• Naval Warfare

  Royal Marines transformation programme shows early signs of progress

  9th April 2024

  The UK’s Royal Marines have taken significant strides in the first year of a decade-long transformation programme focusing on advanced communications, distributed operations and enhancing its capabilities.

• Land Warfare

  Israel Aerospace Industries signs two loitering munitions deals

  23rd November 2023

  IAI has developed several loitering munitions or attack UAS including Harpy NG, Harop, Rotem and Mini Harpy. It has also been developing Point Blank, described as a 'hand-launched electro-optical guided missile' but much like the company's loitering munitions can dwell while confirming a target's nature.

• Air Warfare

  NATO reveals details of C-UAS exercise

  4th October 2023

  Last month’s completion of NATO’s Technical Interoperability Exercise 2023 (TIE23) C-UAS exercise is expected to inform common standards and policy objectives.

• Land Warfare

  How Europe is enhancing AFV survivability to counter new and old threats

  23rd December 2023

  A growing number of NATO countries are planning to upgrade their fleets of tracked and wheeled armoured fighting vehicles (AFV) to improve their survivability against emerging battlefield threats.

• Defence Notes

  Research paper points to a Russian ‘ghost navy’ providing logistical support

  19th October 2023

  Russia has been using commercial vessels to move military equipment to avoid controls, according to a report from NATO Defense College and RUSI.

• Training

  Ukrainian Navy participate in Exercise Joint Warrior in UK

  26th October 2023

  The Ukrainian Navy has joined 10 nations involved in a major multinational exercise in waters off Scotland.

• Land Warfare

  Panther MBT moves closer to production with $316 million development contract

  15th December 2023

  Rheinmetall unveiled the KF51 Panther at Eurosatory 2022. The MBT will use Leopard 2 components in its bare chassis, but will feature a new turret and the Rheinmetall 130mm L/52 smoothbore gun.

• Land Warfare

  Swiss Leopards to fill holes left by Ukraine-bound tanks

  30th November 2023

  Switzerland has sold 25 retired Leopard 2 MBTs but only after Germany asserted that the tanks would stay with NATO or EU partners, to respect Swiss policy of neutrality.

• Air Warfare

  Dubai Air Show 2023: Can air-launched missile stocks keep pace with a full-spectrum conflict?

  9th November 2023

  Russia's war in Ukraine has pushed the issue of stocks up the priorities list for air forces concerned about dwindling reservoirs of air-launched ordnance.

• Training

  Exercise Iron Titan clears new UK Apache for frontline duty

  25th October 2023

  Exercise Iron Titan focused on improving interoperability, tactics and C2 procedures while evaluating new equipment.

• Air Warfare

  Canada orders 14 Poseidon P-8A maritime patrol aircraft

  1st December 2023

  Canada will purchase 14 Boeing P-8A Poseidon multi-mission aircraft to replace its ageing CP-140 Aurora fleet, joining Australia, New Zealand, US and UK as an operator of the aircraft type.

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems coalition aims to bring barrel manufacture back to UK

  12th December 2023

  The UK’s Mobile Fires Platform (MFP) requirement will replace the country’s three-decade-old AS90 howitzers and has three bidders already in place.

• Land Warfare

  Sweden receives first batch of Patria 6x6 APCs

  27th October 2023

  The Patria 6x6 is being developed as a common base platform for the Estonian, Finnish and Latvian armed forces, all of which require a new protected mobility vehicle, with Sweden ordering an initial 20.

• Defence Notes

  US Pentagon to reduce investments in main acquisition programmes over FY2025

  12th March 2024

  The DoD requested nearly US$850 billion to fund operations over the next fiscal year. Despite the amount being 1% higher than the FY2024 budget request, it has not covered the 3% inflation rate, which could impact the DoD’s main programmes in the medium and long term.

• Land Warfare

  Detroit Arsenal delivers bumper month for Oshkosh Defense

  23rd November 2023

  Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, has selected Oshkosh Defense for multiple deals in November including contracts for medium equipment trailers and JLTVs for domestic forces and international allies.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Tanks

  2S25 Sprut-SDM1

  Programme Background The Sprut-SDM1 is an upgraded version of the Sprut-SD, a mere 30 of which were produced for the VDV between 2006 and 2010 ...

• Destroyers

  Maya Class (27DDG) (1-2) [Japan]

  Programme Background The 27DD Maya class destroyers were previously known as the Improved Atago class because they are an addition to the existing two Atago-class destroyers that have entered service. ...

