• 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.

• Land Warfare

  Leopard MBT: Alpha beast finally gets to work after a long slumber (updated 2024)

  14th May 2024

  Leopard MBTs are German-made main battle tanks that have been in service since the Cold War and have undergone several upgrades to remain competitive in modern warfare. This article traces the history and development of the Leopard 1 and 2, its variants, its operational service and its future prospects.

• Land Warfare

  UK fleshes out Boxer programme

  24th January 2024

  ARTEC, a joint venture between Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles and Rheinmetall Military Vehicles Nederland, has produced the Boxer to meet the requirements of several militaries.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Ready for the race: Air separation drone swarms vs. air defence systems

  11th April 2024

  As the dynamics of aerial combat rapidly evolve, Chinese scientists have engineered a sophisticated air separation drone model that can fragment into up to six drones, each capable of executing distinct battlefield roles and challenging the efficacy of current anti-drone defences such as the UK’s Dragonfire laser system.

• 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.

• Naval Warfare

  Plans halted for joint German-Dutch frigate replacement

  28th February 2024

  Cooperation between the governments of Germany and the Netherlands on a replacement air defence frigate project for their respective fleets will likely be cancelled.

• Digital Battlespace

  NATO adopts high-data-rate waveform for tactical communications

  23rd November 2023

  NATO member countries can now access to the ESSOR HDR Base Waveform which can offer secure and high-speed tactical communications.

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2023: AM General shows latest JLTV

  10th October 2023

  The JLTV A2 features a new General Motors MY 2024 and trials have been set for July 2024.

• Land Warfare

  Oshkosh Defense receives $201 million order for FMTV A2 vehicles

  4th August 2023

  Oshkosh Defense has been awarded a $201 million contract for additional Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles A2 (FMTV A2) from the US Army, taking the total number of ordered platforms to 2,000.

• Air Warfare

  Chinese air power – analysing the bigger picture

  14th September 2023

  Admitted by the US to be a ‘pacing threat’, the development of Chinese air power will continue to be a core measure of Beijing’s military capability.

• Land Warfare

  Why the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle is a leader in the field

  18th January 2024

  The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) is becoming the dominant platform in its class as it replaces most of the massive US Army and USMC fleets of HMMWV 4x4s, the legendary Humvee. Shephard dives deep into the JLTV programme background and analyses the latest variants contracts, including the controversial production switch to AM General and the continued contacts still heading Oshkosh's way.

• Digital Battlespace

  US consortium aims to improve platoon power by factor of 10

  31st October 2023

  A consortium of nine companies plans to conduct experiments and exercises over the next 12 months to demonstrate how new technologies can massively increase the power of forces at platoon level.

• Land Warfare

  Plasan North America nets $300 million JLTV A2 subcontract

  19th July 2023

  Plasan North America will partner with AM General as a subcontractor for the JLTV A2 programme. AM General is contracted to make over 20,000 vehicles and almost 10,000 trailers.

• Naval Warfare

  German F127 frigate programme moves to next phase, while Dutch say still open to joint procurement

  1st September 2023

  The initial analysis for the first stage of Germany’s Next Generation Frigate – Air Defence (NGFrig-AD, F127) programme has been completed, while Dutch shipbuilder Damen has reasserted the Netherlands' interest in a joint procurement.

• Digital Battlespace

  RTX to create mobile ad hoc networks under $6.6 million contract with DoD

  28th August 2023

  RTX's BBN division will lead the development of Opportunistic eXtemporarY 5G Encrypted Network (OXYGEN), enabling forward-deployed service members to communicate directly using 5G technology without complex infrastructures.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Komodo (Indonesia)

  Programme Background Previous Orders The Indonesian Army (TNI-AD) has taken delivery of many Komodo 4x4 armoured vehicles since PT Pindad first unveiled the platform in ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer A2 (Second Batch)

  Programme BackgroundRheinmetall announced that deliveries of the second batch of 131 Boxers had been completed in June 2021.In addition to these standard Boxers, the German ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Cobra (Indonesia - Forecast)

  Programme Background It is unclear how many different variants of the Cobra have been ordered by the TNI-AD, but it is thought that the majority ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Surplus M113 APC (Indonesia)

  The funding that has been requested to fulfil this requirement has not been disclosed by the TNI-AD. While there remains a large number of surplus ...

• Special operations vehicles

  P6 ATAV

  The funding that will be necessary to procure 85 P6 ATAVs has not been disclosed by the TNI-AD. While it is unclear how much each ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Indonesia Light Strike Vehicle

  The ILSV is manufactured by Indonesian company PT Jala Berikat Nusantara Perkasa. Although the TNI-AD is known to have ordered at least 20 of these ...

• Patrol boats

  Mk VI Patrol Boat - Ukraine (1-6)

  Programme Background The Mk VI is described as the USN's next-generation patrol boat and is currently in service with the US Navy's Coastal Riverine Forces (CRF). The ...

