• Defence Notes

  Europe scraps plan to supply Ukraine with additional fighter jets

  2nd March 2022

  Contrary to earlier reports, Ukraine will not be receiving additional fighter jets as it looks to stop a Russian invasion that shows no signs of relenting.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Canada shines more light on RPAS plans

  23rd February 2022

  The Canadian Department of National Defence has confirmed the programme schedule for its optionally armed UAS procurement plan, while also identifying where the aircraft will be based.

• Air Warfare

  F-35Cs embark on maiden operational deployment

  5th January 2022

  USMC F-35Cs from VMFA-314 are aboard USS Abraham Lincoln.

• Training

  Qatar changes tack by basing M-346s in-country for training

  26th February 2022

  Leonardo has confirmed a long-speculated order from Qatar for six M-346 trainer aircraft, which will fly alongside the country’s diverse fighter jet fleet — but will the small Gulf country have sufficient logistical abilities, training footprint and personnel to make effective use of it?

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army seeks Dragon Runner support

  25th January 2022

  QinetiQ North America is to ‘reset, recap and sustain’ the US Army’s fleet of small Dragon Runner UGVs.

• Training

  US emphasises cyber training amid budget uncertainty

  4th February 2022

  During a webinar hosted by NTSA, US military leaders voiced concerns about funding and the need for integrated cyber warfare training.

• Land Warfare

  Philippine soldier modernisation is mixed bag, with both purchases and delays

  4th March 2022

  It often takes multiple tenders before the Philippines can obtain even the most basic of equipment, and this is the case with helmets and body armour.

• Digital Battlespace

  Cessna in Philippines to gain ISR equipment

  28th January 2022

  Is the Wescam MX-15 sensor to be installed on a Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft flown by the Philippines Army Aviation Regiment?

• Land Warfare

  Allison gets the nod for Kenyan and Israeli transmissions

  17th December 2021

  Allison Transmissions will provide equipment for Hizir 4x4 and Eitan 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicles, to be supplied to Kenya and Israel respectively.

• Air Warfare

  Airbus predicts two-year wait for helicopter market recovery

  26th January 2022

  Following a surge in helicopter orders for 2021 compared to 2020, Airbus thinks it will take two to three years before sales return to pre-COVID-19 levels.

• Land Warfare

  Slovakia narrows down IFV programme to four proposals

  9th February 2022

  Slovakia has received four government-to-government offers to meet its IFV modernisation requirements — which of them is the front-runner?

• Air Warfare

  Russia faces weaker heavy-lift capabilities by 2030

  1st February 2022

  Russia recently demonstrated its capacity for rapid military deployment in Kazakhstan but dark clouds are gathering over its airlift prospects, especially as new Antonov aircraft (and spare parts) cannot be procured from Ukraine.

• Air Warfare

  Australia receives first upgraded C-130J

  16th January 2022

  Australia is upgrading its C-130J fleet and has prepared the way for a future P-8A upgrade, but the RAAF is struggling with its much-delayed C-27J programme.

• Land Warfare

  Zavet-D stands on threshold of mass production

  31st January 2022

  Russia still seems to prioritise modernisation of its airborne forces, as shown by the latest announcement about the Zavet-D artillery C2 vehicle.

• Land Warfare

  Russia receives final batch of BMP-3s from Rostec subsidiary

  25th January 2022

  The latest BMP-3 IFVs for the Russian Ground Forces include additional slat armour.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  ARV (USMC)

  Programme Background The ARV constitutes one component of a wider USMC effort to develop an interconnected network of manned and unmanned platforms more suited to ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV (US - USMC)

  Programme Background The Armored Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked ...

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

  Medium Range/Medium Endurance (MR/ME) [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 ...

• Military helicopters - maritime, Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-53K - US Navy

  Programme Background The Marine Corps is replacing its aging CH-53E helicopters with the CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter. Designed as an evolution of the CH-53E, the CH-53K ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-1Y Venom (Czechia)

  Programme Background Czech Armed Forces intended to use the UH-1Y Venom helicopters in various missions including utility, search and rescue, aerial reconnaissance, air-to-ground support and ...

