• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australian navy lays out UAV pathway

  6th October 2015

  The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is making gradual progress on its pathway to obtaining integrated tactical UAV operations, according to speakers at the Pacific 2015 …

• Land Warfare

  Australia receives RTVs

  25th September 2015

  The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has taken delivery of new Rough Terrain Vehicles (RTVs) that will improve the off-road mobility of its commando forces. A …

• Defence Helicopter

  DSEI 2015: SW-4 flying solo for MoD (video)

  15th September 2015

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has concluded a two-year long study looking at unmanned rotary wing systems, including conducting simulated deck landings with a …

• Defence Notes

  DSEI 2015: BAE Systems strikes again with advanced helmet

  15th September 2015

  A new generation helmet-mounted display system (HMDS) manufactured by BAE Systems has begun trials to assess the capabilities of the integrated night-vision technology. The latest …

• Military Logistics

  NUSHIP Adelaide leaves for sea trials

  20th August 2015

  BAE Systems’ second Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) ship for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), NUSHIP Adelaide, has started its final period of sea trials, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Further 3D printed UAV trials possible

  14th August 2015

  The recent trials of 3D printed UAVs being launched off a UK Royal Navy warship could be extended to include recovery at sea operations. Last …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USN experiments with 3D-printed UAVs

  11th August 2015

  The US Navy (USN) used a 3D printer to construct key components for a UAV aboard the amphibious warfare ship USS Essex. In a project …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  NATO CMRE goes passive

  15th July 2015

  NATO’s Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE) concluded its participation in trials of two unmanned underwater platforms for passive maritime surveillance in June. The …

• Military Logistics

  QinetiQ upgrades Woomera test range

  10th July 2015

  QinetiQ Australia has completed the delivery of technical upgrades to the Woomera test range in Australia, the company announced on 7 July. The upgrades included …

• Digital Battlespace

  BENELUX to get Smart Vests

  3rd July 2015

  Elbit Systems will provide a Smart Vest system to the BENELUX countries for their soldier modernisation programmes. Under a €150 million contract signed on 1 July, Elbit will deliver an …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ADF begins Wasp UAV training exercises

  19th June 2015

  The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has begun training exercises with the AeroVironment RQ-12 Wasp unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as part of an army soldier modernisation …

• Military Logistics

  RAAF KC-30A refuels E-7A Wedgetail

  18th June 2015

  The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has completed aerial refuelling trials between the E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft and KC-30A multi-role tanker …

• Land Warfare

  Phantom MRAP seen in Thailand

  15th June 2015

  The Royal Thai Marine Corps (RTMC) recently concluded a three-month trial of a new MRAP vehicle in southern Thailand, it has emerged.  The prototype, named …

• Naval Warfare

  Ingalls' US NSC James completes acceptance trials

  7th May 2015

  The US Coast Guard National Security Cutter (NSC), James (WMSL 754), built by Huntington Ingalls, has successfully completed her acceptance trials, the company announced on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2015: Army looks towards the common robot

  4th May 2015

  After putting thousands of UGVs into the field throughout the conflict in Afghanistan, the US Army is now attempting to consolidate, standardise and move towards …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Project Vixen [UK]

  Programme Background Project Goal The Royal Navy uses Leonardo crewed Merlin (AW101) helicopters fitted with CROWSNEST pods to provide airborne early warning capabilities for carriers. An early ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  Akinci [Pakistan]

  Programme Background 'Brotherly Ties'  On 14 January 2022, the Pakistan government unveiled its first-ever National Security Policy. As reported by Shephard, the policy emphasised 'brotherly ties' with ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) Project [Japan]

  Programme Background Requirement The Japanese Coast Guard (JCG) operated a few dozen Chinese-made UAVs that conducted SAR and surveillance activities. The drones performed well and ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Camcopter S-100 [Greece]

  Programme Background Trails A 2 August 2021 Schiebel press release announced the company had demonstrated the Camcopter S-100's capabilities to the Hellenic Navy. The UAV was ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Multi-Purpose Vessels (MPVs) [India]

  Programme Background Requirements The units will perform multi-role support functions such as maritime surveillance& patrol, launching/recovery of torpedoes and operation of various types of aerial, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Multi-Role Vehicle (Protected) (MRV-P) Package 1 (UK)

  Programme Background Requirement The MRV-P programme was intended to procure replacements for a diverse fleet of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles purchased during the wars in Iraq ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  RQ-7B Shadow v2 Block III (USA)

  Programme Background The first iteration of the Shadow UAS, the Shadow 600, was first introduced in 1992 and since then Textron has had a longstanding ...

