• Training

  Indian Army special forces get new vertical wind tunnel for training

  8th November 2023

  The Indian Army's Special Forces Training School (SFTS) has inaugurated its first Vertical Wind Tunnel.

• Land Warfare

  US Army requests $185.5 billion for readiness and modernisation

  14th March 2023

  The FY 2024 request aims to fund a more data-centric force capable of operating in contested environments.

• Naval Warfare

  First Heritage-class cutter for US Coast Guard launched

  31st October 2023

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) has placed contracts for four Heritage-class offshore patrol cutters (OPCs), with plans in place to order as many as nine, as part of an effort to replace the service’s Famous Cutter and Reliance classes.

• Air Warfare

  Australia to sustain and upgrade Super Hornets and Growlers until 2030

  8th January 2024

  A contract extension with Boeing has secured the continued support and enhancement of the Royal Australian Air Force's F/A-18F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler fleets for the next five years.

• Land Warfare

  Brazilian Army plans future acquisitions under $2.4 billion SISFRON programme

  22nd January 2024

  From 2024 to 2027, the service is interested in procuring unique C4ISR capabilities to be deployed in diverse regions of the country.

• Air Warfare

  Can Finland’s F-35 maintenance strategy ensure defence readiness?

  21st December 2023

  As Finland gears up to receive its Lockheed Martin F-35A fleet, a meticulous focus on advanced maintenance strategies has taken centre stage, offering the prospect of enhanced defence preparedness in an evolving security landscape.

• Digital Battlespace

  Steatite nears completion of order for Crib rugged mobile operations hub

  6th November 2023

  Steatite‘s Crib is a ruggedised universal C2 terminal which incorporates multi-function displays enabled with Persistent Systems Wave Relay Mobile Ad-hoc Network (MANET) radio.

• Defence Notes

  Honeywell deal aims to improve ‘mission readiness’ of Indonesia’s armed forces

  16th November 2023

  Honeywell to extend support to Indonesian defence industry following four decades of collaboration with the country’s military sectors.

• Defence Notes

  Haiti crisis forces Caribbean militaries to prepare for intervention

  12th March 2024

  As gangs gain control of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s Caribbean neighbours have been preparing to intervene in the failed state, with the US and other partners waiting in the wings with equipment and financial support.

• Air Warfare

  Canada buys weaponised MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones

  21st December 2023

  The deal signed between Canada and General Atomics included ground control stations and initial weapons for the MQ-9B SkyGuardian, with deliveries expected to commence in 2028.

• Training

  Preparations begin for German deployment exercise to its eastern border

  9th November 2023

  Blue Lightning has been described as a test for forces facing a possible Article 4 case of NATO under which ‘the territorial integrity … or security of one of the partners is threatened’.

• Air Warfare

  Roke to launch C-UAS system and showcases AI architecture on Boston Dynamics UGV

  3rd November 2023

  Roke will attempt to integrate systems and its own architecture to create a C-UAS system ready for launch in 2024.

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall wins major work order for US Army remote weapon stations

  18th January 2023

  The agreement with CROWS prime contractor Kongsberg will extend Rheinmetall's involvement with the programme for another five years.

• Naval Warfare

  Systematic selected to provide C2 solution for German F126 Frigates

  21st November 2023

  The F126 frigate-class has been developed under the MKS 180 frigate programme for the German Navy and has been designed to produce one of the largest German surface warships in more than seven decades.

• Air Warfare

  Northrop Grumman’s B-21 makes first flight

  13th November 2023

  Northrop Grumman’s strategic stealth bomber aircraft, the B-21 Raider, has been developed to succeed the B-1 and B-2 fleets in the US Air Force service.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  J-10 [Pakistan]

  Programme Background A video clip released by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) disclosed that a deal to acquire the J-10 from China was signed on 25 ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  CV90 (Czech Republic)

  Programme Background The Czech Republic has been working on modernising its mechanised units at least since 2017, when the country launched its "Tracked IFV" programme ...

• Tanks

  Viatura Blindada de Combate-Carro de Combate (VBC-CC) [Brazil]

  Programme Background Several key technical requirements have been outlined by the Brazilian MoD. Among the most important are that the platform should weigh less than ...

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

  MALE Combat Drones [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events ...

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

  Anka-S (Second Batch) [Turkey]

  Programme Background First Batch Based on comments by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Turkish media in 2018, Shephard believes that Türkiye acquired 26 Anka-S drones ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer MIV [UK]

  Programme Background History The UK MoD announced in March 2018 that it would re-join the Boxer programme and pursue a sole-source acquisition of the 8x8 ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 Special Forces (France)

  Programme Background In French service, advanced H225M Caracals with aerial refuelling capabilities are used by SOF units of the French Air Force (FAF) and French ...

