• Land Warfare

  Philippines buys truck-mounted howitzers from Israel

  5th May 2020

  The Philippines has made a selection for its army’s programme to acquire 155mm self-propelled howitzers (SPH), by issuing a notice to proceed to an Israeli …

• Defence Notes

  Spain analyses impact of COVID-19 on its industrial base

  12th May 2020

  The Spanish MoD is conducting studies with  industry to analyse the impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus, as it focuses on maintaining the readiness of its armed …

• Land Warfare

  Poland finalising contract for Maskpol composite helmets

  24th April 2020

  The Polish Minister of Defence, Mariusz Błaszczak, confirmed on 23 April that a new contract for 50,000 Maskpol composite helmets has almost been reached. ‘We …

• Defence Notes

  Coronavirus chews up South Korean defence budget

  17th April 2020

  The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is having a global economic impact, and defence spending will not be immune. One of the earliest casualties is the South …

• Special Operations

  C-SOCC begins training to support NATO Response Force

  7th May 2020

  Despite the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, SOF elements from across the Composite Special Operations Component Command (C-SOCC) have initiated joint training as they build up …

• Defence Notes

  Production resumes at Boeing’s Philadelphia sites

  21st April 2020

  Boeing restarted ‘essential’ production at its Ridley Township facilities near Philadelphia on 20 April after being closed since 3 April. The CH-47D Chinook, V-22 Osprey (pictured) …

• Naval Warfare

  Taiwan to quarantine 700 sailors after Palau visit

  21st April 2020

  The Taiwanese Navy is placing 700 of its sailors into quarantine after 24 of them tested positive for coronavirus following a visit to the Pacific …

• Defence Helicopter

  Progress Arsenyev Aviation continues helicopter production

  20th April 2020

  Progress Arsenyev Aviation Company, a subsidiary of Russian Helicopters Holding, is continuing production of its aircraft despite the growing number of confirmed COVID-19 coronavirus cases …

• Defence Notes

  Quebec requests medical assistance from CAF

  20th April 2020

  Quebec has requested medical personnel and resources from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to ease the COVID-19 spread in long-term care facilities. Liaison and reconnaissance …

• Naval Warfare

  Baltic Workboats supplying two vessels to Estonian Navy

  20th April 2020

  The Estonian Navy has placed an order for two force protection boats from Baltic Workboats which will aim to plug smaller gaps in the Navy’s …

• Naval Warfare

  UK Royal Navy commanders can return to port in event of COVID-19 outbreak

  22nd April 2020

  UK RN vessel commanders will be given the authority to return to port in the event of an outbreak of COVID-19 on board while on …

• Naval Warfare

  US destroyer could have brought COVID-19 on board during counter-narcotics operation

  6th May 2020

  The USN guided missile destroyer USS Kidd, recently returned to San Diego after an outbreak of COVID-19 on board, could have brought the coronavirus onto …

• Air Warfare

  COVID-19 poses practical and strategic questions for US air power

  5th May 2020

  The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has changed just about everything, including US air power. The effects are likely to be felt for years, including a downturn …

• Defence Notes

  Russian industry feels the pinch from COVID-19

  27th April 2020

  According to information circulated by the Russian media and confirmed to Shephard, several officials working at the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) headquarters in Moscow have …

• Defence Notes

  Textron delays release of Q1 earnings

  14th April 2020

  Textron has confirmed that it will delay the release of its Q1 FY2020 earnings report which was due to take place on 22 April. Instead, …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Transport

  C-27J - Peru

  Additionally, Peruvian Army is also considering C-27Js to replace its two aging AN-32Bs in service (see separate entry). However, Shephard understands that the coronavirus pandemic ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  JLTV [Lithuania - Contracted]

  The Lithuanian JLTV order includes several options including ballistic armour kits, Boomerang III acoustic detection systems, M153 Protector II Common Remotely-Operated Weapon Stations (CROWS) and ...

• Submarines nuclear, ballistic missile

  Arihant Class (1-4) [India]

  The Arihant began life in 1990 as an Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) demonstrator programme. Arihant was laid down in 1997, launched in July 2009 and ...

• Tanks

  Peru T-55 MBT Replacement

  Programme Background Peru received 280 T-55 MBTs from the Soviet Union during the 1970s. Despite their age, these tanks continue to see service, alongside even ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Portugal VTLB

  Programme Background The Portuguese Army planned to allocate funds for the procurement of 167 VTLBs during the Military Programming Law running from 2015 until 2026. ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Pacha Kuyuchix (New 8x8 Armoured Vehicle) [Peru - Forecast]

  entry.Programme Background The Peruvian Army is reliant upon a range of ageing 4x4 APCs, including the UR-416, Type 6614 and Type 6616, all of which ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Vilkas [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Lithuania's Boxers are manufactured by the ARTEC production lines in Germany and the Netherlands. KMW is responsible for producing 56 of the vehicles ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  PMC KAAV (Second Batch)

  Programme Background Prior to taking delivery of the KAAV, the PMC did not possess an amphibious assault vehicle. While it had previously received Landing Vehicle, ...

