• Land Warfare

  Bahrain to buy 50 Abrams tanks under $2.2 billion deal

  20th March 2024

  Should the deal proceed, Bahrain would join the ranks of the US, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia in operating the M1A2 Abram tank.

• Land Warfare

  Poland to spend billions of dollars on K9 howitzers as it continues massive equipment refresh

  4th December 2023

  The deal between Poland and Hanwha has been valued at US$2.6 billion and is part of a larger agreement for 672 K9 howitzers and 288 Chunmoo MLRS.

• Naval Warfare

  Japan to boost surface fleet with new destroyers and missile ships

  18th July 2024

  Japan is enhancing its naval capabilities with the construction of the 13DDX advanced destroyer and Aegis System Equipped Vessels (AESV), aiming to strengthen its air and missile defence amid increasing security threats, particularly in East Asia.

• Naval Warfare

  Japan’s record defence budget proposals prompt major reorganisation for navy

  2nd October 2024

  Despite a record budget proposal, Japan’s military force has continued to face staffing problems, while the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force readies itself for a major upheaval of its surface fleet.

• Air Warfare

  Kazakhstan to begin assembly of Turkish Anka drones in 2024

  17th October 2023

  The partnership between Kazakhstani and Turkish manufacturers will attempt to open production, and facilitate knowledge and technology transfer, enabling Kazakhstan to independently manufacture UAVs in the future.

• Special Operations

  Anduril launches Menace-X C4 solution, broadening tactical communications for SOF

  3rd May 2024

  Anduril introduces Menace-X, a vehicle-based C4 solution enhancing SOF communications that supports complex missions with advanced networking.

• Air Warfare

  World Defense Show 2024: Leonardo and Saudi Arabia to explore defence solutions together

  5th February 2024

  Saudi Arabia and Leonardo have agreed to explore collaboration opportunities in the defence sector, including airframe maintenance, assembly of helicopters and next-generation technology initiatives.

• Land Warfare

  Leopard MBT: Alpha beast finally gets to work after a long slumber (updated 2024)

  14th May 2024

  Leopard MBTs are German-made main battle tanks that have been in service since the Cold War and have undergone several upgrades to remain competitive in modern warfare. This article traces the history and development of the Leopard 1 and 2, its variants, its operational service and its future prospects.

• Air Warfare

  Polish FA-50 fighters to be equipped with Thales Scorpion HMD

  18th October 2023

  Thales Scorpion Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) will augment FA-50 pilots’ vision in real time through hybrid inertial optical tracking.

• Air Warfare

  India expands ammunition production with Adani–Thales collaboration

  10th July 2024

  Adani Defence & Aerospace has teamed up with Thales Belgium to manufacture and assemble NATO-standard 70mm calibre ammunition, strengthening India's self-reliance in defence production.

• Defence Helicopter

  Dubai Airshow 2023: South Korean homegrown helicopters make international debut

  14th November 2023

  Two KAI helicopters, the KUH-1E utility helicopter and the Light Attack Helicopter (LAH), have taken centre stage at the Dubai Airshow 2023.

• Air Warfare

  Staying power: The importance of mid-life upgrades (opinion)

  9th July 2024

  The rapid integration of advanced Western weapons with Soviet-era Ukrainian aircraft and the adaptability shown in makeshift solutions has highlighted the essential role of mid-life upgrades in maintaining effective military forces amid evolving combat and technological challenges.

• Digital Battlespace

  NATO innovation programme doubles in size

  15th March 2024

  DIANA has been leveraging its accelerator programme and test centre network to bring end users together with start-ups, scientific researchers and technology companies for the development of dual-use technological defence and security solutions.

• Air Warfare

  Netherlands receives first MQ-9A Reaper UAS

  16th August 2023

  The first Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) General Atomics MQ-9A Block 5 Reaper UAS has arrived at the Leeuwarden air base in the north of the country.

• Air Warfare

  Serbia seeks 5,000 expandable UAVs, accelerates production

  14th March 2024

  Serbia has expressed its desire to push for a speedier military modernisation, including the acquisition of various drones and the development of domestic UAV technologies.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Harop [Morocco]

  Programme Background In November 2021, Haaretz reported that a $22 million drone sale between Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Morocco had occurred. That publication and ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-46A (Israel)

  Programme Background Boeing, according to reports, would not grant Israel Aerospace Industries permission to convert used 767s into tanker planes. Consequently, according to Channel 12 ...

• AEW&C

  A-50E - India

  Earlier in 2010, Indian MoD sent RfI to Israel Aerospace Industries to procure three EL/W-2090 radar systems to be installed on the A-50E aircraft, which ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-46A Forecast (Israel)

  Programme Background Boeing, according to reports, would not grant Israel Aerospace Industries permission to convert used 767s into tanker planes. Consequently, according to Channel 12 ...

