• Air Warfare

  Colombia pauses negotiations again on Kfir fleet replacement

  9th January 2023

  Funding problems and an expired government directive mean the Colombian Air Force will have to find ways to keep its ageing IAI Kfir fleet in service for longer.

• Air Warfare

  Myanmar Air Force bolsters fleet with the commission of new aircraft

  10th January 2023

  As part of its 75th anniversary, the Myanmar Air Force showed off a variety of new types of aircraft and helicopters.

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2023: Saudi Arabia in frame to buy ‘Korean Patriot’ SAM system

  24th February 2023

  South Korea's LIG Nex1 is confident Saudi Arabia will become the next customer for its Medium-range Surface-to-Air Missile Block-II after the UAE.

• Land Warfare

  Airbus joins UK efforts to defend against hypersonic threats

  19th January 2023

  Airbus will bring space sector and ISR experience to the UK MoD's centre of excellence for ballistic and hypersonic missile defence.

• Air Warfare

  India redoubles efforts to make up fighter squadron shortfall

  28th February 2023

  Mindful of the need to defend its border with China, India is evaluating how to overcome a shortfall of 12 fighter aircraft squadrons over the next decade.

• Land Warfare

  Counter-drone solutions from East and West proliferate at IDEX 2023

  27th February 2023

  There was no shortage of UAVs on display at IDEX 2023 in Abu Dhabi, and many companies brought their counter-drone systems too.

• Defence Notes

  Russia to restructure military production and supply chain

  20th December 2022

  Russia's Minister of Defence Sergei Shoigu revealed plans for 2023-2025 during the ministry's annual collegium session on 30 November.

• Training

  New Indian supersonic trainer jet to supplement PC-7 and Hawk fleets

  15th February 2023

  The Indian Air Force has abandoned plans to acquire a two-seat trainer variant of the Tejas Mk 1 Light Combat Aircraft, opting instead for the HAL HLFT-42 supersonic jet.

• Land Warfare

  ROK Army gains cutting-edge firepower with new mortar carriers, light machine guns

  12th January 2023

  South Korea's procurement agency has approved or implemented a variety of programmes, including counter-battery radars, rocket launchers, light machine guns and mortar carriers.

• Defence Notes

  Monitoring the next domain: US launches space awareness satellites

  18th January 2023

  The US Space Force’s (USSF's) Long Duration Propulsive ESPA (LPDE) programme has achieved new success with the launch of its third spacecraft, the LPDE-3A.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UK orders micro-UAS from Elbit

  12th January 2023

  The Elbit Magni-X quadcopter is already in service with other armed forces.

• Air Warfare

  KAI wins production contract for Light Attack Helicopter

  4th January 2023

  The first series production examples of the Light Attack Helicopter have been ordered by the South Korean government.

• Land Warfare

  Poland approved for potential $10 billion HIMARS purchase

  9th February 2023

  Poland plans to field a massive fleet of over 500 rocket artillery systems, including the US HIMARS and South Korean Chunmoo.

• Land Warfare

  Mobility and deception keeping Ukrainian air defence systems intact

  20th March 2023

  Mobility and deception tactics have helped keep Ukrainian air defence systems stay online during Russia's invasion of the country.

• Air Warfare

  India spells out defence priorities as multiple programmes get green light

  3rd January 2023

  The Indian Ministry of Defence has approved 24 procurement programmes, including cruise missiles for the air force, light tanks for the army and multi-purpose vessels for the navy.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  ARV (USMC)

  Programme Background The ARV constitutes one component of a wider USMC effort to develop an interconnected network of manned and unmanned platforms more suited to ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV (US - USMC)

  Programme Background The Armored Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Medium Range/Medium Endurance (MR/ME) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Military helicopters - maritime, Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-53K - US Navy

  Programme Background The Marine Corps is replacing its aging CH-53E helicopters with the CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter. Designed as an evolution of the CH-53E, the CH-53K ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-1Y Venom (Czechia)

  Programme Background Czech Armed Forces intended to use the UH-1Y Venom helicopters in various missions including utility, search and rescue, aerial reconnaissance, air-to-ground support and ...

