• Defence Notes

  Solomons wisdom needed for security response to unrest

  8th December 2021

  Four countries have sent troops and/or police to the Solomon Islands in Melanesia after an outbreak of civil unrest.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Rheinmetall poised to acquire UAV manufacturer

  23rd November 2021

  Acquisition of EMT (pending regulatory approval) expands Rheinmetall’s activities in the UAS sector.

• Defence Helicopter

  Future requirements and negotiations to decide UK NMH fleet total

  14th December 2021

  The UK MoD is still to decide on the exact number of aircraft to order under the New Medium Helicopter programme — but there is little room for delay.

• Air Warfare

  Australia seeks new Black Hawks as MRH90 retires early

  10th December 2021

  Australia is looking to purchase new UH-60s to replace its troubled NH90-based Taipans, even as its older S-70A-9s are finally withdrawn.

• Defence Notes

  US outlines foreign policy in Global Posture Review

  30th November 2021

  The Global Posture Review, released on 29 November, will inform the next iteration of the US National Defense Strategy.

• Land Warfare

  European armies test Israeli active protection system

  5th November 2021

  The Trophy APS has undergone live-fire tests on German Leopard 2 MBTs, while the British MoD plans trials with the Israeli system as part of the Challenger 2 Life Extension Project.

• Land Warfare

  Poland to acquire 300 ex-US MRAP vehicles

  11th November 2021

  The Polish Minister of National Defence recently revealed the purchase of Cougar 4x4 vehicles from the US. The vehicles will be delivered by 2022 under a contract that also includes a logistics and training package.

• Land Warfare

  Latest JLTV order meets demand from FMS customers

  25th November 2021

  Brazil, Lithuania, Montenegro and Slovenia will receive more JLTVs under latest contract modification for Oshkosh.

• Naval Warfare

  Pakistan starts submarine construction at home

  14th December 2021

  Indigenous construction of Pakistan's new conventional submarines is now under way.

• Land Warfare

  New tracked articulated vehicles appear on the horizon for France

  9th November 2021

  French mountain troops and the Foreign Legion are conducting tests of a heavily modified variant of the HT270.

• Land Warfare

  Nigerian Army ready to deploy 60 newly acquired APCs

  2nd November 2021

  Nigerian Federal Government acquired new armoured personnel carriers for counter-insurgency operations.

• 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.

• Defence Notes

  Several companies obtain hypersonic contracts

  22nd November 2021

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

• 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?

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 ...