• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Rheinmetall expands UGV range with new Mission Master CTX

  11th January 2023

  Rheinmetall's new 4x4 uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV) is intended for armed and unarmed missions with swappable payload modules.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Aeronautics inks agreement for producing Orbiter 4 UAVs in Thailand

  22nd March 2023

  Aeronautics has expanded its Asia-Pacific operations, signing a collaboration agreement with RV Connex to produce the Orbiter 4 UAV in Thailand.

• Land Warfare

  German-Slovak Leopard tank transfer finalised

  17th November 2022

  Contracts have been formally signed for the transfer of 15 Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks (MBTs) from Germany to Slovakia.

• Air Warfare

  Japan approved for more E-2D Hawkeye aircraft

  9th March 2023

  The US has approved a Foreign Military Sale of up to five additional E-2D AEW aircraft, as Japan bolsters its surveillance and monitoring capabilities.

• Training

  Belgium adds VBS sim software for anti-tank guided missile

  22nd December 2022

  Through integration with VBS, Spike missile operators can train more effectively on tactical scenarios developed by the instructors.

• Land Warfare

  DARPA RACER robotic vehicle programme approaches its second phase

  14th April 2023

  The agency is currently reviewing the results of the last RACER robotic vehicle autonomy experiment and will select partners for phase 2 in the coming weeks.

• Training

  US Navy orders more TH-73A training helicopters

  8th March 2023

  Leonardo will deliver the latest batch of TH-73A Thrasher training helicopters to the USN by 2024 through a $110.5 million contract modification.

• Land Warfare

  Polish Armed Forces reinforce air defence inventory

  27th December 2022

  The Polish Armament Inspectorate received two PSR-A Pilica VSHORAD systems.

• Digital Battlespace

  Australia looks to Thales for next-generation naval comms

  14th December 2022

  Thales has supported the Australian Navy with the MTWAN network for the past 12 years.

• Defence Notes

  North Korea launches solid-fuelled ICBM for the first time

  20th April 2023

  In quick speed, North Korea has performed its maiden launch of a solid-fuelled ICBM after parading it just two months ago.

• Land Warfare

  Estonia signs for US rocket artillery in country's largest ever defence procurement

  6th December 2022

  Estonia is to acquire HIMARS weapon systems to expand its indirect fires capabilities under a $200 million deal with the US.

• Defence Notes

  US CENTCOM seeks industry partners to support Task Force 99

  27th February 2023

  US Central Command (CENTCOM) wants to increase the use of cutting-edge and innovative capabilities to create multi-domain solutions

• Naval Warfare

  Philippines receives two patrol vessels from USN

  13th April 2023

  The Philippine Navy will receive two second-hand Cyclone-class patrol vessels from the USN, plus a second pair of Shaldag V fast attack craft have arrived from Israel.

• Defence Notes

  How artificial intelligence can threaten military readiness

  8th March 2023

  Although AI provides several operational benefits in the defence arena, it can also put armed forces in risky situations.

• Defence Notes

  IDEX 2023: US plans to strengthen regional partnerships

  19th February 2023

  Aligned with the National Defense Strategy, Washington intends to enhance joint training and cooperation in the air and missile defence areas in addition to sharing ISR data and information.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Land 400 Phase 3 (Logistics, Ammunition Carrier and Mortar Carrier Variants) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Australian DoD released the initial RfI for the Land 400 Phase 3 programme in November 2015. Following consultations with local industry, the ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Land 400 Phase 3 (Amphibious Vehicles) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Australian DoD released the initial RfI for the Land 400 Phase 3 programme in November 2015. Following consultations with local industry, the ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams [Poland]

  Programme Background Requirement Since the early 2010s Poland wanted to upgrade its Soviet-era tank fleet due to modernisation requirements, the need to increase interoperability with NATO ...

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

  Drone40 (Ukraine Aid) [Australia]

  Programme Background In August 2022, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), a think tank, held a podcast with Ukraine's ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, in which ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Land 400 Phase 2 - Boxer CRV [Australia]

  Programme Background History The Land 400 Phase 2 programme will procure a replacement for the ASLAV, a derivative of the General Dynamics Land Systems Light Armoured Vehicle ...

