• Defence Helicopter

  Russian military receives more Mi-8MTV-5-1s

  22nd December 2014

  The Russian Air Force’s 15th Army Aviation Brigade, stationed at Ostrov in the western part of the country, is set to take a batch of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  QinetiQ North America wins US military Talon contracts

  22nd December 2014

  QinetiQ North America (QNA) will refurbish and modernise the US Army’s TALON IV unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and build new Talon Man Transportable Robotic System …

• Land Warfare

  More UK-built content possible for Scout

  18th December 2014

  General Dynamics UK (GDUK) is updating its ‘on-shore proposal’ for the MoD that will include more UK-built content for the British Army’s new Scout SV …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Republic of Korea selects Heron UAS

  17th December 2014

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will supply its Heron UAS to the Republic of Korea (ROK) following the system’s selection by the country’s Defense Acquisition Program …

• Defence Helicopter

  Taiwan introduces first UH-60Ms

  17th December 2014

  Taiwan is standing up its first four Sikorsky UH-60M helicopters at Guiren Air Base, after they arrived from the US on 3 December. Destined for …

• Land Warfare

  Pearson to assess Challenger 2

  17th December 2014

  Pearson Engineering has been selected by the UK Ministry of Defence to assess up to 60 of the British Army’s Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank …

• Land Warfare

  Saab eyes future ATGM after Roquette success

  17th December 2014

  Saab is looking to provide its new extended-range (ER) and high explosive (HE) capabilities to current users of the AT4 anti-tank guided missile as well …

• Land Warfare

  Russian MoD set to buy more Verba MANPADS

  16th December 2014

  The Russian Ministry of Defence is set to buy more 9K333 Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPAD). A source at the Russian MoD told Shephard that …

• Land Warfare

  Aussie Land 400 initiated

  15th December 2014

  Australia’s Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) has kick-started the Australian Army’s massive Land 400 Phase 2 vehicle acquisition programme. In an announcement on the 10 December …

• Land Warfare

  UK re-starts long-range jungle recce course

  12th December 2014

  The British Army has completed a four-week long pilot long range reconnaissance patrol course (LRRPC) in the jungles of Brunei after a hiatus of more …

• Land Warfare

  First Leopard 2 A7 tank delivered to Germany

  11th December 2014

  The first of 20 Leopard 2 A7 tanks has been handed over to the German Army by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW). The vehicle was officially accepted …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bell confident on future V-22 laser-guided weapon integration

  11th December 2014

  Recent forward-firing tests on the V-22 Osprey will allow greater integration of laser-guided missiles such as Hellfire, Bell Helicopter officials have told Shephard. The company …

• Defence Helicopter

  French Army receives first Tiger HAD Block 2 aircraft

  11th December 2014

  The first two Tiger HAD Block 2 attack helicopters have been delivered to the French Army by Airbus Helicopters, following the completion of qualification testing …

• Naval Warfare

  China’s maritime security agencies in ‘power struggle’

  11th December 2014

  We all know that China has its own way of doing things, but a new report from Australia's Lowy Institute states the country’s behaviour towards …

• Land Warfare

  Dutch reverse MBT decision

  9th December 2014

  The Royal Netherlands Army (RNLA) is planning to reinstate a limited tank capability, it has emerged. Shephard has learned that the Dutch military has commenced …

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 ...