• Defence Notes

  Analysis: Cutting the PLA to the corps

  8th September 2016

  The People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the armed forces of China’s communist party, is undergoing a series of radical reformations. The slashing of 300,000 personnel by …

• Land Warfare

  Typhoon-K opens to foreign markets

  29th August 2016

  Russia-based Remdiesel, a Kamaz subsidiary, and state defence export agency Rosoboronexport have entered a joint programme for promoting the Typhoon-K (Kamaz-53949) mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  GA‑ASI UAS academy graduates first pilots

  29th August 2016

  The first cadre of aircrew have graduated from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ (GA‑ASI) UAS Flight Training Academy, it was announced on 25 August. The North Dakota-based …

• Defence Helicopter

  MSPO 2016: Helicopter opportunities abound

  30th August 2016

  As the defence industry roadshow rolls into glitzy Kielce, Poland for the 24th outing of the MSPO exhibition, Western companies will be closely eyeing several …

• Military Logistics

  US AFRL focuses on biofuels

  31st August 2016

  The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is playing a key role in the development and commercialisation of biofuels as an environmentally friendly alternative fuel …

• Digital Battlespace

  Boeing to help Kiwis detect submarines

  30th August 2016

  Boeing has scooped a contract to upgrade Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Lockheed Martin P-3K2 Orion aircraft with an underwater intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance …

• Defence Helicopter

  Insurgencies shape ME rotary procurement

  1st September 2016

  Jordan’s geographical positioning in the Middle East is likely to be heavily influencing its military procurements in recent years. The country’s neighbouring borders are Iraq …

• Naval Warfare

  New Zealand to get new littoral ship

  25th August 2016

  The New Zealand government has approved a recommendation from the Ministry of Defence and New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) to move ahead with plans for …

• Digital Battlespace

  UltiSat awarded SS-AISR subcontract

  24th August 2016

  UltiSat has received a contract to support Lockheed Martin for the Sensor Systems - Aerial Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (SS-AISR) task order on the US …

• Digital Battlespace

  COMBATSS-21 for US Navy frigates

  25th August 2016

  US Navy frigates will be equipped with Lockheed Martin’s Component-Based Total-Ship System—21st Century (COMBATSS-21) combat management system under a contract announced on 23 August. The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Insitu gives it some gas

  19th August 2016

  Continuing its involvement in the unmanned sector in Australia Insitu Pacific has extended its contract with the Queensland Gas Company (QGC) through to the end …

• Defence Helicopter

  South Korea gets Apache Longbow trainer

  23rd August 2016

  Boeing has delivered an Apache Longbow Crew Trainer to the South Korean armed forces, the company announced on 22 August. The country will use the …

• Digital Battlespace

  TACIP takes command

  26th August 2016

  Airbus Defence and Space (DS) has demonstrated the first iteration of its Tactical IP (TACIP) deployable information solution following its launch in 2015.  Current work …

• Military Logistics

  US Navy focuses on alternative biofuels

  23rd August 2016

  The government of Queensland, Australia, has signed a Statement of Cooperation to work with the US Navy in support of projects that advance shared interests …

• Training

  Meggitt simulated mortars for ADF

  19th August 2016

  Meggitt Training Systems has been awarded a $1.49 million contract for simulated mortars by the Australian Defence Force’s Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group, it was …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BTR-MDM Rakushka

  Programme Background Since 2016, 11 battalion sets of BTR-MDMs are known to have been delivered to units of the VDV in addition to 12 platforms ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMD-4M

  Programme Background Since 2017, 11 battalion sets of the BMD-4M have been delivered to units of the VDV in addition to 27 located at the ...

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

  Wolverine / Honeybadger [US]

  Programme Background During the Modern Day Marine (MDM) exhibition, held in Washington between 10-12 May 2022, XTEND announced it would supply hundreds of Wolverine platforms ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) (Tranche 2) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an ...