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

  Large ULS-A / Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) [USMC]

  Programme Background US Marine ULS-A programmes The US Marines are seeking a family of Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A), which will provide logistics and ground units with ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Belgium Jaguar Medium Common Armoured Vehicle Platform

  Programme Background In its Strategic Vision for Defence document published in June 2016, the Belgian MoD outlined its aspirations for equipping five motorised manoeuvre battalions ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Belgium Griffon Light Common Armoured Vehicle Platform

  Programme Background In its Strategic Vision for Defence document published in June 2016, the Belgian MoD outlined its aspirations for equipping five motorised manoeuvre battalions ...

• Loitering munitions

  Long-Range Attack Munition (LRAM) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Organic Precision Fire - Light (OPF-L) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. In May 2022, an annual ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USMC)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1Z

  In issuing the Force Design 2030 report into the future direction of the USMC, the corps is attempting to steer the course of its development, ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-73 Advanced Helicopter Training System - AHTS (TH-57 Replacement)

  Contenders for the competition included the Leonardo single engine TH-119 – a military variant of the AW119Kx – and Bell’s newly upgraded single engine 407GXi. ...

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

  Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) (Increment 1) [USMC]

  Programme Background All-in-One UAV Since 2016, the USMC has wished to acquire a UAV that could be deployed from a vessel, be used for various missions, ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35B Follow-On UK

  Programme Background  The forthcoming UK Integrated Foreign Policy and Defence Review will shed further light on whether changes to the UK F-35B programme are to ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• EO/IR systems

  ATARS

  Operational on USMC F/A-18s, the Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System (ATARS) provides high-resolution imagery for real/near-real time reconnaissance and can perform strike and bomb damage ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV

  BAE Systems teamed with Iveco Defence to offer a version of Iveco Defence Vehicle's Superav for the USMC's Armored Combat Vehicle Phase 1 Increment 1 ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  JAB

  The US Army is leading the Joint Assault Bridge (JAB) project to replace legacy M60A1-based bridge launchers in service with itself and USMC with an M1-based ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Jaguar EBRC

  The Jaguar Armored Reconnaissance and Combat Vehicle (EBRC) is a 6x6 armoured reconnaissance vehicle manufactured by a consortium formed of Nexter Systems, Arquus (formerly Renault Trucks Defense) and ...

• Military UGVs

  XM1216 SUGV

  The XM1216 Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (SUGV) is a tactical system that can enter and secure areas that are either inaccessible or too dangerous for ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Flyer 60 ALSV

  General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS), in partnership with Flyer Defense, developed the Flyer 60 Advanced Light Strike Vehicle (ALSV) in parallel with the ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  M1150 ABV

  The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) project, launched by the USMC in 2002, is a joint programme to meet the requirements of both the US ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Commando Elite

  The 4x4 Commando Elite is an improved derivative of Textron's M1117 Armored Security Vehicle which offers improved mobility, lethality and survivability. The Canadian Army chose ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Type 82

  The Type 82 command and communications vehicle was developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to perform specialised roles for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) such ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  LTMPAV Dino 519

  The LTMPAV Dino 519 is an armored vesion of Concept's Dino 319.

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Cottonmouth

  The Cottonmouth is a purpose-built 6x6 amphibious reconnaissance vehicle designed by Textron Systems to meet the requirements of the USMC's Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) programme. It ...

• Land: RWS

  LW30/RS6

  The LW30 (since rebranded RS6) is part of the Protector RWS family developed by Kongsberg. Designed to carry a heavier armament than earlier Protector systems, ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  SMAW Mod 0

  Developed to meet the requirements of the USMC, the Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon (SMAW), introduced in 1984, is a development of the IMI B-300. Its ...

• Land: manned turrets

  GD30

  General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) has developed a two-person turret designed to accommodate the Northrop Grumman Mk44S Bushmaster II 30mm cannon. Called the GD30, little ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1W SuperCobra

  Bell’s AH-1W SuperCobra attack helicopter was developed from the AH-1T for the USMC. It has been in service since 1986 to the present day, first ...