• Naval Warfare

  New Exocet variants secure anti-ship missile capability for the future

  16th October 2023

  MBDA and the French Navy have completed the test firing of a new Exocet MM40 Block 3c anti-ship missile (AShM) from Aquitaine-class frigate FS Alsace.

• Naval Warfare

  Singapore receives first Invincible-class submarine

  24th July 2023

  The first-in-class boat remains in Germany to assist with training.

• Air Warfare

  South Korea seeks extra F-35A fighters

  15th September 2023

  South Korea is looking for more F-35A fighters to bolster its fleet, as development of the KF-21 Boramae continues apace.

• Air Warfare

  Eurofighter Typhoon sales: what a difference a decade makes

  18th September 2023

  In the second week of August, BAE Systems released a statement confirming that 12 of 24 Typhoon Tranche 3 models had now arrived in Qatar. Despite this favourable export news, the aircraft’s industrial future remains somewhat clouded.

• Digital Battlespace

  Kontron unveils new high-performance plug-in card for harsh environments

  5th July 2023

  Kontron introduces the VX307H, a rugged 3U VPX plug-in card designed for high-performance embedded computing in defence and general applications.

• Training

  Aeralis and Inzpire take fast jet training to new heights

  19th July 2023

  With a focus on on-demand operational air support and cost reduction, the partnership harnesses Aeralis' digitally engineered platform and Inzpire's training and engineering expertise.

• Land Warfare

  David's Sling completes new test of capability

  10th July 2023

  The David’s Sling Weapon System (DSWS) is designed to defend against rockets, missiles and crewed or uncrewed aircraft and has completed testing of expanded capability.

• Air Warfare

  China’s J-20 fighter hits milestone with suspected first flight with WS15 engines

  7th July 2023

  The consensus amongst the open-source community is that China has test-flown a J-20 powered fully by WS15 engines for the first time.

• Land Warfare

  Germany, Netherlands place €1.9 billion order for Caracal airmobile vehicles

  11th July 2023

  Germany and the Netherlands have signed a contract with Rheinmetall for the supply of Caracal airmobile platforms, worth €1.9 billion.

• Naval Warfare

  How the Canadian Surface Combatant programme can recover from COVID-19 delays

  23rd August 2023

  The Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) is working with Irving Shipyard to manage the lingering impact of COVID-19 on the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) project.

• Training

  Italian Air Force begins MQ-9A Reaper training

  26th June 2023

  The Italian Air Force (IAF) has begun training the inaugural group of pilots and sensor operators who will operate the MQ-9A Block 5 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS).

• Digital Battlespace

  How Next-Generation Optical Systems Are Transforming Multi-Domain Operations (Studio)

  13th September 2023

  Optical solutions are crucial for effective situational awareness. As militaries prepare for the joint all-domain command and control (JADC2) future, Raytheon ELCAN is embracing innovation in digital engineering, material science and beyond to ensure its customers thrive in the data-driven battlespace.

• Land Warfare

  David's Sling to guard Finnish skies

  6th April 2023

  Finland's Ministry of Defence has authorised the procurement of David's Sling, a long-range air defence system from Israel's Rafael, worth around €316 million.

• Land Warfare

  Why US Army artillery needs a new Precision Guidance Kit

  14th July 2023

  Northrop Grumman has secured a $40.6 million US Army contract for M1156E4 Precision Guidance Kit development, expanding capabilities for new artillery systems. Learn more about this major upgrade.

• Naval Warfare

  Anzac-class frigate to test-fire Sea Ceptor in New Zealand's first naval missile launch in seven years

  15th August 2023

  HMNZS Te Mana is conduct a five-month deployment to test all the new equipment it received during the recent Frigate Systems Upgrade (FSU) project, including a first missile firing since 2016.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  AH-6i (Thailand)

  Programme Background The US State Department has made a determination approving the possible $400 million sale on 24 September 2019. The eight AH-6i light attack ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530G Lebanon

  The Armed MD 530G Scout Attack Helicopter features next-generation all-glass cockpit that includes: two Genesys Aerosystems IDU-680 6” x 9” LCD primary displays, Tek Fusion ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Bell 407GX

  The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency noted that the proposed sale of five Bell 407GX helicopters will help compensate for the combat loss of seven IA407 helicopters ...

• ISR/special mission

  King Air 350ER -Canada

  Programme Background Canadian Special Forces was looking to procure ISR aircraft to support their missions both overseas and domestically.  There were few Canadian suppliers to sell ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Viper MIFV

  Programme BackgroundDue to its focus on conducting counterinsurgency operations against the Tehrik-e Taliban (TTP), the Pakistan Army has eschewed the substantial investment needed to develop ...

