• Land Warfare

  UK hybrid-electric vehicle assessment begins

  11th May 2021

  British Army headquarters is keen to discover whether there are benefits from installing hybrid-electric drive systems on some of its vehicles. NP Aerospace has delivered prototypes for testing that will offer valuable data to inform future decisions.

• Defence Notes

  US set for modest cyber budget increase despite deepening threats

  16th June 2021

  US cybersecurity is hardly strapped for cash — but officials in the DoD and other federal agencies had reason to hope for much more.

• Training

  Industry awaits Project Vulcan tender

  26th April 2021

  The UK MoD is spending between £90 million and £200 million on crew training simulators for the British Army’s next generation of armoured vehicles.

• Land Warfare

  Brazilian Army takes delivery of first LMV-BR

  28th April 2021

  Iveco Defence Vehicles has supplied the first of 32 LMV-BR 4x4 light multirole vehicles for Brazil in the VBMT-LR programme.

• Land Warfare

  Brazilian Army takes delivery of first LMV-BR

  28th April 2021

  Iveco Defence Vehicles has supplied the first of 32 LMV-BR 4x4 light multirole vehicles for Brazil in the VBMT-LR programme.

• Training

  Joint venture to enhance and upgrade MITS

  5th May 2021

  Xebec will upgrade the existing Maritime Integrated Training System for the US Army while adding new simulation systems and capabilities.

• Land Warfare

  MLRS upgrade continues with another contract modification

  29th April 2021

  Lockheed Martin is modernising the US Army arsenal of multiple launch rocket systems to the M270A2 configuration.

• Air Warfare

  Skunk Works tests Project Hydra

  5th May 2021

  Lockheed Martin Skunk Works has successfully tested '5th Gen to 5th Gen' communication technology in Project Hydra.

• Defence Notes

  Russia plans higher defence investment after 2024

  13th May 2021

  A draft 2024-2033 State Armament Programme should be ready by September.

• Digital Battlespace

  Full-rate CIRCM production begins

  11th May 2021

  CIRCM uses a laser transmitting modulated pulses to confuse an incoming IR-guided missile.

• Defence Notes

  Indian industry fills gaps for small satellites

  28th May 2021

  Microsatellites and nanosatellites hold a lot of promise for military users, and Indian private business hopes to get involved in their launch.

• Digital Battlespace

  Let there be Li-Fi, says US Army

  26th April 2021

  US Army Europe and Africa embarks on the first large-scale deployment of Li-Fi communication technology.

• Training

  RNLA to upgrade live training capabilities

  27th May 2021

  The Royal Netherlands Army is about to embark on a major upgrade of its live training capability to provide enhanced training in a number of new areas.

• Training

  US Army ready to adopt AR for medic training

  23rd April 2021

  The US Army is investing in VR/AR/MR to improve the training that is on offer for its combat medics.

• Land Warfare

  Germany eyes MG4 A3 machine gun contract next year

  25th May 2021

  Germany's effort to procure the latest variant of the MG4 light machine gun is taking longer than expected but the project is running smoother than the tribulations experienced by the G36 replacement.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Titan-B

  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 ...

• Military UAS - small

  Small UAV (Colombia)

  Programme Background Many of the Colombian military's UAVs are operated by the Colombian Air Force, but the Colombian Army has also employed several different types ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Titan-C

  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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Colombia M113A3

  Programme Background The Colombian Army currently operates 54 M113A1 and M113A2 APCs, which are divided among two mechanised infantry battalions and a training school. Known ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Surplus M1117 Guardian ASV (Colombia)

  Programme Background The Colombian Army has requested surplus M1117s to assist with counter-insurgency and counter-narcotics operations. Due to a lack of armoured vehicles suitable for ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  PETEF - Light Tactical Vehicles

  The Colombian MoD has not outlined how many new patrol vehicles will be needed to equip all seven of the light cavalry groups, nor how ...

