• Defence Notes

  Irish DoD advised to increase peacekeeping protection capabilities

  8th April 2021

  Countering peacekeeping threats by investing in new capabilities should be central to long-term Irish defence ambitions, a source says.

• Military Logistics

  Exoskeleton technology closer than ever to hitting the market

  15th April 2021

  Sarcos Defence, a subsidiary of Sarcos Robotics, could be ready to deliver the Guardian DX defence robot as early as Q3 next year.

• Digital Battlespace

  Operational doctrine evolves for military space sector

  4th May 2021

  Why has the space domain become so important and moved up the defence agenda?

• Defence Notes

  Alarm bells continue to ring in the West over Chinese state-owned enterprises

  22nd April 2021

  A U-turn from the UK, as seen in last month’s Integrated Review, typifies concern over the risk of Chinese interference in strategically important industries.

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall and Northrop kick off ten-year strategic partnership

  19th April 2021

  Rheinmetall of Germany and US-based Northrop Grumman aim to offer ‘forward-looking ammunition technology’ to the international market.

• Land Warfare

  US Army issues major GMLRS contract

  29th March 2021

  $2.77 billion deal for Lockheed Martin includes Alternative Warhead and Unitary Warhead rocket pods.

• Training

  US Army issues ammo contracts

  31st March 2021

  General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman are supplying training ammunition and competing for orders on engineering development, manufacturing, design and testing support contract.

• Land Warfare

  Galvion delivers first Silent Watch packs for LAV 6.0

  15th April 2021

  The 40Kwh Silent Watch system will provide power to run the mounted surveillance system on the LAV 6.0 vehicle in Canada.

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall and L3Harris Technologies team up for OMFV proposal

  15th April 2021

  ​Partners American Rheinmetall Vehicles and L3Harris Technologies aim jointly to develop the US Army’s new Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle.

• Training

  Can an exercise cause a war?

  14th April 2021

  As Russia concentrates its forces on its border with Ukraine, NATO and Russia continue to blame each other for the current friction, much of it attributed by Moscow to NATO exercises in Ukraine.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army exercises another Raven FCS option

  26th March 2021

  AeroVironment will provide the US Army with avionics and data link upgrade packages for the Raven tactical UAS by July 2022.

• Land Warfare

  Venezuelan Army fires upgraded Scorpion 90

  24th March 2021

  Last week, the Venezuelan Army released images of a firing demonstration involving an upgraded Scorpion 90, with 26 of these vehicles apparently already modernised.

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky showcases new S-97 Raider during flight demonstrations

  15th April 2021

  Sikorsky exhibits the capabilities of its S-97 Raider during Future Vertical Lift flight demonstrations.

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF selects builder for second phase of F-35 reprogramming lab

  9th April 2021

  The ACURL lab at Eglin AFB plays an important role in the F-35 programme.

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army awaits more Black Hawks and Pave Hawks

  23rd March 2021

  Sikorsky will provide 24 extra helicopters to the US Army.

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 ...