• Land Warfare

  The year ahead: ROW land procurement

  5th January 2017

  Outside of the Americas and Europe, for land procurement there are some highlights to look out for in 2017, despite the fact there are fewer …

• Naval Warfare

  L-3 awarded USCG Minotaur option

  4th January 2017

  L-3 Communications Integrated Systems will carry out work to missionise the US Coast Guard’s 11th HC-130J Super Hercules aircraft under a $14.6 million option announced …

• Naval Warfare

  Surface Navy: US Navy distributed lethality concept evolves

  11th January 2017

  Senior US Navy officials used this week’s Surface Navy Association (SNA) symposium in Arlington, Virginia, to emphasise the underlying concept of distributed lethality (DL). The …

• Defence Notes

  UDT Asia: Malaysia endures submarine unavailability

  11th January 2017

  The Royal Malaysian Navy is due to start the overhaul of its second Scorpene-class submarine KD Tun Razak in June.  This means that the RMN will …

• Land Warfare

  The year ahead: European land programmes

  4th January 2017

  In Europe, falling defence expenditure means that most countries are struggling to maintain significant force sizes that can sustain one medium sized operation at a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Spain nears Predator B club membership

  10th January 2017

  Spain has moved a step closer to joining the Predator B club following an announcement by the US Department of Defense (DoD) of a more …

• Defence Notes

  UDT Asia: Japan boosts submarine technologies

  12th January 2017

  This year Japan will start building a Soryu-class submarine for the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) containing a host of new technologies and is scheduled …

• Defence Helicopter

  VK-2500 engines in production

  11th January 2017

  Russia’s deputy defence minister responsible for procurement, Yury Borisov has revealed that the Klimov Company in St Petersburg delivered 60 VK-2500 engines in 2016 – …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  West Point map new drone course

  13th January 2017

  The US Military Academy at West Point has introduced a UAV geospatial mapping module into its cadet training, which it hopes will pave the way …

• Digital Battlespace

  SAAB, UAE sign support agreement

  2nd January 2017

  Saab will provide support services for the Erieye airborne early warning and control system operated by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) under a contract announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  AHM achieves G Inspection

  3rd January 2017

  Airbus Helicopters Malaysia has carried out a G Inspection of a Southern Vietnam Helicopter (VNHS) AS332 L2 helicopter, the company announced on 29 December. VNHS …

• Defence Helicopter

  First firing for JAGM from Apache

  12th January 2017

  The Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) has been fired from an AH-64D Apache for the first time, it has been confirmed by the US Army's Program …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Blackjack gamble pays off with full-rate decision

  10th January 2017

  The US Navy and Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has contracted manufacturer Insitu for the first full-rate production lot of the RQ-21A Blackjack unmanned aircraft, …

• Naval Warfare

  UDT Asia: China to upgrade undersea sensors

  11th January 2017

  China is believed to be expanding an underwater sensor network, which was established beginning from October 2014, in the Western Pacific to better suit its …

• Defence Helicopter

  Serbia takes nine H145Ms

  3rd January 2017

  Airbus Helicopters and the Serbian government have signed for nine H145Ms. The aircraft will be received by the Serbian Air Force and Police. The order for …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BTR-MDM Rakushka

  Programme Background Since 2016, 11 battalion sets of BTR-MDMs are known to have been delivered to units of the VDV in addition to 12 platforms ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMD-4M

  Programme Background Since 2017, 11 battalion sets of the BMD-4M have been delivered to units of the VDV in addition to 27 located at the ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Wolverine / Honeybadger [US]

  Programme Background During the Modern Day Marine (MDM) exhibition, held in Washington between 10-12 May 2022, XTEND announced it would supply hundreds of Wolverine platforms ...

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

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) (Tranche 2) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an ...

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

  Short Range/Short Endurance (SR/SE) [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

  Harop [Azerbaijan]

  Programme Background According to a December 2020 report by the Centre for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), Azerbaijan acquired an estimated 50 Harop loitering munitions ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1Z [Romania]

  The Romanian MoD has a long-standing requirement for new rotary platforms, including troop transport, supply and attack configurations. According to the the Military Strategy document, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Piranha V

  264 of the Piranha Vs will be assigned to the Danish Army's 1st Brigade, following its reorganisation in January 2019. Each of its three armoured ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Data links

  Data links | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Paraguay VAMTAC ST5

  Programme Background Paraguay's Joint Task Force is in need of new armoured vehicles that can provide sufficient protection against the small arms, mines and IEDs ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28UB - Russia

  Programme BackgroundThe Russian MoD plans to acquire up to 60 Mi-28UB aircraft for the Russian Air Force by mid-2020s. Moscow signed a contract with Russian Helicopters ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BTR-MDM

  The BTR-MDM Rakushka is an amphibious tracked armoured vehicle developed by Kurganmashzavod to meet the Russian Airborne Forces' (VDV) need for a new air-droppable APC. ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MDM-HF

  The MDM-3001, MDM-2201 and MDM-2501 multi-mode HF data modems provide single-tone (serial) HF data communications capability in accordance with the requirements of MIL-STD-188-110A (para 5.3). ...

• Data links

  Link 11 DTS

  The programmable Data Terminal Set (DTS) uses real-time processor architectures and signal processing algorithms. It is designed for controlled network operation in a Link 11 ...

• Data links

  MDM-2X02N

  The MDM-2X02N is a tactical data link modem that combines the functionalities of a Link 11 DTS and Link 22 signal processor controller (SPC) into ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MDM-Q9604

  Collins Aerospace’s MDM-Q9604 high-speed, high-data-rate HF modem is capable of transmitting data over a standard 3KHz single sideband at 9,600b/s or a 6kHz ISB at ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMD-4M

  The BMD-4M is based on the BMD-4, which has been in the Russian Army's airborne forces (VDV) service since 2004. It was developed to provide an ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Bolt / Bolt-M

  Unveiled in October 2024, the Bolt is a modular, man-packable autonomous UAV from Anduril. The Bolt-M is a loitering munition variant of the drone, which is ...

• Military - USVs

  High-Speed Intercept Boat

  Poly Technologies displayed its High-Speed Intercept Boat at DSA in Malaysia in 2016. 

• Galaxy R8700

  The Altavian Galaxy R8700 is an octocopter UAV designed for inspection of mining, construction, urban and small project sites. It was unveiled in August 2016. 

• PD6-AW

  Prodrone's PD6-AW all-weather hexarotor drone is designed for professional filming, photography, land surveying, inspections and other roles. The platform was unveiled in April 2016. 

• MPVs - 4x4

  Bars-6

  Bogdan publicly unveiled the 7t Bars-6 (Panther) 4x4 light APC at IDEX 2015, and in July 2016, the company introduced an upgraded version ready for ...

• Self-propelled mortars

  2S42 Lotos

  The 2S42 Lotos (Lotus) is a self-propelled artillery system that is being developed by Rostec subsidiary TsNIITochMash to replace the Russian VDV airborne forces' and ...

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

  Mini UAV Fixed Wing I

  The Jordan Design and Development Bureau (JODDB) unveiled the hand-launched Mini UAS (also known as Mini UAV Fixed-Wing I) at SOFEX 2016, along with a wider family ...

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

  Mysterious Bee

  The Mysterious Bee hybrid, fixed-wing/quadcopter UAV was unveiled at the Zhuhai Airshow 2016. It is designed to operate from ships, small islands, mountainous areas and ...

• Awing-F100J

  Awing-F100J is the latest UAV from Tianjin-based Quadrant Space (Tianjin) Technology and was displayed at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China for the first time ...