• Naval Warfare

  USCG commissions cutter Florence Finch

  25th October 2024

  Bollinger Shipyards has been contracted to produce 67 Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutters (FRCs) with the 57th, which was delivered in June, now commissioned.

• Naval Warfare

  Singapore Navy receives new RO/RO civil resource ship

  17th May 2024

  MV Mentor, the Republic of Singapore Navy’s new roll-on/roll-off ship, will enhance training and sealift capabilities while replacing the long-serving MV Avatar.

• Air Warfare

  Bell Textron and Boeing’s Aurora selected for next phase of DARPA’s X-Plane

  29th May 2024

  The Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT) project, a joint DARPA/US Special Operations Command effort to design, build and fly an X-plane, will attempt to demonstrate the key technologies and integrated concepts that enable a transformational combination of aircraft speed and runway independence.

• Land Warfare

  GDELS rolls out Piranha HMC

  17th April 2024

  General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) MOWAG has introduced the Piranha Heavy Mission Carrier (10x10), an enhanced version of its Piranha armoured vehicle series, featuring increased payload capacity and specialised configurations for diverse battlefield roles.

• Land Warfare

  New Estonian night vision devices to help against “significantly” larger enemy

  28th March 2024

  Argus is a family of Mil-Spec I2 multipurpose monocular systems that can be operated handheld or head-, helmet- or weapon-mounted.

• Land Warfare

  L3Harris Diamondback autonomous reconnaissance vehicle to begin testing in 2025

  17th October 2024

  L3Harris and Overland AI have unveiled Diamondback, a modular, autonomous reconnaissance vehicle designed for versatile ISR missions in harsh environments.

• Air Warfare

  First USMC Bell AH-1Z goes in for power upgrade

  29th March 2024

  The Bell Textron AH-1Z Viper, an attack helicopter designed to operate and destroy targets in extreme environments, achieved IOC in February 2011.

• Naval Warfare

  New US Navy batteries are deemed submarine-safe

  13th November 2024

  The use of Passive Propagation Technology significantly reduces the risk of Lithium-ion batteries for use in torpedo tube launched AUVs.

• Air Warfare

  Eurofighter confirms Spain Halcon II contract conclusion and eyes 138 potential Typhoon exports

  6th November 2024

  Current contract negotiations for the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft come from three of its partner nations: Spain, Germany and Italy, while 73 aircraft are currently in production for Spain, Germany, Kuwait and Qatar.

• Naval Warfare

  Turkey’s first commercial-built special operations submarine passes pressure hull test

  24th October 2024

  It is hoped the building of the STM500 might stimulate international sales.

• Air Warfare

  L3Harris to upgrade USAF’s B-52H bomber cockpits

  7th June 2024

  The Boeing B-52H is the final model of the Stratofortress heavy bomber. More than 100 were built with 58 remaining in service plus 18 in reserve.

• Naval Warfare

  Virginia-class submarines get contract modifications from General Dynamics

  10th October 2024

  There are scheduled to be 51 Virginia-class submarines in the US fleet by the early 2030s.

• Land Warfare

  Morocco deploys new version of Abrams MBT

  5th December 2023

  The acquisition of M1A2 SEPv3 tanks by Morocco reflects the high demand for the Abrams platform in the region. The tanks will enhance Morocco’s land forces capabilities and deterrence posture.

• Air Warfare

  ECRS Mk2 radar makes first flight on Eurofighter Typhoon

  30th September 2024

  The test, part of ongoing developments for the UK Typhoon fleet, was operated at BAE Systems in Lancashire and supported by the radar’s developer, Leonardo UK.

• Defence Notes

  CUAS platforms, security systems and MBTs steal the spotlight as the curtain falls on Eurosatory 2024

  21st June 2024

  Eurosatory 2024 is done, the boxes are mostly put away, vehicles sent home to bed, stalls torn down, ripped carpet rolled up and weary business directors and their engineers have, for the last time for this edition, hung their MKU lanyards around their necks. But what, if anything, have we learned from this show in suburban Paris?

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Tanks

  VT5 (Bangladesh - Contracted)

  Programme Background The Bangladesh MoD issued an RfI for a new light tank and a related ARV in September 2017. This will be easier to ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  PMV (S) (India)

  Programme Background Requirement The PMV programme is aimed at improving the Indian Army's capability in manoeuvre warfare. Since the mid-2010s, The Indian Army has been seeking to modernise ...

• Tanks

  VT5 (Bangladesh - Forecast)

  Programme Background The Bangladesh MoD issued an RfI for a new light tank and a related ARV in September 2017. This will be easier to ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  PMV (HA) (India)

  Programme Background Requirement India's PMV programme is aimed at improving the Indian Army's capability in manoeuvre warfare. Since the mid-2010s, The Indian Army has been seeking to modernise ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  B1 Centauro Replacement (Spain)

  Programme Background The Spanish Army entered the B1 Centauro into service between 2000 and 2006. Manufactured by the Italian Iveco and Oto Melara consortium CIO, the ...

