Archive: News & Articles

From simple steel constructs of the twentieth century, the combat helmet has seen a comprehensive evolution in design, materials, and manufacturing on its journey to reach the advanced systems protecting soldiers today. This article looks at certain helmet basics and manufacturing advances, some recent examples portraying how they have become more than just helmets, and […]

NATO faces a complex challenge: how to rapidly enhance its air and missile defence capabilities while ensuring integration across disparate systems developed by various countries. This analysis explores how divergent approaches to integration can be reconciled to create effective multi-layered protection against sophisticated aerial threats. In the wake of the conflict in Ukraine, the subject […]

As multiple countries race to develop and deploy hypersonic missiles, questions remain about their cost-effectiveness and actual battlefield impact. This analysis explores the technical realities behind hypersonic glide vehicles and hypersonic cruise missiles, examining whether they can truly deliver on their promised capabilities. Militaries around the world are clamouring to develop hypersonic missiles for conventional […]

Two decades ago, the US Army and US Navy began developing the non-line-of-sight launch system (NLOS-LS, aka ‘Rocket in a Box’) as a modular firing system housing 15 vertically launched 280 mm rockets in a container. The Army planned to mount the system on flatbed vehicles, while the Navy hoped to add much-needed firepower to […]

Despite continuing politico-strategic turbulence in trans-Atlantic relations surrounding the on-going Russo-Ukraine war, NATO remains the standalone multinational military structure for deterring high-end military threats to Western European security. Yet with the war being ‘fought’ strategically by Russia through using hybrid activities in various regions, domains, and contexts across the Euro-Atlantic theatre, multinational structures other than […]

The war in Ukraine has evolved rapidly into a brutal battlefield that has outstripped the ability of the established defence industries in both Russia and Ukraine to meet all equipment needs. This has led to a thriving ecosystem of frontline innovations. This article looks at five that are particularly interesting and assesses their impact. Counter-drone […]

Maser technology has been somewhat neglected in defence, however, its ability to detect and produce radio signals with very little noise shows promise. You have almost certainly heard of lasers and seen them. They are everywhere. From the supermarket checkout to tailoring, eye surgery to welding, our world would be very different without them. Yet […]

The intensity and diversity of special operations missions demands top-of-the-line conventional equipment as well as kit specially designed for special operations forces (SOF) requirements. While they are already among the best equipped units of any military, SOF constantly search for new or enhanced tools to provide them with the tactical advantage. Small arms The wide […]

From wedding photographers with DJI Mavics, to Lancets and Z-16 reconnaissance drones, the Ukrainian conflict has witnessed an unprecedented proliferation in drone-based battlefield Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR), as well as precision strike. This article explores primarily how Russia has rapidly adapted and evolved its drone capabilities, turning drones from less-common support tools […]

Over more than a century of operational deployments, military vehicles of all descriptions have evolved in shape, size and weight, with military bridging and gap-crossing systems keeping up with those changes in order to safely bear in-service vehicular platforms across obstacles to maintain force mobility on the battlefield. Through the eyes of leading industry players, […]

In the current fast-paced technological landscape, defence equipment is experiencing rapid advancements. The French Special Forces, who assess new equipment annually, must stabilise their inventory to effectively develop operational concepts. The French Special Forces (SF) are made up of the Commandement des Opérations Spéciales (COS; ENG: Special Operations Command) and units from the Army, Navy […]

The adoption of improved laser-based tactical engagement simulation for military collective training continues to grow. Alongside this growth, technology is enabling new capabilities to be added to aid training realism. A case in point is the use of geometric pairing to provide simulation of indirect fire weapons such as artillery and mortars. The cornerstone of […]

The Russian aggression against Ukraine has a bitter twist to it – one of the belligerents, Russia, is the world’s largest holder of small ‘tactical nuclear weapons’, along with its more publicly-discussed strategic nuclear deterrent force. As this conflict continues to rage, it is worth discussing these tactical nuclear weapons and their implications. Tactical nuclear […]

Russia is violating hydrocarbon sanctions introduced because of Moscow’s continued occupation of Ukraine. A new initiative by the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force may help to combat Russia’s illicit oil exports. It was easy enough to see that the MV Eventin was not doing much in the Baltic Sea on the marinetraffic.com vessel tracking website. As […]

Demand for long-range rocket artillery has increased with the return to great power conflict. The Ukraine war is demonstrating the utility and power of this weapon category on the modern battlefield. The definition of long-range rocket artillery is fluid on two axes, so it is necessary to set some parameters for this review since different […]

From outsourced versus domestic production, to collaborative procurement, to the introduction of a new calibre – the story of modern assault rifle procurement reveals the divergent paths being taken by various NATO members, Ukraine, and the US. In the past, the capability to design, develop and manufacture a complete range of small arms was considered […]

NATO nations are procuring several state-of-the-art night vision systems to provide their infantry forces with a tactical advantage for night fighting. For millennia, the dark of night provided sufficient cover for armed forces to advance or redeploy undetected. That all changed with the introduction of night vision systems (NVSs). The first infrared (IR) scopes for […]

In July 2024 the NATO Support and Procurement Agency issued study contracts ultimately intended to kickstart the development of a next-generation medium, multi-role rotorcraft capability for the alliance: an ambitious project that could see a preferred solution selected by the end of 2027. The Next-Generation Rotorcraft Capability (NGRC) effort is a NATO Support and Procurement […]

As aerial threats continue to evolve, air defence likewise evolves to keep pace. This article explores how changing battlefield dynamics have driven the US military to continuously reimagine its air defence systems, from legacy systems to the latest programmes aimed at defending the skies of tomorrow. The US Army has rarely fought under unfriendly skies, […]

Bolstering interoperability and collective defence amongst EU member states is at the heart of the ambitious Common Armoured Vehicle Systems (CAVS) programme, which is gaining momentum, not simply with the numbers of vehicles on order growing significantly, but also in the efficient manner in which the whole effort is being conducted and coordinated. 2024 was […]

The relative simplicity and effectiveness of explosively-formed penetrators (EFPs) against various types of armoured targets, has led to their use and delivery from a variety of weapon systems for more than a century. In Ukraine, top-attack EFPs, including from artillery and air-dropped systems, have been increasingly effective on both sides in defeating the relatively thin […]