• Land Warfare

  Thailand shows off VT4s for the first time

  2nd February 2018

  Last week the Royal Thai Army (RTA) demonstrated the performance and firepower of its new Norinco VT4 tanks for the first time in an effort …

• Training

  AECOM receives rotary wing training services contract

  22nd January 2018

  AECOM has received a nine-year contract from the US Army to provide rotary wing flight training instructor support services at Fort Rucker, Alabama, the company …

• Training

  HATS programme accepts first students

  22nd January 2018

  The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the Australian Army have begun training rotary wing crew at a new joint helicopter school as part of the …

• Naval Warfare

  Will the budget prepare the US Navy for a war with China?

  2nd February 2018

  With an eye on conventional warfare with China and Russia, Pentagon leaders say they are preparing for a maritime fight. But questions loom as to …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russia’s Southern MD receives two Ka-52s

  25th January 2018

  The helicopter regiment of the Russian armed forces’ Southern Military District (MD) has received two Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopters, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced …

• Digital Battlespace

  China pushing forward on weaponised AI

  12th January 2018

  China is not fooling around about becoming the world leader in weaponised artificial intelligence (AI), including killer robots and smart systems that can locate enemy troops without …

• Training

  New WTCS system for satellite operators

  23rd January 2018

  The US Army's Cyber Center of Excellence (USACCoE) has introduced a Wideband Training and Certification System (WTCS) for satellite operators, it was announced on 17 …

• Defence Notes

  China’s military asked to prepare for war

  5th January 2018

  Chinese President Xi Jinping has issued a blunt call for China's military to be ready for war and unafraid to die defending the country, as …

• Defence Notes

  Clamour of calls for more UK military funds

  23rd January 2018

  Michael Fallon, former Defence Secretary of the UK, has joined calls for more British military spending, as the head of the army said the country …

• Defence Helicopter

  Jordan gets more Black Hawks to bolster defences

  28th January 2018

  The United States delivered another two Black Hawk helicopters to key Arab ally Jordan on 28 January to help protect the kingdom's borders and counter …

• Defence Helicopter

  Orbital ATK details flares contract modification

  24th January 2018

  Orbital ATK has received a contract modification from General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems to supply illuminating flares for the Hydra-70 rocket, the company announced …

• Land Warfare

  SHOT Show 2018: New FCS for shoulder-launched weapons

  25th January 2018

  German optic specialists Hensoldt has used this year’s SHOT Show in Las Vegas to unveil a new fire control system (FCS) optimised for shoulder-launched weapons. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Singapore Airshow 2018: India plans ballistic protection for under-fire helicopters

  29th January 2018

  India is looking at the procurement and installation of lightweight fibre-based armour plating in the cargo compartments of seven Mi-17V-5 helicopters under a national competitive …

• Defence Helicopter

  British Army’s Lynx officially retired

  18th January 2018

  The British Army has officially retired its Lynx helicopter fleet after almost 40 years in service, the army announced on 16 January. Lynx entered into …

• Special Operations

  Cubic's GATR satellite approved for FRP

  18th January 2018

  Cubic Mission Solutions has received approval to begin full rate production (FRP) of GATR satellite antenna systems for the US Army’s Transportable Tactical Command Communications …

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 ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | S26T (2-3) [Thailand]

  The Royal Thai Navy were in the process of acquiring up to three new submarines derived from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Yuan-class (Type ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | S26T (2-3) [Thailand]

  The Royal Thai Navy were in the process of acquiring up to three new submarines derived from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Yuan-class (Type ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Taiwan]

  Programme Background The Black Hawks are intended to defend against potential threats from China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), as they possess rapid response capability in ...

• 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 ...

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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Type 19 8x8

  The Type 19 8x8 is a family of vehicles developed for use by the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 - 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Main battle 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 ...

• 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 defeat submarine threats from long distances.

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  BZK-005

  The BZK-005 is a Chinese-made HALE UAS that debuted at Airshow China in November 2018. The platform is designed for wide-area ISR tasks, and in ...