• Land Warfare

  Italy picks Rheinmetall and Leonardo for MBT and IFV and gives MGCS a boost

  3rd July 2024

  Italy has been looking replace its Ariete MBTs but has gone back and forth between a future European tank, more Leopards, an upgrade of existing vehicles and other options. It now seems to have thrown its hand in with the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS).

• Land Warfare

  KNDS wins $667.2 million Canadian Leopard 2 service deal

  17th September 2024

  KNDS Deutschland has set up its own Canadian entity to facilitate the deal and will also build a dedicated maintenance and repair centre.

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall opts for direct replacement for turret on Panther Evolution Upgrade

  18th June 2024

  The German defence giant is unveiling a host of MBT upgrades at Eurosatory 2024 and has been optimising its Panther MBT for a Hungarian order.

• Land Warfare

  Challenger 3 programme promises capability upgrade as first delivery milestone approaches

  23rd August 2024

  The British Army’s Challenger 3 main battle tank (MBT) will replace existing Challenger 2s with a smaller but more capable fleet of vehicles with improved protection and notably a 120mm L55A1 smoothbore gun firing an Enhanced Kinetic Energy round. The programme is advancing rapidly with several hurdles cleared in the past year.

• Land Warfare

  European MBT programmes make tracks and try to find a path forward

  8th July 2024

  European MBT programmes over the next decade or two could result in orders up to US$10 billion with orders occurring and plans for purchases predicted to refresh ageing fleets.

• Land Warfare

  China reimagines armoured vehicle capabilities with new platforms

  9th October 2024

  China has been modernising its approach to armoured vehicles by introducing new platforms based on the VT4 MBT, including the HZT 26B armoured bridge and GSL 135E mine-clearing vehicle, designed for improved mobility and protection.

• Land Warfare

  M10 Booker advances towards service

  13th September 2024

  The M10 Booker will be the US Army’s first new light tank in decades and last month’s low-rate initial production (LRIP) contract for continued manufacture was a major step in a programme which will substantially reshape the force’s Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs).

• Land Warfare

  KNDS pitches new Leopard 2 variant as 'gap-filler' to MGCS next-gen tank

  19th June 2024

  The Leopard 2 A-RC 3.0 focuses on protection and firepower by taking the crew out of the turret, providing a 30mm cannon for C-UAS use and offering a 130mm or 140mm main gun option. It can be built new or delivered as an upgrade option for existing Leopard 2s to fill the 10-year gap before the Main Ground Combat System enters service.

• Land Warfare

  European MBT market shifts: KNDS and Rheinmetall unveil competing platforms

  19th June 2024

  KNDS and Rheinmetall have been showcasing competing new MBT models at Eurosatory 2024, reflecting shifts in European defence procurement amid the ongoing continental conflict.

• Land Warfare

  What Ukraine needs to hold its position in Russian territory

  27th August 2024

  As the Kursk region sits on a rolling plateau with broad, shallow valleys, MBTs can play a relevant role in the developing conflict within the Russian oblast.

• Land Warfare

  MBDA aims Brimstone at British Army requirement

  20th September 2024

  MBDA has been pushing for Brimstone, which was originally developed as an air-launched missile for the Royal Air Force, to help the British Army meet its MCCO requirement.

• Land Warfare

  Rafael tests on upgraded Trophy APS prove successful

  25th October 2024

  The Israeli manufacturer has upgraded its active protection system to further protect armoured vehicles from attacks from armed drones and loitering weapon systems.

• Land Warfare

  Layered Defence: How new technologies are enhancing armoured vehicle survivability and manoeuvrability (Studio)

  10th October 2024

  As modern threats evolve, armoured fighting vehicles face a new era of challenges, from loitering munitions to kinetic energy projectiles. Advances in active, passive, and reactive protection systems are crucial to ensuring battlefield dominance, freedom of manouver and vehicle survivability.

• Land Warfare

  New German big cats circle Italian Leopard corpse (Opinion)

  27th June 2024

  The only thing missing from Rheinmetall’s display at Eurosatory this year was an Italian flag flown between its KF-51 Panther and KF41 Lynx. The smiles on the faces of its business development team, however, and the circling of Italian delegations told just as clear of a story.

• Land Warfare

  Leonardo and Rheinmetall join forces to build new tanks

  15th October 2024

  The 50:50 joint venture, which will have legal headquarters in Rome and operational headquarters in La Spezia, is expected to be established in the first quarter of 2025 and will initially aim to equip the Italian Armed Forces with combat vehicles.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Tanks

  MBT (Belgium)

  Programme Background Belgium formally retired its MBT capability in 2014, when it took the last of its 132 KMW Leopard 1A5BE MBTs out of service. ...

• Tanks

  Peru T-55 MBT Replacement

  Programme Background Peru received 280 T-55 MBTs from the Soviet Union during the 1970s. Despite their age, these tanks continue to see service, alongside even ...

• Tanks

  MBT (Tunisia)

  Programme Background The Tunisian MoD has not disclosed any intention to modernise or replace its M60A3s, but an unconfirmed report published by Tactical Report in January ...

• Tanks

  M1A2 Abrams SEPv3 [Romania]

  Programme Background Requirement The Romanian Army's MBT fleet is composed of T-55 variants that are due to be retired in the mid-2020s. Although Romania's TR-85 ...

