• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2021: INS technology improves Alakran

  23rd February 2021

  Geonyx system is integrated with Alakran mortar carrier to enhance positioning accuracy.

• Land Warfare

  US Army looks ahead to major RCV test

  22nd March 2021

  ​The US Army already received four Robotic Combat Vehicle-Light prototypes as it awaits its first Robotic Combat Vehicle-Medium in April 2021.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Elbit sells Hermes into Asia again

  2nd March 2021

  Israeli company will provide an undisclosed number of Hermes 900 UAS and associated sub-systems, maintenance and support services.

• Naval Warfare

  USMC presses on with plan for Light Amphibious Warship

  13th January 2021

  The USMC is looking to develop a new platform to bridge the gap between its large assault ships and smaller landing craft, as it continues its pivot to the Pacific.

• Air Warfare

  Thailand fills out its aircraft fleet

  3rd March 2021

  Thailand operates quite an eclectic fleet of aircraft from around the world, but it does have plans to modernise and streamline its inventory.

• Air Warfare

  Special mission King Air moves to Japan

  26th February 2021

  Japan's army will soon have an operational fleet of eight King Air 350-family aircraft in service.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Manufacturers deliberate FVL Maritime Strike options

  9th February 2021

  As a search for successors to MH-60 and MQ-8 aircraft under the US Navy's Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike effort begins in earnest, attention turns to which new systems could compete for programme spoils.

• Air Warfare

  F-35 Block Four testing includes two types of F135 engine

  9th February 2021

  Pratt & Whitney to make STOVL and conventional engines.

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky receives Lot III VH-92A contract

  8th February 2021

  Presidential helicopter replacement programme continues with latest production contract award from USN.

• Digital Battlespace

  Certified Identify Friend or Foe Capability Expands the Use of Drones in NATO Forces (sponsored)

  24th March 2021

  ​Drones offer enormous potential on the front lines of the world’s military forces.

• Land Warfare

  IR cancels Warrior upgrade but moves forward with Challenger 3

  23rd March 2021

  The second part of the Integrated Review stated that the British Army would progress with the Ajax and Boxer procurement and the Challenger 2 upgrade. At the same time, the MoD terminated the Warrior upgrade programme.

• Land Warfare

  FN Herstal announces two new weapon mounts

  15th February 2021

  FN M3M and FN Light MWM are designed to mount a range of FN Herstal machine guns.

• Defence Notes

  US widens arms export gap over Russia

  19th March 2021

  Newly released data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute shows that the US has consolidated its position as the world's leading arms exporter, increasing its lead over Russia in the process.

• Defence Notes

  A welcome but belated US response to the ‘China threat’

  19th March 2021

  'Strategic competition' is the name of the game in the Asia-Pacific region, as China throws its considerable weight around.

• Land Warfare

  US Army places emphasis on transformational vehicle capabilities

  12th March 2021

  The US Army is intensifying efforts to add advanced capabilities to its next generation of combat vehicles. The army plans to embed the newest sensors and technologies into these platforms, to ensure survivability, mobility, lethality and volume of fire.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  ARV (USMC)

  Programme Background The ARV constitutes one component of a wider USMC effort to develop an interconnected network of manned and unmanned platforms more suited to ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV (US - USMC)

  Programme Background The Armored Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked ...

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

  Medium Range/Medium Endurance (MR/ME) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Military helicopters - maritime, Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-53K - US Navy

  Programme Background The Marine Corps is replacing its aging CH-53E helicopters with the CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter. Designed as an evolution of the CH-53E, the CH-53K ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-1Y Venom (Czechia)

  Programme Background Czech Armed Forces intended to use the UH-1Y Venom helicopters in various missions including utility, search and rescue, aerial reconnaissance, air-to-ground support and ...

• 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 ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Belgium Jaguar Medium Common Armoured Vehicle Platform

  Programme Background In its Strategic Vision for Defence document published in June 2016, the Belgian MoD outlined its aspirations for equipping five motorised manoeuvre battalions ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Belgium Griffon Light Common Armoured Vehicle Platform

  Programme Background In its Strategic Vision for Defence document published in June 2016, the Belgian MoD outlined its aspirations for equipping five motorised manoeuvre battalions ...

• Loitering munitions

  Long-Range Attack Munition (LRAM) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Organic Precision Fire - Light (OPF-L) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. In May 2022, an annual ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USMC)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1Z

  In issuing the Force Design 2030 report into the future direction of the USMC, the corps is attempting to steer the course of its development, ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-73 Advanced Helicopter Training System - AHTS (TH-57 Replacement)

  Contenders for the competition included the Leonardo single engine TH-119 – a military variant of the AW119Kx – and Bell’s newly upgraded single engine 407GXi. ...

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

  Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) (Increment 1) [USMC]

  Programme Background All-in-One UAV Since 2016, the USMC has wished to acquire a UAV that could be deployed from a vessel, be used for various missions, ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35B Follow-On UK

  Programme Background  The forthcoming UK Integrated Foreign Policy and Defence Review will shed further light on whether changes to the UK F-35B programme are to ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• EO/IR systems

  ATARS

  Operational on USMC F/A-18s, the Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System (ATARS) provides high-resolution imagery for real/near-real time reconnaissance and can perform strike and bomb damage ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV

  BAE Systems teamed with Iveco Defence to offer a version of Iveco Defence Vehicle's Superav for the USMC's Armored Combat Vehicle Phase 1 Increment 1 ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  JAB

  The US Army is leading the Joint Assault Bridge (JAB) project to replace legacy M60A1-based bridge launchers in service with itself and USMC with an M1-based ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Jaguar EBRC

  The Jaguar Armored Reconnaissance and Combat Vehicle (EBRC) is a 6x6 armoured reconnaissance vehicle manufactured by a consortium formed of Nexter Systems, Arquus (formerly Renault Trucks Defense) and ...

• Military UGVs

  XM1216 SUGV

  The XM1216 Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (SUGV) is a tactical system that can enter and secure areas that are either inaccessible or too dangerous for ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Flyer 60 ALSV

  General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS), in partnership with Flyer Defense, developed the Flyer 60 Advanced Light Strike Vehicle (ALSV) in parallel with the ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  M1150 ABV

  The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) project, launched by the USMC in 2002, is a joint programme to meet the requirements of both the US ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Commando Elite

  The 4x4 Commando Elite is an improved derivative of Textron's M1117 Armored Security Vehicle which offers improved mobility, lethality and survivability. The Canadian Army chose ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Type 82

  The Type 82 command and communications vehicle was developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to perform specialised roles for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) such ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  LTMPAV Dino 519

  The LTMPAV Dino 519 is an armored vesion of Concept's Dino 319.

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Cottonmouth

  The Cottonmouth is a purpose-built 6x6 amphibious reconnaissance vehicle designed by Textron Systems to meet the requirements of the USMC's Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) programme. It ...

• Land: RWS

  LW30/RS6

  The LW30 (since rebranded RS6) is part of the Protector RWS family developed by Kongsberg. Designed to carry a heavier armament than earlier Protector systems, ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  SMAW Mod 0

  Developed to meet the requirements of the USMC, the Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon (SMAW), introduced in 1984, is a development of the IMI B-300. Its ...

• Land: manned turrets

  GD30

  General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) has developed a two-person turret designed to accommodate the Northrop Grumman Mk44S Bushmaster II 30mm cannon. Called the GD30, little ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1W SuperCobra

  Bell’s AH-1W SuperCobra attack helicopter was developed from the AH-1T for the USMC. It has been in service since 1986 to the present day, first ...