• Defence Notes

  China moves to master aero engines

  31st August 2016

  China has set up the Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) to administer all of China’s aircraft engine development and production efforts in both the …

• Defence Notes

  Netherlands to invest more in defence

  21st September 2016

  More money will be spent on security, including the armed forces, ‘because of the security situation, nearby and elsewhere in the world’, the King of …

• Land Warfare

  AAD 2016: Cameroon big guns brought to bear

  13th September 2016

  The Cameroon Defence Force (CDF) has been employing innovative methods to bring superior artillery firepower to bear in their fight against terror group Boko Haram. …

• Land Warfare

  AAD 2016: Cameroon’s armour hits Boko Haram

  14th September 2016

  Progress made by the Cameroonian Defence Forces (CDF) against terror group Boko Haram has a lot to do with their use of armoured vehicles. Earlier …

• Defence Helicopter

  More Mi-35Ms for Kazakhstan

  13th September 2016

  Just three months before the scheduled delivery of four Mi-35Ms to the Kazakhstan Air Force by Rostvertol, Astana has decided to procure four more examples …

• Defence Notes

  Taiwan fends off China during drills

  25th August 2016

  The tempo of the annual Han Kuang field training exercise in Taiwan reached its peak on 25 August, as military forces rehearsed resisting a hypothetical …

• Defence Notes

  ADAS 2016: Proposed hike in Philippine defence budget

  19th September 2016

  The Philippine government proposes to increase the budget of both the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Their allocations …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Jiangsu Tianyu to work on unmanned helicopter

  12th September 2016

  Jiangsu Tianyu Aviation Technology and the 60th Research Institute of the General Staff Department of the Chinese Army have signed a partnership for an unmanned …

• Defence Helicopter

  What is going to replace USAF Huey?

  12th September 2016

  The Pentagon has published much anticipated details of its search for a new helicopter under the US Air Force's (USAF) UH-1N Iroquois helicopter replacement programme. …

• Land Warfare

  MSPO 2016: T-72/PT-91 upgrades proposed (video)

  13th September 2016

  Polish industry has put forward proposals that would see the army’s ageing T-72 and PT-91 ‘Twardy’ main battle tanks modernised with new weapons and equipment.  …

• Land Warfare

  Land Forces 2016: Nioa spreads its wings

  9th September 2016

  Artillery ammunition is looming large in the thinking of Nioa, an Australian defence company that is launching into new defence sectors to meet domestic needs. …

• Land Warfare

  AAD 2016: Pairing for air defence

  13th September 2016

  Saab and Denel Dynamics have partnered to offer an air defence system based around combining two of their systems. It comprises the Denel Dynamics Mach …

• Land Warfare

  MSPO 2016: New missile touted for SA-8

  9th September 2016

  Polish defence company WZU and Diehl BGT Defence are working together to integrate the latter’s IRIS-T surface-to-air missile on an upgraded version of the 9K33 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Mi-38 begins certification tests

  13th September 2016

  Russian Helicopters is conducting additional certification testing on the Mi-38-2 medium transport helicopter, the company announced on 8 September, in order to enhance the aircraft’s …

• Land Warfare

  MSPO 2016: Poland's Leopard upgrade breaks cover

  7th September 2016

  The first prototype Leopard 2PL main battle tank, an upgrade of the Polish Army’s legacy 2A4 variant, is on display at this year’s MSPO exhibition …

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 ...