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

  Heron TP [India]

  Programme Background Emergency Procurement The Narendra Modi-led Indian government granted the Armed Forces Rs 500 crores to upgrade their warfighting capabilities due to the ongoing ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [Japan]

  Programme Background Appreciation of Loitering Munitions After years of not operating loitering munitions and armed UAVs, Japan's position towards them has changed. Belatedly, the MoD realised ...

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

  Orbiter 3 (Croatia)

  Programme Background The Croatian government launched a competitive tender for the procurement of a short-range UAV in October 2017. Although the tender was opened on ...

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

  Artillery UAV [Thailand]

  Programme Background Requirement & Replacement The Royal Thai Army (RTA) was understood to be seeking a new tactical UAV to replace four legacy Israel Aerospace Industries ...

• Loitering munitions

  Mini Harpy [Estonia]

  Programme Background Russia's Aggression In February 2023, Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said the country was set to procure loitering munitions to enhance its indirect ...

• Loitering munitions

  Harop (Amphibious Transport Ships) [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Multifunctional Support Vessels In September 2024, the Dutch MoD announced that the Royal Netherlands Navy would receive two new Multifunctional support vessels from Dutch ...

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

  WanderB (Morocco)

  Programme Background History Morocco has a history of UAV deals with Isreal. In 2021, Morocco reportedly acquired four Hermes 900 units from Elbit Systems. Equally, according ...

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

  ThunderB (Morocco)

  Programme Background History Morocco has a history of UAV deals with Isreal. In 2021, Morocco reportedly acquired four Hermes 900 units from Elbit Systems. Equally, according ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munition PODS [UK]

  Programme Background PODS As the Royal Navy states, Persistent Operational Deployment Systems (PODS) are "interchangeable modules that can be fitted to the surface fleet. Similar in ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Short-Range RPAS (India)

  Programme Background The Indian Army is reliant upon imported UAVs such as the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Searcher Mk 2 to provide short-range tactical ISR ...

• Maritime patrol

  MELTEM 3 MPA (Turkey)

  Turkey ordered ten ATR 72 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft in 2005 under the MELTEM-3 project. The original deal between Alenia (now part of Leonardo) and the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UGVs

  RobDozer

  The RobDozer, or Panda, is an uncrewed ground combat engineering system manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and ELTA Systems.  The UGV is designed for breaching tasks, ...

• Loitering munitions

  ASN-301

  The ASN-301 is a Chinese anti-radiation loitering munition. Likely based on Israel's Harpy drone, the ASN-301 features a delta-wing configuration and a pusher propeller, and ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Ghost

  Developed to be versatile, Ghost is a manoeuvrable, rotary-wing mini-UAV designed for performing ISR missions in urban warfare, observation stakeout missions and covert special operations ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  ELI-3120

  Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) ELI-3120 is a Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) system designed for use at the operational and tactical levels. The ELI-3120 architecture also includes ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  ELL-8385

  Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) ELL-8385 is an integrated electronic support measure designed to equip Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). Open source imagery intelligence indicates that the ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  ELK-7071

  Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) EL/K-7071 is an integrated electronic support measure designed to equip UAVs. While not explicitly stated by the system’s manufacturer, it is ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Rotem

  The Rotem, or Rotem L, is a loitering munition based on a multi-rotor UAV. Manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the quadcopter features an EO/IR camera payload ...

• Loitering munitions

  Kargi (Improved)

  At ADEX 2022, Lentatek unveiled a new, as-yet-unnamed version of the Kargi loitering munition.  Instead of Kargi's radio frequency (RF) seeker, this new version features an under-nose EO/IR ...

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

  I-View MK150

  The I-View Eyeview or Firebird series includes three TUAS, offering solutions at different echelons, and is developed by Israel Aerospace Industries. The MK150 is a ...

• Military UGVs

  RobARC

  The RobARC, or Sahar, is a military UGV manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The UGV's payload comprises a variety of sensors, allowing the Sahar to detect above-ground, ...

• Military UGVs

  RoBattle

  The RoBattle, or LR3, is a six-wheeled military UGV developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).  Intended to assist troops engaged in mobile operations, it is a ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  ELI-3001 AISIS

  Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) ELI-3001 Airborne Integrated Signals Intelligence System equips the Israeli Air Force’s (IAF) three Gulfstream G-550 Shavit SIGINT aircraft. IAI’s official literature ...

• AEW&C

  Global 6500 AEW&C

  Developed by L3Harris Technologies and Israel Aerospace Industries’ ELTA Systems Group (ELTA), the Global 6500 AEW&C; consists of a conformal airborne early warning (CAEW) mission ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Kfir

  The Kfir is a multi-role supersonic combat aircraft that is now out of production. Despite this, its manufacturer Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) still offers long-term maintenance support ...

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

  I-View MK50

  Israel Aerospace Industries’ smallest UAS in the I-View family of TUAS is the MK50. The system is able to land almost anywhere using a parafoil. ...