• Defence Helicopter

  Pentagon eyes new 'knife fighter' helicopter

  25th June 2018

  US Army leaders are moving forward with plans to develop and field a new attack reconnaissance helicopter and are shooting to have two prototypes in …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Oshkosh to integrate PLS vehicles with autonomous technology

  3rd July 2018

  Oshkosh Defense has received a $49 million contract to integrate existing Palletized Load System (PLS) vehicles with autonomous technology as part of the US Army’s …

• Special Operations

  Rheinmetall receives laser light contract

  6th July 2018

  Rheinmetall has received a contract from Germany’s procurement authority to supply a lightweight, assault rifle-mounted laser light package for German Army special operators, the company …

• Defence Helicopter

  South Korea issues naval helicopter requirement

  11th July 2018

  On 14 June the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced the launch of its search for a second batch of naval helicopters – 12 in …

• Defence Notes

  France brings back national service

  28th June 2018

  The army general in charge of bringing back national service in France said on 28 June that he would try to make it appealing for …

• Special Operations

  Belgium inaugurates Special Operations Regiment

  6th July 2018

  The Belgian Ministry of Defence (MoD) officially inaugurated the Special Operations Regiment (SOR) on 3rd July as part of a wider move to increase the …

• Land Warfare

  Patriot maintenance delays hindering US Army training

  21st June 2018

  At a time when potential US threats could quickly increase the demand for Patriot surface-to-air missile systems, maintenance delays are hampering solider training. In a …

• Military Logistics

  US Army looks beyond SUSV

  29th June 2018

  The US Army is exploring the potential of an all-terrain type vehicle that could perform missions similar to those of the currently fielded Small Unit …

• Special Operations

  Indian SOF tighten selection processes

  6th July 2018

  Indian special operations forces are to integrate extended levels of psychology tests into selection courses and other training programs in order to assess the suitability …

• Naval Warfare

  Pakistan turns to China for modern frigates

  5th June 2018

  The Pakistan Navy (PN) signed a deal with the China Shipbuilding Trading Company (CSTC) on 1 June for two additional Type 054A multi-mission frigates. The …

• Land Warfare

  UK studies joining European tank effort

  25th June 2018

  Despite its imminent break up with the European Union the UK government has not ruled out involvement in future European defence projects, including the development …

• Land Warfare

  Industry positions for Canada's upcoming ACSV requirement

  26th June 2018

  Industry is positioning for a burgeoning Canadian Army requirement that looks set to replace the service's legacy M113s, along with its 8x8 Bison fleet. The …

• Military Logistics

  US Army orders additional FMTVs

  19th June 2018

  Oshkosh Defense has received four additional orders from the US Army to provide its Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV), the company announced on 14 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  British Army announces Autonomous Warrior

  22nd June 2018

  The British Army will carry out a four-week Autonomous Warrior (Land) exercise in November, the UK Ministry of Defence announced on 20 June. The exercise …

• Training

  AEgis receives SE Core contract from Leidos

  27th June 2018

  AEgis Technologies has been selected as a subcontractor to Leidos for the US Army’s Synthetic Environment Core (SE Core) programme, the company announced on 25 …

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Corvettes

  Shadhinota Class (Type C13B)

  The Shadhinota class (Type C13B) corvettes are a platform based on the Type 056 Jiangdao class used by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), built by the ...

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

  J-22 Loyal Wingman [China]

  Background J-20 Loyal Wingman In 2024, at the biennial Zhuhai air show in southern China, the FH-97A was displayed, a drone designed to, among other things, ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  S26T [Thailand]

  Programme Background The Royal Thai Navy has been in the process of acquiring a new submarine for a number of years. They formally selected China's ...

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 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  J-10

  The J-10 (NATO reporting name Firebird) is a multirole fighter developed by China to replace second-generation J-7 and Q-5 aircraft. The aircraft is also known ...

• 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 ...

• 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.

• 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 ...