• Tanks

  Future Ready Combat Vehicle MBT (India)

  Programme Background At least three RfIs have been published for the FRCV requirement, but the programme has struggled to get off the ground. The FRCV ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  8x8 IFV [Greece]

  Programme Background The Greek Army is believed to operate a vast inventory of tracked APCs numbering more than 2,600 vehicles. This consists of legacy Cold ...

• Frigates

  F125 (Baden-Württemberg Class)

  Programme Background The Baden Württemberg class (F125) frigates are in fact closer to the size of a destroyer than a traditional frigate, however, designed for ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Piranha I Replacement [Chile]

  Programme Background Chile has operated the Piranha I armoured vehicle platform for more than 40 years. During the early 1980s between 100 and 200 Piranha ...

• Frigates

  Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)

  Programme Background The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme was developed in 2003 as a cheap and fast way to increase the size of the fleet ...

• Transport

  Large Transport Aircraft-II (LTA-II) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirements The aircraft are needed for peacetime, international peacekeeping, emergency and combat operations. They are especially required to ensure a strategic lift capacity ...

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

  High Mobility Reconnaissance Vehicle (India)

  Programme Background Aiming to boost mobility and enhance Recce and Command elements, the Indian Army is seeking 91 High Mobility Reconnaissance Vehicles (HMRV). Prioritising mobility and protection ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Future Infantry Combat Vehicle (India)

  Programme Background Requirement The Indian Army first identified its requirement for a new tracked IFV to replace the BMP-2 Sarath in 2009, but this initial ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  VBMT Rec Multirole Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle

  Technical Requirements The Brazilian Army released two documents outlining the technical and operational requirements for the VBMT Rec in early 2020. These elucidate a number ...

• Special operations vehicles

  UKSF Project Westerly HMT400 Replacement

  Programme Background The new special operations forces vehicle selected under Project Westerly looks set to either replace or supplement the HMT 400 4x4 vehicle. At ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: UAS radar

  ANKA SATCOM Radome

  The ANKA SATCOM Radome is a structural component developed by the Turkish defence manufacturer Meteksan Savunma Sanayi. It is designed for the protection of Ku-band ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  LiteHUD

  BAE Systems' LiteHUD is a low-profile head-up display compatible with various aircraft ranging from conventional turboprops to next-generation fighter jets. 

• UAS: communication systems

  Helix Mesh Rider

  Helix Mesh Rider is a SWaP (Size, Weight and Power) optimised mesh radio designed for uncrewed systems. Notably, it supports six frequency bands in a ...

• Data links

  Missile Data Links

  The Missile Data Links developed by the Turkish defence manufacturer Meteksan Savunma Sanayi provide a permanent and secure communication channel between the missile launcher platform ...

• Data links, UAS: communication systems

  Tove RF Datalink

  The Tove RF Data Link is a lightweight Software Defined Radio (SDR) designed for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) and Unmanned Surface ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  Ophir IR optics optimised for 10-12µm LWIR detectors

  Ophir, addressing the new market shift in the direction of 10-12μm detectors, is offering a wide collection of lenses, optimised to meet the needs of ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  NavStorm-M

  BAE Systems' NavStorm-M is a gun-hardened, integrated anti-jamming and Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for artillery rounds, bombs, missiles, and uncrewed systems. It was revealed ...

• UAS: communication systems

  TW-880 TSM Ghost

  Designed for uncrewed applications, TrellisWare TW-880 TSM Embedded Module provides communication in a small form factor. The transceiver provides simultaneous voice, data and PLI communication ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  CamSight

  CamSight is a family of lightweight, compact core cameras to be integrated into complex optronic systems equipping UAV, UGV, and UGS systems. The CamSight optronic modules ...

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

  Aerosonde Mk 4.8 HQ FTUAS

  From the Texton family of Aerosonde UAS, the Aerosonde Mk 4.8 Hybrid Quad (HQ) FTUAS is a tactical drone purpose-built to meet the US Army's Future Vertical Lift ...

• Weapon sights for night use (image intensifiers)

  Merlin

  Merlin SR, MR and LR inline sights are aimed at the assault rifle, sharpshooter rifle and sniper rifle end user. They provide different size/weight/performance trade-offs ...

• Data links, Land: Radio and SATCOM, UAS: communication systems

  QNT-200

  The Collins QNT-200 is a dual-channel software-defined radio (SDR) designed for size, weight and power-constrained platforms. Using IP-based mesh networks, it offers high-bandwidth mobile networking ...

• Data links

  BANDIT 2x

  The L3Harris BANDIT 2x Miniature is a data link and transceiver adaptable to a wide variety of applications. Notably, it supports tri-band operation, increased output ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  R&S SDTR

  The software communications architecture (SCA)-based R&S; SDTR allows legacy and new high data rate waveforms to be ported to the radio system, maintaining interoperability with ...

• Land: Defensive Systems - DF systems

  EGON

  L3Harris' EGON is a counter-IED system designed to address all current and emerging radio-controlled IED threat. The active-reactive counter IED system has been operationally deployed ...