• Defence Notes

  Dutch MoD targets two more frigates as part of future defence plans

  6th September 2024

  The latest defence memorandum from the Dutch government has suggested that funding would be increased, with the procurement of more frigates, F-35s and Leopard 2A8s expected.

• Land Warfare

  Arquus wins French fuel tanker order

  17th May 2024

  Arquus will develop three versions of the 8x8 tanker, a large armoured tanker and two smaller tankers, one protected and one unprotected.

• Training

  US, Japan, Australia and the Philippines conduct major military exercise in South China Sea

  8th April 2024

  The countries conducted a Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) within the Philippine’s Exclusive Economic Zone on 7 April 2024.

• Naval Warfare

  New medium-class hopper dredge for US Department of Defense

  3rd April 2024

  The medium-class hopper dredge (MCHD) will be constructed in Eastern Shipbuilding Group’s Florida facilities and delivered by 2027.

• Air Warfare

  Brazil looks for attack helicopter two years after fleet retirement

  1st March 2024

  The Brazilian Armed Forces has faced challenges in terms of it size and geography and has long had an emphasis on better serving Amazonia. Plans for a new battalion are set to become a reality and improvement of rotary capability is underway.

• Air Warfare

  Will F-16s and Mirage 2000s have a major impact on Ukraine’s counter-attack?

  22nd August 2024

  The first F-16s have arrived in Ukraine, and Mirage 2000-5s may follow. But how much will they matter to the outcome of the conflict?

• Land Warfare

  Texelis outlines 6x6 Celeris and ongoing work on 8x8 variant at Eurosatory

  19th June 2024

  Texelis and Nexter, a KNDS company, manufacture the Serval 4x4 lightweight multi-role armoured vehicle together but Texelis has started selling the rolling chassis of the vehicle as a separate system.

• Air Warfare

  US Navy’s plan to replace fleet of MH60s moves forward

  16th May 2024

  The US Navy’s Future Vertical Lift (Maritime Strike) has been an effort to recapitalise Sikorsky MH-60R/S naval helicopters which have an out-of-service date in the late-2030s.

• Land Warfare

  UK increases Ukraine support

  10th September 2024

  The UK is leading the International Fund for Ukraine (IFU) which has already supplied a range of uncrewed systems and other equipment to the Ukraine with the country now committed to the supply of air defence missiles.

• Air Warfare

  General Atomics looks to broaden Mojave UAV role amid FARA cancellation

  22nd February 2024

  The US Army has decided to channel portions of the terminated FARA helicopter funds into uncrewed platforms, while GA-ASI continues its work on broadening the applications of UAVs in attack and reconnaissance roles.

• Land Warfare

  MBDA successfully tests Italian Army GRIFO air defence system

  8th May 2024

  The GRIFO air defence system is part of the Enhance Modular Air Defence Solutions family will be operated as part of the Italian Army’s air defence, giving its short-range air defence capability an extended range.

• Land Warfare

  Italy weighs up the challenge of its tank replacement plans

  24th April 2024

  The Russia–Ukraine war has continued to be the place the world’s militaries have been watching for lessons on both the EW and uncrewed front. Its conventional war aspect, however, has also been catching the attention of leaders.

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed Martin signs Australian air and missile defence system deal

  25th April 2024

  Air 6500 Phase 1, worth AU$500 million (US$326 million), will result in a sovereign system that can provide greater situational awareness and help to defend against hostile aircraft and missiles. It will sit at the core of Australia’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence programme.

• Land Warfare

  Raytheon and Rafael to expand Iron Dome missile production

  23rd February 2024

  Rafael developed Iron Dome to provide a dual-role system which could be used for C-RAM and very-short-range air defence. Since 2011, Iron Dome has served as the lowest layer of the multi-layered Israeli air and missile defence network.

• Land Warfare

  What to expect from Eurosatory 2024

  11th June 2024

  Paris’s biennial defence showcase will return with a heavy focus on AI, helicopters and UAS systems, as more than 60,000 visitors get ready to descend on the French capital.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [Czechia]

  Programme Background KVAČR Concept In February 2024, the Czech Army unveiled the Construction of the Army of the Czech Republic (KVAČR) concept, which outlined a ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Parrot Anafi (Singapore)

  Programme Background On 7 February 2022, the Singapore Army posted photographs on Facebook that showed the Anafi UAV used as training devices in a five-day ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Viper (Nigeria)

  Programme Background Due to its ongoing campaign against Islamist insurgents in the north of Nigeria, the Nigerian Army has procured a wide range of mine-protected armoured ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  FPV Drones [Czechia]

  Programme Background KVAČR Concept In February 2024, the Czech Army unveiled the Construction of the Army of the Czech Republic (KVAČR) concept, which outlined a mass ...