• AEW&C

  Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (1-6) [NATO]

  Programme Background NATO’s E-3A AWACS fleet is set to retire in 2035, after 50 years of service. To plan for the required follow-on capability, NATO's ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (1-6) [NATO]

  NATO is estimated to procure up to 18 AEW aircraft under the Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) programme to replace the current E-3 Sentry fleet when ...

• Data links

  Data links | Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (1-6) [NATO]

  NATO is estimated to procure up to 18 AEW aircraft under the Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) programme to replace the current E-3 Sentry fleet when ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (1-6) [NATO]

  NATO is estimated to procure up to 18 AEW aircraft under the Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) programme to replace the current E-3 Sentry fleet when ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (1-6) [NATO]

  NATO is estimated to procure up to 18 AEW aircraft under the Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) programme to replace the current E-3 Sentry fleet when ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Small VTOL UAV (Denmark)

  Programme Background 2020 Tender In January 2018, Denmark's three main political parties signed the Danish Defence Agreement, a cross-party defence white paper covering the period ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) - (Greece)

  Programme Background EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) was announced in early 2022 and the project contract was awarded ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) - (Italy)

  Programme Background EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) was announced in early 2022 and the project contract was awarded ...

• ISR/special mission

  EC-37B Compass Call [USAF]

  Programme Background Requirement The retirement of the EF-111A in 1990 left the USAF largely out of the operational and tactical level radar jamming business. Lockheed Martin ...

• Fighter - multirole

  MiG-35 (Russia)

  The MiG-35 is a new-generation derivative of the twin-engine MiG-29 (NATO code-name ‘Fulcrum’) featuring multi-role combat capabilities, significantly reworked airframe and a vastly expanded arsenal ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Multirole Underwater Seabed Surveillance Ship (MU3S) [Italy]

  In June 2024, during a presentation provided at the NATO Maritime Security Centre of Excellence (MARSEC COE), the Italian Navy detailed the new capabilities it ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Major networking projects

  Ballistic Missile Defence

  In early 2010, NATO acquired the first phase of an initial theatre ballistic missile defence capability to protect alliance forces. 

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMD-2

  Between 1,000 and 2,000 BMD-2 (Boevaya Mashina Desantnaya - Airborne Combat Vehicle) amphibious IFVs were produced for the Soviet Airborne Forces (VDV) by the Volgograd ...

• 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 ...

• Deployable/static missile systems

  Aegis Ashore

  Aegis Ashore is the first operational land-based version of the Aegis Combat System originally developed by Lockheed Martin for the US Navy's Ballistic Missile Defence ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMD-1

  The Volgograd Tractor Plant (now known as the Volgograd Machine-Building Company) developed the BMD-1 amphibious IFV specifically to meet the requirements of the Soviet Union's ...

• Land: battle management systems

  BMD-Flex

  BMD-Flex is a modular C2 software system for integrated air and missile defence. Built on T-Core, BMD-Flex’s features and functions can be tailored, ranging from ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  Smart-L MM/N

  The Thales Smart-L MM/N is an AESA D-band next-generation Long Range Multi-Mission Radar for Air and Space Surveillance and Ballistic Missile Detection. It is based ...

• Land: manned turrets

  Bereg

  KBP developed the Bereg one-person turret (referred to as a ‘combat module’ in Russia) to provide an upgrade option for the Russian-designed BMD-series airborne IFV ...

• Land: manned turrets

  Bakhcha

  The Bakhcha is the latest version of the two-man turret originally developed for the BMP-3 tracked IFV, which entered Soviet Army service in 1987.  It ...

• Cannons

  2A70

  The 2A70 is a 100mm cannon that has been designed to equip infantry fighting vehicles, including the BMP-3, BMP-3F and the BMD-4M.

• Major networking projects

  NATO SATCOM

  Leonardo has been awarded a turnkey contract to rationalise and upgrade NATO’s SATCOM systems and associated infrastructure. The company will design, build, test, commission and ...

• Major networking projects

  NATO DCIS

  Airbus is delivering the NATO Deployable Communication and Information System (DCIS). The project represents a major upgrade in the capability of NATO Response Forces (NRF) ...

• Land: RWS

  Qimek NATO

  Rheinmetall's RWS family includes the Qimek single-weapon RWS and the Nanuk dual-weapon RWS. The Qimek NATO combines full stabilisation, long-range day/night all-weather sights and a ...

• Land: RWS

  Nanuk NATO

  Rheinmetall's RWS family includes the Qimek single-weapon RWS and the Nanuk dual-weapon RWS, which was introduced in 2008. The Nanuk NATO combines full stabilisation, long-range ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  ZBD-03/VN10

  The ZBD-03 (initially referred to as the ZLC2000) is an air-droppable tracked infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) designed to support airborne assault operations. Although it shares many ...