• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA 2016: Future Vertical Lift takes off (video)

  28th September 2016

  The US Army is currently looking for a new generation of rotorcraft to replace some of its in-service helicopters through its Future Vertical Lift (FVL) …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Bravura awarded aerostat management contract

  29th September 2016

  Bravura Information Technology Systems has been awarded a $305.7 million contract by the US Army for operation, maintenance and sustainment of its aerostats, it announced …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2016: M109A7 contributes to Army modernisation

  26th September 2016

  One of the US Army’s little noticed combat vehicle success stories is actually being pioneered by an artillery system, the M109A7 - formerly the M109 …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2016: MUTT family grows

  26th September 2016

  General Dynamic Land Systems has expanded its range of load-carrying ground robots – known as the multipurpose unmanned tactical transport (MUTT) - to include heavier …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2016: GD and Boeing embark on laser quest

  5th October 2016

  General Dynamics Land Systems is displaying a Stryker MEHEL 2.0 vehicle that is fitted with a 5kW laser from Boeing. The plan is to offer …

• Defence Helicopter

  Poland scraps H225M buy

  5th October 2016

  The Polish government has cancelled its proposed plan to buy 50 H225M Caracal helicopters from Airbus Helicopters, media reports indicate. Uncertainty has surrounded the $3.5bn …

• Land Warfare

  Denmark shortlists three companies for artillery competition

  27th September 2016

  Elbit Systems, Hanwha Techwin and Nexter Systems have been shortlisted by the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO) for the competition to supply the …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2016: New modular sniper rifle debuts

  3rd October 2016

  Austrian-based firearms design and manufacturing company Ritter & Stark is launching its SX-1 Modular Tactical Rifle (MTR).  A subsidiary of HPP Precision Products, the company …

• Defence Notes

  PLA theatre commands outlined

  8th September 2016

  Revealed in late August, the latest reorganisation of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will see the abolition of all its group armies (or corps), of …

• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA 2016: V-247 to provide pivotal vigilance

  27th September 2016

  Bell Helicopter has unveiled its unmanned VTOL concept, the V-247 Vigilant tiltrotor, which it hopes will meet the US Marine Corps’ (USCM) requirement for a …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2016: New sights for mounted gunners

  3rd October 2016

  Optics manufacturer Trijicon has today launched its new machine gun sight system, which it has dubbed the Machine Gun Reflex Sight (MGRS). The MGRS is designed …

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems signs Danish CV90 contract

  26th September 2016

  BAE Systems Hägglunds has been awarded a contract by the Danish government to provide systems integration, capability upgrades and support for long-term sustainment of Denmark’s …

• Land Warfare

  PAC-3s intercept TBM targets

  26th September 2016

  As part of a US Army-led missile defence flight test at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, two Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles successfully intercepted …

• Land Warfare

  India advances its ATGM requirements

  30th September 2016

  India’s Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, has cleared around $3 billion in procurements, including anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM). In addition, an …

• Defence Notes

  Analysis: Cutting the PLA to the corps

  8th September 2016

  The People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the armed forces of China’s communist party, is undergoing a series of radical reformations. The slashing of 300,000 personnel 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 ...