• Digital Battlespace

  Sonitus to continue ATAC development

  14th September 2018

  Sonitus Technologies has received Phase II of a contract continue development of its ATAC personal communication system for the US Air Force.Known as Molar Mic …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army backs technology 'candidate concepts' on helicopter trio

  19th September 2018

  The US Army has made clear its intention to further develop newer technologies across Boeing's major helicopter platforms, the AH-64 Apache, CH-47 Chinook and the A/MH-6M …

• Digital Battlespace

  What is Five Eyes connectivity? (video)

  10th September 2018

  Five Eyes (FVEY) refers to an alliance that includes Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and US. These countries are bound by the multilateral UKUSA …

• Digital Battlespace

  NASA blasts off space laser satellite to track ice loss

  17th September 2018

  NASA's most advanced space laser satellite blasted off on 15 September on a mission to track ice loss around the world and improve forecasts of …

• Defence Helicopter

  Apache and Chinook boost for Netherlands

  18th September 2018

  Two of the main Dutch rotary programmes - the Boeing AH-64 Apache and CH-47 Chinook - have been bolstered by a set of contracts which …

• Digital Battlespace

  Five Eyes nations to benefit from comms enhancements

  10th September 2018

  Armed forces from across the Five Eyes community are set to benefit from a series of tactical communications enhancements allowing them to operate in command …

• Special Operations

  Land Forces 2018: Supacat purrs in Australasia

  5th September 2018

  Supacat had two of its HMT Extenda vehicles on display at Land Forces 2018 in Adelaide, both being production models destined for commandos in the …

• Land Warfare

  Land Forces 2018: EOS launches lightweight RWS

  4th September 2018

  Australian company EOS launched its new lightweight R150 RWS on opening day at Land Forces 2018 in Adelaide, with production expected to commence before the …

• Defence Notes

  Japan’s budget reflects fears for remote islands

  10th September 2018

  Japan’s defence budget grew by 2.1% for the 2019 fiscal calendar to a new seven-year high of $47 billion. Much of the money goes to …

• Defence Notes

  Japan offers to boost Sri Lanka security as China makes inroads

  21st August 2018

  Japan has pledged to help strengthen Sri Lanka's maritime security, authorities said on 21 August, in a new sign of efforts to counter China's strategic …

• Military Logistics

  HII receives LPD 30 advance procurement contract

  8th August 2018

  Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $165.5 million, cost-plus-fixed-fee advance procurement contract from the US Navy to provide long-lead-time material and …

• Defence Helicopter

  Industry awaits ITEP manufacturing decision

  15th August 2018

  A downselect decision for the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase of the US Army’s Improved Turbine Engine Programme (ITEP) is to be made by …

• Land Warfare

  CIO to deliver Centauro II vehicles to Italy

  30th July 2018

  The Iveco - Oto Melara Consortium (CIO) has signed a contract with the Italian MoD for the delivery of ten Centauro II armoured vehicles to …

• Defence Notes

  US defense chief woos Brazil as Chinese influence grows

  14th August 2018

  US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis praised Brazil's clout and urged closer strategic ties Tuesday in what appeared to be part of a concerted push back …

• Military Logistics

  HII cuts steel for US Navy’s LPD 29

  1st August 2018

  Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has begun fabrication of the 13th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock at Pascagoula, Mississippi with the cutting of the first 100t …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Submarines nuclear, ballistic missile

  Dreadnought Class (Successor Programme)

  Programme Background Requirements The Dreadnought-class, prior to being named in October 2016, was known as the Successor programme, which was approved by the government in May ...

• Minehunters

  Mine Sweeping Hunter II (MSH-II) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirements Under the Mine Sweeping Hunter II (MSH-II) programme, South Korea is seeking a replacement for the Ganggyeong-class minehunters, which are due to leave service ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (9-22) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B Batch-II ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  KSS-III Batch II (4-6) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Timeline In March 2019, the construction of the first KSS-III Batch II was approved. On 30 March 2023, Hanwha Ocean laid the keel of ...

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

  Puma 2 AE (Estonia)

  Programme Background The US DoD announced that it had awarded AeroVironment an $8.868 million firm-fixed-price contract to supply an undisclosed number of RQ-20B Puma AE ...

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

  Wing Loong II [Nigeria]

  Programme Background First Order On 5 November 2020, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Chief, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, stated that the force was set to ...

