RWS

  Dragonfire

  Dragonfire is a new laser weapon system built for the UK MoD, receiving £30 million of funding in early 2017. The design of the gun ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Drone Deterrence System

  First unveiled at the LIMA 2017 exhibition by Mitsubishi Electric, the Drone Deterrence System began to be developed in 2014 and made its first sale in ...

• Military - UUVs

  ThunderFish Alpha

  The ThunderFish Alpha (formerly DeDAvE) is an AUV designed for deep-sea military, commercial and scientific applications. In March 2017, Kraken announced a licensing agreement for ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  Fletcher

  Arnold Defense, which has produced more than 1.1 million 2.75in/70mm rocket launchers for airborne applications since 1961, unveiled the Fletcher 2.75in/70mm Weapon System at the September ...

• Minehunters

  Kormoran II Class

  Three Kormoran II-class minehunters were budgeted for the Polish Navy in 2011, and a contract was placed for a prototype in 2013, with the first ...

• OPVs

  La Confiance Class (PLG)

  The La Confiance-class, also known as the Guyanese Light Patrol Vessel (PLG), in service with the French Navy, was designed by Bureau Mauric and built ...

• Submachine guns

  FN SCAR-SC

  FN Herstal unveiled the 5.56mm FN SCAR-SC (Subcompact Carbine), the newest member of the SCAR (SOF Combat Assault Rifle) family originally developed for the US ...