• 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

  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

  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

  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.

• Land Warfare

  Czechs to reassess IFV acquisition programme

  11th November 2021

  Questions once again surround the future of the Czech IFV acquisition programme, after an expert committee in the MoD found that none of the three competitors met all the requirements.

• Defence Notes

  British Army in the crosshairs as difficult choices confront new CDS (Opinion)

  2nd November 2021

  Admiral Sir Tony Radikin will take the reins as the new Chief of the Defence Staff on 30 November — while there are some reasons to be positive about the future, he must also juggle some potentially tricky priorities.

• Defence Notes

  South Korea faces serious defence budget squeeze

  25th November 2021

  The armed forces in South Korea is facing its first annual defence budget cut in 15 years.

• Defence Notes

  US accelerates hypersonic weapon development

  25th October 2021

  Latest flight campaign reflects DoD priority to field hypersonic weapons by the mid-2020s.

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 ...