• Tanks

  Malaysia Additional MBTs

  Programme Background Malaysia currently operates a fleet of 48 PT-91M Pendekar MBTs that it received from Poland between 2007 and 2010. These are the only ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  DN-XI

  Programme Background The DN-XI is based upon the Sandcat tactical vehicle, originally designed by Plasan and marketed for a period by Oshkosh in the USA. ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Centauro II (Second Batch) [Italy]

  Programme Background The Italian Army has identified a need for a new 8x8 armoured vehicle armed with a 120 mm main gun to equip one ...

• Military UAS - small

  Small UAV (Colombia)

  Programme Background Many of the Colombian military's UAVs are operated by the Colombian Air Force, but the Colombian Army has also employed several different types ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  A200 (Peru)

  Programme Background The Peruvian Army has a requirement for 4x4 protected vehicles to replace up-armoured commercial pickup trucks used in operations against narcos and other ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Centauro II (Third-Batch) [Italy]

  Programme Background The Italian Army has identified a need for a new 8x8 armoured vehicle armed with a 120 mm main gun to equip one ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles, Special operations vehicles

  Żmija Long-Range Reconnaissance Vehicle

  Programme Background The Polish Army launched a tender to procure 118 Żmija Long Range Reconnaissance Vehicles (LRRVs) in March 2015. This programme is part of a ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Towed guns

  Dhanush

  India's state-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) developed the Dhanush 155 mm L/45 towed howitzer using technology transferred as part of a late 1980s deal for ...

• Tanks

  ASCOD MMBT

  GDELS unveiled the ASCOD Medium Main Battle Tank (MMBT), a 120mm-armed 42 tonne tank based on its tracked ASCOD IFV, at Eurosatory 2018.  The ASCOD MBBT ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  A200

  The A200 is a lightly armoured 4x4 vehicle based on a modified commercially available Toyota Land Cruiser 200 chassis. Capable of seating up to nine ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  AACE

  The Kunduz Amphibious Armoured Combat Earthmover (AACE) is an amphibious, tracked armoured engineer vehicle designed for the preparation of riverbanks during river-crossing operations. It is ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Superav Land

  The Superav Land 8x8 is a modular vehicle with a large diameter turret ring that can be adjusted to fit a wide variety of remote-controlled ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Pars III 8x8

  FNSS publicly launched the Pars III 6x6 and Pars III 8x8 vehicles, the latest generation of the Pars (Turkish for Anatolian Leopard) AFV family, at ...

• Trapper VT4

  A militarised version of the commercial Ford Everest 4x4 sports utility vehicle, the Trapper VT4 light all-terrain vehicle has been selected as the French Army's ...

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  Initial Maneuver - SHORAD

  Unveiled at AUSA 2019, Initial Maneuver Short Range Air Defense (IM-SHORAD) is a multipurpose platform, based on the Stryker IFV, which moves and maneuvers in ...

• Tanks

  T-54M/M3

  Produced by Vietnam's state-owned Z153 plant, T-54M (formally T-54B cải tiến - "improved") is a major upgrade to the T-54 main battle tank, including a new fire control computer, an ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMD-4M

  The BMD-4M is based on the BMD-4, which has been in the Russian Army's airborne forces (VDV) service since 2004. It was developed to provide an ...

• Tanks

  MPF Prototype

  In 1992, the US Army selected the M8 to meet its requirement for an air-transportable Armored Gun System, but the programme was cancelled for budgetary ...

• Tanks

  Centauro II

  The 8x8 Centauro II mobile gun system, developed to meet an Italian Army requirement, is the latest evolution of the Centauro AFV family.  Featuring a ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Mbombe 8

  Paramount unveiled the 8x8 member of its Mbombe family, the Mbombe 8, at the Kazakhstan Defence Expo on 2 June 2016.  Sharing more than 80% ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  TOS-2 Tosochka

  Russia unveiled the TOS-2 Tosochka MLRS at the 2020 Victory Day Parade. Like its TOS-1A predecessor, it is intended to neutralise and suppress enemy positions ...

• Submarines nuclear, ballistic missile

  Arihant Class

  India’s Arihant-class SSBN is significant because it is the first SSBN built by a country not a UN Security Council member. It is the result ...