• Defence Helicopter

  US Army realigns AH-64E Apache FOTE

  12th January 2018

  The US Army is realigning its Follow-On Test and Evaluation (FOTE) of technology insertions for the AH-64E Apache helicopter, the army announced on 9 January. …

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems unveils new CV90 variant for Czech Army

  24th January 2018

  BAE Systems has launched a new variant of its IFV family, the CV90 MkIV, which will be offered to the Czech Army as part of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Navy seeks Vindicator II targets

  9th January 2018

  The US Navy is looking to acquire the Vindicator II target solution from Qinetiq Target Systems Canada as part of a sole source procurement. The …

• Naval Warfare

  ADECS 2018: India’s silent arm progresses…slowly

  24th January 2018

  Having initiated its 30-year submarine-building plan two decades ago to raise operational and indigenous construction capabilities, modernisation of the Indian Navy (IN) underwater fleet has …

• Defence Helicopter

  Ten dead in Colombia military helicopter crash

  16th January 2018

  Ten people were killed when a military helicopter crashed in a remote area of northwestern Colombia on 16 January, the military said. The Russian-made MI-17 …

• Naval Warfare

  Year of decision for Polish Navy

  21st January 2018

  After years of stagnation the Polish Navy in recent months seems to have found itself on the right course to become a more modern and …

• Naval Warfare

  ADECS 2018: OCEA selling into the Philippines

  23rd January 2018

  French shipyard OCEA has announced the sale of a single 84m OPV 270 vessel and four 24m FPB 72 Mk II patrol boats to the …

• Defence Notes

  Trump's nuclear policy may spark arms race

  25th January 2018

  The US DoD is set to unveil US president Donald Trump's nuclear policy next week, and critics are already warning it could trigger another arms …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Textron poised for Nightwarden sale

  17th January 2018

  Less than 12 months after the official unveiling of the Textron Systems Nightwarden the company is confident that the first sale of the platform is on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  China pushes boundaries with grand UAV ambitions

  3rd January 2018

  The Wing Loong II, from the Chengdu Aircraft Design & Research Institute (CADI), recently successfully test-fired five air-to-ground missiles during a single sortie, signalling that …

• Defence Notes

  US looks to develop low-yield nuclear weapons

  18th January 2018

  The US military wants to overhaul its atomic arsenal and develop a new type of low-yield weapon that experts worry could lead to greater proliferation …

• Training

  PZL to modernise 130 Orlik TC-I trainers

  27th December 2017

  PZL Warszawa-Okęcie has received a contract to upgrade the Polish Air Force’s PZL 130 Orlik TC-I trainer aircraft fleet to the latest standard, Airbus announced …

• Land Warfare

  Israeli military technology discovered in Kuwait, despite ban

  9th January 2018

  The Kuwaiti armed forces have been found to be using Israeli military technology, despite the Arab country not recognising the Jewish state and imposing a …

• Naval Warfare

  South Korea pushes ahead with sub rescue ship

  20th December 2017

  South Korea is developing a new submarine rescue ship, with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) declaring that phase one, a required operational capability test, …

• Special Operations

  SOCOM moves from ThunderDrone to Game of Drones

  19th December 2017

  In the aftermath of its recently-completed ThunderDrone Prototype Rodeo, held in early November at the SOFWERX facility in the Ybor City area of Tampa, Florida, …

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-air missiles

  UGM-133 Trident II

  The UGM-133 Trident II, or Trident-D5, is a submarine-launched ballistic missile. It is designed to launch nuclear payloads and is a cornerstone of America's deterrence ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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. ...

• 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 ...