• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems receives $656 million contract for more Bradley vehicles

  20th December 2024

  BAE Systems has been contracted to install modifications on older versions of the M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) creating the M2A4 and M7A4 and keeping the platform in service until 2050.

• Air Warfare

  US Army gets first Global 6500 aircraft for HADES programme

  27th November 2024

  The Global 6500 fixed-wing platform will help the US Army modernise its Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) fleet by 2030.

• Land Warfare

  Successful firing by US Army of Lockheed Martin’s Precision Strike Missile

  13th December 2024

  The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) is the US Army’s next generation long-range surface-to-surface missile, capable of neutralising targets out as far as 500km.

• Land Warfare

  Operational Moog Reconfigurable Integrated-weapons Platform makes debut outside US

  20th January 2025

  Moog’s Reconfigurable Integrated-weapons Platform (RIwP) is being displayed integrated onto a Supacat High Mobility Transporter (HMT) which in service with the British Army.

• Air Warfare

  US Army orders more Boeing CH-47 Block IIs

  5th December 2024

  Valued at $135 million, the Lot 3 contract is part of the US Army’s ongoing modernisation efforts.

• Land Warfare

  Company formed to lead Franco-German main battle tank replacement

  18th April 2025

  Launched at the initiative of the French and German governments, the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) project aims to replace the German Leopard 2 and French Leclerc main battle tanks with a multi-platform ground combat system by 2040.

• Air Warfare

  Spain acquires Skydio’s X10D in €18 million deal

  27th February 2025

  Skydio has been contracted by Spain’s Ministry of Defence to supply the Skydio 10D rotary-wing UAV to the Spanish Armed Forces. The contact is likely related to the Spanish Army’s modernisation efforts which has been enshrined in the Fuerza 35 project.

• Land Warfare

  US Army to launch hunt for new artillery

  22nd January 2025

  The search will look at existing artillery with an acknowledgement that a large part of the effect from the weapons comes from the munitions used.

• Land Warfare

  Light tanks for Slovakia – cost-effective alternative or false economy?

  26th September 2025

  Slovakia is currently considering replacing its Soviet era main battle tanks (MBTs) with lighter alternatives. However, the lower cost of these platforms may prove to be a false economy if they cannot compete with true MBTs.

• Land Warfare

  Leopard MBT: Alpha beast gets a reboot (updated 2025)

  6th March 2025

  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

  Australia bets big on new systems and local industry in the face of drone wars

  6th June 2025

  Australia has a small but vibrant drone and counter-drone industry ranging from niche dual technology company Grabba Technologies to large multinational like DroneShield. It is these companies and a reshaping of procurement methods to ramp up its drone power.

• Naval Warfare

  Ireland steps up European defence co-operation in the face of Russian activity

  14th April 2025

  Ireland is militarily neutral but has joined a European Union (EU) rapid reaction force and a European information sharing group.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2025: Likely spending boosts outlined this year turn spotlight on show

  4th September 2025

  A surge in budgeted and planned defence spending across European NATO countries in the past year has come in the face of the war in Ukraine and demands from the Trump administration that the countries take on more of the load. This is likely to be reflected in what can be expected from DSEI.

• Land Warfare

  GDIT awarded $330 million in US Army training contracts

  27th November 2024

  General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) will provide training to Army Contracting Command and is already contracted to support training for III Armored Corps complexes, US Army Flight School Training and US Navy.

• Land Warfare

  UK and US militaries advance mobile directed energy weapon systems

  4th February 2025

  Recent tests have demonstrated how the UK and US armed forces have been scaling DEWs for mobile field-based operations.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  J-10 [China]

  Programme Background The aircraft performed its maiden flight in 1998 and entered service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) in 2004. According to ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Data links

  Data links | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Corvettes

  Jiangdao Class (Type 056)

  Programme Background The Type 056 corvette is referred to by the Chinese as the new-generation light guided-missile frigates. They have been built for the People's Liberation ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Rapid Minelayers Procurement (1-4) [Taiwan]

  Development and Procurement Four new rapid minelayers are being built for the Taiwanese Navy in a bid to counter the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Rapid Minelayers Procurement (5-10) [Taiwan]

  Programme Background Requirements The revelation of a Chinese bridge-barge landing system for amphibious operations, designed for a Taiwan invasion, has underscored the need for Taipei ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Kalyani M4 (India)

  Programme Background In the wake of border clashes with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 2020, the Indian Army has accelerated several of its ...

