Defence Notes

Norway declares IOC for F-35A

7th November 2019

The Royal Norwegian Air Force’s fleet of Lockheed Martin F-35As has achieved initial operational capability (IOC), becoming the third European country to declare the milestone …

Training

Lockheed Martin awarded LCS Freedom variant trainer contract

5th November 2019

Lockheed Martin has received a $20.7 million contract for work related to Littoral Combat Ship Freedom variant Integrated Tactical Trainer devices, the US Department of …

Defence Helicopter

Bell-Boeing receives MV-22 upgrade work

5th November 2019

Bell-Boeing has received a $146 million contract modification to upgrade nine MV-22 aircraft from the Block B to the Block C configuration for US Naval …

Military Logistics

ADF Point Wilson site to be revamped

5th November 2019

Work is set to begin in January on a project to revamp a major Australian Defence Force site at Point Wilson, the Australian Department of …

Land Warfare

Rheinmetall bags air defence systems order

31st October 2019

Rheinmetall has logged a new order from an unnamed international customer for air defence systems. The €210 million contract will see deliveries complete by 2022. …

Land Warfare

Leopard 2A7V deliveries begin

30th October 2019

Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) has marked the beginning of deliveries to Denmark and Germany of the latest version of the Leopard 2 main battle tank. The …

Digital Battlespace

EUTELSAT 10B satellite ordered

30th October 2019

Thales Alenia Space has signed an agreement with Eutelsat Communications for the procurement of a new all-electric satellite, EUTELSAT 10B. Thales Alenia Space is a …

Defence Helicopter

Airbus Helicopters delivers NH90 to Germany

24th October 2019

The first NH90 Sea Lion helicopter has been delivered to the German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) by Airbus …

Military Logistics

Collins Aerospace to upgrade powers systems on E-6B

21st October 2019

Collins Aerospace has received a contract modification from US Naval Air Systems Command for engineering support for equipment on the E-6B aircraft, the US Department …

Digital Battlespace

AUSA 2019: US Army selects Raytheon for LTAMDS

18th October 2019

Raytheon has been selected to supply the US Army with its next generation Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) under a $384 million …

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

Tactical Drone System Light (SDTL) [France]

Programme Background The French 2024-2030 military programme unveiled the SDTL for the special forces and the French Army. According to reports, the requirement would cover 30 ...

Loitering munitions

Switchblade 300 [France]

Programme Background Plans to Purchase At Eurosatory 2022, Col. Arnaud Goujon, the French Army's chief of plans, told the media that the French Army was ...

APCs/IFVs - 4x4

4x4 Command and Reconnaissance Vehicle (Poland)

Programme Background The Polish Army wants to replace legacy Soviet equipment procured during the Cold War with new NATO-standard platforms to enhance its interoperability with ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

DT46 [France]

Programme Background Reports Around Eurosatory 2024, multiple defence news outlets, notably Army Recognition and The Defence Post, reported that the French Army had acquired Delair's ...

APCs/IFVs - 8x8

Rosomak [Poland - Fifth Batch]

Programme Background The Polish Army selected the Rosomak 8x8 armoured vehicle (a version of Patria's Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) 8x8 produced under licence by Rosomak) ...

Tanks

New MBT [Slovakia]

Programme Background Initial 2022 Proposed Order The Slovakian MoD published a document for determining medium- and long-term investment priorities for the defence sector in March ...

Special operations vehicles

VMOE

Programme Background The Spanish Army's SOF units are procuring the VMOE to meet their requirements for an SOV with sufficient firepower, mobility and mine-protection to ...

APCs/IFVs - tracked

Heavy IFV [Poland]

Programme Background Requirement Due to the perceived threat from Russia and the conflict in Ukraine, Poland has accelerated and expanded its plans to modernise its ...

Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

VBAE

Programme Background The VBAE programme will procure a light 4x4 armoured vehicle to replace the Arquus Light Armoured Vehicle (VBL) currently in service with the ...

