• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Red Cat looks to partnerships to expand Teal 2’s wings

  3rd May 2024

  Teal 2 UAV producer Red Cat has unveiled its strategic partnerships and advancements in drone technology in anticipation of the US Army’s decision on the Short-Range Reconnaissance (SRR) programme.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2023: Why the US Army is spending billions on modernising training facilities in Europe

  24th November 2023

  The US Army is investing in the modernisation of its Grafenwoehr base and training area in Germany, which hosts the 7th Army Training Command, and provides extensive facilities for live training and interoperability with allied forces.

• Defence Notes

  Brazil’s proposed $23.7 billion defence budget targets GDP-linked military funding

  24th September 2024

  Brazil’s 2025 budget proposals will see a 5.9% increase in defence spending, with funds allocated for key programmes including the procurement of helicopters, armoured vehicles and nuclear-powered submarines, despite looming fiscal challenges.

• Land Warfare

  Thales puts Bushmaster and Hawkei in the frame for UK vehicle requirements

  23rd January 2024

  The British Army has thousands of vehicles of disparate type and standards which will plummet towards obsolesce in the coming decade. Previous efforts to replace the vehicles have failed and the process to buy new vehicles will begin again.

• Air Warfare

  Singapore Airshow 2024: China debuts Apache competitor attack helicopter in Singapore

  20th February 2024

  China's Aviation Industry Corporation has showcased the Z-10EM, an upgraded version of its Z-10 attack helicopter, designed for export markets.

• Training

  British Army aims to attract new talent via multi-million-pound higher education contract

  22nd November 2023

  The British Army has awarded a nine-year contract to Henley Business School to deliver a degree pathway in Leadership and Strategic Studies for its officers and senior soldiers as part of its talent development strategy.

• Land Warfare

  Estonia builds up defences by strengthening its CV90 fleet

  25th January 2024

  Estonia has been enhancing its defence capabilities by acquiring and upgrading various armoured vehicles including the CV90 infantry fighting vehicle, the Otokar Arma (6x6) armoured personnel carrier (APC) and the Nurol Makina NMS (4x4) armoured vehicle.

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems receives contract for more howitzers and ammunition carriers

  30th January 2024

  BAE Systems received the initial contract for M109A7 production in 2017 with the most recent order bringing the total contract value to US$2.5 billion.

• Land Warfare

  Oshkosh lands JLTV order from Israel

  1st December 2023

  November was a good month for Oshkosh Defence and JLTV orders, and December has started just as well with the company contracted to supply 75 vehicles to Israel.

• Air Warfare

  USAF's F-16 to fly pilotless for first time in 2025

  14th May 2024

  F-16 Fighting Falcon is currently passing through the developmental and operational testing phase under the VENOM-AFT programme.

• Defence Notes

  Aging infrastructure is endangering US military’s capacity to innovate

  26th February 2024

  The US’s ability to prepare for future conflicts had been placed at risk with many Pentagon laboratories and testing centres being housed in poorly maintained and aging structures.

• Land Warfare

  Challenger 3 programme promises capability upgrade as first delivery milestone approaches

  23rd August 2024

  The British Army’s Challenger 3 main battle tank (MBT) will replace existing Challenger 2s with a smaller but more capable fleet of vehicles with improved protection and notably a 120mm L55A1 smoothbore gun firing an Enhanced Kinetic Energy round. The programme is advancing rapidly with several hurdles cleared in the past year.

• Land Warfare

  Oshkosh to upgrade heavy equipment transports to new standard

  21st December 2023

  Oshkosh Defense’s heavy equipment trailers will be designed to carry large vehicles including armoured vehicles and main battle tanks.

• Training

  Indian Army special forces get new vertical wind tunnel for training

  8th November 2023

  The Indian Army's Special Forces Training School (SFTS) has inaugurated its first Vertical Wind Tunnel.

• Land Warfare

  MBDA's Enforcer missile system: Locked, loaded and Euro-funded for rapid expansion

  22nd March 2024

  MBDA's Enforcer missile system production has received an additional boost as the company was set to receive funding by the European Commission's ASAP programme.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 - small

  Small UAV (Colombia)

  Programme Background Many of the Colombian military's UAVs are operated by the Colombian Air Force, but the Colombian Army has also employed several different types ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Titan-C

  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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Colombia M113A3

  Programme Background The Colombian Army currently operates 54 M113A1 and M113A2 APCs, which are divided among two mechanised infantry battalions and a training school. Known ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Surplus M1117 Guardian ASV (Colombia)

