• Defence Notes

  UK, France seek fresh missile technologies

  27th January 2020

  The UK Ministry of Defence and French DGA Materials and Components for Missiles, Innovation and Technology Partnership (MCM ITP) programme is launching Innovation Call research …

• Naval Warfare

  Tenth FREMM vessel launched for Italian Navy

  27th January 2020

  The tenth FREMM vessel to be built by Fincantieri for the Italian Navy has been launched at the integrated shipyard of Riva Trigoso, Genoa. This …

• Defence Notes

  Helicopter collision in Mali kills 13 French soldiers

  26th November 2019

  Thirteen soldiers from France's Barkhane force in Mali were killed when two helicopters collided during an operation against jihadists in the country's north, the Elysee …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  France commissions stratobus platform study

  9th January 2020

  Thales Alenia Space and Thales have signed a contract with the French defence procurement agency, DGA, to carry out a concept study for the use …

• Military Logistics

  Burkina Faso orders C295​ military airlifter

  16th December 2019

  The Ministry of Defence of Burkina Faso has placed an order with Airbus Defence and Space for a C295 military airlifter, the company announced on …

• Naval Warfare

  Suffren​ submarine nuclear reactor started up

  31st December 2019

  The nuclear reactor of the French Navy’s Suffren submarine has been started for the first time, clearing the way for acceptance testing to begin in …

• Naval Warfare

  Thales sonars for F110 frigates

  13th December 2019

  The Spanish Navy’s five F110 frigates will be equipped with Thales sonars to provide the vessels’ anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capability, the company announced on 12 …

• Defence Notes

  Middle East braced for Iranian reaction to US strike (updated)

  3rd January 2020

  In the aftermath of the death of Maj Gen Qasem Soleimani, head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC's) Quds Force, in a US air …

• Military Logistics

  Safran and MTU Aero detail NGF partnership

  4th December 2019

  Safran Aircraft Engines and MTU Aero Engines have agreed details of their partnership to develop the engine for the European Next Generation Fighter (NGF) for …

• Digital Battlespace

  Indra to lead European EW protection development project

  29th November 2019

  Indra has been appointed by the Spanish Ministry of Defense to lead a project to develop an advanced European electronic protection system, the company announced …

• Naval Warfare

  Defence Insight: Year in review (Naval)

  18th December 2019

  The year has been an eventful one, with multiple major contracts announced and new generations of vessels entering service. The US Navy continued its drive towards …

• Defence Notes

  France, Germany bring NATO plans after 'brain dead' row

  20th November 2019

  France and Germany were to outline separate proposals for reforming NATO on Wednesday after President Emmanuel Macron slammed the alliance as ‘brain dead’, causing uproar …

• Defence Notes

  Germany's latest industry developments (video)

  21st November 2019

  Watch a summary of the latest developments in the German Defence Industry. Land On land KMW has begun deliveries to Denmark and Germany of the …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2019: Varjo links with Antycip Simulation

  27th November 2019

  Head mounted display specialists, Varjo Technologies, has announced the expansion of its value-added reseller network by securing a deal with Antycip Simulation. Antycip provides virtual …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2019: CAE completes NFTC simulator upgrades

  26th November 2019

  CAE has completed upgrades to the T-6 CT-156 Harvard and CT-155 Hawk flight training devices (FTDs) used as part of the NATO Flying Training in …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 [Mali]

  Programme Background Six Drones On 22 December 2022, Joseph Dempsey, a research associate at IISS, tweeted photographs showing a Baytraktar TB2 adorned with the Malian ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-171Sh

  While the Burkinabe Armed Forces declined to discuss the deal when contacted by Shephard, a Burkinabe military source did acknowledge that the aircraft were being ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4, Mine-protected vehicles

  Surplus Maxxpro (Bangladesh - First Batch)

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires MRAPs to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the Central African ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4, Mine-protected vehicles

  Surplus Maxxpro (Bangladesh - Second Batch)

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires MRAPs to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the Central African ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Fardier SOV

  Programme Background The French Army's airborne units previously operated 280 Lohr FL500 Fardier utility vehicles to carry heavy equipment. Those vehicles increased the tactical mobility ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4, Mine-protected vehicles