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

  DEF129 Small UAS Plus [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The army wanted up to 17 SUAS+ systems with a life of six years. The tender said the UAV would be issued ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Hermes 900 StarLiner [Switzerland]

  Programme Background Contract Information In September 2015, under the Reconnaissance Drone System 15 (ADS 15), the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (VBS) awarded ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  4x4 Armoured Vehicle [Estonia]

  Programme Background The Estonian military wants to replace its fleet of soft-skin troop transports with 4x4 and 6x6 armoured vehicles. This will improve the survivability ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions (Forecast) [Germany]

  Programme Background Three Systems In April 2023, Germany reportedly ordered three different loitering munition systems to further assess their suitability for use by the German Armed ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  4x4 Armoured Vehicle (Unknown)

  Programme Background The Estonian military wants to replace its fleet of soft-skin troop transports with 4x4 and 6x6 armoured vehicles. This will improve the survivability ...

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

  V-Bat 128 (Canada)

  Programme Background Requirement Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) is seeking a platform for the CCG that will significantly expand its surveillance range during search ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Heavy IFV [Poland]

  Programme Background Requirement Due to the perceived threat from Russia and the conflict in Ukraine, Poland has accelerated and expanded its plans to modernise its ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  TAPAS BH-201 [India]

  Programme Background Requirements As of late 2023, the Indian tri-service plan was reportedly to acquire 155 indigenously produced MALE UAVs alongside 31 MQ-9B drones from General Atomics (GA-ASI), ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UGVs

  Mission Master XT

  Part of Rheinmetall's Mission Master family, The Mission Mater Extreme Terrain, or Mission Master XT, is a rugged UGV designed to accompany troops in challenging environments ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Tigon

  Hanwha Defense Systems selected DSA 2018 in Kuala Lumpur as the location to unveil its Tigon 6x6 armoured wheeled vehicle. The company conducted a fortnight-long ...

• Matternet M2

  The Matternet M2 quadcopter UAV has been certified by the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation for full logistics operations over cities. The platform is ...

• Special operations vehicles

  VOS-APP

  The Arquus VOS-APP is a 6x6 support vehicle currently under trial with the French SOF. Acting as a replacement for the 1970s-vintage ACMAT VLRA, the VOS-APP is the ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  KUS-VT tiltrotor

  The KUS-VT is a tiltrotor UAV that first flew in October 2013 and was exhibited at ADEX 2013. The aircraft is designed to have a ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  M1150 ABV

  The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) project, launched by the USMC in 2002, is a joint programme to meet the requirements of both the US ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  HQ-60

  Similarly to other platforms in the L3 Technologies Hybrid Quadrotor (HQ) and Fixed-Wing Rotator family (see separate entries) of VTOL fixed-wing UAVs, the HQ-60 has ...

• Air-launched ASW torpedoes, Ship-launched torpedoes, Submarine-launched torpedoes

  MU90

  The MU90 is a lightweight torpedo manufactured in collaboration between Leonardo, Naval Group and Thales. It is a fire-and-forget torpedo that can be launched from ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Mojave

  Unveiled in December 2021, the Mojave is a MALE UAV in development by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI). It is based on the avionics and flight control ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Archer

  The Archer is a short-range UAV being developed for India by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).  Based on the Rustom I and inspired by Bayrakar's ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Flamingo Mk3

  The Flamingo Mk3 entered production in July 2017 and is based on the Flamingo Mk2. The Mk3 has been designed to provide a 65% increase ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  Miysis DIRCM

  Leonardo’s Miysis Directed Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) system provides high power, all aspect protection against modern and legacy Infrared Man-Portable Air Defence Systems (IR MANPADS) for ...

• Loitering munitions

  Mace

  Mace is a loitering munition developed by UAC, a Czech-Ukrainian company that is a subsidiary of DeViro. The electric-powered, catapult-launched UAV can host various warheads, including HEAT, thermobaric and ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  United 40 Block-5

  The United 40 was unveiled at the Dubai Airshow 2011 and is a MALE UAV with a twin-wing configuration and a hybrid turbine-electric engine. The ...

• Mine-protected vehicles

  Phantom 380-X1

  The Phantom 380-X1 is a 4x4 multipurpose armoured vehicle produced by Thailand's Panus. It is powered by a six-cylinder turbo engine with an undercarriage capable ...