• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Kratos books jet-powered UAS orders

  3rd November 2017

  Kratos Defense and Security Solutions has received $14.5 million in contract awards for eight high performance, jet powered UAS, the company announced on 31 October.The …

• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA 2017: Unitech chases foreign helicopter sales

  11th October 2017

  Unitech Composites, manufacturers of the multi-station lightweight armament support structure (MLASS) wings as used by the US Army’s MH-60M, is seeing a range of global …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russia’s WMD receives Mi-35 helicopters

  3rd November 2017

  A helicopter regiment of the Russian armed forces’ Western Military District in the Pskov region has taken delivery of new Mi-35 multi-role assault helicopters, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Analysis: The future of the MQ-25 programme

  2nd November 2017

  Northrop Grumman’s withdrawal from the US Navy’s requirement for a Carrier-Based Aerial-Refuelling System (CBARS), also known as MQ-25 Stingray, has highlighted the fragility of the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  D&S 2017: Marsun charts future USV course

  8th November 2017

  Marsun, a private shipbuilder in Thailand, displayed a scale model of a concept for a second-generation 10m-long USV at Defense & Security 2017 in Bangkok. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Analysis: KumAPE - the bright future of Russia’s co-axial helicopter manufacturer

  31st October 2017

  The Kumertau Aviation Production Enterprise (KumAPE) company specialises in the manufacture, upgrade and overhauls of co-axial rotor helicopters designed by Moscow’s Kamov company. 

• Digital Battlespace

  RADA’s MHR supports ATHENA testing

  18th October 2017

  RADA Electronic Industries’ Multi-Mission Hemispheric Radar (MHR) has supported testing of Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Test High Energy Asset (ATHENA) prototype laser weapon system at White …

• Naval Warfare

  KA350ER enhancement kit demo'd

  31st October 2017

  Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has successfully demonstrated the King Air 350 Extended Range (KA350ER) Mission Enhancement Kit in Huntsville, Alabama, the company announced on 26 …

• Special Operations

  Romania stands up SOF command

  11th October 2017

  The Romanian Ministry of Defence (MoD) will establish a Special Operations Command (SOCOM) by 1 January 2018 as it seeks to expand joint operations across …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE begins production on LRASM sensors

  3rd November 2017

  BAE Systems has started production of its sensor technology for the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) under a $40 million order from Lockheed Martin, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  D&S 2017: Thai military’s UAV research bears fruit

  9th November 2017

  The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) is working on a platform called the Fixed-wing UAV with VTOL-Enabling Capability (FUVEC), displaying one of four prototypes at the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Russia boosts UAS flight training

  1st November 2017

  The Russian armed forces’ Western Military District has received more than 30 Orlan-10 and Eleron-3 short-range UAS throughout 2017, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced …

• Special Operations

  SOCOM conducts ThunderDrone Prototype Rodeo

  30th October 2017

  The US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is preparing to host the ThunderDrone Prototype Rodeo later this week at the newest SOFWERX facility in the Ybor …

• Land Warfare

  US ponders next-gen combat vehicle

  9th November 2017

  As the US Army reviews its modernisation priorities and stands up a new command, the coming budget request could decide whether the service presses ahead …

• Digital Battlespace

  GATR SATCOM solutions for NZDF

  18th October 2017

  Cubic subsidiary GATR Technologies has received a foreign military sales contract to provide satellite communication (SATCOM) solutions for the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), Cubic …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Data links

  Data links | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390 [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirement The aircraft deliveries were scheduled to start by the end of 2016 and continue over a period of ten years. However,  the first ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-130H Replacement [Sweden]

  Programme Background Requirements Sweden has five C-130H aircraft (designated Tp-84) and one KC-130H. Two C-130Es bought in the 1960s have retired, but the six H ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Hermes 900 [Chile]

  Methodology Unit cost In 2024, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired one Hermes 900 for 50 million reais ($9.14 million), giving each drone an estimated ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  H145M [Brazil]

  Background  Brazilian leadership announced in February 2022 that the Sabre Mil Mi-35M Hind-E attack helicopters were being retired from active service. This decision came as a ...

