• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2017: Chinese robotics investment grows

  2nd May 2017

  Wireless power and battery systems developer WiBotic has become the latest company to benefit from Chinese investment as the country looks to expand its interests …

• Digital Battlespace

  LAAD 2017: Amazon-watch services on offer

  7th April 2017

  The Brazilian military has an acute need for more observation systems to watch its extensive Amazon border region.The Brazilian Air Force has released a tender …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2017: Northwest UAV begins new engine development

  2nd May 2017

  The Northwest UAV (NWUAV) NW-44 Multi-Fuel Engine has reached a milestone of 1,000 combat flight hours on board small UAS.The NW-44 electronic fuel-injected engine is …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2017: Heavy-lift UAV weighs in

  2nd May 2017

  Norwegian company Griff Aviation has produced a prototype of a UAV which it claims can lift hundreds of pounds, which is set to be showcased …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2017: New Wankel engine enters the market

  2nd May 2017

  German engine manufacturer 3W-International will present its new 3W-180 SRE Hybrid Wankel Engine for the first time at AUVSI Xponential in Dallas.The 3W-180 SRE will …

• Defence Helicopter

  ​US clears potential MD 530F FMS to Kenya

  4th May 2017

  The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Kenya worth an estimated US$253 million for 12 MD 530Fs as stated …

• Land Warfare

  LAAD 2017: ASTROS artillery stays on target

  7th April 2017

  Brazil's rocket artillery modernisation and acquisition programme remains on track to meet its full entry into service in 2020.Jose Julio Dias Barreto, the ASTROS 2020 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Unmanned Systems Asia 2017 Daily News - Day Three

  20th April 2017

  The official Unmanned Systems Asia 2017 Daily News - Day Three is now available to read online. View the digital edition here, and pdf version …

• Military Logistics

  US Navy receives USNS Yuma

  26th April 2017

  The eighth Spearhead class Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessel, USNS Yuma, has been delivered to the US Navy, Austal announced on 24 April.USNS Yuma is …

• Land Warfare

  ​LAAD 2017: Guarani slows down

  5th April 2017

  As the Brazilian defence budget gets more constrained the army is being forced to delay it major programmes.The VBTP-MR Guarani 6x6 armoured vehicle programme is …

• Defence Helicopter

  ​Quad A 2017: V-280 on time, on the money

  25th April 2017

  With five months to go until the V-280 Valor embarks on its first flight, testing and simulations are keeping the tiltrotor's aggressive timeline on track.The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2017: Triton talks in commercial X-band

  2nd May 2017

  Commercial satellite operator XTAR has been selected by the US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to support X-band satellite bandwidth for the MQ-4C Triton.The blanket …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2017: FAA research slow on emerging tech

  2nd May 2017

  A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report has highlighted that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) could improve how it develops and reports its activities, including …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Unmanned Systems Asia 2017 Daily News - Day Two

  19th April 2017

  The Official Unmanned Systems Asia 2017 Daily News - Day Two is now available to read online.View the digital edition here, or view the PDF …

• Land Warfare

  MoD tests Thermoteknix night vision kit

  26th April 2017

  Thermoteknix Systems' night vision and thermal imaging equipment has been tested by the UK defence forces during the Army Warfighting Experiment (AWE) 2017.Products tested included …

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.

• 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 ...