• 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  PETEF - LAV III (Colombia)

  Programme Background Since the replacement of the M113 is understood to be a priority for the Colombian Army, it is anticipated that a contract could ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Secure Personnel Transport Vehicle (Colombia - Announced)

  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 ...

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

  Coelum (Colombia)

  Programme Background Testing Colombian Aeronautical Industry Cooperation (CIAC) was working on a project called Dron Coelum X-001. In late 2020, the CIAC tested a redesigned prototype of the ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  PETEF - Tracked IFV

  Since a programme to procure a tracked IFV has yet to be launched by the Colombian Army, it is unclear how many tracked IFVs could ...

• Tanks

  PETEF - MBT

  The Colombian Army has evaluated several offers for MBT platforms in the past, though none of these have progressed to the formal contract stage. For ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Kfir Replacement (Colombia)

  Programme Background In May 2021, budget constraints prompted new Colombian finance minister José Manuel Restrepo (in post since 3 May) to place on indefinite hold ...

• 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 ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Type 206/209 Replacement (PLOTEOS) [Colombia]

  The 2042 "Plan de Desarrollo Naval" (Naval Development Plan) outlines the intention to procure four new SSKs for the Colombian Navy. Saab, Navantia and Naval ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Titan

  Blindex developed the Titan series of APCs to provide the Colombian Army with an affordable means of transporting large numbers of troops for internal security ...

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

  Quimbaya X-003

  The Quimbaya X-003 is a Colombian fixed-wing UAV designed and developed by the Colombian Aeronautical Industry Corporation (CIAC). Reportedly, following evaluation tests in late 2023, ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  M1117 Guardian ASV

  In December 1995, the US Army selected a design based on the Textron ASV 150 to provide the military police with a vehicle that combined ...

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

  Coelum

  Manufactured by Corporación de la Industria Aeronáutica Colombiana (CIAC), the Coelum is a mini UAV that is fitted with a 40x zoom EO/IR camera payload for ISR missions.  The ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  PRC-710

  The PRC-710 is a VHF/FM voice and data handheld radio with COMSEC and ECCM capabilities. Designed in response to emerging combat requirements, the PRC-710 is ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  LPR 40 MKII

  The LPR acts as a command boat for the group of tactical riverine combat boats operated by the Colombian Marine Corps. It is equipped with ...

• EO/IR systems, Sea: optronic masts and periscopes

  SERO 250

  The SERO 250 is a compact submarine periscope that can be installed in both new-build and upgraded boats. Little or no structural modifications are required ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  SCTV

  The Survivable Combat Tactical Vehicle (SCTV), developed by Textron Marine & Land Systems and Granite Tactical Vehicles, is an upgrade solution for the AM General ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Airmor

  Airmor is an autonomous modular countermeasure SPS designed for helicopters and transport aircraft. Airmor’s core components are IMI’s management control unit (MCU), which processes information ...

• OPVs

  OPV 93C

  The OPV 93C is an offshore patrol vessel designed and developed by Cotecmar. The Colombian Navy ordered one platform in November 2022 and one in ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 500

  The MD 500 is a single-engine light helicopter derived from the Hughes OH-6A Cayuse developed for the US Army in the early 1960s and the ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  SandCat

  The 4x4 SandCat family of vehicles was designed by Israeli armour specialist Plasan Sasa in 2005 for a range of military, special operations, homeland security, ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Type 209/1200

  The Type 209/1200 diesel-electric submarine is a variant of the Type 209 submarine designed by the German company Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft exclusively for the export market. ...

• Naval guns

  OTO Strales/Davide

  The OTO Strales represents the second iteration of the OTO 76/62mm Super Rapido gun from Leonardo. The weapon, which is in service with the Italian ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  EMB-312 Tucano

  The EMB-312 Tucano (Brazilian designation T-27) is a trainer and light attack aircraft developed by Embraer to meet the training requirements of the Brazilian Air ...