• Defence Helicopter

  AH-64E Apache set for record production rates

  7th December 2017

  The AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopter is being tipped to reach 'historically high' production figures of up to 100 aircraft a year by 2021. More …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop awarded LTAMDS work

  13th December 2017

  Northrop Grumman has received a contract from the US Army’s Lower Tier Programme Office to perform work under the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Three selected for HALE UAV laser development

  11th December 2017

  Boeing has been awarded a $9 million contract for the phase one effort of the US Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) Low Power Laser Demonstrator (LPLD) …

• Special Operations

  US Army outlines $1 billion in SOF training opportunities

  7th December 2017

  Last week’s I/ITSEC exhibition in Orlando, Florida, featured updates on training programmes across the armed services. As the US Army Project Manager for Instrumentation, Targets and Threat …

• Military Logistics

  Northrop to support US Army’s SEMA fleet

  12th December 2017

  Northrop Grumman has received a $750 million contract from US Army to provide lifecycle services for the Special Electronic Mission Aircraft (SEMA) fleet, the company …

• Training

  Meggitt pursues LAV 6 training opportunities

  8th December 2017

  Meggitt Training Systems recently displayed its Armoured Fighting Vehicle training system at this year's I/ITSEC event in Orlando, Florida, which has been supplied to the …

• Land Warfare

  Singapore unleashes new HIMARS capabilities

  7th December 2017

  The Singapore Army has upgraded the capability of its M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) by introducing a new battery command post (CP) and …

• Land Warfare

  Patriots came at too high of a price for Poland

  13th December 2017

  The cost of the first phase of the Wisla medium range air and missile defence programme seemingly came as a bitter surprise to government officials …

• Land Warfare

  Russia receives new missile, artillery systems

  7th December 2017

  The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has detailed the delivery of new equipment to its land forces. The newly formed artillery formation of the Russian …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2017: US Army trials blast test dummies (video)

  4th December 2017

  The US Army Research Laboratory is pioneering studies into test dummies that accurately represent what happens to the human body when involved in a vehicle …

• Land Warfare

  France receives first MMP weapon systems

  4th December 2017

  The French armed forces has received the first batch of 50 missiles and 20 firing posts of the medium-range Missile Moyen Portee (MMP) missile, MBDA …

• Defence Notes

  GDA 2017: The threat from Houthi missiles (analysis)

  12th December 2017

  A bewilderingly rapid series of events have rocked the Middle East recently as the smouldering Iran-Saudi Arabia rivalry threatened to turn hot.  This is especially …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Shadow UAS sustainment continues for Italy, US

  8th December 2017

  Italy will look to maintain its current Shadow V2 fleet through the next decade after awarding an $8.1 million sustainment contract to Textron Systems Unmanned …

• Military Logistics

  US Army embraces big data for logistics

  4th December 2017

  The US Army’s Logistics Support Agency (LOGSA) is enhancing its use of data, working with IBM to analyse trends and even predict failures in its …

• Training

  Singapore develops C2 tool for wargames

  7th December 2017

  The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) collaborated to develop a networked C2 system dedicated for Exercise Forging Sabre, a …

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...