• Defence Notes

  Podcast: Revolutions in Vertical Flight S1 E5 - The Dream of Urban Air Mobility

  20th December 2019

  Welcome to Shephard Studio’s podcast series on Revolutions in Vertical Flight, sponsored by our partner Bell. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more. The Revolutions in Vertical Flight …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Shallow water MCM carried out at AECE 2019

  18th September 2019

  The US Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit One (EODMU-1) has tested its ability to operate UUVs and conduct expeditionary mine countermeasures in very shallow …

• Defence Notes

  Germany claims mutual consent forced FCAS demonstrator impasse

  10th October 2019

  The German MoD has strongly hinted that ‘mutually consented’ issues have prevented an anticipated FCAS demonstrator contract being issued to Airbus and Dassault, following pressure …

• Defence Notes

  US fighter jet crashes in Germany

  8th October 2019

  An American F-16 fighter jet crashed and its pilot ejected to safety near the city of Trier in western Germany on Tuesday, the German air …

• Defence Notes

  German probe opens into suspected internal spying at Airbus

  19th September 2019

  German prosecutors have opened an investigation into suspected internal spying by employees of European aviation giant Airbus over two arms projects, sources said on 18 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DSEI 2019: L3Harris unveils T4 robot

  13th September 2019

  L3Harris Technologies unveiled the first prototype of its T4 robotic system at DSEI 2019, a medium-sized UGV designed for use in urban environments where space …

• Military Logistics

  First Global 6000 delivered to German Air Force

  23rd September 2019

  Bombardier has delivered the first Global 6000 jet to the German Air Force, the company announced on 17 September.This is the first of three jets …

• Land Warfare

  Questions raised as Bradley replacement becomes one-horse race

  9th October 2019

  The US Army’s contest to develop an Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) launched in earnest at the beginning of October but drew only a single …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky show brings CH-53K double act to town

  25th September 2019

  Manufacturer Sikorsky has held meetings and CH-53K King Stallion flight demonstrations with German and Israeli delegations as it looks to encourage both that the aircraft …

• Land Warfare

  Europe set to receive new artillery and air defence capabilities

  9th October 2019

  European nations are expected to spend in excess of $46 billion acquiring new artillery and air defence capabilities over the next decade, according to a …

• Training

  Cobra Warrior comes to a close

  24th September 2019

  Exercise Cobra Warrior has come to a close at RAF Waddington, the Royal Air Force announced on 20 September.The multi-national tactical training event saw affiliated …

• Land Warfare

  Timeline clarity on future of Challenger 2

  4th October 2019

  While the presence of Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land's (RBSL) proposal for the Challenger 2 Life Extension Programme (LEP) has captured the attention of tank watchers …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  New Japanese UGV bursts onto the scene

  28th August 2019

  The JGSDF displayed an EOD UGV for the first time at the Fuji Firepower demonstration on 25 August. The type manufactured by IHI Aerospace is …

• Training

  Germany prepares to announce Sea Lion simulator winner

  5th September 2019

  The German Federal Procurement Agency (BAAINBw) is expected to announce the winner of it’s long-running Sea Lion simulator programme in early October. The long-awaited contract covers …

• Defence Helicopter

  Support contract awarded for German NH90 fleet

  29th August 2019

  Germany’s NH90 rotorcraft fleet will be supported by a new 10-year contract signed on 28 August between the government and two domestic suppliers. The Federal …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Render Safe Sets, Kits & Outfits (RS SKO) - UAV (US)

  Programme Background Definition The RS SKO provides capabilities needed for Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams to render safe US and foreign ordnance and improvised explosive ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Contracted)

  By March 2019, 269 of the 350 Pumas on order had been delivered to the German Army. Deliveries of the remaining 81 vehicles are scheduled ...

• Frigates

  MKS 180 Programme (5-6) [Germany]

  Programme Background Requirements The MKS 180 frigate programme for the Federal German Navy reflects the desire for the German government to become more engaged on ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Zielplan Marine 2035+ (Rotary-Wing UAVs) [Germany]

  Programme Background Zieplan Marine 2035+ Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at the 2022 Bundeswehr Conference that Germany must become the "cornerstone of conventional defence in Europe". ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Type 212CD [Germany]

  Programme Background Norway selected TKMS as the shipbuilder for its new class of Type 212CD submarines to replace the six Ula-class SSKs currently in service. ...

