• Defence Notes

  UK MoD rejects latest criticism of Equipment Plan from Public Accounts Committee

  12th May 2022

  Earlier this year, the MoD published a ten-year equipment plan, notable for being the first not to have a deficit in spending in many years.

• Land Warfare

  GM Defense introduces a new variant to its ISV family

  18th May 2022

  The Expeditionary Logistics and Mission Support Concept Vehicle is a four-passenger platform with a cargo box. Similar to the traditional nine-troop carrier, it is light enough to be sling-loaded from a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and compact enough to fit inside a CH-47 Chinook helicopter.

• Land Warfare

  US Army picks two companies to provide individual weapon sights

  29th April 2022

  DRS and Teledyne FLIR will produce a family of sights for the US Army.

• Land Warfare

  Czech IFV plan suffers yet another delay

  20th May 2022

  The Czech IFV programme was due to gain some much-needed clarity by April, but instead it has suffered another delay and its future remains unclear.

• Defence Helicopter

  Modification work begins on French Navy H160s for maritime SAR

  27th May 2022

  The first of six H160s is now being modified for French Navy SAR missions.

• Training

  Somalis receive explosive threat reduction training

  17th May 2022

  Training from a consortium led by Allen-Vanguard met UN standards and will equip Somali personnel with skills to detect and dispose of explosive ordnance effectively.

• Land Warfare

  Indian military wants hundreds of 4x4 light vehicles

  25th May 2022

  India needs hundreds of new hardtop 4x4 light vehicles to serve in the army, air force and navy.

• Defence Notes

  US military seeks ways to avoid shortage of microelectronics

  24th June 2022

  The US Department of Defense has released its ‘Microelectronics Vision’ paper, addressing objectives and guidelines to minimise vulnerabilities and ensure long-term access. However, the DoD faces some obstacles in progressing with its plans.

• Defence Notes

  Rheinmetall eyes Hungarian digitalisation with JV

  16th May 2022

  Rheinmetall is setting up a JV with Hungarian partners to drive armed forces digitalisation in Hungary.

• Training

  Thomas Global Systems to deliver immersive trainers for Australian M1A2 Abrams

  17th May 2022

  The new Immersive Tactical Trainers will support Project Land 907 and will allow personnel to train across the whole country.

• Land Warfare

  PLA fields new armoured recovery vehicle based on ZTQ-15 tank

  1st June 2022

  China's army has introduced a new ARV to service units equipped with ZTQ-15 light tanks.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Silent Sentinel to provide threat detection for UK MoD’s RPV programme

  17th May 2022

  Silent Sentinel joins Phase 3 of the UK MoD’s RPV programme to provide the Mission Master UGV with sensors.

• Land Warfare

  Polish companies and MBDA UK seal tank destroyer agreement

  17th May 2022

  The deal involves companies of the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) and comprises the design and production of PGZ class vehicles featuring MBDA UK Brimstone anti-tank guided missiles.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Thales obtains type certification for Spy’Ranger 330

  22nd April 2022

  Type certification enables the French Army to deploy the SMDR1 mini-UAS2 reconnaissance system to overseas theatres of operations without requiring specific flight approvals.

• Land Warfare

  SIG Sauer sweeps up next-gen US infantry weapon deals

  20th April 2022

  After 27 months of tests and evaluations, the US Army has chosen the XM250 light machine gun and XM5 rifle as two of its Next Generation Squad Weapons.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Titan-B

  Programme Background Colombia is understood to have a requirement for as many as 100 APCs capable of carrying up to 20 troops and protecting their ...

• Military UAS - small

  Small UAV (Colombia)

  Programme Background Many of the Colombian military's UAVs are operated by the Colombian Air Force, but the Colombian Army has also employed several different types ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Titan-C

  Programme Background Colombia is understood to have a requirement for as many as 100 APCs capable of carrying up to 20 troops and protecting their ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Colombia M113A3

  Programme Background The Colombian Army currently operates 54 M113A1 and M113A2 APCs, which are divided among two mechanised infantry battalions and a training school. Known ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Surplus M1117 Guardian ASV (Colombia)

  Programme Background The Colombian Army has requested surplus M1117s to assist with counter-insurgency and counter-narcotics operations. Due to a lack of armoured vehicles suitable for ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  PETEF - Light Tactical Vehicles

  The Colombian MoD has not outlined how many new patrol vehicles will be needed to equip all seven of the light cavalry groups, nor how ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Secure Personnel Transport Vehicle (Colombia - Forecast)

  Programme Background Colombia is understood to have a requirement for as many as 100 APCs capable of carrying up to 20 troops and protecting their ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  PETEF - LAV III (Colombia)

  Programme Background Since the replacement of the M113 is understood to be a priority for the Colombian Army, it is anticipated that a contract could ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Secure Personnel Transport Vehicle (Colombia - Announced)

  Programme Background Colombia is understood to have a requirement for as many as 100 APCs capable of carrying up to 20 troops and protecting their ...