  UN Peacekeeping Vehicles (Bangladesh)

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires 4x4 armoured vehicles to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9 Reaper [France]

  Programme Background Total Procurement In June 2013, Northrop Grumman announced that France had requested the purchase of 16 Reapers plus associated systems from the US ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9 Reaper (Replacement Units) [France]

  Programme Background French Reaper Procurement In June 2013, it was announced that France had requested 16 Reapers plus associated systems from the US Government, which ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Wheeled Armoured Vehicles (Sri Lanka)

  Programme Background Requirement The Sri Lankan army operates armoured vehicles from several countries, with Russia and China being its biggest suppliers. Its wheeled APC inventory ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Parrot Anafi (Singapore)

  Programme Background On 7 February 2022, the Singapore Army posted photographs on Facebook that showed the Anafi UAV used as training devices in a five-day ...

• Minehunters

  Mine Warfare Vessels [France]

  Programme Background Requirements France’s Mine Warfare Vessels programme is aimed at replacing the ageing Eridan-class minehunters. The programme will follow the Future Naval Mine Action System ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

• Data links

  Data links | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: mission management systems

  FINDSAT - BFT System

  Using geo-satellite positioning, Nexter’s BFT system (FINDSAT) is capable of identifying and locating friendly personnel who are not equipped with networked information or radio systems. ...

• Military UGVs

  THeMIS

  Milrem's Tracked Hybrid Modular Infantry System (THeMIS) is a modular, hybrid UGV.  The vehicle's modular design and open architecture allow it to be reconfigured to ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-8/Mi-17

  The Mil Mi-8 (NATO reporting name Hip) is a twin-engine, multirole, medium helicopter developed from 1960 to meet Soviet military requirements. More than 18,000 examples of the ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Heron Mk 1

  The Heron, now called the Heron Mk I, is a MALE UAS manufactured by Isreal Aerospace Industries' (IAI) Malat Division. Designed for various missions, including ISTAR and artillery fire ...

• EO/IR systems

  AREOS

  AREOS (Airborne Recce Observation System) is a standoff reconnaissance system designed for tactical and strategic missions. The pod integrates digital technology in its sensor and ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  TopOwl

  The TopOwl binocular helmet-mounted sight and display has been chosen by 16 countries for their army, navy and/or air force attack and transport helicopters. It ...

• Military UGVs

  Probot

  The 4x4 Professional Robot (Probot) is suitable for various applications, both indoor and outdoor, and is designed to carry a payload of up to 700kg. ...

• Frigates

  La Fayette/Kang Ding Class

  The La Fayette-class frigates have a stealthy design and are in service with France and Taiwan, with some variance between the ships on length and ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  HOT 3

  Designed to destroy reactive armour, the HOT (Haut subsonique Optiquement Téléguidé Tiré d'un Tube, or High Subsonic, Optical, Remote-Guided, Tube-Launched) family has demonstrated its multipurpose capability. Tens ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale

  The Rafale is a delta-wing agile aircraft with forward canards, which allow for short landing and slower speeds, powered by two Snecma M88 engines. The ...

• Mine-protected vehicles

  Puma M36 Mk 5

  OTT developed the Puma M36 Mk 5 to meet the needs of African customers for a lower-cost vehicle that offers a greater payload than its ...

• Trainer

  TB 30 Epsilon

  The Socata TB 30 Epsilon is a light truboprop trainer aircraft. The first aircraft flew in 1979 and entered service in 1983. It is in ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MSR1000I

  The MSR1000I is a very-short-range Monopulse Secondary Radar which acts as an IFF interrogator. Equipped with the Mode 5 standard, it is suitable for man-portable and ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VBCI

  Nexter developed the VBCI to meet a French Army requirement for an infantry fighting vehicle to replace the tracked AMX-10P. The 8x8 design was specified ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Tiger Aircrew Training

  Thales provides Tiger aircrew training solutions for the armed forces in Australia, France and Germany. Thales is currently upgrading the systems under the Tiger aircrew training ...