• Defence Notes

  Sweden commits US$684.7 million in equipment and funds to Ukraine

  20th February 2024

  Sweden has announced another package of support for Ukraine, following hot on the heels of Canada’s additional support announced this week and last week’s support from the UK and the EU.

• Air Warfare

  India’s crisis deepens over ‘urgent’ need for mid-air refuellers

  22nd March 2024

  The Indian Air Force had said that it required 18 fuellers if the branch wanted to extend the range of its growing fleet.

• Land Warfare

  Italy to buy more Flyer vehicles and air defence systems

  30th January 2024

  The Flyer 72 Advanced Light Strike Vehicle was developed by General Dynamics in partnership with Flyer Defense to meet a US Special Operations Command's requirement. Nine of the vehicles have already been in Italian service and Israel has 70 on order.

• Land Warfare

  Tess Defence signs $2.2 billion deal to provide tracked support vehicles to Spanish Army

  27th December 2023

  The VAC tracked support vehicles will replace the Spanish Army’s aging TOA M-113 Armoured Caterpillar Transport vehicles.

• Training

  BAE Systems pioneers AI learning environment while Hadean wins army simulations contract

  2nd February 2024

  Obrizum and BAE Systems will pioneer a bespoke digital learning environment, while Hadean has been selected to enhance British Army simulations with AI-driven solution.

• Land Warfare

  New German big cats circle Italian Leopard corpse (Opinion)

  27th June 2024

  The only thing missing from Rheinmetall’s display at Eurosatory this year was an Italian flag flown between its KF-51 Panther and KF41 Lynx. The smiles on the faces of its business development team, however, and the circling of Italian delegations told just as clear of a story.

• Air Warfare

  What is wrong with the US Armed Force’s rotary-wing aviation fleet?

  28th February 2024

  Following more than two months of operational stand down of CV-22 Ospreys, two separate crashes of AH-64D Apaches have forced the US Army National Guard to ground its entire helicopter fleet.

• Naval Warfare

  MBDA to provide Sea Ceptor naval defence systems for Polish Miecznik-class frigates

  15th January 2024

  The Miecznik (Swordfish) programme, a multi-role frigate project for the Polish Navy, was first reported in 2014 as a multi-role coastal patrol vessel.

• Air Warfare

  Israel shifts back to the Apache as UAV switch fails

  5th April 2024

  The IAF has equipped its Apache helicopter fleet with Rafael’s Spike NLOS missile.

• Air Warfare

  US Ordnance sees growing demand for small arms and machine guns

  8th May 2024

  The company believes its willingness to accommodate client requests, accept small orders and implement user feedback for continuous improvement has contributed to its success.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Baykar’s Akıncı UCAV completes live firing trials over the Black Sea

  18th March 2024

  The Turkish company’s advanced unmanned combat aerial vehicle demonstrated its capabilities during successful live firing trials.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy takes delivery of New Jersey SSN

  26th April 2024

  The USN’s Virginia-class SSNs are replacing the old Los Angeles-class SSNs. The Virginia-class SSNs are fitted with the latest sensors and weapons and around 48 submarines are planned, with a total of 38 currently ordered.

• Naval Warfare

  Northrop Grumman unveils Manta Ray UUV

  9th April 2024

  The uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) prototype was built through a programme by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) and assembled in Northrop Grumman’s Annapolis facility.

• Naval Warfare

  The future remains unclear for US Coast Guard’s Healy icebreaker

  4th September 2024

  The cutter has been in Seattle where repairs have been taking place to electrical fire damage but no estimate has been given on its return to service leaving the US Coast Guard without surface assets to patrol the Arctic.

• Air Warfare

  Another Saab GlobalEye lands in the UAE

  25th April 2024

  The arrival of the latest GlobalEye marked the fourth AEW&C aircraft delivery to the UAE in just four years.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8, Tanks

  Tracked & Wheeled Light Tank (Philippines)

  Programme Background The decision to split the programme into a wheeled and a tracked element follows the belief of the Philippine Army that this will ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  VBR-MSR Medium Wheeled Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle

  Technical Requirements The Brazilian Army released two documents outlining the technical and operational requirements for the VBR-MR programme in early 2020. These outlined a number ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Landing Craft Utility (LCU) [Japan]

  According to the 2022 Defence Buildup Programme, Japan will procure new Landing Craft Utility (LCUs). This was already specified in the Medium Term Defence Programme (FY2019 ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Landing Craft Utility (LCU) [Japan]

  According to the 2022 Defence Buildup Programme, Japan will procure new Landing Craft Utility (LCUs). This was already specified in the Medium Term Defence Programme (FY2019 ...