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

  Coelum (Colombia)

  Programme Background Testing Colombian Aeronautical Industry Cooperation (CIAC) was working on a project called Dron Coelum X-001. In late 2020, the CIAC tested a redesigned prototype of the ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  PETEF - Tracked IFV

  Since a programme to procure a tracked IFV has yet to be launched by the Colombian Army, it is unclear how many tracked IFVs could ...

• Tanks

  PETEF - MBT

  The Colombian Army has evaluated several offers for MBT platforms in the past, though none of these have progressed to the formal contract stage. For ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Kfir Replacement (Colombia)

  Programme Background In May 2021, budget constraints prompted new Colombian finance minister José Manuel Restrepo (in post since 3 May) to place on indefinite hold ...

• Frigates

  Plataforma Estratégica de Superficie (PES) - Frigate Acquisition Programme [Colombia]

  Programme Background The replacement of the existing ageing Almirante Padilla-class frigates was first initiated in 2015. The predecessors, built by Germany's Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) have been in service ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Type 206/209 Replacement (PLOTEOS) [Colombia]

  The 2042 "Plan de Desarrollo Naval" (Naval Development Plan) outlines the intention to procure four new SSKs for the Colombian Navy. Saab, Navantia and Naval ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Titan

  Blindex developed the Titan series of APCs to provide the Colombian Army with an affordable means of transporting large numbers of troops for internal security ...

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

  Quimbaya X-003

  The Quimbaya X-003 is a Colombian fixed-wing UAV designed and developed by the Colombian Aeronautical Industry Corporation (CIAC). Reportedly, following evaluation tests in late 2023, ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  M1117 Guardian ASV

  In December 1995, the US Army selected a design based on the Textron ASV 150 to provide the military police with a vehicle that combined ...

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

  Coelum

  Manufactured by Corporación de la Industria Aeronáutica Colombiana (CIAC), the Coelum is a mini UAV that is fitted with a 40x zoom EO/IR camera payload for ISR missions.  The ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  PRC-710

  The PRC-710 is a VHF/FM voice and data handheld radio with COMSEC and ECCM capabilities. Designed in response to emerging combat requirements, the PRC-710 is ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  LPR 40 MKII

  The LPR acts as a command boat for the group of tactical riverine combat boats operated by the Colombian Marine Corps. It is equipped with ...

• EO/IR systems, Sea: optronic masts and periscopes

  SERO 250

  The SERO 250 is a compact submarine periscope that can be installed in both new-build and upgraded boats. Little or no structural modifications are required ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  SCTV

  The Survivable Combat Tactical Vehicle (SCTV), developed by Textron Marine & Land Systems and Granite Tactical Vehicles, is an upgrade solution for the AM General ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Airmor

  Airmor is an autonomous modular countermeasure SPS designed for helicopters and transport aircraft. Airmor’s core components are IMI’s management control unit (MCU), which processes information ...

• OPVs

  OPV 93C

  The OPV 93C is an offshore patrol vessel designed and developed by Cotecmar. The Colombian Navy ordered one platform in November 2022 and one in ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 500

  The MD 500 is a single-engine light helicopter derived from the Hughes OH-6A Cayuse developed for the US Army in the early 1960s and the ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  SandCat

  The 4x4 SandCat family of vehicles was designed by Israeli armour specialist Plasan Sasa in 2005 for a range of military, special operations, homeland security, ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Type 209/1200

  The Type 209/1200 diesel-electric submarine is a variant of the Type 209 submarine designed by the German company Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft exclusively for the export market. ...

• Naval guns

  OTO Strales/Davide

  The OTO Strales represents the second iteration of the OTO 76/62mm Super Rapido gun from Leonardo. The weapon, which is in service with the Italian ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  EMB-312 Tucano

  The EMB-312 Tucano (Brazilian designation T-27) is a trainer and light attack aircraft developed by Embraer to meet the training requirements of the Brazilian Air ...