• Air Warfare

  UK MoD awards Ascent with eight-year contract to upgrade RAF and Royal Navy flight training

  20th May 2025

  Funding of £300 million will go towards training personnel on the FIRCTS programmes to meet a growing demand for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) platforms.

• Air Warfare

  Serco receives contract extension for Royal Navy helicopter support

  13th August 2024

  The contract will deliver aircraft engineering support to the UK Royal Navy’s (RN’s) Merlin Helicopter Force and Wildcat Helicopter Force based out of RNAS Culdrose and RNAS Yeovilton respectively.

• Air Warfare

  New $156 million deal to advance UK aircrew training

  8th June 2023

  The initiative under the UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) will equip Royal Navy observers and Royal Air Force weapon system officers with the skills to operate advanced aircraft.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Navy experiments ship Patrick Blackett gets into its stride

  22nd May 2023

  Having already embarked two experimental capabilities and achieved certification, the UK RN's research ship XV Patrick Blackett is expanding the horizon for the navy's efforts to test and trial new technologies.

• Training

  UK Wildcat helicopter weapons training and digitisation reaches next stage

  8th November 2022

  The Wildcat Integrated Support and Training programme has reached its next stage with implementation of a Weapons Loading System trainer at the Royal Navy's Yeovilton base. The MoD is also experimenting with digitisation of the AW159 Wildcat helicopter.

• Training

  Ascent to boost training with FIRCTS

  13th July 2022

  The Future ISTAR and Rear Crew Training System competition in the UK is likely to generate interest from major suppliers such as Collins Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, CAE, Elbit and Thales.

• Training

  IT2EC 2022: AW159 Wildcat support and training contract renewed

  26th April 2022

  A similar training and simulation procurement model to the AW159 may be adopted for the New Medium Helicopter requirement in the UK.

• Training

  IT2EC 2022: Team Fisher developing VR submarine safety training capability for UK RN

  27th April 2022

  Submarine safety training has proved logistically challenging for the RN due to the need to find an available boat.

• Naval Warfare

  HMS Prince of Wales launches Banshee target drone in landmark demo

  29th September 2021

  Banshee target drones could be used by the RN for experimentation of future sensors, weaponry and radio equipment.

• Defence Notes

  RN looks forward to remote tower control

  7th July 2021

  The first remote air traffic control tower for the UK armed forces is planned to go live next year.

• Training

  UK delays Hawk servicing decision

  17th November 2020

  UK MoD plan to shift all Hawk servicing to RAF Leeming would leave Hawk T2 servicing taking place away from the aircraft’s main operating base.

• Training

  RNoAF ASW crews undergo training in UK

  30th October 2020

  ​Norway is making the transition to new rotary-wing and fixed-wing ASW aircraft

• Naval Warfare

  RN embarks on experimental deployment of Littoral Response Group

  17th September 2020

  An RN task group, led by the landing platform dock ship HMS Albion, has departed the UK for a three-month deployment to the Mediterranean and …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  RN declares 700X NAS ready for action

  17th August 2020

  A new UK RN unit to operate shipborne RPAS is ready for deployment. Three flights in 700X Naval Air Squadron (NAS) have been established (Phantom …

• Defence Helicopter

  Wildcat Helicopters to aid UK COVID-19 operations

  30th March 2020

  The British Army has deployed three Leonardo AW159 Wildcat Helicopters to support the national effort to help coronavirus patients. Aircraft from the Army Air Corps …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - mini

  Project Tiquila [UK]

  Background Tender notice On 18 September 2020, the MoD Combat Air Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) Team published a tender notice for a system integrator to ...

• Military UAS - small

  Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC) [UK]

  Background Requirements and objective The RN identified a requirement to acquire an Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) to transport cargo and supplies between ships and ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  RN Lynx Training Systems

  The UK RN Lynx Mk 8 programme includes a dynamic mission simulator, building, facilities and spares. The simulator is configured with a high-fidelity simulation of ...