• Defence Notes

  Zhuhai 2016: Hints detected of Chinese BMD development

  3rd November 2016

  There were small hints of a Chinese ballistic missile defence (BMD) system when Shephard attended the 11th Zhuhai Air Show in China. One was the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Upgraded navigation for German frigates

  21st October 2016

  France's iXblue has been selected to provide its Marins M3 and Netans N3 systems to the German Navy to upgrade two F122 Bremen-class frigates and four …

• Digital Battlespace

  Wearable combat sensors in development

  23rd September 2016

  Wearable sensor solutions are being developed by the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and a number of industry partners with the aim of …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2016: Abrams prototype testing underway

  4th October 2016

  Prototypes of the upgraded variants of the Abrams main tank are being tested by the US Army and General Dynamics Land Systems is looking forward …

• Defence Helicopter

  Helitech 2016: Mi-26T2Vs conversions underway for delivery

  3rd October 2016

  Development work to militarise the Mi-26T2 heavy lift, originally designed for civil use are underway as part of a delivery programme to the Russian military. The …

• Land Warfare

  MDM 2016: Lockheed Martin delivers first modernised TACMS missile

  29th September 2016

  Lockheed Martin has announced delivery of its first modernised Tactical Missile System missile (TACMS) to the US Army from its facility in Camden, Arkansas.  Formerly …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russian Helicopters to demo Arctic Mi-8AMTSh

  8th September 2016

  Russian Helicopters will demonstrate a full-scale prototype of the Artic variant of its Mi-8AMT-Sh medium twin-turbine helicopter at Army-2016 Expo in Moscow, the company announced …

• Land Warfare

  Japan plans next-generation ASM

  23rd August 2016

  According to the Yomiyuri Shimbun newspaper, the Japanese government plans to develop a new anti-ship missile (ASM) to help defend its southeast islands in the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Elbit Systems introduces Skylark C

  16th August 2016

  Elbit Systems has introduced a new mini UAS called Skylark C designed for martime applications, the company announced on 15 August. The UAS draws on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Navy destroyer tests RQ-20B Puma

  15th August 2016

  AeroVironment’s RQ-20B Puma small UAS is being tested by the US Navy aboard a Flight I Guided Missile Destroyer, the company announced on 11 August.  …

• Defence Notes

  Dual Mode Plus in new flight tests

  10th August 2016

  Lockheed Martin’s Dual Mode Plus laser guided bomb (LGB) has chalked up new successes in recent flight tests, the company announced on 8 August. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  OSI to supply NZ frigate upgrade radar

  27th July 2016

  OSI Maritime Systems (OSI) has signed a contract for the supply of a new radar system as part of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) …

• Defence Helicopter

  Farnborough 2016: Thales Scorpion HMSD for LAH

  15th July 2016

  South Korea’s Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) will be equipped with the Thales Scorpion helmet-mounted sight and display (HMSD), with the helmet selected for the programme’s …

• Defence Notes

  US considers FMS of ESSMs to Chile

  11th July 2016

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of Evolved Seasparrow Missiles (ESSMs) to Chile at a cost …

• Land Warfare

  Belarus completes Polonez testing

  29th June 2016

  A new-generation multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) firing guided rockets has been commissioned in service with the Belarus military.  The Polonez system has completed its …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F (Australia)

  Programme Background The government of Australia has requested to buy four CH-47F cargo helicopters with unique modifications: eight T55-GA-714A aircraft turbine engines, five AN/AAR-57 common ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Su-30SM Armenia

  The Su-30SM is upgraded variant of Su-30MKI. Its capabilities include Bars-R radar, RVV-SV medium-range air-to-air missile, Thales SMD55S/VEN-3022 or Russian IKSh-1M avionics replacing Elbit SU967 head-up display, LINS-1000RS inertial ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton - Germany (Cancelled)

  Programme Background Germany requested to buy four MQ-4C Triton HALE UAVs from Northrop Grumman. On 5 April 2018, the US State Department announced that it ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R Seahawk [Greece]

  Programme Background Contract In July 2019, the US State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of MH-60R helicopters to Greece for an estimated cost ...

• Maritime patrol

  AVSIMAR (France)

  Programme Background In November 2018, the French MoD announced that it awarded a contract for the detailed definition study of the future surveillance and maritime ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk (First Contact) [Croatia]

  Programme Background Western Technology With the help of the US, Croatia has attempted to improve its military technology, replacing Soviet equipment, such as the Mi-8/Mi-17. ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  AH-6i (Thailand)

  Programme Background The US State Department has made a determination approving the possible $400 million sale on 24 September 2019. The eight AH-6i light attack ...

• Trainer

  T-54A Multi-Engine Training System (METS) (USA)

  Programme Background Multi-Engine Training System is a USN programme to replace the ageing T-44C Pegasus fleet and modernize multi-engine aircraft training. Multi-Engine Training System provides ...

