Defence Notes

US approves $1 billion in Saudi defence contracts

23rd March 2018

The US formally approved defence contracts totalling more than $1 billion with Saudi Arabia on 22 March, as the kingdom's crown prince continued his American …

Land Warfare

Rheinmetall integrates MELLS into Marder IFV

22nd March 2018

Rheinmetall has integrated the MELLS anti-tank missile system into the German Army’s Marder 1A5 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), the company announced on 20 March. Rheinmetall received …

Military Logistics

DLA updating battery technologies

21st March 2018

The US Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is working with industry to update battery systems that power some of the US military’s key weapons systems, the …

Defence Notes

China's aircraft carrier sails by Taiwan as tensions rise

21st March 2018

Taiwan said on 21 March it had scrambled jets and sent ships to track the passage of a Chinese aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait, …

Defence Notes

China to build 'world's fastest' wind tunnel

20th March 2018

China has announced it is building the world's fastest wind tunnel to develop a new generation of super-fast airplanes, but it could also be used …

Defence Helicopter

Canada to deploy troops, helicopters to help UN in Mali

19th March 2018

Canada will deploy an infantry unit and military trainers along with attack and transport helicopters to Mali for 12 months in support of an ongoing …

Defence Helicopter

HMLA-367 flies final AH-1W flight

19th March 2018

The US Marine Corps' Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367 (HMLA-367) has carried out its final flight of the AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter located at …

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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.

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...