• Frigates

  Jiangkai II Class (Type 054A)

  Built by Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard and Huangpu shipyards the frigates were first seen being constructed from 2005. The class is referred to as the workhorses of China's ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  VP1/Type 89 (Nigeria)

  Programme Background The Nigerian Army has an ongoing need for new armoured vehicles to replace losses incurred in its conflict with extremist organisations operating within ...

• Corvettes

  Shadhinota Class (Type C13B)

  The Shadhinota class (Type C13B) corvettes are a platform based on the Type 056 Jiangdao class used by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), built by the ...

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

  J-22 Loyal Wingman [China]

  Background J-20 Loyal Wingman In 2024, at the biennial Zhuhai air show in southern China, the FH-97A was displayed, a drone designed to, among other things, ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  S26T [Thailand]

  Programme Background The Royal Thai Navy has been in the process of acquiring a new submarine for a number of years. They formally selected China's ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• AEW&C, Transport

  Y-8

  The Y-8 (Yunshuji-8) medium-sized transport and multirole aircraft was developed by Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation and is based on the Soviet Antonov An-12. More than 36 ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Z-8

  Developed by Changhe Aircraft Industry Group, the Z-8 (known also as Z-18) is a derivative of the AC313 civil helicopter, which is itself a copy of ...

• Submachine guns

  CS/LS2

  Norinco’s CS/LS2 is a 9mm bullpup SMG designed for use with a suppressor. It has been in service with the People's Liberation Army since about ...

• Fighter - multirole

  J-8

  The J-8 (NATO reporting name Finback) is a multirole fighter domestically developed by China. It has design similarities with Soviet MiG-21 and Su-15 aircraft.  The ...

• Fighter - multirole

  J-10

  The J-10 (NATO reporting name Firebird) is a multirole fighter developed by China to replace second-generation J-7 and Q-5 aircraft. The aircraft is also known ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  Type GCZ110

  Norinco announced in 2014 that it had completed development of the Type GCZ110 armoured engineer vehicle based on a modified Type 79 tank chassis equipped ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  KZ-800

  China National Electronics Import and Export’s (CEIEC) KZ-800 is an airborne Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) gathering system believed to be in widespread use onboard People’s Liberation ...

• Tanks

  VT2

  The 125mm-armed VT2 tracked MBT, which was unveiled at DSA 2012, is the export version of the People's Liberation Army Type 96A. As of early ...

• Fighter - ground attack

  J-16

  The J-16 is a multirole fighter developed by China. It is based on the J-11 air superiority fighter, itself a licence-built version of the Russian ...

• EO/IR systems

  Loong Eye LE380

  The Loong Eye (Dragon's Eye) LE380 is a two-axis stabilised gimbal incorporating EO/IR sensors, laser designators, and laser rangefinders. Originally developed by the Luoyang Opto-Electro ...

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

  Sky Saker FX400A

  The Sky Saker FX400A is a fixed-wing drone manufactured by Norinco. Capable of hosting both ISR and attack payloads, such as the Blue Arrow 7 ...

• Air-to-air missiles, Surface-to-air missiles

  TY-90

  TY-90 is a multi-purpose, short-range, IR-guided, tactical surface-to-air missile developed by China to defend against helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and cruise missiles at low and super-low ...

• Medium/general-purpose machine guns

  Type 80

  The Type 80 is a general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) manufactured by Norinco in China, based on the Soviet PKM. Certified in 1980, it entered PLA ...

• Air-launched ASW torpedoes, Ship-launched torpedoes

  Yu-11 lightweight torpedo

  Yu-11 is a Chinese-made surface and air-launched lightweight torpedo to repel submarine threats from long distances.

• Tanks

  Type 62

  The Type 62 light tank entered production for the Chinese People's Liberation Army in 1963. Essentially a smaller, lighter clone of the Type 59 MBT, it is ...