• Land Warfare

  Chinese light tank now comes with active protection

  8th August 2019

  Norinco’s VT5 light tank, a platform dedicated to the export market, is set to receive a hard-kill active protection system (APS).  Such a system detects …

• Defence Notes

  Japan firms up on F-35B orders

  19th August 2019

  Japan’s MoD formally approved the purchase of 42 Lockheed Martin F-35B short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) stealth fighters on 16 August. At that time, …

• Naval Warfare

  India to transfer a submarine to Myanmar

  1st August 2019

  Indian media outlets have reported that Delhi will supply a single Kilo-class submarine to the Myanmar Navy later this year to help the latter establish …

• Defence Helicopter

  New Chetak delivered to Indian Navy

  26th July 2019

  HAL has delivered the first of eight Chetak helicopters to the Indian Navy, the company announced on 24 July.  The company signed a contract in …

• Naval Warfare

  Philippines commissions second-hand ASW corvette

  9th August 2019

  The Philippine Navy (PN) formally took receipt of its new – or rather, second-hand – corvette from South Korea on 5 August. The 32-year-old Pohang …

• Defence Notes

  Insight: PLA bolsters its title to Tibet

  22nd July 2019

  The Doklam standoff between China and India in June-August 2017 represented a major spike in tensions between the two powers. It was also a reminder …

• Digital Battlespace

  Asian nations boost spy satellite capacities

  13th August 2019

  Asian countries continue to enhance their satellite constellations, with China, India and South Korea all making recent announcements in the space realm.  China, for instance, …

• Naval Warfare

  Elevator woes linger on new US carrier, as ‘nightmare weapon’ concerns raised

  2nd August 2019

  The US Navy is struggling to fix technical problems with the advanced weapons elevators on the first Ford-class aircraft carrier, according to a key senator. …

• Defence Helicopter

  India receives its first Apaches

  29th July 2019

  The first batch of four Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters reached Indian shores ahead of schedule on 27 July. They were airlifted into Hindan …

• Naval Warfare

  India buys and sells torpedoes

  19th July 2019

  India delivered a batch of Shyena advanced lightweight torpedoes to Myanmar in early July, about the same time that the Indian Navy (IN) began looking …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  French Navy demos SLAMF USV

  12th July 2019

  The French Navy has demonstrated the capabilities of the USV developed for the SLAMF programme in Brest Harbour. The SLAMF programme grew out of the …

• Land Warfare

  Russia inks contract for T-90 upgrades

  3rd July 2019

  The Russian MoD has signed a contract with Uralvagonzavod for the upgrade of T-90A MBTs to the new standard dubbed the T-90M. Details of the …

• Land Warfare

  Turkey receives first delivery of Russian S-400

  12th July 2019

  Turkey has received the first batch of Russia's S-400 missile defence system, despite repeated warnings from its United States NATO ally against the purchase. ‘The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Fully automatic autorotation demoed for Vector UAV autopilot

  5th July 2019

  UAV Navigation has announced that it has demonstrated a fully-automatic autorotation capability for its Vector unmanned aircraft autopilot.  In collaboration with Alpha Unmanned Systems, tests …

• Defence Helicopter

  Safran extends engine support commitments in Thailand

  3rd July 2019

  Safran Helicopter Engines and Thai Aviation Industries (TAI) have signed an agreement to extend their support for helicopter engines used by the Royal Thai Armed …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BTR-MDM Rakushka

  Programme Background Since 2016, 11 battalion sets of BTR-MDMs are known to have been delivered to units of the VDV in addition to 12 platforms ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMD-4M

  Programme Background Since 2017, 11 battalion sets of the BMD-4M have been delivered to units of the VDV in addition to 27 located at the ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Wolverine / Honeybadger [US]

  Programme Background During the Modern Day Marine (MDM) exhibition, held in Washington between 10-12 May 2022, XTEND announced it would supply hundreds of Wolverine platforms ...

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

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) (Tranche 2) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Short Range/Short Endurance (SR/SE) [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

  Warmate [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Ukraine placed an order for an undisclosed number of Warmate systems in 2017. Shepherd believes units acquired in this order later were utilised ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Ashok Leyland LBPV (India - Air Force)

  Programme Background The IAF created the Garud commando force in 2004 to protect its airbases, carry out combat search and rescue and conduct covert operations ...

• Minehunters

  Awaji Class

  Programme Background Two Awaji class mine countermeasures vessels (MCMV) were ordered from the Japanese shipyard Japan Marine United (JMU) for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) initially. ...

