DSEI Gateway
The Naval Strike Missile from Kongsberg

Replace this hero caption text

Glossary

Standfirst placeholder

27 APR 2026

Defence is evolving at an unprecedented pace, bringing a complex array of new terminology, strategic frameworks, and international partnerships.

Keeping track of programmes, such as GCAP and FCAS, or understanding the implications of initiatives like NATO’s DIANA can be challenging.

This regularly updated glossary serves as a definitive resource to help industry professionals keep track.

It provides clear, plain-English definitions of the essential acronyms and concepts, from AUKUS to MDO. We’ll explain what these terms mean, what is happening with them, and why they are critical to the future of global defence.

A

Active Protection System (APS)

A system used to defeat incoming anti-tank projectiles or other threats to an armoured vehicle. If an advanced missile or threat is detected, an APS typically neutralises it by deploying either soft-kill measures, such as signal jamming, or hard-kill interceptors that physically destroy the projectile.

Your personalised reads