• Defence Notes

  China set to receive S-400 air defence system from Russia

  16th April 2015

  After prolonged negotiations that have spanned years, it appears China is finally purchasing the Almaz-Antei S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile (SAM) system from Russia. This was …

• Naval Warfare

  SAS 2015: US Navy moves on LCS mission packages

  14th April 2015

  Development of the mission packages (MPs) for the US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is speeding up with a busy two years coming up. Speaking …

• Land Warfare

  First LRIP M109A7 howitzer delivered

  13th April 2015

  The first M109A7 155mm self-propelled howitzer was delivered to the US Army on 9 April that represented the beginning of Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP). Formerly …

• Naval Warfare

  SRSAM cleared for Indian Navy

  10th April 2015

  Following a seven-year wait India’s Defence Acquisition Council has cleared the way for production of the Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (SRSAM) for the Indian Navy. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Pakistan enjoys attack helicopter choices – American, Chinese or Russian?

  10th April 2015

  Pakistan has several choices as it seeks to expand its army attack helicopter fleet – American, Chinese and Russian. On 6 April 2015 it emerged …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy funds one LCS from Lockheed-led team

  3rd April 2015

  The US Navy has awarded a contract modification for a fully-funded 2015 Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) from the Lockheed Martin-led industry team, as announced by …

• Land Warfare

  China a stalwart of UN peacekeeping missions

  1st April 2015

  China, which currently has 2,370 personnel engaged in United Nations peacekeeping missions, is being lauded as a stalwart of such international endeavours. The majority of …

• Naval Warfare

  Japan inducts largest warship since WWII

  30th March 2015

  Japan formally received JS Izumo, its largest new warship since the end of World War Two, at the IHI Marine United shipyard in Yokohama on …

• Land Warfare

  Puma AIFV enters service amid spiralling costs

  27th March 2015

  The German Army’ new Puma AIFV will enter operational service in early April. But the Puma acquisition programme that started in 2002 has been hampered …

• Military Logistics

  UK to sign 13 year LCST contract with Leidos

  26th March 2015

  Following successful negotiations, the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) announced its intention to sign a 13 year logistics programme contract with Leidos on 24 March. …

• Land Warfare

  Ukroboronprom suggests T-72 tank upgrade

  25th March 2015

  Ukroboronprom has suggested an upgrade of around 300 T-72 tanks currently in the Ukrainian Army reserve to improve the defensive capabilities of the Ukrainian armed …

• Military Logistics

  Babcock delivers generator set in HMS Penzance

  24th March 2015

  Babcock has delivered and fitted a new generator set for HMS Penzance under the Sandown Volvo Generator Programme (SVGP), the company announced on 19 March. …

• Military Logistics

  NFS awarded US naval nuclear work options

  23rd March 2015

  Nuclear Fuel Services (NFS), a subsidiary of Babcock & Wilcox (B&W), has won contract options for work under the US Naval Nuclear Propulsion programme, as …

• Naval Warfare

  China ‘confirms’ construction of second aircraft carrier

  23rd March 2015

  Everyone has known for a long time that China is indigenously building a second aircraft carrier to bolster the solitary Liaoning imported from Ukraine. In …

• Digital Battlespace

  LIMA 2015: HeiTech improving simulation in Malaysia’s armed forces

  22nd March 2015

  HeiTech Defence Systems is stretching its technological boundaries with its Simulated Interactive Maintenance Aid (SIMA), which was designed to help Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 600 (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background $300 Million USAI (1 April 2022) On 1 April 2022, the US DoD announced a $300 million military aid package for Ukraine following ...

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

  Golden Eagle (NATO Member)

  Programme Background2022 Russian Invasion of UkraineFollowing Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the usage and effectiveness of micro and mini UAV platforms in the ...

• 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 ...

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

  SkyRanger R70 (Ukraine Aid) [Canada]

  Programme Background On 19 February 2024, the Canadian Defence Minister, Bill Blair, announced that the country would donate more than 800 SkyRanger R70 UAVs to ...

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

  RQ-35 Heidrun (Ukraine Aid) [Germany]

  Programme Background Delivered Units On 19 April 2022, Oryx reported that Denmark had given Ukraine 25 Sky-Watch's Heidrun mini-UAV units as aid following Russia's invasion ...