• Loitering munitions

  Medium Range Precision Strike (MRPS) [UK]

  Programme Background Prior Information Notice (PIN) On 21 October 2024, the MoD published a PIN in collaboration with the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S;). The notice ...

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

  MQ-9A Reaper [Spain]

  Programme Background First Contract The US State Department approved a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of MQ-9 Block 5 aircraft and associated parts, equipment, and logistical ...

• Loitering munitions

  Echelon 1: Ground Organic Precision Strike Systems (GOPSS) [USSOCOM]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has made loitering capabilities a priority in its efforts to support counter-violent extremist organization (C-VEO) operations ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  LRSS

  Programme Background The LRSS programme will meet the Canadian Army's need for a long-range on-the-move digital surveillance system mounted on the LAV 6.0 8x8 armoured ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  L-39NG Senegal

  The aircraft will feature five hard-points, two external fuel tanks with 350 lt capacity, Mk 81 and Mk 82 bombs, guided and unguided rockets, single ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  JLTV [Slovenia - 2nd Batch]

  Programme Background  Slovenia began its procurement of Oshkosh Defence's JLTV 4x4 armoured vehicle in 2018, although a US government FMS contract was not signed until ...

• Loitering munitions

  Echelon 2: Ground Organic Precision Strike Systems (GOPSS) [USSOCOM]

  Programme Background Requirements The U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has made loitering capabilities a priority in its efforts to support counter-violent extremist organization (C-VEO) operations and ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R Seahawk (Saudi Arabia)

  The sale is aimed at improving Saudi Arabia’s capability to meet current and future threats from enemy weapon systems, provide the capability to identify, engage ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  CRATOS

  The Clip-On Ruggedized Advanced Thermal Optical Sight (CRATOS) is a miniaturised all-in-one thermal weapon sight designed for handheld, clip-on or stand-alone use. 

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  HuntIR Mk 2

  The HuntIR Mk 2 thermal weapon and reconnaissance sight is designed for clip-on use on mid- and long-range small arms. The standalone weapon sight has ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  XACT th family

  The XACT thermal weapon sight product family includes: the XACT th64 short/medium-range weapon-mounted or handheld sight; the XACT th65 clip-on marksman sight; and the XACT ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  CNVD-T

  The Clip-On Night Vision Device-Thermal (CNVD-T) is a handheld or weapon-mounted thermal sight based on the military SU-232/PAS. 

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  UTCx

  The UTCx (Universal Thermal Clip-on) sight is a universal thermal clip-on to existing weapon sights, currently fielded by the US military and supporting long-range sniper ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  AN/PAS-13G(V)1 LWTS

  The AN/PAS-13G(V)1 Light Weapon Thermal Sight (LWTS) is a handheld or weapon-mounted thermal sight. The TI capability of the LWTS allows for longwave infrared observation ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  TISI-M

  Designed for assault and sharpshooter rifles, SMGs and machine guns, the TISI-M is a lightweight uncooled thermal day and night weapon sight which can be ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  AN/PVS-30

  The AN/PVS-30 is a long-range thermal clip-on sniper night sight. The sight is able to extend the range of engagement by up to 1,000m and ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  Lily-L

  The Lily-L clip-on thermal sight for long-range sniper weapons can be mounted on a Picatinny rail in front of a day scope. It is designed for ...

• Weapon sights for night use (image intensifiers)

  MilSight S135 MUNS

  The MilSight S135 Magnum Universal Night Sight (MUNS) AN/PVS-27 is a high-resolution clip-on weapon sight that mounts forward of an existing scope, adding NV capabilities ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  ThermoSight HISS-XLR

  The HISS extended long-range (XLR) clip-on thermal weapon sight allows snipers to detect and recognise man-sized targets at up to 2,000m, offering a 25% increase ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  MUNSTI

  The MUNSTI uncooled thermal imaging clip-on sight is compact and lightweight, designed for use in front of a day optical sight. It is suitable for ...

• Individual grenade launchers

  UBGL

  The single-shot 40mm Under-Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) can be attached to most modern assault weapons using a MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rail system. The breech is swung ...

• Sniper rifles

  Dan.338

  IWI launched the Dan.338, the first of a new family of bolt-action sniper rifles, at the Eurosatory 2014 exhibition. Chambered for .338 Lapua Mag ammunition, ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  TVC 60

  The TVC 60 is a clip-on thermal weapon sight designed to be used in conjunction with a magnified day optic. The shooter relies on the ...