• Defence Helicopter

  Aero India 2017: IAI consolidates presence in India

  16th February 2017

  Illustrating its continued contribution to India's defence industry, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) signed two agreements on 15 February, the second day of Aero India 2017, …

• Land Warfare

  General Dynamics to upgrade LAV III vehicles

  13th February 2017

  General Dynamics Land Systems–Canada will upgrade Canada's Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) III vehicles under a CAD $404 million contract amendment announced on 10 February.The company …

• Digital Battlespace

  China continues AEW aircraft advances

  3rd February 2017

  As the first US Navy E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft were arriving in Japan on 2 February, it emerged that China is pursuing …

• Land Warfare

  Raytheon begins Patriot enhancements

  14th February 2017

  Raytheon will enhance the Patriot Air and Missile Defense System under a contract issued by the US Army Contracting Command, the company announced on 13 …

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2017: Cluster bombs removed from US missiles

  22nd February 2017

  Progress towards removing cluster munitions from the US Army's long-range MGM-140 Tactical Missile System (TACMS) is a step closer. Lockheed Martin announced at IDEX that …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Aero India 2017: India develops micro-UAVs to UCAVs

  17th February 2017

  A range of indigenous Indian UAVs – from micro-UAVs all the way up to a MALE platform – was on full display at Aero India …

• Land Warfare

  Australian air defence proposals emerge

  10th February 2017

  Australia is seeking to further improve its mobile Short Range Air Defence capability. Sources have told Shephard that this could develop into a request for …

• Digital Battlespace

  Aero India 2017: Rafael scores big in airborne SDRs

  17th February 2017

  Rafael is getting ready to supply its BNET-AR, part of the Israeli company's software-defined radio family, to the Indian Air Force (IAF) in serious quantities.Speaking …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IDEX 2017: Ukraine assesses armed ground robots

  20th February 2017

  The Ukrainian government is in the final evaluation stage for an armed unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) concept known as 'Fantom'.Developed by the company Spets Techno …

• Defence Helicopter

  ​Russian Helicopters finalising PSV tests

  17th February 2017

  Russian Helicopters is finishing tests of a new high-speed helicopter that will be designed for speeds up to 405 km/h, according to an official spokesperson …

• Land Warfare

  Aero India 2017: Thales to Make in India

  15th February 2017

  A memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Thales and Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) will explore opportunities for the transfer of technology of the Starstreak missile …

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2017: Lazar aims for Africa

  20th February 2017

  The new Lazar III 8x8 multi-role armoured vehicle, built by Serbia's Yugoimport, is being pushed towards the export market in Africa.A spokesperson from the company …

• Land Warfare

  More European interest for K9 artillery

  8th February 2017

  The small Baltic state of Estonia has become the latest European country to express interest in the K9 'Thunder' self-propelled howitzer, indicating growing popularity for …

• Land Warfare

  Indian Army seeks minefield-clearing tech

  6th February 2017

  The Indian Army wants to use fuel-air explosives (FAE) to clear minefields for faster mobility on the battlefield. It has sought the help of the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Systematic awarded contract from US Army

  7th February 2017

  Systematic will supply its SitaWare solution to the US Army under a multi-million dollar contract announced on 3 February.The commercial-off-the-shelf command and control system is …

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 ...