• Defence Notes

  Lockheed team launches 13th LCS

  20th September 2016

  An industry team led by Lockheed Martin has launched the 13th Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) - the future USS Wichita - into the Menominee River …

• Naval Warfare

  HII to overhaul USS Ramage

  16th September 2016

  Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $14 million base contract to perform an extended selected restricted availability overhaul on the USS …

• Defence Helicopter

  Mexican Navy receives first MBe

  29th September 2016

  The Mexican Navy became the inaugural customer for the AS565 MBe at Airbus Helicopters’ facilities in Marignane, France on 28 September. The navy has been …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF lab gets first Agile Condor pod

  22nd September 2016

  A new on-board processing pod system called Agile Condor has been delivered by SRC to the US Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), the company announced …

• Defence Notes

  ADAS 2016: Proposed hike in Philippine defence budget

  19th September 2016

  The Philippine government proposes to increase the budget of both the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Their allocations …

• Digital Battlespace

  AUSA 2016: Army pursues 7,000 new radios

  28th September 2016

  The US Army initiated a full and open competition for the Small Airborne Networking Radio (SANR) through its 11 August 2016 release of a draft …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2016: JLTV freed from protest

  26th September 2016

  Oshkosh Defense says it is on track with the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) programme and will be ready to deliver the first vehicles to …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing aids Korean unmanned MD 500s

  23rd September 2016

  Via a memorandum of agreement signed on 22 September, Boeing will renew cooperation with Korean Air Lines (KAL) to convert South Korean military MD 500D …

• Land Warfare

  Brazilian howitzers begin upgrade journey

  16th September 2016

  BAE Systems Land and Armaments is continuing to make moves in Brazil following a foreign military sale (FMS) contract award to upgrade 32 M109A5 Howitzers.  …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2016: Mobile firepower plans emerge

  27th September 2016

  The Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) programme is one of the few new ground combat vehicle acquisitions being currently pursued by the US Army.   MPF …

• Naval Warfare

  New Naval Security Team for RCN

  19th September 2016

  The Royal Canadian Navy has announced plans to form a Naval Security Team (NST) to enhance the safety and security of its ships and personnel while …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus opens H215 production in Romania

  16th September 2016

  Airbus Helicopters has opened a production unit for its H215 medium-size utility helicopter in Ghimbav, Romania, it was announced on 13 September. The company plans …

• Land Warfare

  Sweden takes Norwegian artillery order

  22nd September 2016

  The Swedish government has decided to fund the production of 24 FH77 BW L52 Archer 155mm/L52 wheeled self-propelled howitzers (SPH). They were originally intended for …

• Naval Warfare

  AWD Alliance: Destroyer programme ‘on schedule’

  26th September 2016

  During a recent visit by Shephard to the Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Alliance in South Australia, officials assured that construction of three destroyers for the …

• Military Logistics

  ADAS 2016: Pride of Philippine Navy dented

  20th September 2016

  The Philippine Navy’s (PN) first Strategic Sealift Vessel (SSV) was hit by a Liberian-registered tanker in waters off Zamboanga City on 19 September. At the …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Wolverine / Honeybadger [US]

  Programme Background During the Modern Day Marine (MDM) exhibition, held in Washington between 10-12 May 2022, XTEND announced it would supply hundreds of Wolverine platforms ...

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

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) (Tranche 2) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an ...

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

  Short Range/Short Endurance (SR/SE) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Warmate [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Ukraine placed an order for an undisclosed number of Warmate systems in 2017. Shepherd believes units acquired in this order later were utilised ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Ashok Leyland LBPV (India - Air Force)

  Programme Background The IAF created the Garud commando force in 2004 to protect its airbases, carry out combat search and rescue and conduct covert operations ...

• Minehunters

  Awaji Class

  Programme Background Two Awaji class mine countermeasures vessels (MCMV) were ordered from the Japanese shipyard Japan Marine United (JMU) for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) initially. ...

• OPVs

  Inlay Class (second OPV)

  Programme Background The Inlay class originally consists of a single OPV in service with the Myanmar Navy. However, a second Inlay-class OPV has been reported under construction since ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Eagle V 4x4

  According to documents released by the Danish Ministry of Defence, a total of 233.6 million Danish Krone (US$34.669 million) were allocated to this programme. 62.1 ...