• Tanks

  PETEF - MBT

  The Colombian Army has evaluated several offers for MBT platforms in the past, though none of these have progressed to the formal contract stage. For ...

• Tanks

  MBT Replacement (Czech Republic)

  Programme Background In order to meet its NATO obligations to field a modern mechanised brigade by 2026, the Czech Army is seeking new tracked IFVs ...

• Tanks

  New MBT [Romania]

  Programme Background Requirement The Romanian Army's MBT fleet is composed of T-55 variants that are due to be retired in the mid-2020s. Although Romania's TR-85 ...

• Tanks

  New MBT (Spain)

  Programme Background One of the long-term needs identified in the Spanish Army's Force 2035 modernisation plan is a next-generation MBT. To this end, the Spanish ...

• Tanks

  C1 Ariete Replacement [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirement To bridge the gap between the retirement of the Ariete and the introduction of a new MBT, the Italian Army has contracted ...

• Tanks

  MBT (Egypt)

  Programme Background The Egyptian Army operates a vast number of MBTs, including 1,130 General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) M1A1 Abrams assembled in fits and starts between 1984 ...

• Tanks

  Botswana K2 MBT

  Programme Background The only indication that the Botswana Ground Force was considering the acquisition of the K2 MBT came from a report in Botswana's The ...

• Tanks

  Saudi Arabia New MBT

  Programme Background Between 1993 and 1994, 315 M1A2 Abrams MBTs were delivered to Saudi Arabia as part of a US$1.5 billion deal with the US. ...

• Tanks

  Leclerc Upgrade (UAE)

  Programme Background The UAE MoD has not disclosed any intention to modernise or replace its Leclerc MBTs, but an unconfirmed report published by the Asian Defence ...

• Tanks

  VT4 Haider (Pakistan)

  Programme Background Pakistan appears to have commenced its programme to acquire a new military off-the-shelf MBT in 2015, when several MBT designs were tested under ...

• Tanks

  New MBT (Oman)

  One platform that is known to have been under consideration for this requirement is the Hyundai Rotem K2 Black Panther MBT. It is understood that ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Tanks

  MBT-2000

  Norinco originally developed the Type 90-II for China's People's Liberation Army (PLA), but when it was not selected by the PLA, it continued to develop and ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  MBT-S

  The DynaSim Main Battle Tank Simulator (MBT-S) is a medium-fidelity training system for crews and platoon/company commanders. It provides interoperable simultaneous tactical training of multiple ...

• Tanks

  Al-Khalid/Al-Khalid-I

  In 1990, China and Pakistan agreed to jointly develop a new MBT which would be manufactured by HIT for the Pakistan Army.  The Al-Khalid is ...

• Land: vehicle surveillance/target acquisition systems

  GPTTS

  Deployed on the Korean K1 MBT, the Gunner’s Primary Tank Thermal Sight (GPTTS) is an integrated FCS that combines direct-view optics, a Gen I 120-channel ...

• Land: vehicle surveillance/target acquisition systems

  ELRF M1/LRFD M1

  The ELRF M1 eyesafe laser range finder (LRF) and the LRFD M1 LRF/designator both bolt onto the gunner’s primary sight on the M1 Abrams MBT. ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  P-200 Credo-1

  The P-200 Credo-1 is a tripod-mounted, pulse-Doppler ground/coastal surveillance radar capable of detecting and tracking a variety of targets. This includes people, vehicles, ships and ...

• Tanks

  VT4 (MBT-3000)

  The 125mm-armed VT4, also known as the MBT-3000, is the latest MBT developed and manufactured by Norinco. Displayed internationally for the first time at Eurosatory in ...

• Tanks

  KF51 Panther

  Rheinmetall unveiled the KF51 Panther at Eurosatory 2022. The MBT uses Leopard 2 components in its bare chassis but with a brand new turret. Its main armament is the ...

• Tanks

  EMBT

  KNDS (KMW + NEXTER Defense Systems) presented its first joint product, the EMBT (European Main Battle Tank) demonstrator, at the June 2018 Eurosatory defence exhibition. The EMBT mounts ...

• Tanks

  Leopard 2 Next Generation

  Aselsan unveiled its Leopard 2 Next Generation (NG) MBT upgrade proposal for the Turkish Land Forces Command’s fleet of almost 300 Leopard 2A4s at Turkey’s ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  RATAC-S

  The Radar d’Aide au Tir d’Artillerie de Campagne (RATAC-S) is a multipurpose radar designed to detect, locate and classify ground targets or low-flying aircraft at ...

• Tanks

  Type 74

  The Type 74 MBT was developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) to replace the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's (JGSDF) Type 61 MBT. Equipped with thicker ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Arjun Catapult Mk II

  India's Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE) publicly unveiled the Arjun Catapult Mk II at Defexpo India in February 2014. The Arjun Catapult is ...

• Tanks

  MBT Advanced Technology Demonstrator

  The Leopard 2 was developed jointly by KMW and Rheinmetall in the 1970s to meet German Army requirements, with production split between the two companies. ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  Tank Gunnery Trainers

  CAE has delivered a range of armoured reconnaissance, IFV and MBT trainers worldwide, including for the Scorpion 76/90 reconnaissance vehicle, Warrior IFV and Leopard 2 ...