• Defence Notes

  Chinese railgun puts US on notice

  22nd March 2018

  China is fond of magic-bullet weapons, whether they are anti-ship ballistic missiles such as the DF-21D, hypersonic glide vehicles or anti-satellite weapons capable of blinding or …

• Land Warfare

  Pentagon 'fully prepared' after Putin boasts of hypersonic missiles

  1st March 2018

  The Pentagon on 1 March brushed off Russian President Vladimir Putin's boast of developing ‘invincible’ missiles, claiming the US was fully prepared for anything that …

• 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 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Japan, China enhance recon satellite coverage

  1st March 2018

  The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries launched an optical reconnaissance satellite into orbit aboard an H-IIA launch vehicle from the Tanegashima …

• Naval Warfare

  Japan commissions replacement sub rescue ship

  21st March 2018

  The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) commissioned a new submarine rescue ship, JS Chiyoda (ASR-404), on 20 March. Built by Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding, the …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army orders additional Lakotas

  13th March 2018

  Airbus Helicopters has received a contract to deliver 35 additional UH-72A Lakotas for the US Army, the company announced on 9 March. The contract is …

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed’s PAC-3 CRI in White Sands testing

  9th March 2018

  Lockheed Martin's PAC-3 Cost Reduction Initiative (CRI) interceptor has successfully intercepted two tactical ballistic missile targets in a test at White Sands Missile Range, the …

• Defence Notes

  NATO urges Russia to answer UK spy questions

  14th March 2018

  All 29 NATO countries urged Russia on 14 March to answer Britain's questions over the poisoning of an ex-spy in what they called the first ever …

• Defence Notes

  Top US military leader calls for BMDS space sensors

  28th February 2018

  With the US eyeing ways to bolster its Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS), the head of Strategic Command said the time has come to send …

• Defence Helicopter

  Lakota flies while Leonardo spies navy trainer

  21st March 2018

  Further to Leonardo's retreat over litigation procedures the company now turns its focus to opportunities with the US Navy while Airbus Helicopters remains dedicated to …

• Naval Warfare

  Babcock to open new facility in Busan

  26th February 2018

  Babcock is set to open a new facility in Busan to support Jangbogo III, South Korea’s submarine programme, the company announced on 21 February. The …

• Defence Notes

  Marines drink cobra blood in US-Thai war drills

  19th February 2018

  US and Thai marines slurped snake blood and ate scorpions in a jungle survival programme on 19 February as part of the two nations' annual …

• Defence Notes

  North Korea showcases ICBMs in military parade

  8th February 2018

  North Korea staged a military parade in Pyongyang on 8 February to mark the 70th anniversary of its armed forces, putting its intercontinental ballistic missiles …

• Naval Warfare

  South Korea delineates need for new MPAs

  15th February 2018

  Already operating a fleet of 16 Lockheed P-3C and P-3CK Orion platforms, South Korea is hunting for newer-generation maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) from overseas sources …

• Defence Notes

  War, conflict fuel arms imports to Middle East, Asia

  12th March 2018

  Weapons imports to the Middle East and Asia have boomed over the past five years, fuelled by war and tensions in those regions, a new …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Maritime patrol

  P-8 Poseidon [South Korea]

  Programme Background South Korea is facing an imminent submarine threat from North Korea. The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) is operating an aging fleet of P-3C ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-X III Phase II (F-35)

  Programme Background On 14 September 2014, South Korea signed an FMS contract under the first phase of F-X III programme to supply 40 F-35As for ...

• Loitering munitions

  Small-Sized Suicide Drones [South Korea]

  Programme Background Drone Ambition As reported by Shephard, South Korea has ambitions to possess a large arsenal of drones. In May 2024, the presidential office ...

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

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (South Korea)

  Programme Background Requirments Seoul required UAS assets to help monitor its neighbour to the north and, increasingly, Chinese activities in waters and in the air near ...

• Frigates

  Daegu Class (FFX Batch II) [South Korea]

  Programme Background The Incheon and Daegu classes are part of a re-capitalisation effort to replace the older Pohang-class corvettes and Ulsan-class frigates with a new FFX class ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  KAAV II

  Programme Background The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) operates one Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship and has launched another to support provide operational lift for the ROKMC. ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker (North Macedonia)

  Programme Background In its Long-Term Defence Capabilities Development Plan (LTDCDP) published in 2019, the North Macedonian MoD outlined plans to acquire Light Armoured Vehicles (LAVs) ...

• Destroyers

  Joint Strike Ship [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirements The third element of South Korea's "Three Axis System" - a complex of measures designed to track, detect, and eliminate an adversary’s ballistic missiles and ...