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

  MQ-1 Gray Eagle [US Army]

  Programme Background Required Quantity Although the US Army first envisioned a requirement for 132 MQ-1C Gray Eagles, the US Army's Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) was ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [Spain]

  Programme Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational organisations, ...

• Military UAS - small

  Small UAS [Spain]

  Programme Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational ...

• 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 - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) (Forecast) [US Army]

  Programme Background USMC In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, which had been specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Joint Tactical Autonomous ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) (Phase II) [USA]

  In 2018, the US Army selected the FLIR Systems Black Hornet Personal Reconnaissance System (PRS) for Phase I of its Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) programme. ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) (Phase II) [USA]

  In 2018, the US Army selected the FLIR Systems Black Hornet Personal Reconnaissance System (PRS) for Phase I of its Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) programme. ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AMPV (USA)

  Programme Background The US Army initiated the AMPV programme to acquire a replacement for several variants of the M113 tracked APC, which has been in ...

• Tanks

  NGCV: DLP

  Programme Background Requirement The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in ...

• APCs/IFVs - 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 ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  DEF129 Nano UAS [Australia]

  Programme Background DEF129 The Australian Ground Service has combined various army procurement efforts under the DEF129 programme to increase the abundance and proliferation of UAVs ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  StreamCaster Mini 4210

  The StreamCaster Mini 4210 (SM4210) is a single-channel data radio (SCDR) that can create MANET mesh networks. It is currently in use with the US ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Comm@nder Army

  Comm@nder Army is an integrated C4I system suitable for use in command post operational environments (infrastructure, shelter-based), providing specialised application services from the HQ of ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  German Army Aviation School

  CAE is the prime contractor for the German Army’s Night-Time Low-Level Flight Training Facility, commonly known as the German Army Aviation School, at Bückeburg. This ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  US Army AVCATT PDSS

  L3Harris Technologies is the prime contractor for the US Army’s Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (AVCATT) Post Deployment Software Support (PDSS) programme. L3Harris Technologies is ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  M2A4/M7A4 Bradley

  Since 2011, the US Army and BAE Systems have been developing modifications for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle platform to address concerns regarding its ever-increasing weight, ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  British Army Apache Training Facilities

  Aviation Training International (ATIL) – a Leonardo Helicopters/Boeing joint venture formed in 1998 - was selected to provide the attack helicopter training service to the ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  ROC Army UH-60M OFT

  L3 Link (now L3Harris Technologies) gained ready-for-training certification in 2015 on two UH-60M OFT delivered to the Taiwan Army. These training devices are similar to ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Australian Army S-70 Training System

  The Australian Army S-70A-9 Black Hawk is a turnkey programme including a full flight and mission simulator (FF&MS;), building, facilities and maintenance support. This CAE-built ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  German Army CH-53 Simulator Upgrades

  In 2011, CAE completed major upgrades on two CAE-built CH-53 full mission simulators operated at the German Army Aviation School at Bückeburg. Airbus Helicopters has ...

• Major networking projects

  Army BCT Modernisation Program Increment 1

  The US Army brigade combat team (BCT) modernisation strategy will build a mix of mobile, networked BCTs that can gain leverage from mobility, protection, information ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72A/B Lakota

  In 2006, the US Army selected a version of the medium-sized, twin-engine H145, designated the UH-72A Lakota,  to meet its requirement for a new Light ...

• Land: battle management systems

  ARTEMIS BMS

  The Army Tactical Engagement and Information System (ARTEMIS) is a battle management system in service with the Singapore Army. Designed for applications between the Platoon ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58 Kiowa

  The single-engine OH-58 Kiowa, derived from the Bell 206, entered US Army service in 1969 as a light observation helicopter. More than 2,200 were built for ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  M1150 ABV

  The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) project, launched by the USMC in 2002, is a joint programme to meet the requirements of both the US ...

• Major networking projects

  LandWarNet

  The combination of ‘infostructure’ and services across the US Army, LandWarNet provides for processing, storing and transporting information over a network. It is the army ...