• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Navy Triton UAS flight trials making progress

  7th January 2014

  The MQ-4C Triton UAS under development for the US Navy has reached the halfway point in its envelope expansion flight test programme. Nine flights have …

• Defence Notes

  South Korean defence companies increase exports

  7th January 2014

  South Korean defence exports increased to $3.4 billion in 2013 bringing it closer to its target of $4 billion of annual exports by 2020.  According …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  First French Reaper delivered to Africa

  6th January 2014

  The first MQ-9 Reaper system for the French Air Force has been delivered to the Sahel region of Africa ahead of its initial deployment in …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Global Hawk in Philippine disaster relief efforts

  6th January 2014

  The US Air Force (USAF) deployed a Global Hawk Block 30 UAV in support of international humanitarian assistance and relief efforts following Typhoon Haiyan in …

• Defence Helicopter

  India scraps AW101 deal

  2nd January 2014

  India has terminated the $750 million agreement signed with AgustaWestland in 2010 for 12 AW101 VVIP/VIP helicopters on the grounds of a breach of the …

• Land Warfare

  New Zealand receives first Rheinmetall MAN vehicles

  2nd January 2014

  The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has formally accepted the first 40 of 194 logistics vehicles ordered from Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles Australia in April …

• Defence Helicopter

  Lockheed Martin receives Cobra targeting system contract

  2nd January 2014

  Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control has been awarded a $33 million contract for procurement of AN/AAQ-30(A) Target Sight Systems (TSS) for the US Marine …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australian Heron deployment extended

  30th December 2013

  The Australian government is to extend its Heron-1 UAV deployment in Afghanistan to July 2014 in support of the transition of responsibility in the region …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris announces $100 million Australian DoD order

  27th December 2013

  Harris will supply additional multiband handheld and high-frequency Falcon manpack tactical radios to the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) under a $100 million follow-on order …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman transfers SATCOM tech to aircraft comms system

  27th December 2013

  Northrop Grumman has successfully demonstrated a new SATCOM-derived aircraft communications system on-board its Firebird demonstrator aircraft, the company has revealed. The new ‘high-functioning, low-cost communications …

• Defence Helicopter

  Military helicopter industry to decline by half

  27th December 2013

  Frost and Sullivan has predicted that US DoD spending on military helicopters will decrease by almost half from $12.4 billion in 2012 to $6.7 billion …

• Military Logistics

  First PW4062 engines for KC-46 tanker delivered

  23rd December 2013

  The first PW4062 engines for the KC-46 test aircraft have been delivered to Boeing’s Everett, WA, facility by Pratt & Whitney. The flight test aircraft …

• Digital Battlespace

  Babcock makes move into cyber market

  23rd December 2013

  Babcock International Group has announced the acquisition Context Information Security (ContextIS) in a £32 million transaction.   ContextIS, based in London with offices in Germany …

• Land Warfare

  Canada cancels $2 billion IFV project

  20th December 2013

  The Canadian Department of National Defence announced on 20 December the cancellation of its controversial C$2 billion Close Combat Vehicle (CCV) project to acquire infantry …

• Defence Helicopter

  Pakistan to collaborate with Turkey on T-129

  20th December 2013

  The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex has signed a work share agreement with Turkish Aerospace Industries, paving the way for any future Pakistani purchase of the T-129 …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Land 400 Phase 3 (Logistics, Ammunition Carrier and Mortar Carrier Variants)

  Programme Background The Australian DoD released the initial RfI for the Land 400 Phase 3 programme in November 2015. Following consultations with local industry, the ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Land 400 Phase 3 (Amphibious Vehicles) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Australian DoD released the initial RfI for the Land 400 Phase 3 programme in November 2015. Following consultations with local industry, the ...

• Tanks

  M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams [Poland]

  Programme Background Requirement Since the early 2010s Poland wanted to upgrade its Soviet-era tank fleet due to modernisation requirements, the need to increase interoperability with NATO ...