• ISR/special mission

  King Air 350ER ISR - Kuwait

  Feb 2018: The US State Department has approved an estimated $259m potential foreign military sale of King Air 350ER intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft ...

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

  Orlik [Poland]

  Programme Background Inception & Cancellation The Orlik programme was launched in early 2015 to procure a tactical UAV to carry out short-range ISTAR missions for the Polish ...

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

  Orlik (Options) [Poland]

  Programme Background Inception & Cancellation The Orlik programme was launched in early 2015 with the aim of procuring a tactical UAV that can carry out ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 (First Batch) [Morocco]

  Programme Background Morocco's Military Modernisation In 2017, Morocco established a five-year plan to modernise the military equipment of its navy, army and airforce to bring ...

• Fighter - naval

  Tejas LCA (Naval variant) - India

  The average unit cost is estimated to be around $63 million per aircraft based on the $5.2 billion deal for the procurement of 83 LCAs ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8 Poseidon [South Korea]

  Programme Background South Korea is facing an imminent submarine threat from North Korea. The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) is operating an aging fleet of P-3C ...

• Special operations vehicles

  VLFS

  Programme Background The VLFS platform is derived from the Arquus Dagger PVP platform, but has been specifically designed to meet the requirements of French Special ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT [Singapore]

  In February 2020, Airbus and the Singapore government announced an agreement to collaborate on the development of an A330 Smart Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). One Singaporean ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Subsystems: visual

  L3 Wescam MX - Sim

  Partnering with L3 Wescam, INSYEN has developed the MX - Sim, a training product which simulates the operations of the L3 Wescam MX-series of EO/IR ...

• Light mortars

  60MX Mortar Series

  Expal's 60mm 60MX1 and 60MX2 mortars are designed to be used with a bipod or in handheld mode using a commando kit, which consists of ...

• Medium mortars

  81mm MX Mortar Series

  The 81mm MX mortar series includes two different barrels for different operational scenarios: 1.15m (81MX1) and 1.45m (81MX2). Both can be transported in three backpack ...

• EO/IR systems

  MX-15

  The MX-15 is an HD multi-sensor, multispectral imaging system suitable for medium-altitude, covert ISR, armed reconnaissance and SAR missions. Up to six sensors can be ...

• Subsystems: visual

  L3 Wescam MX - Emulator

  INSYEN has partnered with L3 Wescam to develop the MX -Emulator, a product which emulates the operations of L3 Wescam's MX series of EO/IR turrets, ...

• EO/IR systems

  MX-20

  The MX-20 is a long-range, multi-sensor, multispectral imaging system suitable for high-altitude, long-range maritime patrol aircraft and persistent surveillance. It supports up to seven sensors, ...

• EO/IR systems

  MX-20D

  The MX-20D is a long-range, multi-sensor, multispectral imaging system. It is suitable for high-altitude, covert intelligence, SAR, armed reconnaissance, CSAR and target designation. It supports ...

• EO/IR systems

  MX-10D

  The MX-10D is a multi-sensor, multispectral targeting system in a single-line replaceable unit configuration. It is designed to be mounted on fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, ...

• EO/IR systems

  MX-8

  The MX-8 is a compact, multi-sensor and multi-spectral imaging system in a single LRU configuration. It is the smallest of Wescam's MX-Series, and is suitable ...

• Towed mortars

  120mm MX Mortar Series

  The 120mm MX Mortar Series consists of two models with different barrel lengths: the 1.6m 120MX1 and 1.8m 120MX2. The design has numerous improvements based ...

• Core systems: image intensifiers

  MX-10160

  F9800 series Gen III MX-10160 18mm I2 tubes are used in the AN/AVS-6 ANVIS and AN/AVS-9 (F4949) aviator NVG, as well as ground systems including ...

• Land: vehicle surveillance/target acquisition systems

  MX-10GS

  The MX-10GS is a mast-mounted small multi-sensor, multi-spectral imaging system in single-LRU configuration. It is designed for installation in ground combat vehicles and for force ...

• EO/IR systems

  HD25-XV

  The HD25--XV is a lightweight, compact UAV EO camera gimbal from Trillium Engineering. Sometimes called the Orion HD25, the system is designed to operate from ...

• EO/IR systems

  HD25-LV

  The HD25-LV is a lightweight, compact EO/IR camera gimbal from Trillium Engineering. Like its HD25-XV sibling, the HD25-LV delivers video output in 720p resolution, compliant with the ...

• Core systems: image intensifiers

  MX-11769

  The F9815 series MX-11769 Gen III 18mm I2 tubes are designed for use in the AN/PVS-14 monocular NVD. Harris offers a selection of tubes, providing ...