• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australia’s air force aims its UAV fleet northwards

  3rd October 2024

  The Royal Australian Air Force is advancing its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capabilities across three key programmes as it works with the likes of Boeing and Northrop Grumman to reshape Australia’s defence strategy.

• Land Warfare

  Israel’s Elbit Systems riding high and reports almost a billion dollars in orders to close 2024

  23rd December 2024

  Elbit Systems has signed another US$967 million in orders in the past three months after reporting its land revenues increased by 24% for 3Q2024 compared to 3Q 2023 thanks to increasing ammunition and munition sales in Israel.

• Training

  Enhancing Military Training Through Digital Technology (Studio)

  14th October 2024

  Digital technologies offer huge opportunities for defence training. However, militaries must adopt an agile approach, placing the needs of their organisations and personnel at the centre of their efforts.

• Land Warfare

  MBDA aims Brimstone at British Army requirement

  20th September 2024

  MBDA has been pushing for Brimstone, which was originally developed as an air-launched missile for the Royal Air Force, to help the British Army meet its MCCO requirement.

• Naval Warfare

  Desan Shipyard to build Malaysia’s largest ever coast guard vessel

  3rd April 2025

  The vessel should join the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency in 2017.

• Land Warfare

  General Atomics’ Long-Range Manoeuvring Projectile nears testing

  21st October 2024

  Designed for launch from 155mm conventional artillery systems, General Atomics’ latest missile could reach low-rate initial production by 2026.

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed Martin promotes F-35 as economic ‘catalyst’ ahead of UK budget

  29th October 2024

  The company estimated a gross value add to the UK economy of £45.2 billion up to 2046, with the F-35 programme sustaining more than 20,000 UK jobs over its development, production, integration and maintenance.

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed sees 5% 2024 sales growth as CEO says DOGE is an “opportunity” for growth

  5th February 2025

  Lockeed Martin’s aeronautics sector saw $20 billion in orders, driven by its Lot 18 F-35 and US fiscal year F-35 sustainment contract wins.

• Naval Warfare

  Airbus wins €480 million contract to build communications network for French air and naval forces

  26th February 2025

  The IP Network, named RIFAN 3, will build on the work of previous RIFAN 2 network, with development work carried out on the new system between 2026 to 2030.

• Land Warfare

  Lithuania orders L3Harris manpack radios and AeroVironment small drones

  7th January 2025

  In the medium-term Lithuania has committed US$1.3 billion which includes Javelin ant-tank missiles, Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs), Black Hawk helicopters, missile systems and missiles.

• Air Warfare

  Turkey moves one step closer towards Eurofighter Typhoon purchase

  17th October 2024

  Germany, the last country in the programme’s consortium to agree to any potential sale, has now softened its objections as the go-ahead for technical talks has been given.

• Land Warfare

  Northrop Grumman adds AI to air defence controller for improved CUAS capability

  8th October 2024

  Northrop Grumman’s Forward Area Air Defence (FAAD) Advanced Battle Manager (ABM) system continuously monitors the battlespace, replans engagements as necessary and supports multiple weapon types.

• Air Warfare

  Poland boosts its Bayraktar TB2 operability with three-year support contract

  18th October 2024

  The contract will work to enhance Poland’s military capability with logistical and service support for its 24-strong Bayraktar TB2 Uncrewed Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) fleet.

• Naval Warfare

  BAE Systems to provide more Network Tactical Common Data Links to the US Navy

  15th January 2025

  Network Tactical Common Data Link (NTCDL), a multi-platform modular and scalable solution for all US Navy (USN) Common Data Link (CDL) requirements, has been designed to increase link capacity and embrace waveform evolution.

• Naval Warfare

  TKMS sheds light on India and Singapore submarine projects

  25th March 2025

  The company is growing its submarine building capacity in anticipation of news on the P75I project.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  The Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  The Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The FVL-MS programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft utilised ...