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

  Large ULS-A / Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) [USMC]

  Programme Background US Marine ULS-A programmes The US Marines are seeking a family of Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A), which will provide logistics and ground units with ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Belgium Jaguar Medium Common Armoured Vehicle Platform

  Programme Background In its Strategic Vision for Defence document published in June 2016, the Belgian MoD outlined its aspirations for equipping five motorised manoeuvre battalions ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Belgium Griffon Light Common Armoured Vehicle Platform

  Programme Background In its Strategic Vision for Defence document published in June 2016, the Belgian MoD outlined its aspirations for equipping five motorised manoeuvre battalions ...

• Loitering munitions

  Long-Range Attack Munition (LRAM) [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

  Organic Precision Fire - Light (OPF-L) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. In May 2022, an annual ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USMC)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1Z

  In issuing the Force Design 2030 report into the future direction of the USMC, the corps is attempting to steer the course of its development, ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-73 Advanced Helicopter Training System - AHTS (TH-57 Replacement)

  Contenders for the competition included the Leonardo single engine TH-119 – a military variant of the AW119Kx – and Bell’s newly upgraded single engine 407GXi. ...

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

  Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) (Increment 1) [USMC]

  Programme Background All-in-One UAV Since 2016, the USMC has wished to acquire a UAV that could be deployed from a vessel, be used for various missions, ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35B Follow-On UK

  Programme Background  The forthcoming UK Integrated Foreign Policy and Defence Review will shed further light on whether changes to the UK F-35B programme are to ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• EO/IR systems

  ATARS

  Operational on USMC F/A-18s, the Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System (ATARS) provides high-resolution imagery for real/near-real time reconnaissance and can perform strike and bomb damage ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV

  BAE Systems teamed with Iveco Defence to offer a version of Iveco Defence Vehicle's Superav for the USMC's Armored Combat Vehicle Phase 1 Increment 1 ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  JAB

  The US Army is leading the Joint Assault Bridge (JAB) project to replace legacy M60A1-based bridge launchers in service with itself and USMC with an M1-based ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Jaguar EBRC

  The Jaguar Armored Reconnaissance and Combat Vehicle (EBRC) is a 6x6 armoured reconnaissance vehicle manufactured by a consortium formed of Nexter Systems, Arquus (formerly Renault Trucks Defense) and ...

• Military UGVs

  XM1216 SUGV

  The XM1216 Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (SUGV) is a tactical system that can enter and secure areas that are either inaccessible or too dangerous for ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Flyer 60 ALSV

  General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS), in partnership with Flyer Defense, developed the Flyer 60 Advanced Light Strike Vehicle (ALSV) in parallel with the ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  M1150 ABV

  The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) project, launched by the USMC in 2002, is a joint programme to meet the requirements of both the US ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Commando Elite

  The 4x4 Commando Elite is an improved derivative of Textron's M1117 Armored Security Vehicle which offers improved mobility, lethality and survivability. The Canadian Army chose ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Type 82

  The Type 82 command and communications vehicle was developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to perform specialised roles for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) such ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  LTMPAV Dino 519

  The LTMPAV Dino 519 is an armored vesion of Concept's Dino 319.

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Cottonmouth

  The Cottonmouth is a purpose-built 6x6 amphibious reconnaissance vehicle designed by Textron Systems to meet the requirements of the USMC's Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) programme. It ...

• Land: RWS

  LW30/RS6

  The LW30 (since rebranded RS6) is part of the Protector RWS family developed by Kongsberg. Designed to carry a heavier armament than earlier Protector systems, ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  SMAW Mod 0

  Developed to meet the requirements of the USMC, the Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon (SMAW), introduced in 1984, is a development of the IMI B-300. Its ...

• Land: manned turrets

  GD30

  General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) has developed a two-person turret designed to accommodate the Northrop Grumman Mk44S Bushmaster II 30mm cannon. Called the GD30, little ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1W SuperCobra

  Bell’s AH-1W SuperCobra attack helicopter was developed from the AH-1T for the USMC. It has been in service since 1986 to the present day, first ...