• OPVs

  Jan Mayen Class (1-3) [Norway]

  Programme Background Contract The Jan Mayen-class vessels were designed by LMG Marin, with the process beginning with the Norwegian Defence Material Agency (NDMA) in 2013 and ...

• Bomber

  TU-160M strategic bombers

  Programme Background The Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) operate a fleet of 16 Tu-160 strategic bombers, the last of which  ("Peter Denikin", serial number 8-04) was built ...

• OPVs

  Patrouilleurs Hauturiers OPVS (former Patrouilleurs Océanique) [France]

  Programme Background Requirements The programme aims to procure new OPVs that will replace the D'Estienne d'Orves-class and the Flamant-class vessels. The OPVs are intended to be armed ...

• Bomber

  Tu-160M Follow-On (Russia)

  Programme Background The Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) operate a fleet of 16 Tu-160 strategic bombers, the last of which  ("Peter Denikin", serial number 8-04) was built ...

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

  MQ-9A Reaper (Second Batch) [Netherlands]

  Programme Background First Batch Following a cancelled MALE UAV project in 2007, the Dutch MOD revealed its intention to acquire four MQ-9A Reapers from General ...

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

  MQ-9B SeaGuardian [Taiwan]

  Programme Background Trump Administration In August 2020, the US announced it was negotiating a sale of at least four MQ-9B SeaGuardian UAVs to Taiwan. Five months ...

• Corvettes

  Pohjanmaa Class (Squadron 2020) [Finland]

  Programme Background Requirements Under its Squadron 2020 programme, Finland aims to replace seven vessels, the decommissioned minelayer Pohjanmaa, four Rauma-class fast attack missile crafts and two ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• UAS: flight control systems

  Polar AHRS-IMU

  The Polar is a MEMS-based Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS) and inertial navigation system (INS). It is able to offer assistance with system integration ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  KI-4921 Tactical Grade Modular IMU/INU

  Kearfott's KI-4921/KI-4922 monolithic ring laser gyro and accelerometer triad-based IMU/INU delivers two functionalities in a modular configuration (kit) which can serve as an IMU/INU for ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  KI-4901/4902 High Performance Modular IMU/INU

  The KI-4901/4902 is a high-accuracy monolithic ring laser gyro and accelerometer triad-based IMU/INU that delivers two functionalities in a modular configuration (kit). This can serve ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  STIM

  Safran's STIM (Small Tactical IMU) products are ITAR-free, non-GPS-aided inertial measurement units. Providing high-accuracy measurements while maintaining low weight, they are suitable for uncrewed applications, weapon systems, airborne ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  Iconyx

  Developed by Safran Federal Systems, Iconyx is a high-performance HRG-based inertial measurement unit. It was unveiled during the Joint Navigation Conference 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

• UAS: flight control systems

  3DM-RQ1-45

  The 3DM-RQ1-45 is a ruggedised tactical grade GPS/INS. It combines a MEMS inertial sensor core with a high-sensitivity GPS receiver and a sophisticated Extended Kalman ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  LN-200

  Northrop Grumman's LN-200 is a small, lightweight, fiber-optic, all-altitude, strap down Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). It has three solid-state gyros and three accelerometers that measure velocity ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  Athena 511

  The Athena 511 is a compact all-in-one GPS-aided INS air data system. The system’s integrated inertial sensing uses a tactical grade, ring-laser gyro IMU, with ...

• Military - UUVs

  Remus 600

  The Remus 600 AUV can be used for hydrographic surveys, MCM operations, environmental monitoring, debris field mapping and fishery operations. Additional uses include search and ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  Tamnava MLRS

  The Tamnava 122/267mm dual MLRS is produced by Serbia's Yugoimport. It is fitted to an 8x8 Kamaz 6560 chassis with armored crew cabin. The system ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  MMQ50 MMQ

  The MMQ50 Miniature MEMS Quartz is an IMU incorporating solid-state quartz micro-machined inertial rate sensors and silicon MEMS accelerometers. The MMQ is suited for embedded ...

• EO/IR systems

  M-DSA

  M-DSA is the next step in the sensor modernisation of the M-TADS/PNVS system. Upgraded capabilities support more rapid target identification and coordination, as well as ...

• Remus 6000

  The Remus 6000 AUV can be used for hydrographic surveys, environmental monitoring, debris field mapping, search and salvage operations, fishery operations, scientific sampling and mapping. ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  Athena 611

  The Athena 611 is an integrated flight control system encompassing inertial navigation system (INS), global positioning system (GPS) and air data, attitude and heading reference ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  21st Century Warrior

  Slovenia picked S&T; IT Solutions and Services for the R&D; phase of its 21st Century Warrior programme. The future soldier system is designed to fit ...