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

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 1) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) [US Army]

  Background USMC First, Army Second In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply ...

• Loitering munitions

  Launched Effects-Short Range (LE-SR) [US]

  Background Goal The Army sees LE-SR as a family of systems comprising an air vehicle, an effects payload, mission system applications, and associated support equipment, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) [USA]

  Programme Background US Army's Future Vertical Lift Programme The FLRAA is one of three strands of a broader army programme. The others are the Future ...

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

  Large ULS-A / Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) [USMC]

  Background US Marine ULS-A programmes The US Marines are seeking a family of Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A), which will provide logistics and ground units with their ...

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

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 2) [US Army]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was intended to ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey [Japan]

  Programme Background Procurement Contracts The Japanese government is the first export customer of the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey, having ordered 17 helicopters from the US across ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook [U.S Army]

  As the Army's only heavy-lift helicopter, the CH-47F Improved Cargo helicopter is an essential component of the Army's Multi-Domain Battle framework. The CH-47F and MH-47G ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Data links

  Data links | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

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

  V-247 Vigilant

  The V-247 Vigilant is a tiltrotor UAV from Bell. Officially introduced in 2016, it features an open modular architecture and can host several payloads. These include ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  SB-1 Defiant

  The SB-1 Defiant is a Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) aircraft. Sikorsky and Boeing announced in February 2013 that they would submit a joint proposal ...

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

  Aerosonde Mk 4.8 HQ FTUAS

  From the Texton family of Aerosonde UAS, the Aerosonde Mk 4.8 Hybrid Quad (HQ) FTUAS is a tactical drone purpose-built to meet the US Army's Future Vertical Lift ...

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Korean Future Vertical Lift (KFVL)

  Unveiled at KADEX 2024, the Korean Future Vertical Lift (KFVL) is a family of uncrewed helicopters from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). Despite being in the ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  S-97 Raider

  The S-97 Raider helicopter is based on the five-year, company-funded X2 Technology Demonstrator project. Like the X2, the S-97 Raider will feature twin coaxial, counter-rotating ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AVX JMR

  AVX Aircraft proposed a compound helicopter with coaxial rotors, small wings and dual ducted-fan propulsors for the US Army’s JMR-TD FVL programme. In April 2015, ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  APR-39E(V)2

  The AN/APR-39E(V)2 is a digital radar warning receiver manufactured by Northrop Grumman. The receiver is a modernised version of the AN/APR-39 radar warning receiver and ...

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

  HQ-60

  Similarly to other platforms in the L3 Technologies Hybrid Quadrotor (HQ) and Fixed-Wing Rotator family (see separate entries) of VTOL fixed-wing UAVs, the HQ-60 has ...

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

  H6 Poseidon

  Manufactured by Swarmly, the H6 Poseidon is a fixed-wing VTOL-capable UAV. The second largest member of the Poseidon family, the vertical lift is provided through ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  X-Sight

  Elbit X-Sight is a developmental helmet-mounted display system designed for helicopters. According to the manufacturer, it will offer a high field of view and colour binocular ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Bell 360 Invictus

  The Bell 360 Invictus was the company's prototype for the US Army's Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) programme.  The helicopter features retractable weapon bays, two ...

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Kargo II

  The Kargo II is a cargo-carrying rotary-wing UAV from Piasecki. It has a cargo capacity of 1,300 lbs, 500 lbs more than the original Kargo ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Warrior Systems

  General Dynamics Mission Systems is prime contractor and system integrator for the US Army’s Warrior soldier systems, which include Air Warrior, Future Force Warrior, Land Warrior ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Veloce-15

  The ST Engineering Veloce-15 (V-15) is a hybrid fixed-wing UAV with four rotors for vertical lift and a tail-mounted two-bladed pusher propeller for horizontal propulsion.  ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Integrated Avionics Suite

  Northrup Grumman's Integrated Avionics Suite is an open architecture mission equipment package, which can be deployed on a number of rotorcraft platforms. It consists of ...