• Land Warfare

  Hydrogen for vehicles jumps forward

  31st January 2017

  A joint venture between General Motors (GM) and Honda has been set up for the mass production of a hydrogen fuel cell systems for vehicles.  The Fuel …

• Naval Warfare

  UDT Asia: China commissions MCMV

  11th January 2017

  China commissioned a fifth Wozang-class mine countermeasures vessel (MCMV) on 29 December 2016, the type distinguished by the fact that it is designed to operate …

• Land Warfare

  Romania orders more Piranha III vehicles

  26th January 2017

  General Dynamics European Land Systems will deliver a fifth batch of Piranha III 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicles to the Romanian armed forces under a contract …

• Special Operations

  SHOT Show: US Army to test Aimpoint FCS

  25th January 2017

  Aimpoint representatives have acknowledged that the US Army is preparing to test the latest model of the Fire Control System (FCS) for crew-served weapons like …

• Land Warfare

  Orbital ATK details NSA contract

  25th January 2017

  Orbital ATK will supply non-US standard ammunition (NSA) to the US Department of Defense in support of international allies under a $50 million order announced …

• Land Warfare

  Sig wins US pistol after delays

  26th January 2017

  With the selection of the Sig Sauer P320 pistol as the US Army’s new XM17 modular handgun system the question is now if further delays …

• Defence Helicopter

  Brazilian Army extends Cougars’ life

  23rd January 2017

  The Brazilian Army is extending the life of two additional HM-3 Cougar medium multirole helicopters following an amendment contract to Helibras, the Brazilian helicopter manufacturer. …

• Land Warfare

  Turkey launches tank upgrade

  6th February 2017

  The Turkish armament procurement organisation, SSM, has launched a competition for the upgrade of 200 main battle tanks (MBTs). While the requirements are still being …

• Land Warfare

  L3 awarded M783 mortar fuze modification

  23rd January 2017

  L3 Technologies will supply an unnamed international customer with the M783 Point Detonating/Delay (PD/DLY) Mortar Fuze under a $32 million contract modification announced on 19 …

• Special Operations

  Danish SF to acquire nano UAVs

  2nd February 2017

  Danish special forces are looking to improve their tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities with the acquisition of nano unmanned aerial systems (NUAS). Tender …

• Land Warfare

  Analysis: Ammo revolution

  9th February 2017

  A revolution is occurring in armaments that is as great as the move from smoothbore to rifled weapons. It portends a leap in lethality and …

• Land Warfare

  Indian Army to receive lightweight helmets

  22nd January 2017

  Indian company MKU will start ballistic helmet deliveries in June after it won an order for 158,000 units for the Indian Army late last year. …

• Land Warfare

  Indian Spike buy ahead

  20th January 2017

  The Indian Army is on the verge of acquiring the Israeli Spike anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) systems to equip its infantry battalions and mechanised units. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Italy reveals AW129 replacement

  19th January 2017

  Replacement of the Italian Army’s AW129 with a new exploration and escort (NEES) helicopter has come to light, further to a joint contract between Leonardo Helicopters and the …

• Defence Notes

  Philippines receives US arms

  2nd February 2017

  On 27 January the US delivered batches of infantry weapons and an unmanned vehicle system to the Philippines Armed Forces (AFP). These were purchased by …

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 ...