  Programme Background The Colombian Army has requested surplus M1117s to assist with counter-insurgency and counter-narcotics operations. Due to a lack of armoured vehicles suitable for ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  PETEF - Light Tactical Vehicles

  The Colombian MoD has not outlined how many new patrol vehicles will be needed to equip all seven of the light cavalry groups, nor how ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Secure Personnel Transport Vehicle (Colombia - Forecast)

  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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  PETEF - LAV III (Colombia)

  Programme Background Since the replacement of the M113 is understood to be a priority for the Colombian Army, it is anticipated that a contract could ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Secure Personnel Transport Vehicle (Colombia - Announced)

  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 - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Coelum (Colombia)

  Programme Background Testing Colombian Aeronautical Industry Cooperation (CIAC) was working on a project called Dron Coelum X-001. In late 2020, the CIAC tested a redesigned prototype of the ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  PETEF - Tracked IFV

  Since a programme to procure a tracked IFV has yet to be launched by the Colombian Army, it is unclear how many tracked IFVs could ...

• Tanks

  PETEF - MBT

  The Colombian Army has evaluated several offers for MBT platforms in the past, though none of these have progressed to the formal contract stage. For ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Kfir Replacement (Colombia)

  Programme Background In May 2021, budget constraints prompted new Colombian finance minister José Manuel Restrepo (in post since 3 May) to place on indefinite hold ...

• Frigates

  Plataforma Estratégica de Superficie (PES) - Frigate Acquisition Programme [Colombia]

  Programme Background The replacement of the existing ageing Almirante Padilla-class frigates was first initiated in 2015. The predecessors, built by Germany's Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) have been in service ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Type 206/209 Replacement (PLOTEOS) [Colombia]

  The 2042 "Plan de Desarrollo Naval" (Naval Development Plan) outlines the intention to procure four new SSKs for the Colombian Navy. Saab, Navantia and Naval ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Titan

  Blindex developed the Titan series of APCs to provide the Colombian Army with an affordable means of transporting large numbers of troops for internal security ...

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

  Quimbaya X-003

  The Quimbaya X-003 is a Colombian fixed-wing UAV designed and developed by the Colombian Aeronautical Industry Corporation (CIAC). Reportedly, following evaluation tests in late 2023, ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  M1117 Guardian ASV

  In December 1995, the US Army selected a design based on the Textron ASV 150 to provide the military police with a vehicle that combined ...

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

  Coelum

  Manufactured by Corporación de la Industria Aeronáutica Colombiana (CIAC), the Coelum is a mini UAV that is fitted with a 40x zoom EO/IR camera payload for ISR missions.  The ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  PRC-710

  The PRC-710 is a VHF/FM voice and data handheld radio with COMSEC and ECCM capabilities. Designed in response to emerging combat requirements, the PRC-710 is ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  LPR 40 MKII

  The LPR acts as a command boat for the group of tactical riverine combat boats operated by the Colombian Marine Corps. It is equipped with ...

• EO/IR systems, Sea: optronic masts and periscopes

  SERO 250

  The SERO 250 is a compact submarine periscope that can be installed in both new-build and upgraded boats. Little or no structural modifications are required ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  SCTV

  The Survivable Combat Tactical Vehicle (SCTV), developed by Textron Marine & Land Systems and Granite Tactical Vehicles, is an upgrade solution for the AM General ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Airmor

  Airmor is an autonomous modular countermeasure SPS designed for helicopters and transport aircraft. Airmor’s core components are IMI’s management control unit (MCU), which processes information ...

• OPVs

  OPV 93C

  The OPV 93C is an offshore patrol vessel designed and developed by Cotecmar. The Colombian Navy ordered one platform in November 2022 and one in ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 500

  The MD 500 is a single-engine light helicopter derived from the Hughes OH-6A Cayuse developed for the US Army in the early 1960s and the ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  SandCat

  The 4x4 SandCat family of vehicles was designed by Israeli armour specialist Plasan Sasa in 2005 for a range of military, special operations, homeland security, ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Type 209/1200

  The Type 209/1200 diesel-electric submarine is a variant of the Type 209 submarine designed by the German company Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft exclusively for the export market. ...

• Naval guns

  OTO Strales/Davide

  The OTO Strales represents the second iteration of the OTO 76/62mm Super Rapido gun from Leonardo. The weapon, which is in service with the Italian ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  EMB-312 Tucano

  The EMB-312 Tucano (Brazilian designation T-27) is a trainer and light attack aircraft developed by Embraer to meet the training requirements of the Brazilian Air ...