Defence Notes

Libya air strikes point to possible UAE involvement, says UN report

7th May 2019

United Nations experts are investigating missile strikes near Libya's capital that were fired likely using Chinese-made drones and point to possible involvement by the United …

Defence Helicopter

RUAG completes first NH90 inspection

7th May 2019

RUAG MRO International has completed the first inspection of an NH90 transport helicopter for the German Bundeswehr in Oberpfaffenhofen. Before commencing work on the NH90 …

Naval Warfare

SeaSpider heads to Canada

18th April 2019

Atlas Elektronik Canada has signed an agreement with Magellan Aerospace for the design and development phase of the SeaSpider Anti Torpedo Torpedo (ATT) programme, the …

Land Warfare

Germany orders Rheinmetall artillery shells

11th April 2019

Rheinmetall has received a contract from the German Bundeswehr to supply its 155mm DM121 artillery ammunition, the company announced on 8 April. The five-year contract, …

Land Warfare

KMW to modernise German Leopard 2 tanks

10th April 2019

Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) has received a contract to modernise 101 German Leopard 2 A6 main battle tanks, the company announced on 5 April. The contract, …

Defence Notes

Clashes rage in Libya despite UN truce call

8th April 2019

Fighting raged south of Libya's capital on 7 April despite a UN call for a two-hour ceasefire, as forces of strongman Khalifa Haftar and the …

Naval Warfare

SeaSpider ATT completes trials in Baltic Sea

4th April 2019

Atlas Elektronik’s SeaSpider anti-torpedo-torpedo (ATT) has successfully completed sea trials in cooperation with the German Bundeswehr technical center for ships and naval weapons, maritime technology …

Military Logistics

Liebherr delivers mobile and recovery cranes to Bundeswehr

4th April 2019

Liebherr-Werk Ehingen has delivered the first of 71 protected mobile and recovery cranes to the German Bundeswehr, Rheinmetall announced on 1 April.   In June …

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 ...

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 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, ...

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 ...

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 ...

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. ...

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

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

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 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 - 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 ...