• Land Warfare

  OMFV shows more signs of life

  27th July 2021

  The Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle programme is moving forward at a deliberate pace, after five industry teams received Phase 2 digital concept design contracts.

• Air Warfare

  Indonesia and Pakistan pursue similar strategies with Chinese UCAVs

  8th September 2021

  The Chinese-built CH-4B features strongly in both Indonesian and Pakistani unmanned air combat capabilities.

• Naval Warfare

  New challenger joins competition for next Korean carrier

  1st September 2021

  As HMS Queen Elizabeth arrives in Korea, attention turns to ROK’s indigenous aircraft carrier programme, with Babcock and HHI signing an MoU.

• Defence Notes

  Germany buys tethered balloon aerial reconnaissance system

  25th August 2021

  Germany has placed an order for a tethered balloon reconnaissance system.

• Air Warfare

  Israel and US negotiate on CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter numbers

  15th August 2021

  Next steps for Israel's CH-53K King Stallion order are likely to include a final fleet number being confirmed by negotiating parties.

• Land Warfare

  Death Adder strikes hard in Australia

  28th September 2021

  A small Australian-built tactical vehicle has been selected for army special forces.

• Land Warfare

  Rostec drops Sprut from a great height

  14th September 2021

  Russian defence conglomerate Rostec says that it tested Sprut-SDM1 to withstand overload during airborne insertion.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2021: Raytheon unleashes HELWS on experimental basis

  16th September 2021

  High-energy weapon to be installed on British Army Wolfhound for evaluation.

• Land Warfare

  Rostec plans 125mm cannon-armed wheeled AFV

  7th September 2021

  The mulled wheeled AFV would be based on the Sprut-SDM1 light tank.

• Air Warfare

  Japan’s first KC-46A completes test refuelling flight

  19th August 2021

  The first KC-46A for a non-US customer gives and receives fuel with another KC-46A.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2021: NP Aerospace pushes vehicle integration

  15th September 2021

  UK company seeks to enhance British Army vehicle performance and sustainability.

• Training

  DSEI 2021: Pooling expertise to provide optimal training

  18th September 2021

  2Excel Aviation and JD2E have joined forces to provide the Royal Air Force with ISR training courses.

• Defence Notes

  DSEI 2021: CGS underlines changing nature of warfare

  16th September 2021

  British Army must run fast to establish a credible advantage over our potential adversaries, says Gen Sir Mark Carleton-Smith.

• Air Warfare

  Enhanced V-Bat spreads its wings

  1st September 2021

  V-Bat small UAS demonstrates GPS-denied navigation and target designation capabilities.

• Defence Notes

  Shvabe upgrades laser imager

  3rd September 2021

  Upgraded Russian imaging system is expected to deliver 3-10x magnification.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  ARV (USMC)

  Programme Background The ARV constitutes one component of a wider USMC effort to develop an interconnected network of manned and unmanned platforms more suited to ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV (US - USMC)

  Programme Background The Armored Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked ...

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

  Medium Range/Medium Endurance (MR/ME) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Military helicopters - maritime, Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-53K - US Navy

  Programme Background The Marine Corps is replacing its aging CH-53E helicopters with the CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter. Designed as an evolution of the CH-53E, the CH-53K ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-1Y Venom (Czechia)

  Programme Background Czech Armed Forces intended to use the UH-1Y Venom helicopters in various missions including utility, search and rescue, aerial reconnaissance, air-to-ground support and ...

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

  Large ULS-A / Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) [USMC]

  Programme Background US Marine ULS-A programmes The US Marines are seeking a family of Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A), which will provide logistics and ground units with ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Belgium Jaguar Medium Common Armoured Vehicle Platform

  Programme Background In its Strategic Vision for Defence document published in June 2016, the Belgian MoD outlined its aspirations for equipping five motorised manoeuvre battalions ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Belgium Griffon Light Common Armoured Vehicle Platform

  Programme Background In its Strategic Vision for Defence document published in June 2016, the Belgian MoD outlined its aspirations for equipping five motorised manoeuvre battalions ...

• Loitering munitions

  Long-Range Attack Munition (LRAM) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Organic Precision Fire - Light (OPF-L) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. In May 2022, an annual ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USMC)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1Z

  In issuing the Force Design 2030 report into the future direction of the USMC, the corps is attempting to steer the course of its development, ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-73 Advanced Helicopter Training System - AHTS (TH-57 Replacement)

  Contenders for the competition included the Leonardo single engine TH-119 – a military variant of the AW119Kx – and Bell’s newly upgraded single engine 407GXi. ...

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

  Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) (Increment 1) [USMC]

  Programme Background All-in-One UAV Since 2016, the USMC has wished to acquire a UAV that could be deployed from a vessel, be used for various missions, ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35B Follow-On UK

  Programme Background  The forthcoming UK Integrated Foreign Policy and Defence Review will shed further light on whether changes to the UK F-35B programme are to ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• EO/IR systems

  ATARS

  Operational on USMC F/A-18s, the Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System (ATARS) provides high-resolution imagery for real/near-real time reconnaissance and can perform strike and bomb damage ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV

  BAE Systems teamed with Iveco Defence to offer a version of Iveco Defence Vehicle's Superav for the USMC's Armored Combat Vehicle Phase 1 Increment 1 ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  JAB

  The US Army is leading the Joint Assault Bridge (JAB) project to replace legacy M60A1-based bridge launchers in service with itself and USMC with an M1-based ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Jaguar EBRC

  The Jaguar Armored Reconnaissance and Combat Vehicle (EBRC) is a 6x6 armoured reconnaissance vehicle manufactured by a consortium formed of Nexter Systems, Arquus (formerly Renault Trucks Defense) and ...

• Military UGVs

  XM1216 SUGV

  The XM1216 Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (SUGV) is a tactical system that can enter and secure areas that are either inaccessible or too dangerous for ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Flyer 60 ALSV

  General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS), in partnership with Flyer Defense, developed the Flyer 60 Advanced Light Strike Vehicle (ALSV) in parallel with the ...

• 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 ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Commando Elite

  The 4x4 Commando Elite is an improved derivative of Textron's M1117 Armored Security Vehicle which offers improved mobility, lethality and survivability. The Canadian Army chose ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Type 82

  The Type 82 command and communications vehicle was developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to perform specialised roles for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) such ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  LTMPAV Dino 519

  The LTMPAV Dino 519 is an armored vesion of Concept's Dino 319.

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Cottonmouth

  The Cottonmouth is a purpose-built 6x6 amphibious reconnaissance vehicle designed by Textron Systems to meet the requirements of the USMC's Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) programme. It ...

• Land: RWS

  LW30/RS6

  The LW30 (since rebranded RS6) is part of the Protector RWS family developed by Kongsberg. Designed to carry a heavier armament than earlier Protector systems, ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  SMAW Mod 0

  Developed to meet the requirements of the USMC, the Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon (SMAW), introduced in 1984, is a development of the IMI B-300. Its ...

• Land: manned turrets

  GD30

  General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) has developed a two-person turret designed to accommodate the Northrop Grumman Mk44S Bushmaster II 30mm cannon. Called the GD30, little ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1W SuperCobra

  Bell’s AH-1W SuperCobra attack helicopter was developed from the AH-1T for the USMC. It has been in service since 1986 to the present day, first ...