• Defence Notes

  Special operations commanders outline key challenges

  22nd May 2014

  US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) theatre commanders have shed light on the developing requirements in training, concepts of operations and equipment in their area of …

• Digital Battlespace

  ILA 2014: ESA confident of Galileo launch targets

  22nd May 2014

  The European Space agency (ESA) is confident it will meet its target of launching four more Galileo navigation satellites into orbit by the end of …

• Defence Helicopter

  AAR to continue CH-47 component repair work

  21st May 2014

  AAR’s component repair support work for Boeing’s US Army CH-47 Helicopter Recapitalization Program is to be continued and expanded under a new contract win announced …

• Military Logistics

  SOFIC: USSOCOM prioritises logistical issues for future ops

  21st May 2014

  The logistics chain is the ‘biggest challenge’ facing USSOCOM, director of the organisation’s Special Operations Research, Development and Acquisition Center James Geurts has claimed. Addressing …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SOFIC: McRaven sheds light on UAS strategy and Afghanistan future

  20th May 2014

  USSOCOM Commander Adm Bill McRaven has listed his aspirations for unmanned support of his organisation, while future commitment to Afghanistan continues to be considered, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2014: North Dakota law enforcement researches SUAS use

  14th May 2014

  A project is underway in north east North Dakota to research the use of small UAS for law enforcement purposes, Alan Frazier, assistant professor for …

• Digital Battlespace

  Sea Giraffe

  13th May 2014

  Saab has introduced five new additions to its Giraffe surface radar family, including AESA technology for sea and land applications, the company has revealed. Launched …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A: US Army considers endgame for Kiowas

  7th May 2014

  The US Army is now considering possible options for its OH-58 Kiowa Warrior Scout and TH-67 training helicopters being divested as part of its aviation …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A: Bell looks towards the future of vertical lift

  6th May 2014

  Bell Helicopter is bracing itself for some potentially difficult years as the company looks to offset declining US military revenue with increased international sales. The …

• Land Warfare

  MoD awards MBDA FLAADS Land assessment phase contract

  1st May 2014

  MBDA has been awarded a £36 million contract to assess the development of a land variant for the Future Local Area Air Defence System (FLAADS …

• Military Logistics

  French interest in Terrier CEV

  1st May 2014

  France is to assess the Terrier Combat Engineer Vehicle (CEV) as part of a COTS submission for its combat engineer requirements, it has emerged. David …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Airbus launches Zephyr 8 project

  25th April 2014

  Airbus Defence and Space announced on 23 April that it had launched the Zephyr 8 programme to develop the next generation of the world record …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris awarded US Navy broadband SATCOM contract

  21st April 2014

  Harris Corporation will provide the US Navy with additional shipboard terminals to provide crew access to high-bandwidth voice and data communications under a new contract …

• Defence Helicopter

  New Zealand’s first SH-2G(I) helicopter takes flight

  16th April 2014

  The Kaman programme to deliver ten NZ SH-2G(I) Super Seasprite helicopters to New Zealand has achieved a significant milestone, with the first helicopter commencing production …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Threat of armed UAV proliferation questioned

  15th April 2014

  A US report on the proliferation of armed UAVs has downplayed the likelihood of such weapon systems becoming a credible threat, claiming that the potential …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Wing Loong I-D [Eygpt]

  Programme Background Context According to SIPRI, 10 Wing Loong I UAVs were acquired from China in 2016, with deliveries occurring from 2016 to 2018. The Chinese Sohu newspaper reported that ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  San Antonio LPD 17 Flight I [USN]

  The LPD 17 Flight I ships are the first flight of the San Antonio-class Landing Platform Docks (LPD). Procured between FY1996 and FY2017, the vessels ...

• Tanks

  Arjun Mark-II

  Programme Background While original plans envisioned the production of up to 250 Arjun Mk IIs, the programme's many delays have prompted the Indian Army to ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (9-22) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B Batch-II ...

• Tanks

  Al-Khalid-I

  Programme Background Pakistan operates a vast fleet of Chinese and Ukrainian MBTs primarily aimed at deterring regional rivals such as India. In order to build ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (1-4) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B Batch-II fast attack ...