• Tanks

  Leopard 2A8 [Croatia]

  Programme Background Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Croatia becomes the latest in a string of Eastern/Central European countries to bolster its ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Heavy Lift Helicopter [Philippines]

  Programme Background Procurement from Russia In November 2021, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed that a contract had been signed to acquire 16 Mi-171 heavy ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Drones (Ukraine Aid) [Australia]

  Programme Background In April 2024, while in Lviv, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles announced a new AU$100 million military assistance package for Ukraine. This reaffirms ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 (Aid & Discounted Units) [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Pre Invasion Units The Ukrainian Army purchased 12 TB2 units in January 2019 for a reported $69 million. Deliveries began in June 2019, ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 (Pre-War) [Ukraine Navy]

  Programme Background Ukrainian Army The Ukraine Army purchased 12 TB2 units in January 2019 for a reported $69 million.  Contract According to Ukrainian Navy Commander ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Next Generation Fighter Aircraft (Vietnam)

  Programme Background Requirement The Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) operates an ageing fleet of Su-22 aircraft as well as Su-27s and Su-30s. According to expert commentary, ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 300 (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (16 March 2022 & 13 April 2022) On 16 March 2022, President Biden announced $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine through ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Phoenix Ghost (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (21 April 2022) Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, on 21 April 2022, President Biden announced an $800 ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Latvia]

  Programme Background Factory Visit On 7 June 2021, Baykar's official Twitter account announced that the Latvian Minister of Defence, Artis Pabrikis, had visited the Baykar ...

• Frigates

  Admiral Gorshkov Class (Project 22350) (1 - 8)

  Programme Background The Admiral Gorshkov-class is to consist of between 15 to 20 stealth frigates being built the Severnaya Verf shipyard in St. Petersburg for ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

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

  Shark

  The Shark is a fixed-wing catapult launched ISR UAV developed by Ukrspecsystems.  The platform's development began following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and within ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  Il-78M

  Based on the Il-76 transport, the Il-78 convertible tanker/transport aircraft first entered service in 1974 and was followed three years later by the improved Il-78M ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2

  The Bayraktar TB2, or Bayraktar-2, is a medium-altitude long-endurance UAV developed and manufactured by Baykar. The platform can conduct ISR and armed attack missions and has a ...

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

  Orion / Orion-E

  The Orion, sometimes called the Inokhodets, is the first Russian-manufactured MALE UAV that has been designed to carry out a wide variety of military surveillance applications. Russia has ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMP-1

  The BMP-1 (Bronevaya Maschina Piekhota-1) is a tracked amphibious IFV that was developed in the Soviet Union during the 1960s.  Entering service with the Soviet ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  KamAZ-43269 Vystrel

  The KamAZ-43269 Vystrel (originally known as the BPM-97) is a 4x4 armoured vehicle based on the proven KamAZ-4326 4x4 military truck chassis. Although development started in ...

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

  Eleron-3 (Series)

  The Eleron series comprises several variants, including Eleron-3 (T23E), Eleron-3SV, Eleron-B, Eleron-10 (T10D and 10E) and Eleron-10SV (T10). The Russian Armed Forces use Eleron-3 aircraft ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Orlan-10/10E

  Developed by the Russia-based Special Technology Center, the Orlan-10 is a medium-range UAS with many variants, such as the 10E, an export version introduced in 2017. The ...

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

  Mavic 3 (Series)

  The Mavic 3 is a rotary-wing UAV manufactured by DJI designed for commercial aerial photography and video capture. It has a Hasselblad L2D-20c two-camera payload, omnidirectional obstacle sensing, and ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Gerbera

  The Gerbera is a rudimentary Russian UAV manufactured by Gastello Design Bureau.  The drone's body is made of radar-absorbent foam, and the platform is reportedly available ...

• Tanks

  BMPT

  UVZ developed the BMPT Fire Support Combat Vehicle, nicknamed Terminator by the company, after studying the Russian Army's performance during the Chechen War. Designed to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Spectator M/M1

  The Spectator is a Ukrainian UAV series jointly developed by OJSC Meridian, a subsidiary of Ukroboronprom, and the National Technical University of Ukraine (KPI). The Spectator M1 is the ...

• Loitering munitions

  KYB

  The KYB, or Kub, is a loitering munition manufactured by the  Zala Aero Group.  The platform features a flying-wing design with a pusher propeller. It is designed to deliver ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  BTR-70

  The BTR-70 is an amphibious 8x8 armoured personnel carrier originally developed for the Soviet Union's armed forces. Produced in the Soviet Union from 1972 until ...

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

  Sukhoi S-70

  The Okhotnik-B, or the Sukhoi S-70, is an advanced UCAV. Sukhoi Design Bureau developed the Russian aircraft. In 2021, the Russian MoD stated the drone was to operate ...