• Defence Notes

  Analysis: China gains ground in Africa

  6th October 2016

  Throughout the Cold War era, several sub-Saharan African countries turned to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to procure equipment for their armed forces. With …

• Defence Notes

  BAE to upgrade more Mk 45 naval guns

  29th September 2016

  BAE Systems has been awarded a $50 million contract option by the US Navy to upgrade four additional Mk 45 naval guns on its guided …

• Land Warfare

  US Army exercises JLTV option

  28th September 2016

  The US Army has exercised an option for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) programme with Oshkosh Defense, placing an order for $42 million, it …

• Land Warfare

  Denmark shortlists three companies for artillery competition

  27th September 2016

  Elbit Systems, Hanwha Techwin and Nexter Systems have been shortlisted by the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO) for the competition to supply the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Helitech 2016: Mi-38 rushed in flight tests

  3rd October 2016

  Russian Helicopters has launched a new flight test campaign, using the Mi-38-2 prototype, in an effort to expand the type’s operational characteristics upon request by …

• Training

  New LCS training facility opens

  28th September 2016

  The Center for Surface Combat Systems (CSCS) has opened a new Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Training Facility (LTF) at the US Naval Base San Diego …

• Digital Battlespace

  AUSA 2016: Army pursues 7,000 new radios

  28th September 2016

  The US Army initiated a full and open competition for the Small Airborne Networking Radio (SANR) through its 11 August 2016 release of a draft …

• Land Warfare

  India advances its ATGM requirements

  30th September 2016

  India’s Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, has cleared around $3 billion in procurements, including anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM). In addition, an …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing aids Korean unmanned MD 500s

  23rd September 2016

  Via a memorandum of agreement signed on 22 September, Boeing will renew cooperation with Korean Air Lines (KAL) to convert South Korean military MD 500D …

• Defence Notes

  BAE taps Aussie innovation for GCS

  27th September 2016

  BAE Systems is to tap the Australian industrial SME market for products and services to meet the needs of the Type 26 Global Combat Ship …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2016: M109A7 contributes to Army modernisation

  26th September 2016

  One of the US Army’s little noticed combat vehicle success stories is actually being pioneered by an artillery system, the M109A7 - formerly the M109 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SARA UAVs face the axe

  21st September 2016

  Devaluation of the Argentine Peso appears to have halted plans by the Argentinean MoD to push ahead with its SARA unmanned vehicle development programme. Furthermore, …

• Military Logistics

  L-CAT tests Captas-1 towed sonar

  24th September 2016

  Thales and CNIM have trailed the use of a Captas-1 variable depth sonar on an L-Cat landing craft in the Mediterranean to further demonstrate the …

• Military Logistics

  DCNS delivers second Egyptian LHD

  22nd September 2016

  The second of two Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) vessels, Anwar El Sadat, has been handed over to the Egyptian Navy by DCNS. The Egyptian Ministry …

• Naval Warfare

  DCNS floats FREMM frigate Bretagne

  21st September 2016

  DCNS is nearing delivery of the FREMM Bretagne frigate to the French Navy, with the vessel floated at the company’s Lorient, France facility on 16 September. …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Xtender [US]

  Programme Background Previous Procurement In early 2021, the US Department of Defence awarded a contract to XTEND for the platform in partnership with Isreal's MoD. ...

• Loitering munitions

  Echelon 0: 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 ...

• 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 ...

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

  Gray Eagle 25M (National Guard) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement In FY2021, the National Guard Association of the United States (NGUAS) announced that it was "critical" that it fielded the MQ-1C Gray Eagle ...

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

  V-Bat 128 [Colombia]

  Programme Background Procurement In August 2024, The Rio Times reported that the Columbian Navy had begun to equip its four Type FS 1500  frigates with the V-Bat ...

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

  Vertical & Horizontal UAV [Italy]

  Programme Background Speaking in late January 2024 at the SAE Maritime Reconnaissance and Surveillance Technology conference in London, Commander Mauro Ghezzi stated that the Italian ...

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

  Maritime UAS (MUAS) [USCG]

  Programme Background Contract Award In June 2024, the USCG awarded Shield AI an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity firm-fixed-price contract to supply UAVs for its cutter vessels. The contract, which ...

• 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 - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) (Phase II) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) provides short-range day and night ISR to US Army units at the squad, platoon and other small ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The OMFV programme is the latest of several attempts to develop a Bradley replacement.  Designed to be capable of operating with or without ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) [USA]

  Programme Background US Army's Future Vertical Lift Programme The FLRAA is one of three strands of a broader army programme. The others are the Future ...

• Tanks

  NGCV: DLP

  Programme Background Requirement The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Phoenix Ghost (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (21 April 2022) Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, on 21 April 2022, President Biden announced an $800 ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: mission management systems

  iCommand 2.5

  The iCommand 2.5 is the latest version of the iCommand integrated command suite, designed by Textron Systems Advanced Information Solutions. The system has been designed ...

• Military vehicle engines

  TCD 2015

  The TCD 2015 is a modern water-cooled four stroke diesel V-engine that is currently integrated on the RG41 armoured vehicle.

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Bradley NG/RB301

  BAE Systems introduced the Bradley Next Generation (NG) at AUSA 2016 to showcase a cost-effective option for extending the M2 Bradley's service life into the 2030s. Centred around ...

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

  Twister

  Unveiled at AUSA 2023, the Twister is a mini fixed-wing UAV manufactured by Quantum-Systems. It will be released in Q2 2025. It is an eVTOL drone ...

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

  Reliant

  The Reliant is a Quantum Systems VTOL-capable fixed-wing drone unveiled at the Special Operations Forces (SOF) Week Exhibition 2024. The hybrid drone is due to ...

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

  Fang

  Fang is a first-person view (FPV) UAS for precision strike roles. The drone is aimed to launch in Q2 2025. Developed by Red Cat, the drone ...

• Loitering munitions

  HERO-400

  The HERO-400 is a loitering munition manufactured by UVision. Part of the HERO family, the HERO-400 can accurately strike against a range of targets. It ...

• Land: RWS

  Elbit UT50

  Announced in FQ4 2022, the Elbit UT50 is Elbit Systems of America's latest RWS mounted with a 50mm XM913 cannon. Elbit's development of a 50mm variant ...

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

  P550

  Designed by AeroVironment, the P550 is a fixed-wing UAV that can host reconnaissance, EW or offensive payloads. It was developed with Parry Labs and features Modular Open Systems ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Golden Eagle HS

  The Golden Eagle HS (Heavy Strike) is a rotary-wing UAV that can be armed with Rafael's powerful Spike SR and LR2 missiles, providing ground troops with anti-armour ...

• Military UGVs

  Tracked Robot 10-Ton (TRX)

  The TRX (Tracked Robot 10-ton) is a UGV developed by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS). The vehicle has been intended to be an enabling technology in critical ...

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

  Black Widow

  The Black Widow is a rotary-wing micro UAV from Red Cat. Unveiled at AUSA 2024, the AI-enabled drone is designed for instant ISR tasks and ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  StrykerX

  Unveiled at AUSA 2022, the StrykerX from General Dynamics Land Systems is the technology demonstrator for the next-generation Stryker vehicle family. Featuring a hybrid diesel-electric power ...

• Loitering munitions

  HERO-1250

  The HERO-1250 is the largest lethal loitering system in the HERO series by UVision. It is capable of long-range multipurpose operations. This weapon system is ...

• Loitering munitions

  HERO-900

  The HERO-900 is a lethal loitering system in the HERO series by UVision. It is capable of long-range multipurpose operations. This weapon system is designed ...