• OPVs

  Cyprus Second Sa'ar 62 OPV

  Programme BackgroundThe Republic of Cyrus' Ministry of Defence placed an order with Israel Shipyards for its first Sa'ar 62  OPV in December 2015 in a project valued ...

• Loitering munitions

  Warmate (2017) [Poland]

  Programme Background Order In November 2017, Poland ordered 100 sets of Warmate loitering munitions, each consisting of ten platforms, for a reported 100 million Polish Zloty ...

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

  HUSAR (2023 Order) [Germany]

  Programme Background First Order In 2015, the German Army launched the HUSAR programme to identify a replacement for its Airbus Defence & Space KZO and ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Makassar Class LPD (7)

  Indonesia signed a contract for $150 million for two LPDs in the Makassar class, KRI Makassar and KRI Surabaya, with South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering ...

• Patrol boats

  Rajshree Class (Flight II)

  Programme BackgroundThe Rajshree class is to consist of 13 FPVs built in two separate flights. Flight I saw construction begin in 2010 and all eight vessels ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MDM-HF

  The MDM-3001, MDM-2201 and MDM-2501 multi-mode HF data modems provide single-tone (serial) HF data communications capability in accordance with the requirements of MIL-STD-188-110A (para 5.3). ...

• Data links

  Link 11 DTS

  The programmable Data Terminal Set (DTS) uses real-time processor architectures and signal processing algorithms. It is designed for controlled network operation in a Link 11 ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BTR-MDM

  The BTR-MDM Rakushka is an amphibious tracked armoured vehicle developed by Kurganmashzavod to meet the Russian Airborne Forces' (VDV) need for a new air-droppable APC. ...

• Data links

  MDM-2X02N

  The MDM-2X02N is a tactical data link modem that combines the functionalities of a Link 11 DTS and Link 22 signal processor controller (SPC) into ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MDM-Q9604

  Collins Aerospace’s MDM-Q9604 high-speed, high-data-rate HF modem is capable of transmitting data over a standard 3KHz single sideband at 9,600b/s or a 6kHz ISB at ...

• 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 ...

• EW test systems, Air: chaff, flare and decoy systems

  CAST-easy

  RUAG unveiled the Countermeasure Advanced System Test Equipment (CAST-easy) in 2017 earmarking it for the Panavia Tornado series of combat aircraft. The 2017 announcement stated ...

• Naval guns, Land: RWS

  Dragonfire

  Dragonfire is a new laser weapon system built for the UK MoD, receiving £30 million of funding in early 2017. The design of the gun ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Drone Deterrence System

  First unveiled at the LIMA 2017 exhibition by Mitsubishi Electric, the Drone Deterrence System began to be developed in 2014 and made its first sale in ...

• Military - UUVs

  ThunderFish Alpha

  The ThunderFish Alpha (formerly DeDAvE) is an AUV designed for deep-sea military, commercial and scientific applications. In March 2017, Kraken announced a licensing agreement for ...

• Self-propelled mortars

  2S42 Lotos

  The 2S42 Lotos (Lotus) is a self-propelled artillery system that is being developed by Rostec subsidiary TsNIITochMash to replace the Russian VDV airborne forces' and ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  Fletcher

  Arnold Defense, which has produced more than 1.1 million 2.75in/70mm rocket launchers for airborne applications since 1961, unveiled the Fletcher 2.75in/70mm Weapon System at the September ...

• Minehunters

  Kormoran II Class

  Three Kormoran II-class minehunters were budgeted for the Polish Navy in 2011, and a contract was placed for a prototype in 2013, with the first ...

• OPVs

  La Confiance Class (PLG)

  The La Confiance-class, also known as the Guyanese Light Patrol Vessel (PLG), in service with the French Navy, was designed by Bureau Mauric and built ...

• Submachine guns

  FN SCAR-SC

  FN Herstal unveiled the 5.56mm FN SCAR-SC (Subcompact Carbine), the newest member of the SCAR (SOF Combat Assault Rifle) family originally developed for the US ...