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS 39E/F Gripen [Brazil]

  Background In 2016, Gripen’s Project and Development Center was opened in Sao Paulo to allow Sweedish and Brazillian engineers to work together in the Gripen ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Hermes 900 [Colombia]

  Methodology Unit cost In 2024, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired one Hermes 900 for 50 million reais ($9.14 million), giving each drone an estimated gross ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Hermes 900 (5) [Brazil]

  Background First three batches (2014-2024) Across three purchases, Defence Insight estimates that Brazil has acquired five Hermes 900 UAVs. In 2014, Elbit reported supplying one ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Hermes 900 (1-4) [Brazil]

  Background First batch (2014) In 2014, Elbit reported supplying one Hermes 900 UAV to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). The drone is called the RQ-900 in Brazilian ...

• Maritime patrol

  C295 add-on [Brazil]

  Programme Background  In 2014 Brazil signed a contracted for two additional C-295 SAR platforms with the option to acquire one additional platform. In 2018, reports ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Polar Support Vessel [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirements In June 2020, the Brazilian Navy released a Request for Proposal (RfP) to procure a new Antarctic vessel to be manufactured in Brazil. The ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air-to-surface missiles

  MAR-1

  The MAR-1 is a Brazilian air-to-surface anti-radiation missile (ARM) developed by Mectron in collaboration with the Aerospace Technology and Science Department (DCTA) of the Brazilian ...

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

  Harpia

  Described as the UAV with the most onboard technology in Latin America, Harpia is a multifunctional fixed-wing Brazilian drone developed by Advanced Technologies Security & Defence.  The Uruguayan ...

• 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 ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  TPTS

  Tactical Procedures Training Simulators (TPTS), operating with SWARM software, can be used to provide most core training elements to pilots or offload training tasks from ...

• Guided munitions

  SMKB (Smart-MK-Bomb)

  The Smart-MK-Bomb, or the SMKB, is a precision guidance kit developed by Mectron and designed to turn Mk 82 and Mk 83 bombs into guided munitions.

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Albatroz Vortex

  The Albatroz Vortex from Stella Tecnologia is a development of the company's Albatroz UAV.  The key differentiator is that the Vortex is fitted with an ATJR ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Condor

  The Condor, or Atobá XR, is an in-development MALE-class UAV from Stella Technologia.  The development of the multi-role is tied to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), which has ...

• Trainer, Transport

  EMB-121 Xingu

  The EMB-121 Xingu is a twin-turboprop light transport and advanced multi-engine trainer aircraft developed by Embraer based on the EMB-110 Bandeirante. Its maiden flight was ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Arkhe Mission & Combat

  Launched in 2017, Atech's Arkhe Mission & Combat solutions offer a variety of solutions enabling operator to conduct missions from planning to execution and debriefing. It ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390/C-390 Millennium

  The KC-390 is a high-wing, twin-turbofan, T-tail design intended to meet the needs of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) for a tanker/transport aircraft. Developed and ...

• Fighter - air superiority

  F-5E/F Tiger II

  The F-5E (single-seat)/F (twin-seat) Tiger II is an air superiority fighter developed by Northrop Grumman based on the original F-5 Freedom Fighter. Production of the ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M

  The medium-weight, 11t-class H225M (formerly known as the EC725) is the latest military Super Puma/Cougar family member.  Technical features include a modular design of mechanical ...

• EO/IR systems

  Skyward

  The SkyWard system is an advanced Infrared Search and Track (IRST) solution developed for next-generation airborne platforms, including 5th-generation fighter aircraft.  Designed with modularity in ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Saber M60

  The Saber M60 is a low-altitude air-defence radar developed by the Brazilian Army's CTEx (Army Technology Centre) in collaboration with Bradar, part of Embraer Defence ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  RBS 70 system

  The RBS 70 was developed in the 1970s to meet the Swedish Army’s requirement for a low-cost, easy-to-use MANPADS which could function in extreme climatic ...