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

  Vector / Scorpion (Ukraine Aid) [Germany]

  Programme Background German Enablement Initiative On 18 April 2024, Quantum-Systems announced that German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck and Ukrainian Minister of Strategic Industry Alexander Kamyshin had opened the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Boxer Heavy Weapons Infantry Carrier [Germany - Forecast]

  Programme Background The German Army is believed to require a total of 43 Boxer Heavy Weapons Infantry Carriers to equip its Division 2027. 36 of ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Germany - Second Batch)

  Programme Background The contract award for the second batch of Pumas had been delayed until 2022 at the earliest. However, in April 2021, German media ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Type 707 (1-2) [Germany]

  Programme Background Requirements The German Navy approved an acquisition to start replacing the two ageing Rhön-class (Type 704) class single-hulled tankers, which were constructed in the ...

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

  Zielplan Marine 2035+ (Fixed-Wing UAVs) [Germany]

  Programme Background Zieplan Marine 2035+ Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at the 2022 Bundeswehr Conference that Germany must become the "cornerstone of conventional defence in Europe". ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV [Germany - Option]

  Programme Background The contract award for the second batch of Pumas had been delayed until 2022 at the earliest. However, in April 2021, German media ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Heavy-lift Helicopter STH (Germany)

  Programme Background The German government issued a tender in March 2019 for the procurement of heavy-lift helicopters under the Schwerer Transporthubschrauber (STH) program, 60 units are ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles, Special operations vehicles

  Caracal 4x4 Light Air Assault (Germany)

  Programme Background By 2017, the German Army's airborne forces had initiated two programmes to replace legacy equipment currently in service. The first of these programmes, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  VTMM 2 (Italy)

  Programme Background The Italian Army has a requirement for 633 VTMMs, known as Orso (Bear) in Italian service. These will be used to perform specialised ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H145M (Contracted) [Germany]

  Programme Background Previous Usage The German Armed Forces ordered 15 H145M helicopters, with the initial two delivered in December 2015, for the Kommando Spezialkräfte. These ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military - UUVs

  Bluefin-HAUV

  The Bluefin Hovering AUV (HAUV) is a two-man system used for ship hull and infrastructure inspection, port and harbour security and MCM. Operators are able ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  German HFTS

  Helicopter Flight Training Services (HFTS) was founded by the consortium of CAE, Airbus Helicopters, Thales and Rheinmetall Defence Electronics. Each company owns a 25% share ...

• Mine-protected vehicles

  Shrek

  The Shrek is an MRAP vehicle developed by the Streit Group in collaboration with the Ukrainian Kremenchug Automotive Plant (KrAZ). It is available in three ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Fuchs 1

  Spanning now 8 variants, the Fuchs 1 is the German Army's longstanding wheeled armoured personnel carrier. The army received 1,125 Fuchs, with most delivered between 1979-86. ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  DURO IIIP

  The DURO IIIP (also known as the GMTF) 6x6 is a protected, mobile off-road armoured vehicle based on the DURO (Durable, Robust) family of 4x4 ...

• Land: UGV simulators

  Remote Controlled Vehicle Simulation

  The Remote Controlled Vehicle Simulation is designed for users such as EOD forces.  Key features: use of original control devices; PC-based VR simulation; multiple scenarios ...

• Military UGVs

  Oto-TRP7-HS

  The Oto-TRP7-HS (Homeland Security) is a semi-autonomous, electric-powered, tracked UGV. It is designed to undertake a number of homeland security missions. 

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  Manpack-6 Bomb Ranger

  Manpack-6 is a portable jamming system that can be carried by a person in areas where there is a risk of encountering remoted controlled improvised ...

• Military - UUVs

  Sea Wasp

  The Sea Wasp is designed to be land-portable by a two-person team and consists of a vehicle, generator, pilot station, hand winch and power supply ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Eagle V 6x6

  GDELS unveiled the fifth generation of its Eagle light tactical vehicle in both 4x4 and 6x6 models at Eurosatory 2012. The Eagle V has replaced ...

• Military UGVs

  Zeus

  NIC Instruments' Zeus UGV is a development of its First Responder (see separate entry) platform and was unveiled at Milipol Paris in November 2017. The company ...

• Military UGVs

  Vanguard

  The Vanguard UGV is designed to provide mission support for EOD technicians in both law enforcement and the military. It can be deployed in EOD/IED ...

• Military UGVs

  Telemax tEODor PRO

  The Telemax EOD and observation robot (Telemax tEODor) PRO is designed to complement Cobham's tEODor UGV (see separate entry) by providing a smaller EOD robot ...

• Military - UUVs

  Bluefin-12D

  The Bluefin-12D AUV can be used for offshore survey, search and salvage, exploration, environmental protection and monitoring, MCM and EOD. 

• EO/IR systems

  Gyrocam 15DHD

  Gyrocam 15DHD is a 15in dual system that delivers HD and mid-wave thermal optics, in a modular payload that supports ISR missions. The 15DHD features ...