• Defence Notes

  Several companies obtain hypersonic contracts

  22nd November 2021

  Also Dynetics obtained a contract from the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office.

• Land Warfare

  Increased European collaboration gives rise to improved artillery capability

  23rd December 2021

  European countries involved in the PESCO EuroArtillery project and the EDIDP FIRES and E-COLORSS efforts will enhance their collaboration in 2022, aimed at improving their artillery capacities.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Double UAS contract win for General Atomics

  19th November 2021

  GA-ASI wins extra work for Belgian SkyGuardians and will provide Gray Eagles to US Army.

• Defence Notes

  Muon-based research could facilitate Arctic operations

  24th November 2021

  Could naturally occurring muons be the answer to the problem of how to navigate accurately in the GPS-denied Arctic?

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2021: Extended reality with AI delivers XRAE vision

  3rd December 2021

  Booz Allen Hamilton’s XRAE system uses AI to analyse data from a flight simulator.

• Training

  Thales set to expand training portfolio with RUAG S&T acquisition

  17th November 2021

  RUAG is selling its S&T business to Thales to concentrate on the space sector, while the French company's training portfolio is boosted.

• Training

  What next after I/ITSEC 2021? (Opinion)

  4th December 2021

  This year’s I/ITSEC revealed some changed priorities in the military training sector, due not only to COVID-19 but also to the availability of the latest technologies.

• Defence Helicopter

  Turkey changes tack on choice of helicopter for Anadolu

  10th December 2021

  Plans in Turkey to deploy a navalised version of the T129 ATAK helicopter aboard the future amphibious assault ship Anadolu appear to have been shelved in favour of the AH-1W SuperCobra.

• Land Warfare

  Philippine Army snaps up tactical vehicles from China

  28th October 2021

  The Philippine military is buying tactical vehicles from China and Russia, a variance from recent contracts with South Korea.

• Land Warfare

  Multi-domain operations motivate US Army interest in high-power lasers

  28th October 2021

  As part of its overall modernisation strategy, the US Army is developing a variety of high-energy laser weapons to defeat UAVs, target helicopters and defend against rockets, mortars and artillery fire.

• Defence Helicopter

  FMS Apaches to receive RF interferometers

  2nd November 2021

  Lockheed Martin is making RF interferometer hardware for installation aboard AH-64E helicopters operated by three FMS customers.

• Land Warfare

  Lebanon snaps up Barracudas from South Korea

  10th December 2021

  The Barracuda APC, which is marketed by three different South Korean companies, has found a new home in Lebanon.

• Land Warfare

  UK MoD moves forward with MBT upgrades

  16th November 2021

  The UK MoD has awarded a new contract to Hortsman Group to deliver a newly refurbished and upgraded version of its third-generation Hydrogas suspension unit for MBTs.

• Defence Notes

  Eglin R&D base to expand with new facility

  12th November 2021

  A new munitions R&D facility will be built by May 2023 at Eglin AFB.

• Air Warfare

  MD-530F+ Attack Helicopters delivered to Lebanon

  18th November 2021

  Six MD-530F+ Attack Helicopters have been delivered to the Lebanese Air Force, following the initial order in 2017.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Titan-B

  Programme Background Colombia is understood to have a requirement for as many as 100 APCs capable of carrying up to 20 troops and protecting their ...

• Military UAS - small

  Small UAV (Colombia)

  Programme Background Many of the Colombian military's UAVs are operated by the Colombian Air Force, but the Colombian Army has also employed several different types ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Titan-C

  Programme Background Colombia is understood to have a requirement for as many as 100 APCs capable of carrying up to 20 troops and protecting their ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Colombia M113A3

  Programme Background The Colombian Army currently operates 54 M113A1 and M113A2 APCs, which are divided among two mechanised infantry battalions and a training school. Known ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Surplus M1117 Guardian ASV (Colombia)

  Programme Background The Colombian Army has requested surplus M1117s to assist with counter-insurgency and counter-narcotics operations. Due to a lack of armoured vehicles suitable for ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  PETEF - Light Tactical Vehicles

  The Colombian MoD has not outlined how many new patrol vehicles will be needed to equip all seven of the light cavalry groups, nor how ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Secure Personnel Transport Vehicle (Colombia - Forecast)

  Programme Background Colombia is understood to have a requirement for as many as 100 APCs capable of carrying up to 20 troops and protecting their ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  PETEF - LAV III (Colombia)

  Programme Background Since the replacement of the M113 is understood to be a priority for the Colombian Army, it is anticipated that a contract could ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Secure Personnel Transport Vehicle (Colombia - Announced)

  Programme Background Colombia is understood to have a requirement for as many as 100 APCs capable of carrying up to 20 troops and protecting their ...

