• Land Warfare

  DefExpo 2018: Is Indian artillery set to boom?

  12th April 2018

  Two locally developed artillery pieces – the ATAGS and Dhanush – participated in a live demonstration at the DefExpo 2018 exhibition in Chennai. Although they …

• Defence Helicopter

  Indian Ka-226T training programme prepared

  17th April 2018

  Russian Helicopters has developed a Ka-226T training programme tailored for the Indian Air Force and Army, the company announced on 11 April.The programme will see …

• Land Warfare

  British Army SA80 A3 fielding begins

  13th April 2018

  Fielding of the first tranche of upgraded SA80 A3 rifles to the British Army has begun, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 11 …

• Defence Notes

  US-Nigeria hold military summit in Abuja

  16th April 2018

  On 16 April, military top brass from across Africa kicked off a conference co-hosted by the US aimed at boosting cooperation between countries fighting extremist …

• Land Warfare

  Lasers are coming, but are personnel protected?

  23rd April 2018

  The US Army’s recent tests of high-energy laser systems, including on the Stryker combat vehicle, illustrates a potential problem with their use; the safety of personnel …

• Defence Notes

  Algerian military transport crash leaves 257 dead

  11th April 2018

  At least 257 people, mostly soldiers and members of their families, were killed in an Algerian military plane crash 11 April the defence ministry said. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  China explores unmanned tank technology

  22nd March 2018

  CCTV-7, a Chinese state-owned military channel, recently showed television footage of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) testing an unmanned Type 59 medium tank. Described as …

• Defence Notes

  Iran not pursuing 'aggression' against neighbours

  18th April 2018

  President Hassan Rouhani said on 18 April that Iran ‘does not intend any aggression’ against its neighbours but will continue to produce all the weapons …

• Military Logistics

  US Army fields GCSS-Army Inc 1

  4th April 2018

  The US Army’s Global Combat Support System-Army (GCSS-Army) Increment I logistics system has been fully rolled out by Northrop Grumman, the company announced on 27 …

• Land Warfare

  Russian SMD receives new BMP-3 IFVs

  12th April 2018

  The Russian Southern Military District (SMD) 58th Combined-Arms Army motorised rifle formation has received the first batch of new BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles (IFV), the …

• Defence Helicopter

  DSA 2018: Indonesia receives final Apache Guardians

  11th April 2018

  The Indonesian Army received its five remaining AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters on 29 March. Photos of the arrival and unloading of the helicopters from a …

• Defence Helicopter

  Two killed in US Army Apache crash

  7th April 2018

  Two US soldiers with an airborne combat brigade died when their Apache helicopter crashed during a routine training mission at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, the army …

• Digital Battlespace

  German, Dutch armies look to deepen C4I integration

  17th April 2018

  Cooperation between Dutch and German armies looks set to deepen further as both countries explore ways of increasing interoperability in key areas such as communications …

• Defence Helicopter

  Rockwell Collins cements domestic support in Brazil

  17th April 2018

  Rockwell Collins is seeking to expand its reach in South America through military partnerships and agreements that will bring support direct to customers within the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army continues pursuit of robotic technologies

  4th April 2018

  The US Army continues to seek transition from several thousand unique robots to an enduring programme of record with a contract award for the engineering …

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 ...