• OPVs

  Inlay Class (second OPV)

  Programme Background The Inlay class originally consists of a single OPV in service with the Myanmar Navy. However, a second Inlay-class OPV has been reported under construction since ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Eagle V 4x4

  According to documents released by the Danish Ministry of Defence, a total of 233.6 million Danish Krone (US$34.669 million) were allocated to this programme. 62.1 ...

• OPVs

  Cyprus Second Sa'ar 62 OPV

  Programme BackgroundThe Republic of Cyrus' Ministry of Defence placed an order with Israel Shipyards for its first Sa'ar 62  OPV in December 2015 in a project valued ...

• Loitering munitions

  Warmate (2017) [Poland]

  Programme Background Order In November 2017, Poland ordered 100 sets of Warmate loitering munitions, each consisting of ten platforms, for a reported 100 million Polish Zloty ...

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

  HUSAR (2023 Order) [Germany]

  Programme Background First Order In 2015, the German Army launched the HUSAR programme to identify a replacement for its Airbus Defence & Space KZO and ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Makassar Class LPD (7)

  Indonesia signed a contract for $150 million for two LPDs in the Makassar class, KRI Makassar and KRI Surabaya, with South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering ...

• Patrol boats

  Rajshree Class (Flight II)

  Programme BackgroundThe Rajshree class is to consist of 13 FPVs built in two separate flights. Flight I saw construction begin in 2010 and all eight vessels ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MDM-HF

  The MDM-3001, MDM-2201 and MDM-2501 multi-mode HF data modems provide single-tone (serial) HF data communications capability in accordance with the requirements of MIL-STD-188-110A (para 5.3). ...

• Data links

  Link 11 DTS

  The programmable Data Terminal Set (DTS) uses real-time processor architectures and signal processing algorithms. It is designed for controlled network operation in a Link 11 ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BTR-MDM

  The BTR-MDM Rakushka is an amphibious tracked armoured vehicle developed by Kurganmashzavod to meet the Russian Airborne Forces' (VDV) need for a new air-droppable APC. ...

• Data links

  MDM-2X02N

  The MDM-2X02N is a tactical data link modem that combines the functionalities of a Link 11 DTS and Link 22 signal processor controller (SPC) into ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MDM-Q9604

  Collins Aerospace’s MDM-Q9604 high-speed, high-data-rate HF modem is capable of transmitting data over a standard 3KHz single sideband at 9,600b/s or a 6kHz ISB at ...

• 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 ...

• EW test systems, Air: chaff, flare and decoy systems

  CAST-easy

  RUAG unveiled the Countermeasure Advanced System Test Equipment (CAST-easy) in 2017 earmarking it for the Panavia Tornado series of combat aircraft. The 2017 announcement stated ...

• Naval guns, Land: RWS

  Dragonfire

  Dragonfire is a new laser weapon system built for the UK MoD, receiving £30 million of funding in early 2017. The design of the gun ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Drone Deterrence System

  First unveiled at the LIMA 2017 exhibition by Mitsubishi Electric, the Drone Deterrence System began to be developed in 2014 and made its first sale in ...

• Military - UUVs

  ThunderFish Alpha

  The ThunderFish Alpha (formerly DeDAvE) is an AUV designed for deep-sea military, commercial and scientific applications. In March 2017, Kraken announced a licensing agreement for ...

• Self-propelled mortars

  2S42 Lotos

  The 2S42 Lotos (Lotus) is a self-propelled artillery system that is being developed by Rostec subsidiary TsNIITochMash to replace the Russian VDV airborne forces' and ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  Fletcher

  Arnold Defense, which has produced more than 1.1 million 2.75in/70mm rocket launchers for airborne applications since 1961, unveiled the Fletcher 2.75in/70mm Weapon System at the September ...

• Minehunters

  Kormoran II Class

  Three Kormoran II-class minehunters were budgeted for the Polish Navy in 2011, and a contract was placed for a prototype in 2013, with the first ...

• OPVs

  La Confiance Class (PLG)

  The La Confiance-class, also known as the Guyanese Light Patrol Vessel (PLG), in service with the French Navy, was designed by Bureau Mauric and built ...

• Submachine guns

  FN SCAR-SC

  FN Herstal unveiled the 5.56mm FN SCAR-SC (Subcompact Carbine), the newest member of the SCAR (SOF Combat Assault Rifle) family originally developed for the US ...