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

  Coelum (Colombia)

  Programme Background Testing Colombian Aeronautical Industry Cooperation (CIAC) was working on a project called Dron Coelum X-001. In late 2020, the CIAC tested a redesigned prototype of the ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  PETEF - Tracked IFV

  Since a programme to procure a tracked IFV has yet to be launched by the Colombian Army, it is unclear how many tracked IFVs could ...

• Tanks

  PETEF - MBT

  The Colombian Army has evaluated several offers for MBT platforms in the past, though none of these have progressed to the formal contract stage. For ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Kfir Replacement (Colombia)

  Programme Background In May 2021, budget constraints prompted new Colombian finance minister José Manuel Restrepo (in post since 3 May) to place on indefinite hold ...

• Frigates

  Plataforma Estratégica de Superficie (PES) - Frigate Acquisition Programme [Colombia]

  Programme Background The replacement of the existing ageing Almirante Padilla-class frigates was first initiated in 2015. The predecessors, built by Germany's Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) have been in service ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Type 206/209 Replacement (PLOTEOS) [Colombia]

  The 2042 "Plan de Desarrollo Naval" (Naval Development Plan) outlines the intention to procure four new SSKs for the Colombian Navy. Saab, Navantia and Naval ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Titan

  Blindex developed the Titan series of APCs to provide the Colombian Army with an affordable means of transporting large numbers of troops for internal security ...

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

  Quimbaya X-003

  The Quimbaya X-003 is a Colombian fixed-wing UAV designed and developed by the Colombian Aeronautical Industry Corporation (CIAC). Reportedly, following evaluation tests in late 2023, ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  M1117 Guardian ASV

  In December 1995, the US Army selected a design based on the Textron ASV 150 to provide the military police with a vehicle that combined ...

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

  Coelum

  Manufactured by Corporación de la Industria Aeronáutica Colombiana (CIAC), the Coelum is a mini UAV that is fitted with a 40x zoom EO/IR camera payload for ISR missions.  The ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  PRC-710

  The PRC-710 is a VHF/FM voice and data handheld radio with COMSEC and ECCM capabilities. Designed in response to emerging combat requirements, the PRC-710 is ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  LPR 40 MKII

  The LPR acts as a command boat for the group of tactical riverine combat boats operated by the Colombian Marine Corps. It is equipped with ...

• EO/IR systems, Sea: optronic masts and periscopes

  SERO 250

  The SERO 250 is a compact submarine periscope that can be installed in both new-build and upgraded boats. Little or no structural modifications are required ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  SCTV

  The Survivable Combat Tactical Vehicle (SCTV), developed by Textron Marine & Land Systems and Granite Tactical Vehicles, is an upgrade solution for the AM General ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Airmor

  Airmor is an autonomous modular countermeasure SPS designed for helicopters and transport aircraft. Airmor’s core components are IMI’s management control unit (MCU), which processes information ...

• OPVs

  OPV 93C

  The OPV 93C is an offshore patrol vessel designed and developed by Cotecmar. The Colombian Navy ordered one platform in November 2022 and one in ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 500

  The MD 500 is a single-engine light helicopter derived from the Hughes OH-6A Cayuse developed for the US Army in the early 1960s and the ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  SandCat

  The 4x4 SandCat family of vehicles was designed by Israeli armour specialist Plasan Sasa in 2005 for a range of military, special operations, homeland security, ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Type 209/1200

  The Type 209/1200 diesel-electric submarine is a variant of the Type 209 submarine designed by the German company Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft exclusively for the export market. ...

• Naval guns

  OTO Strales/Davide

  The OTO Strales represents the second iteration of the OTO 76/62mm Super Rapido gun from Leonardo. The weapon, which is in service with the Italian ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  EMB-312 Tucano

  The EMB-312 Tucano (Brazilian designation T-27) is a trainer and light attack aircraft developed by Embraer to meet the training requirements of the Brazilian Air ...