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

  Short Range/Short Endurance (SR/SE) [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

  Harop [Azerbaijan]

  Programme Background According to a December 2020 report by the Centre for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), Azerbaijan acquired an estimated 50 Harop loitering munitions ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1Z [Romania]

  The Romanian MoD has a long-standing requirement for new rotary platforms, including troop transport, supply and attack configurations. According to the the Military Strategy document, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Piranha V

  264 of the Piranha Vs will be assigned to the Danish Army's 1st Brigade, following its reorganisation in January 2019. Each of its three armoured ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Data links

  Data links | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Paraguay VAMTAC ST5

  Programme Background Paraguay's Joint Task Force is in need of new armoured vehicles that can provide sufficient protection against the small arms, mines and IEDs ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28UB - Russia

  Programme BackgroundThe Russian MoD plans to acquire up to 60 Mi-28UB aircraft for the Russian Air Force by mid-2020s. Moscow signed a contract with Russian Helicopters ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BTR-MDM

  The BTR-MDM Rakushka is an amphibious tracked armoured vehicle developed by Kurganmashzavod to meet the Russian Airborne Forces' (VDV) need for a new air-droppable APC. ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MDM-HF

  The MDM-3001, MDM-2201 and MDM-2501 multi-mode HF data modems provide single-tone (serial) HF data communications capability in accordance with the requirements of MIL-STD-188-110A (para 5.3). ...

• Data links

  Link 11 DTS

  The programmable Data Terminal Set (DTS) uses real-time processor architectures and signal processing algorithms. It is designed for controlled network operation in a Link 11 ...

• Data links

  MDM-2X02N

  The MDM-2X02N is a tactical data link modem that combines the functionalities of a Link 11 DTS and Link 22 signal processor controller (SPC) into ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MDM-Q9604

  Collins Aerospace’s MDM-Q9604 high-speed, high-data-rate HF modem is capable of transmitting data over a standard 3KHz single sideband at 9,600b/s or a 6kHz ISB at ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMD-4M

  The BMD-4M is based on the BMD-4, which has been in the Russian Army's airborne forces (VDV) service since 2004. It was developed to provide an ...

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

  Bolt / Bolt-M

  Unveiled in October 2024, the Bolt is a modular, man-packable autonomous UAV from Anduril. The Bolt-M is a loitering munition variant of the drone, which is ...

• Military - USVs

  High-Speed Intercept Boat

  Poly Technologies displayed its High-Speed Intercept Boat at DSA in Malaysia in 2016. 

• Galaxy R8700

  The Altavian Galaxy R8700 is an octocopter UAV designed for inspection of mining, construction, urban and small project sites. It was unveiled in August 2016. 

• Self-propelled mortars

  2S42 Lotos

  The 2S42 Lotos (Lotus) is a self-propelled artillery system that is being developed by Rostec subsidiary TsNIITochMash to replace the Russian VDV airborne forces' and ...

• PD6-AW

  Prodrone's PD6-AW all-weather hexarotor drone is designed for professional filming, photography, land surveying, inspections and other roles. The platform was unveiled in April 2016. 

• MPVs - 4x4

  Bars-6

  Bogdan publicly unveiled the 7t Bars-6 (Panther) 4x4 light APC at IDEX 2015, and in July 2016, the company introduced an upgraded version ready for ...

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

  Mini UAV Fixed Wing I

  The Jordan Design and Development Bureau (JODDB) unveiled the hand-launched Mini UAS (also known as Mini UAV Fixed-Wing I) at SOFEX 2016, along with a wider family ...

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

  Mysterious Bee

  The Mysterious Bee hybrid, fixed-wing/quadcopter UAV was unveiled at the Zhuhai Airshow 2016. It is designed to operate from ships, small islands, mountainous areas and ...

• Awing-F100J

  Awing-F100J is the latest UAV from Tianjin-based Quadrant Space (Tianjin) Technology and was displayed at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China for the first time ...