• Main battle tanks

  Leopard 2A4 [Czech Republic]

  Programme Background  The Czech Republic currently operates a small fleet of T-72s, which, while undergoing upgrades and life extension programmes, are increasingly obsolete. In October ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel - Medium (Project Land 8710 Phase 1A) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements Australia has set out requirements for a fleet of up to 18 Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels - Medium (LMV-M) with the release of ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  Second Hand SSNs [Australia]

  Programme Background Timeline In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | AUKUS-SSNs (1-5) [Australia]

  In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock move, will not ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | AUKUS-SSNs (1-5) [Australia]

  In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock move, will not ...

• Main battle tanks

  Viatura Blindada de Combate-Carro de Combate (VBC-CC) [Brazil]

  Programme Background Several key technical requirements have been outlined by the Brazilian MoD. Among the most important are that the platform should weigh less than ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  AUKUS-SSNs (1-5) [Australia]

  Programme Background AUKUS Australia announced on 16 September 2021 that the contract with Naval Group signed in 2016 had been cancelled. Although not a surprising ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A1 Abrams (Ukraine Aid) [Australia]

  Programme Background Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Australia has been amongst the various Western allies providing Ukraine with military aid. Prior ...

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

  Project Air 7003 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R [Spain]

  Programme Background On 16 March 2022, the US State Department approved an FMS to Spain for eight MH-60R helicopters and associated equipment and weaponry for $950 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  Carl-Gustaf M3

  The Carl-Gustaf M3 is the third generation of the 84mm shoulder-fired recoilless antitank gun, first fielded by the Swedish Army in 1946. Since then, it ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1/M1A1 Abrams

  The 105mm-armed M1 Abrams tracked MBT was introduced into US Army service in 1980 as a replacement for the 105mm-armed M60 MBT. In April 1991, ...

• S-64 Helitanker Fire-fighting Equipment

  Erickson's 10,031l tank for the S-64 helitanker drops water, retardant or foam mix at a rate of around 95l/h. Microprocessor-controlled tank doors offer eight individual ...

• Naval: RF, IR and acoustic decoys

  Nulka

  The Nulka is an active anti-ship missile decoy originally conceived in Australia, and developed under a joint Australian-US programme. BAE Systems Australia is prime contractor, while ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  Next Generation Combat Vehicle Ammunition

  The Next Generation Combat Vehicle Ammunition (NGVA) is a family of ammunition being developed by the US Army's Armaments Center and manufactured by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems ...

• Unguided Tank Ammunition

  M1147 Advanced Multi-Purpose (AMP)

  The M1147 Advanced Multi-Purpose (AMP) is a 120mm tank round developed by Northrop Grumman Defence Systems. Various customers, including Bahrain, Israel, and the US, use the tank ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A2 SEPv3

  The M1A2 System Enhancement Package 3 (M1A2 SEPv3, also known as M1A2C) is the latest production-standard variant of the Abrams MBT. Designed primarily to address ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  CVTESS

  Saab's Combat Vehicle Tactical Engagement Simulation System (CVTESS) is a laser-based simulator which supports every version of the Abrams Main Battle Tank and the Bradley ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  AUKUS SSN

  The AUKUS-SSN will be the submarine design resulting from the AUKUS trilateral pact between Australia, the US and the UK. Expected to incorporate technology from ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  Spike LR2

  The Spike LR2 (also known as NT-S) is Rafael's fifth-generation anti-tank guided missile system. It is a long-range, multi-purpose, multi-platform weapon designed for infantry, armored ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  HATS

  In October 2014, the Australian government approved a A$700 million (US$530 million) contract award to Boeing Defence Australia, teamed with Thales Australia, to provide the ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AS21 Redback

  First unveiled in scale model form at the Land Forces 2018 exhibition, the AS21 Redback is a tracked IFV developed to meet the Australian Army's Land ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  FGM-148 Javelin

  The FGM-148 Javelin is a man-portable, fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system developed by the Lockheed Martin-Raytheon Javelin Joint Venture. Key features include fire-and-forget imaging ...

• Guided munitions

  M-712 Copperhead

  The M-712 Copperhead is 155mm artillery projectile that is guided to it's target via a laser guidance system. It was the first smart artillery round ever ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  ATGL-H

  The ATGL-H is an improved derivative of the Russian SPG-9 tripod-mounted, man-portable 73mm recoilless gun manufactured by Arsenal. It fires fin-stabilised, rocket-assisted HE and HEAT ...