• Transport

  C-130J [Vietnam]

  Programme Background Requirement Vietnam’s interest in acquiring the C-130J reflects a broader effort to modernise its air transport fleet, which was previously dominated by Russian ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Manoeuvrable Boats [Japan]

  According to the 2022 Defence Buildup Programme, Japan will procure new manoeuvrable boats for the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF). Deliveries are set to start ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Manoeuvrable Boats [Japan]

  According to the 2022 Defence Buildup Programme, Japan will procure new manoeuvrable boats for the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF). Deliveries are set to start ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Manoeuvrable Boats (1-3) [Japan]

  According to the 2022 Defence Buildup Programme, Japan will procure new manoeuvrable boats for the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF). Deliveries are set to start ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Manoeuvrable Boats (1-3) [Japan]

  According to the 2022 Defence Buildup Programme, Japan will procure new manoeuvrable boats for the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF). Deliveries are set to start ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Landing Craft Utility (LCU)/Small Transport Vessels [Japan]

  According to the 2022 Defence Buildup Programme, Japan will procure new Landing Craft Utility (LCUs). This was already specified in the Medium Term Defence Programme (FY2019 ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Landing Craft Utility (LCU)/Small Transport Vessels [Japan]

  According to the 2022 Defence Buildup Programme, Japan will procure new Landing Craft Utility (LCUs). This was already specified in the Medium Term Defence Programme (FY2019 ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Fridtjof Nansen Frigates Replacement [Norway]

  In 2022, Shephard had forecasted that the Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates would need to be replaced starting from the early 2030s. In 2022, the Norwegian government ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Fridtjof Nansen Frigates Replacement [Norway]

  In 2022, Shephard had forecasted that the Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates would need to be replaced starting from the early 2030s. In 2022, the Norwegian government ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | E-7 Wedgetail - UK (Second Order)

  The UK MoD signed a £1.51 billion ($1.98 billion) deal to purchase five E-7 Wedgetail aircraft from Boeing for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in ...

• Data links

  Data links | E-7 Wedgetail - UK (Second Order)

  The UK MoD signed a £1.51 billion ($1.98 billion) deal to purchase five E-7 Wedgetail aircraft from Boeing for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Anoa

  Pindad designed the 6x6 Anoa APC to meet the requirements of the Indonesian Army. Since the vehicle was publicly unveiled in November 2008, close to ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Antasena

  Antasena is an X-18 tank boat developed as a joint collaboration between CMI Defence and PT Lundin. The fast craft has been designed to support ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Badak

  A prototype of the 90mm-armed 6x6 Badak (Indonesian for rhinoceros) direct fire support vehicle was unveiled at IndoDefence in November 2014 by Pindad and partner ...

• Tanks

  Tulpar Light Tank

  Otokar unveiled its tracked Tulpar Light Tank, which mounts CMI's Cockerill 3105 turret on Otokar's Tulpar IFV chassis, at the June 2018 Eurosatory exhibition. The ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors, EO/IR systems

  NightConqueror CMI

  The NightConqueror Compact Modular Imager (CMI) is the main component of a variety of thermal imaging systems. It is used in stabilised imaging turrets for ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  BTR-3

  Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau produced the first 8x8 BTR-3-series amphibious APC in 2001. The series includes the BTR-3U, the BTR-3U Guardian (variant for ...

• Land: manned turrets

  Cockerill CPWS 25-30

  The remotely-operated Cockerill Protected Weapon Station (CPWS) can be armed with 25 mm or 30 mm guns from various manufacturers and can be integrated on 4x4, ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  ERC 90 NG

  The ERC 90 Sagaie 6x6 armoured vehicles were acquired by the French Army to provide a well-armed vehicle for its rapid reaction armoured units. Capitalising ...

• Tanks

  K21-105 Light Tank

  At IDEX 2013, Doosan and John Cockerill Defense presented the K21-105 Light Tank concept which integrates the Cockerill 105mm-armed XC-8 turret on the Doosan K21 ...

• Frigates

  Drazki

  The Bulgarian Navy's three Drazki-class frigates began life as four Wielingen-class (Type E-71) frigates with the Belgian Navy. The ships underwent a major refurbishment and ...

• Military - UUVs

  Gavia Defence

  The Gavia Defence AUV can be used for MCM, port security, search and salvage, ASW training, rapid environmental assessment and hydrographic survey. 

• Major networking projects

  Missile Defence

  In 2010, NATO rolled out an initial capability to protect alliance forces against missile threats and is now examining options for protecting territory and populations. ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  K21

  The K21 is a tracked IFV that has a two-man turret armed with a domestically produced S&T; Dynamics K40 40mm cannon, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Commando Select

  The Commando Select 4x4 APC, built on knowledge gained from the M1117 Armored Security Vehicle’s ten years of combat theatre use by the US Army, ...

• Major networking projects

  Defence Architecture Framework

  BAE Systems is developing a broad base of systems architecture expertise to execute network-centric warfare projects on behalf of the Australian Defence Force. This is ...