• Tanks

  Arjun Mark-II

  Programme Background While original plans envisioned the production of up to 250 Arjun Mk IIs, the programme's many delays have prompted the Indian Army to ...

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

  Wing Loong II (Pakistan)

  Programme Background Negotiations On 6 October 2018, the Pakistani Air Force (PAF) announced it would acquire 48 Wing Loong II UAVs in a social media post. ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (5-8) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW 212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Cloud Leopard II 8x8 [Taiwan]

  Programme Background The Cloud Leopard II will offer greater strategic mobility, as well as enhanced protection and lethality, than the legacy tracked and wheeled vehicles ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (1-4) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B Batch-II fast attack ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  KSS-III (Boats 7-9) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Timeline The new KSS-III Dosan Ahn Chang-Ho-class submarines for the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) are a significant advance on the earlier KSS-II and ...

• Trainer

  T-6C [Thailand]

  Programme Background The contract is for 12 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II advanced military training aircraft, ground-based training systems for pilots and maintenance professionals, a mission ...

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

  Wing Loong II (Morocco)

  Programme Background OkDiario Report On 2 October 2022, the Spanish newspaper OkDiario reported, quoting "Spanish military intelligence", that Morocco had acquired an unknown quantity of ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  San Antonio LPD 17 Flight II [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The LPD 17 Flight II programme will fully and functionally replace the ageing LSD-41 class and LSD-49 class ships for embarking, transporting, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Surface-to-surface missiles

  UGM-133 Trident II

  The UGM-133 Trident II, also known as the Trident D5, is a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) developed and produced by Lockheed Martin for the United ...

• Submarines nuclear, ballistic missile

  Vanguard Class

  The UK Royal Navy’s Vanguard class of ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) provide the UK with its continuous-at-sea deterrent (CASD) coverage and have done so since 1994 ...

• Submarines nuclear, ballistic missile

  Ohio Class

  The US Navy’s (USN’s) Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBN’s) – known as the SSBN 726-class – provide the US with its sea-based nuclear deterrent. It ...

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

  Trident TL

  The Trident TL is a low-cost, foldable, ground- or air-launched UAS. Designed for commercial and federal agency use, this system uses autonomous navigation for launch, ...

• Submarines nuclear, ballistic missile

  Columbia Class

  The USN’s new Columbia-class SSBN, also known as the SSBN 826-class, is planned to replace the existing Ohio-class boats as the cornerstone of the US ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  Trident 140TD2

  The Trident 140TD2 is a compression-ignition engine designed for MALE platforms. Based on the Trident 100TD2, it is a lightweight, four-cylinder design that is intended ...

• Sea: optronic masts and periscopes

  Type 8 Mod 3

  The Type 8 Mod 3 is an updated version of the Type 8-series periscopes. The Type 8B/J Mod 3 provides extremely high-frequency low-data-rate communications capability ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  Trident 180TD2

  The Trident 180TD2 is a compression-ignition engine designed for heavier UAVs up to the 2t class. The design is intended to improve efficiency, while being ...

• Guided munitions

  Ninja

  The Ninja is a free-fall guided munition from Astra Systems. It can be launched from manned or uncrewed platforms and uses GPS-INS guidance when airborne.  Several warhead ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  EX-3M Trident

  The EX-3M Trident is an open-architecture, high-speed, developmental fixed-wing UAV. Manufactured by Exosonic, the UAV commenced flight trials of a demonstrator in May 2023, with the actual drone conducting its ...

• Infrastructure - shelters/accommodation

  EFASS 20.4m Hangar

  The 20.4m hangar was the first of the Expeditionary Forces Aircraft Shelter System (EFASS) range of soft-walled temporary buildings to be designed to meet the ...

• Loitering munitions

  Spear

  The Spear is a loitering munition manufactured by Astra Systems. It is designed for air-to-ground and ground-to-ground attack operations. The system uses electric propulsion, giving it ...

• Submarines nuclear, ballistic missile

  Dreadnought Class

  The UK is building four new Dreadnought-class SSBNs for the Royal Navy that will take over the nuclear deterrent role from the existing four Vanguard-class submarines. ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  Trident 100TD2

  The Trident 100TD2 is a compression-ignition engine that is capable of operating on various types of heavy fuel. It is claimed to offer up to ...

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

  BE-45

  The BE-45 is a multi-mission fixed-wing UAV from Astra Systems. It is a dual-engined platform that can operate with little to no available infrastructure. It is ...