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

  Drone40 (Ukraine Aid) [Australia]

  Programme Background In August 2022, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), a think tank, held a podcast with Ukraine's ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, in which ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Land 400 Phase 2 - Boxer CRV (Australia)

  Programme Background History The Land 400 Phase 2 programme will procure a replacement for the ASLAV, a derivative of the General Dynamics Land Systems Light Armoured Vehicle ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel - Medium (Project Land 8710 Phase 1A) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements Australia has set out requirements for a fleet of up to 18 Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels - Medium (LMV-M) with the release of ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  Second Hand SSNs [Australia]

  Programme Background Timeline In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock ...

• Tanks

  M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams [Poland - Forecast]

  Programme Background Requirement The Polish Army wants to replace its legacy Soviet T-72 MBTs with new NATO-standard platforms to increase interoperability with its allies and ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | AUKUS-SSNs (1-5) [Australia]

  In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock move, will not ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | AUKUS-SSNs (1-5) [Australia]

  In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock move, will not ...

• 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 ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  AUKUS-SSNs (1-5) [Australia]

  Programme Background AUKUS Australia announced on 16 September 2021 that the contract with Naval Group signed in 2016 had been cancelled. Although not a surprising ...

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

  Project Air 7003 (Australia)

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R (Spain)

  Programme Background On 16 March 2022, the US State Department approved an FMS to Spain for eight MH-60R helicopters and associated equipment and weaponry for $950 ...

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

  MQ-4C Triton (Contracted) [Australia]

  Programme Background Three Contracted Units In June 2018, the Government provided Second Pass (Tranche 1) Approval to procure the first of six air vehicles, supporting ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: RF, IR and acoustic decoys

  Nulka

  The Nulka active anti-ship missile decoy was originally conceived in Australia, and developed under a joint Australian-US programme. BAE Systems Australia is prime contractor, while ...

• S-64 Helitanker Fire-fighting Equipment

  Erickson's 10,031l tank for the S-64 helitanker drops water, retardant or foam mix at a rate of around 95l/h. Microprocessor-controlled tank doors offer eight individual ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  AUKUS SSN

  The AUKUS-SSN will be the submarine design resulting from the AUKUS trilateral pact between Australia, the US and the UK. Expected to incorporate technology from ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  HATS

  In October 2014, the Australian government approved a A$700 million (US$530 million) contract award to Boeing Defence Australia, teamed with Thales Australia, to provide the ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  CVTESS

  Saab's Combat Vehicle Tactical Engagement Simulation System (CVTESS) is a laser-based simulator which supports every version of the Abrams Main Battle Tank and the Bradley ...

• Tanks

  M1A2 SEPv3

  The M1A2 System Enhancement Package 3 (M1A2 SEPv3, also known as M1A2C) is the latest production-standard variant of the Abrams MBT. Designed primarily to address ...

• AEW&C

  Global 550 CAEW

  The G550 CAEW aircraft is a Gulfstream G550 adapted for AEW&C;, EW and ISTAR missions in Australia, Israel, Italy, Singapore and the US. The base platform is ...

• Frigates

  Adelaide Class

  The Adelaide-class guided missile frigates (FFG) were based on the US Navy's Oliver Hazard Perry design, with the first four ships in class built for ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  FGM-148 Javelin

  The Lockheed Martin-Raytheon Javelin JV developed the FGM-148 Javelin for the US Army’s requirement for an Advanced Anti-Tank Weapon System-Medium. Selected in 1989, the first ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AS21 Redback

  First unveiled in scale model form at the Land Forces 2018 exhibition, the AS21 Redback is a tracked IFV developed to meet the Australian Army's Land ...

• Data links, UAS: communication systems

  MUMT-X

  The Manned/Unmanned Teaming - eXpanded (MUMT-X) system allows AH-64E helicopters to communicate with and control UAS in flight. Capable of transmitting data and video across four ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  Spike LR2

  The Spike LR2 (NT-S) is Rafael’s fifth generation of the Spike missile and is backwards-compatible with existing Spike launchers.  Two warheads have been developed: a ...

• Tanks

  M10 Booker

  The US Army has awarded General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) with a contract worth US$1.14 billion to supply 96 light tanks under the Mobile Protected ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A

  The F-35A Lightning II is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft with CTOL capabilities. It is a multinational programme led by the US DoD, bringing together ...

• Towed guns

  105mm Light Gun

  The 105mm Light Gun was designed and manufactured by Royal Ordnance Nottingham (now BAE Systems), with the first guns introduced to the British Army in ...