David Oliver

At ILA 2018, the Danish systems integrator Terma announced that the first Modular Aircraft Survivability Equipment (MASE) equipped Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) NH90 helicopter has successfully passed a comprehensive test programme and is now ready for operational use. Terma provides MASE pods for a...

US defence giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin went head-to-head at ILA Berlin 2018 in their efforts to replace Germany's existing fleet of Sikorsky CH-53G heavy-lift helicopters. Boeing is offering the proven CH-47F/G Chinook and with a potential order for between 40-60 helicopters. Both the US...

Making its defence show debut at SOFEX was the Oshkosh Defense Special Purpose All-Terrain Vehicle (S-ATV), a lightweight 4x4 designed for rapid deployment by Special Forces. Mike Ivy, senior vice president International Programs told Armada International that “ the concept was designed some years...

Another sign of the Royal Jordanian Air Force’s (RJAF) wide ranging modernisation programme is the comprehensive upgrade of 12 of its 20 plus extant Bell AH-1F/S Cobras, with one of the first delivered on display at SOFEX 2018. The work is being carried out...

In January, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced that the Russian Aerospace Forces are to receive more than 100 new and upgraded aircraft, including Sukhoi Su-35S and Su-30SM multi-role fighter aircraft, Su-34 attack fighter aircraft, Russian Helicopters Ka-52, Mi-28 and Mi-8 of various modifications,...

Operation INHERENT RESOLVE (OIR), the ongoing US-led military operation against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) insurgent group which has occupied significant parts of both countries, has highlighted the lack of air-to-air refuelling capabilities among the participants. OIR commenced in June 2014 and...

At this year’s Paris Air Show, the director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC), Dmitriy Shugaev, told armadainternational.com that European Union (EU) and US sanctions had inspired the Russian defence industry. The FSMTC is the powerful Russian government entity for military...

Making its public debut at this year’s Paris Air Show held between 19th and 23rd July was Diamond Aircraft’s DA-62 Multi-Purpose Platform (MPP). This new aircraft is a seven-seat development of the firm’s DA-42 piston engine light aircraft. Powered by twin Austro Engines AE300 diesel...

In response to the 2nd June acts of political violence in London, the Blue Thunder unit of the British Army’s Special Air Service (SAS) was deployed for the first time in the UK. Blue Thunder is a 70-person unit formed after the Islamic State...

This was how the Bofors Test Centre’s manager, Rickard Lindstrom greeted the press at a recent demonstration of its capabilities. He asked: “What are the capabilities of a modern weapon system? To find out, you have to take it to the very edge. No...