• Patrol boats

  Mk VI Patrol Boat - Ukraine (9-16)

  Programme Background The Mk VI is described as the USN's next-generation patrol boat and is currently in service with the US Navy's Coastal Riverine Forces (CRF). The ...

• Patrol boats

  Mk VI Patrol Boat - Ukraine (7-8) Optional

  Programme Background The Mk VI is described as the USN's next-generation patrol boat and is currently in service with the US Navy's Coastal Riverine Forces (CRF). The ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Cobra IFV (Contracted)

  It is unclear how many different variants of the Cobra have been ordered by the TNI-AD, but it is thought that the majority of the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Anoa APC

  According to the TNI-AD's plans, the 46 Anoas destined for cavalry units will be procured between 2020 and 2023. The 354 earmarked for infantry units ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Bell 412EPI-Indonesia Forecast

  Programme Background PTDI is assembling Bell helicopters in its factory in Bandung.  The first Bell 412EPI was delivered to the Indonesian Army on 29 December ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Bell 412EPI-Indonesia

  Programme Background PTDI is assembling Bell helicopters in its factory in Bandung.  The first Bell 412EPI was delivered to Indonesian Army on 29 December 2020 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer JFST (Heavy)

  Programme Background The German Army has a requirement for a heavy armoured vehicle platform to supplement the lighter Fennek in service with its JFSTs. Unlike ...

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

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian [Poland]

  Programme Background Lease & Intention to Buy On 28 February 2022, the Polish website Defence 24 reported that Poland was to order an unknown quantity of MQ-9A Reapers as an urgent ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Fearless MRSS

  Unveiled at Combined Naval Event (CNE) 2024, the Fearless design is Steller System's answer to the upcoming MRSS requirement of the Royal Navy. Fearless is ...

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

  FT-5 LOS

  The FT-5 LOS (the Moose), or FT5, is a short-range tactical UAV designed for EW, ISR and strike missions. It is capable of fully autonomous take-off and landing. The ...

• Assault rifles/carbines/shotguns

  CZ 805 Bren A1/A2

  Česká zbrojovka developed the CZ 805 Bren A1 assault rifle and A2 carbine in 2006 to provide the Czech Armed Forces with a new weapon ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Sea Breaker

  Sea Breaker is a precision-guided, long-range, autonomous missile system manufactured by Rafael. Debuted at DSEI 2021, the platform delivers pinpoint strikes from stand-off ranges up to 300km ...

• Land: air defence radar

  ELM-2288 AD-STAR

  The ELM-2288 Advanced Air Defense, Surveillance, Threat Alert and Air Traffic Control Radar (AD-STAR) is a 3D solid-state long-range S-band family of transportable radars designed ...

• Naval guns

  Seahawk LW

  The Seahawk LW naval gun is available in two configurations- the LW A1 and the LW A2. The Seahawk LW combines the Seahawk lightweight gun ...

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

  K1000ULE

  The KL1000 Ultra Long Endurance, or KL1000ULE, is an American-made UAV from Kraus Aerospace. Its Lithium-Ion battery and solar technology allow the fully electric aircraft to operate ...

• Air: chaff, flare and decoy systems

  Cirrus 118

  Cirrus 118 is a development of the DM69 A2 array flare, offering improved effectiveness, according to the company. It is designed to offer an aircraft-like ...

• Heavy machine guns

  M2A2

  The US Ordnance 50cal M2A2 combines the performance of the venerable M2HB with upgrades such as fixed headspace and timing. This increases the level of ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  Buffalo MPCV

  The Buffalo Mine-Protected Clearance Vehicle (MPCV) is in service with the armed forces of Canada, France, Italy, Pakistan, the UK and the US and has ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Komodo

  PT Pindad completed the prototype of the 4x4 Komodo multirole vehicle in March 2012. At the IndoDefence exhibition in November 2012, government officials said at ...

• Assault rifles/carbines/shotguns

  MZ-300 Carbine

  Emtan introduced the .300 AAC Blackout (7.62x35mm) MZ-300 assault rifle family in November 2017. The .300 AAC Blackout round provides superior performance than the standard ...

• Counter-UAS systems, EO/IR systems, Land: air defence radar

  Hawkeye AD

  Hawkeye Air Defence (AD) is an integrated sensor suite optimised for acquisition, tracking, classification and engagement of air targets from fixed and mobile platforms. The ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing

  AD-G4

  The AD-G4 is a rotary-wing UAV developed by Deftech. It features an IR camera with 10x optical zoom and 680x480 resolution and can host offensive ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  CYBERWAR Tactical Training Simulators

  CYBERWAR Tactical Crew Training Simulator systems integrate individually trained operators into vehicle crews and challenge them with operational scenarios in realistic virtual environments. The replicas ...