• Land Warfare

  US services test wearable tech to improve soldier’s performance

  25th November 2024

  Developed by the USC Institute for Creative Technologies, the Lightning Platform is an app to assess warfighters’ physiology, metabolism and mental and cognitive status.

• Training

  Hadean completes live-virtual training capability for British Army

  1st October 2024

  Populating the World of Training is a project run by the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) and has been designed to bridge the real and synthetic worlds to provide more enhanced training for UK Armed Forces using Artificial Intelligence (AI).

• Land Warfare

  “Adversaries have adapted”: how counter-UAS and space control will decide future conflicts

  18th March 2025

  In conversation... EOS's Andreas Schwer talks to Shephard's Ben Watts about how the Australian company is shifting its strategic focus to two technologies it sees as essential for success on the modern battlefield - C-UAS and space control.

• Air Warfare

  Sikorsky given DARPA fund to install autonomy on US Army Black Hawk

  16th October 2024

  The Lockheed Martin company plans to integrate the MATRIX system into the MX helicopter by 2025.

• Land Warfare

  Europe’s next-generation tank crawls forward and adopts a proven process

  5th May 2025

  The Franco-German Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) is ambitious and is using a procurement system which has had some success in the continent’s aircraft purchasing processes with a separate company established and subsystems identified.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army accelerates acquisition and field of company-level sUAS

  9th October 2024

  The service has been using a Directed Requirement (DR) approach to speed up the deployment of a Medium Range Reconnaissance capability.

• Air Warfare

  Indian defence budget boosted by 9% as MoD heralds a “year of reforms”

  7th February 2025

  This new budget announcement, which has an increased focus on domestic procurement, comes as international countries arrive ahead of Aero India 2025.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures

  6th March 2025

  The Russia-Ukraine conflict has driven another stage of evolution for drones and the counter measures to defend against them.

• Land Warfare

  Kazakhstan to build new 8x8s based on Singapore’s Terrex

  11th December 2024

  Singapore’s ST Engineering will help Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering set up in-country production capability and provide technical support.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  FTUAS competitor trials were “very successful”, says US Army official

  1st October 2024

  Prototypes from Griffon Aerospace and Textron Systems recently passed through MOSA conformance trials and flight tests.

• Defence Notes

  Incoming Irish government backs plans for larger defence force

  17th January 2025

  It has been more than six weeks since the Irish general election. After long negotiations, a coalition of two of the three largest parties and independents has resulted in a Programme for Government (PfG) which will form the basis of a government almost guaranteed to be formed on 22 January.

• Land Warfare

  Trophy APS ordered for new German Leopards

  4th December 2024

  Rafael Advanced Defence Systems’ Trophy active protection system (APS) has been deployed extensively onboard armoured vehicles used by the Israeli Army.

• Land Warfare

  Textron to make improvements to Ripsaw M5 and M3 UGVs

  22nd October 2024

  The company has been partnering with several suppliers to enhance the autonomy of its platforms.

• Air Warfare

  Sikorsky’s UH-60M Black Hawk given boost as Greece and Australia share fleet updates

  29th October 2024

  Australia and Greece are among a group of nations who have recently placed orders for UH-60M Black Hawks to replace their ageing fleets and boost their armed forces’ operational capabilities.

• Air Warfare

  Thailand-bound AH-6i helicopter completes first flight

  4th October 2024

  A total of eight aircraft will replace the Royal Thai Army’s ageing AH-IF Cobra fleet as part of a contract deal worth US$103.8 million.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  J-10 [China]

  Programme Background The aircraft performed its maiden flight in 1998 and entered service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) in 2004. According to ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Data links

  Data links | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Corvettes

  Jiangdao Class (Type 056)

  Programme Background The Type 056 corvette is referred to by the Chinese as the new-generation light guided-missile frigates. They have been built for the People's Liberation ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | S26T (2-3) [Thailand]

  The Royal Thai Navy were in the process of acquiring up to three new submarines derived from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Yuan-class (Type ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | S26T (2-3) [Thailand]