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

  KUS-FS (ROKAF) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Inception The Aerospace Division of Korean Air (KAL-ASD) commenced developing the MUAV in 2008 in response to a ROKAF requirement for a MALE UAV ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Light Protected Mobility Vehicles [North Macedonia]

  Programme Background The acquisition of an LPMV to equip the North Macedonian Armed Forces' Light Infantry Battalion Group (LIBG) is considered the most urgent priority for ...

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

  KUS-FS (ROKA) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Inception The Aerospace Division of Korean Air (KAL-ASD) commenced developing the MUAV in 2008 in response to a ROKAF requirement for a MALE ...

• Trainer

  T-4 Replacement (Japan)

  Programme Background The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) has been using the T-4 as an intermediate trainer jet since 1988, but now the Acquisition, Technology ...

• Patrol boats

  Multifunctional Support Ships (TRIFC/MICAN) (1-2) [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Requirements In 2022, the Royal Netherlands Navy started The Rapidly Increased Firepower Capability (TRIFC) concept, a study focused on procuring low-manned platforms to augment the firepower ...

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

  Indigenous UAS (South Korea)

  Programme Background South Korea's Total UAS Budget The government of South Korea wants to grow its domestic UAS industry. To do this, it was reported in ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Puma 3 AE (UK)

  Programme Background Testing The Royal Navy announced in October 2020 that the Puma was undergoing its first operational testing on HMS Albion's autumn deployment to ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Counter-UAS systems

  Drone Killer

  The Uconsystem Drone Killer was unveiled in October 2015 and was developed in response to a UAV threat from North Korea, which saw four North ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Gumdoksuri Class (PKX-A)

  The Gumdoksuri-class fast attack craft, also known as the PKX-A-class, was designed to replace the Republic of Korea Navy's ageing fleet of Sea Dolphin-class vessels ...

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

  Reconnaissance UAV

  North Korea unveiled two drones at the Weapons and Equipment Exhibition 2023 in Pyongyang on 2 August 2023. One drone closely resembled General Atomics' (GA-ASI) ...

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

  Multirole UAV

  North Korea unveiled two drones at the Weapons and Equipment Exhibition 2023 in Pyongyang on 2 August 2023. One drone closely resembled General Atomics' (GA-ASI) MQ-9 Reaper, and, ...

• Destroyers

  Sejong the Great Class (KDX-III/HDD-10000) Batch 1

  The Sejong the Great-class destroyers were built for the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) as the third iteration of its KDX continuous destroyer construction programme ...

• Military UGVs

  SCOBOT 200

  The SCOBOT 200 is a larger, two-tracked version of the SCOBOT 100 (see separate entry). It can be used for EOD tasks. It was tested ...

• Destroyers

  Maya Class (27DD)

  The Maya-class (27DD) destroyers are the latest in a long line of modern destroyer classes for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). Well aware of ...

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

  RemoEye-002B

  RemoEye-002B is a close-range mini-UAV constructed using composite materials that can be prepared and launched in 5min. Its features include changeable flight modes during mission, ...

• Frigates

  Krivak Class

  The Krivak-class (Project 1135) frigates first entered service in 1970 and various types of the class have entered service, particularly the Indian Navy's Talwar-class (see ...

• Corvettes

  Pohang Class

  The Pohang-class corvettes were designed and built for the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN), and a total of 24 ships were constructed of either anti-surface ...

• Destroyers

  Chungmugong Yi Sun Shin Class (KDX-II/HDD-5000)

  The Chungmugong Yi Sun Shin class (KDX-II) is a class of multi-purpose destroyers in service with the Republic of Korea Navy. Six ships were developed under ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  K239 Chunmoo

  Doosan (now Hanwha Defense) developed the K239 Chunmoo long-range 16-round multicalibre MRL to replace the Doosan K136 Kooryong 130mm 36-round unguided MRL in Republic of ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Mavic 2 (Series)

  The Mavic 2 is a series of rotary-wing Micro UAS manufactured by DJI. The series features three platforms: the Mavic 2 Pro, Mavic 2 Zoom ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  LR-100

  Northrop Grumman’s RA-4B Global Hawk uninhabited aerial vehicle is equipped with the company’s LR-100 Electronic Support Measure (ESM). The LR-100 performs an important role supporting ...

• Deployable/static missile systems

  Aegis Ashore

  Aegis Ashore is the first operational land-based version of the Aegis Combat System originally developed by Lockheed Martin for the US Navy's Ballistic Missile Defence ...