APCs/IFVs - 8x8

B1 Centauro Replacement (Spain)

Programme Background The Spanish Army entered the B1 Centauro into service between 2000 and 2006. Manufactured by the Italian Iveco and Oto Melara consortium CIO, the ...

Tanks

K2 [Poland] - Phase II

Programme Background Requirement Poland's K2 purchase is the successor of the Wilk programme which aimed to replace the country's Soviet-era T-72 and PT-91 MBTs with a ...

Tanks

C1 Ariete Replacement [Italy]

Programme Background Requirement To bridge the gap between the retirement of the Ariete and the introduction of a new MBT, the Italian Army has contracted ...

Tanks

MGCS [Germany]

Programme Background The MGCS programme was initiated in June 2018 when France and Germany signed an LoI to develop a common next-generation MBT platform. Although ...

Tanks

MGCS [France]

Programme Background The MGCS programme was initiated in June 2018 when France and Germany signed an LoI to develop a common next-generation MBT platform. Although ...

Tanks

MGCS [Italy]

Programme Background The MGCS programme was initiated in June 2018 when France and Germany signed an LoI to develop a common next-generation MBT platform. Although ...

Self-propelled guns

Morana

Developed by Excalibur Army, the Morana is a 155mm self-propelled-howitzer capable of hitting targets up to 41km away. The howitzer is mounted on a Tatra Force ...

APCs/IFVs - tracked

Boxer Tracked

At Eurosatory 2022, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) has unveiled a tracked version of the 8x8 Boxer armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) with an increased gross vehicle weight and ...

Self-propelled guns

Boxer RCH155

The Artillery Gun Module (AGM) was developed as a private venture by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann to provide a lightweight and fully automated artillery system with the ...

Special operations vehicles

Caracal

The Caracal from Rheinmetall is a special operations vehicle first unveiled at Eurosatory 2022. Designed for the German and Dutch markets, the Caracal is based ...

Tanks

Panther EVO

Rheinmetall unveiled the KF51 Panther at Eurosatory 2022. Following negotiations with Hungary, Rheinmetall announced the development of the Panther EVO, a lighter variant based on a ...

Military UGVs

Natrix

The Natrix is a multipurpose UGV developed by Brasa Defence Systems. Conceived to carry equipment and conduct CASEVAC in a wide range of environments, the system ...

Tanks

KF51 Panther

Rheinmetall unveiled the KF51 Panther at Eurosatory 2022. The MBT uses Leopard 2 components in its bare chassis but with a brand new turret. Its main armament is the ...

Mine-protected vehicles

Aravis

Nexter unveiled its 12.5t Aravis at Eurosatory 2008, and in April 2009, the company received a launch order for 15 vehicles to equip French Army ...

Towed guns

AH4

In 2010, Norinco revealed that it was developing the AH4 155mm/39cal Lightweight Gun Howitzer to provide a lightweight alternative to its 12.5t AH1 155mm/45cal and ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

Trojan

In June 2022, Aeronautics launched the Trojan, an uncrewed platform that it describes as a hover plane. A user can control the electrically powered UAV via ...

Self-propelled guns

Krab

Poland selected a modified version of the BAE Systems AS90M Braveheart 155mm/52cal turret to meet its requirement for a new SPH. Poland’s HSW is prime ...

Self-propelled guns

Brutus

AM General and Mandus produce the Brutus self-propelled howitzer. It is a truck-mounted system armed with the M776 155mm Howitzer.  Developed with hopes of securing a ...

Land: RWS

Mangart 300

The Mangart 300 unmanned turret is being developed by a consortium of seven Slovenian companies led by Valhalla Turrets. Armed with a Northrop Grumman XM813 ...

Towed guns

105mm Light Gun

The 105mm Light Gun was designed and manufactured by Royal Ordnance Nottingham (now BAE Systems), with the first guns introduced to the British Army in ...

Self-propelled guns, Land: manned turrets

T6 Turret

Building on its experience producing the G6 6x6 155mm SPH, Denel Land Systems developed the T6 155mm/52cal turret, first shown publicly in 2003, for the ...