  The Royal Thai Navy were in the process of acquiring up to three new submarines derived from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Yuan-class (Type ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Rapid Minelayers Procurement (1-4) [Taiwan]

  Development and Procurement Four new rapid minelayers are being built for the Taiwanese Navy in a bid to counter the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Rapid Minelayers Procurement (5-10) [Taiwan]

  Programme Background Requirements The revelation of a Chinese bridge-barge landing system for amphibious operations, designed for a Taiwan invasion, has underscored the need for Taipei ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Kalyani M4 (India)

  Programme Background In the wake of border clashes with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 2020, the Indian Army has accelerated several of its ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Taiwan]

  Programme Background The Black Hawks are intended to defend against potential threats from China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), as they possess rapid response capability in ...

• Frigates

  Jiangkai II Class (Type 054A)

  Built by Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard and Huangpu shipyards the frigates were first seen being constructed from 2005. The class is referred to as the workhorses of China's ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  VP1/Type 89 (Nigeria)

  Programme Background The Nigerian Army has an ongoing need for new armoured vehicles to replace losses incurred in its conflict with extremist organisations operating within ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• AEW&C, Transport

  Y-8

  The Y-8 (Yunshuji-8) medium-sized transport and multirole aircraft was developed by Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation and is based on the Soviet Antonov An-12. More than 36 ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Z-8

  Developed by Changhe Aircraft Industry Group, the Z-8 (known also as Z-18) is a derivative of the AC313 civil helicopter, which is itself a copy of ...

• Submachine guns

  CS/LS2

  Norinco’s CS/LS2 is a 9mm bullpup SMG designed for use with a suppressor. It has been in service with the People's Liberation Army since about ...

• Fighter - multirole

  J-8

  The J-8 (NATO reporting name Finback) is a multirole fighter domestically developed by China. It has design similarities with Soviet MiG-21 and Su-15 aircraft.  The ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  KZ-800

  China National Electronics Import and Export’s (CEIEC) KZ-800 is an airborne Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) gathering system believed to be in widespread use onboard People’s Liberation ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  Type GCZ110

  Norinco announced in 2014 that it had completed development of the Type GCZ110 armoured engineer vehicle based on a modified Type 79 tank chassis equipped ...

• Main battle tanks

  VT2

  The 125mm-armed VT2 tracked MBT, which was unveiled at DSA 2012, is the export version of the People's Liberation Army Type 96A. As of early ...

• Fighter - ground attack

  J-16

  The J-16 is a multirole fighter developed by China. It is based on the J-11 air superiority fighter, itself a licence-built version of the Russian ...

• EO/IR systems

  Loong Eye LE380

  The Loong Eye (Dragon's Eye) LE380 is a two-axis stabilised gimbal incorporating EO/IR sensors, laser designators, and laser rangefinders. Originally developed by the Luoyang Opto-Electro ...

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

  Sky Saker FX400A

  The Sky Saker FX400A is a fixed-wing drone manufactured by Norinco. Capable of hosting both ISR and attack payloads, such as the Blue Arrow 7 ...

• Air-to-air missiles, Surface-to-air missiles

  TY-90

  TY-90 is a multi-purpose, short-range, IR-guided, tactical surface-to-air missile developed by China to defend against helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and cruise missiles at low and super-low ...

• Medium/general-purpose machine guns

  Type 80

  The Type 80 is a general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) manufactured by Norinco in China, based on the Soviet PKM. Certified in 1980, it entered PLA ...

• Air-launched ASW torpedoes, Ship-launched torpedoes

  Yu-11 lightweight torpedo

  Yu-11 is a Chinese-made surface and air-launched lightweight torpedo to repel submarine threats from long distances.

• Light tanks

  Type 62

  The Type 62 light tank entered production for the Chinese People's Liberation Army in 1963. Essentially a smaller, lighter clone of the Type 59 MBT, it is ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  CTL-181

  Produced by Dongfeng Motor Corporation, the CTL-181 is a 6x6 armoured tactical vehicle designed for the People's Liberation Army (PLA). The PLA uses the CTL-181 ...