• Tanks

  Al-Khalid-II

  Programme Background Pakistan operates a vast fleet of Chinese and Ukrainian MBTs primarily aimed at deterring regional rivals such as India. In order to build ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (5-8) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW 212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Fast Interceptor Craft - Indigenous (FIC-I) (India)

  Programme Background Requirements The craft are required to have a length of 13-17m, a sustained speed of 45kt, a range of at least 200nm at 15kt, ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  New Exploration and Escort Helicopter (NEES) (Phase II) [Italy]

  Programme Background Phase I In 2017, the Italian government signed a contract with Leonardo to replace its fleet of AW129 Mangusta attack helicopters with the ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  KSS-III (Boats 1-3) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Timeline The new KSS-III Dosan Ahn Chang-Ho-class submarines for the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) are a significant advance on the earlier KSS-II ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (Japan)

  Programme Background Selection & Contract AwardIn 2015, Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft were selected by Japan to ...

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

  Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) (Phase II) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) provides short-range day and night ISR to US Army units at the squad, platoon and other small ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) (Phase II) [USA]

  In 2018, the US Army selected the FLIR Systems Black Hornet Personal Reconnaissance System (PRS) for Phase I of its Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) programme. ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) (Phase II) [USA]

  In 2018, the US Army selected the FLIR Systems Black Hornet Personal Reconnaissance System (PRS) for Phase I of its Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) programme. ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Subsystems: software

  SWORD

  The SWORD is a high-level, automated war-game solution for training, analysis and planning. Developed in close relation with armies worldwide, the SWORD immerses brigade and ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  TAOS

  In Tactical Aircraft Online Services (TAOS), live Aero L-29 jets are flown by experienced combat pilots alongside a wingman flying a ground-based flight simulator, controlled ...

• Land: fire support simulators

  FIDex

  Fidelity has merged the technology of its JTAC and IDF product lines. It released FIDex (Fidelity Extreme) at I/ITSEC 2011 with its first demo of ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators, Land: tactical engagement simulators

  VBS Blue IG

  At I/ITSEC 2017, Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim) unveiled a new simulation technology to help international militaries train for operations. VBS Blue IG, an upgrade from the ...

• Subsystems: visual

  EP-8100

  At I/ITSEC 2015, Collins Aerospace (formerly Rockwell Collins) unveiled its EP-8100 image generation system, which is driven by real-time, simulation-specific graphics cards and software. It ...

• Subsystems: visual

  WholeEarth Synthetic Environment

  Rockwell Collins unveiled its enhanced synthetic training environment, WholeEarth, at I/ITSEC 2015 and the official release occurred in May 2016. The high-resolution complete Earth database ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  ULV MicroVSAT

  Ultra I&C;'s ULV MicroVSAT is a tri-band, lightweight SATCOM terminal that emphasises portability. First introduced in 2022, the modem-agnostic system supports WGS, Intelsat Flex, Inmarsat GX ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Cockerill i-X

  The Cockerill i-X is a wheeled armoured vehicle designed as a light armoured platform with a modular turret for intercepting enemy forces. John Cockerill Defense unveiled the new ...

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

  ALTIUS-600 / ALTIUS-600M

  Part of the ALTIUS family, the ALTIUS-600 is an air-launched, tube-integrated UAV that Area-I has designed to conduct ISR, SIGINT collection and electronic warfare missions.  At AUSA 2022, Anduril ...

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

  Wing Loong I

  Designed by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, the Wing Loong I is the first member of the ...

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

  Skylark I-LEX

  The Skylark I-LEX is a mini-UAV manufactured by Elbit Systems.  Unveiled at the Paris Air Show 2015, the UAV is designed for ISR operations. It enables ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  Pinaka

  The Pinaka 214mm MRL was developed indigenously by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) from 1986 to meet the Indian Army's requirement for an ...

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

  Anka-I

  Anka-I is a SIGINT/COMINT variant of Turkey’s Anka-S and is operated by Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization. The COMINT capability allows operators to track, geolocate and ...

• Air: aerial targets

  QF-16 FSAT

  The QF-16 Full Scale Aerial Target (FSAT) is an optionally piloted supersonic aerial target developed to replace the QF-4 in USAF service. Retired F-16 fighters are ...

• Air: mission management systems

  I-C2F

  The Integrated Command and Control Framework (I-C2F) provides an end-to-end C2 architecture delivering J1-J9 functionality across the joint battlespace. As well as C2 messaging and ...