• Military Logistics

  Airbus delivers A400Ms to Germany and France

  26th March 2018

  Airbus Defence and Space has delivered two A400M military transport aircraft to Germany and France, the company announced on 22 March. The European Organisation for …

• Defence Notes

  Baltic states to ask for greater protection from Russia

  3rd April 2018

  Baltic state leaders will ask the US to send more troops and bolster air defences on NATO's eastern flank to deter Russia when they meet …

• Defence Notes

  US lays out plans to speed up hypersonic weapons development

  1st March 2018

  Hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin boasted that the country possesses hypersonic intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), DARPA revealed it has plans to ramp up testing …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army's counter-UAS timelines 'inadequate', says report

  9th March 2018

  A report exploring the possible threats posed by small UAS (sUAS) to the US military and how battalion and smaller formations can effectively counter has …

• Naval Warfare

  Naval Group selects FTI suppliers

  28th March 2018

  Naval Group has initiated the process of selecting equipment suppliers for France's Frégate de Taille Intermédiaire (FTI) frigate programme, the company announced on 20 March. …

• Land Warfare

  Poland signs offset agreement for Patriot

  26th March 2018

  The Polish government has officially signed an offset agreement with US industry that will pave the way for the purchase of the Patriot integrated air …

• Training

  DSET 2018: US Army seeks solutions

  8th March 2018

  At the Defence Simulation, Education & Training conference (DSET) Brig Gen William Cole, commander of the US Program Executive Office Simulation Training & Instrumentation (PEO …

• Special Operations

  IDF prepares for multinational SOF exercise

  26th February 2018

  Israeli special operations forces are set to host a multinational exercise towards the end of 2018 designed to encourage extended levels of cooperation and interoperability …

• Training

  Additional KASI systems for Finland

  8th March 2018

  The Finnish Defence Forces' Logistics Command is set to sign a contract with Saab to procure a Two-sided Combat Simulator System (KASI), the Finnish Ministry …

• Special Operations

  AFSOC hones tactical training edge

  7th March 2018

  Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) is helping pre-deployment forces hone their tactical training edge, according to recent contract awards and sources sought announcements. On 1 …

• Naval Warfare

  L3 joins BAE Systems' SEA 5000 team

  9th February 2018

  L3 Technologies has joined BAE Systems' team for the company's bid for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) SEA 5000 programme.If BAE Systems' Type 26 global …

• Digital Battlespace

  Featured: JSTARS is just the start

  2nd March 2018

  The US Air Force's expected ‘system of systems’ approach to aerial surveillance for its JSTARS follow on capability could be replicated for other replacement programmes. …

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Navy’s HMSML Gleaner officially retired

  21st February 2018

  The Royal Navy’s smallest survey vessel, HMSML Gleaner, has been officially retired from service and decommissioned at Devonport Naval Base, the navy announced on 19 …

• Digital Battlespace

  GlobalEye completes maiden flight

  19th March 2018

  Saab’s GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft has successfully completed its first flight, the company announced on 14 March. GlobalEye took off from Saab’s …

• Defence Notes

  Moscow claims Syrian rebels plan to 'stage' chemical attack

  14th March 2018

  Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on 14 March claimed that Syrian rebels were planning to stage a chemical attack to give the US-led coalition a …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  PC-21 (Project Air 5428) [Australia]

  The new PTS, including aircraft, flight training simulators and learning environments is being acquired from a single capability contractor, Team 21, which consists of Lockheed ...

• Transport, Transport/tanker aircraft

  Project Air 7404 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement Australia is thinking ahead to an enlarged transport fleet to replace the current C-130Js. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was the second ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A (Project Air 6000 Phase 2A/B) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) took delivery of 18 F-35A aircraft as of March 2020 and the remaining aircraft are expected to ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (5-6) [Australia]

  Background Four Contracted Units In the summer of 2020, Northrop Grumman announced that the Australian Government provided $333 million for three MQ-4C Tritons and associated GCS. ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Medium Range Air Defence [Australia]

  Background Faced with a growing threat from China and a vast land and sea territory to protect, Australia is seeking to establish a medium-range ground-based ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (13-14) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [Australia]

  Background Older Efforts On 23 April 2021, the US State Department's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) approval announcement revealed that Australia had requested to buy up ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Project Air 7003 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

• OPVs

  Arafura Class (Project SEA 1180) (1-6) [Australia]

  Programme Background Australia's new class of Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), the Arafura-class, will replace the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) fleet of Armidale and Cape-class patrol ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-28 Ghost Bat [Australia]

  Background Goal As stated by the Head of Air Force Capability, Air Vice-Marshal Robert Denney, in March 2022, the Ghost Bat will be an "operational system ...

• Loitering munitions

  Mission Talon Strike [Australia]

  Background Request for Tender (RFT) On 19 May 2025, the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA), an agency aimed at streamlining defence invocation for the Australian Defence ...

• Military UAS - small

  VTOL UAV [New Zealand]

  Background Defence Capability Plan (DCP) In April 2025, the New Zealand government published the DCP, a document that is essentially a blueprint for what procurements ...

• Trainer

  Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements The RAAF is seeking a future solution that provides a ‘relevant, adaptable, affordable and safe LIFTS out to 2050’ for training pilots ...

• Military UAS - small

  DEF129 (Tactical UAS) [Australia]

  Programme Background Programme Announcement The Australian Army announced the Project Land 129 Phase 3 programme in 2017. This announcement led to the release of an industry ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Harpii Szpon (Loyal Wingman) [Poland]

  Background Market Evaluation On 6 November 2023, speaking at the IQPC International Fighter Conference (IFC) 2023 in Madrid, Major General Cezary Wiśniewski, the Deputy General Commander of the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Air-5416 Project Echidna

  Air-5416 Project Echidna was an initiative launched in 2001 by BAE Systems for the Australian DoD. Its goal was to overhaul the self protection systems ...

• Trainer

  King Air trainer

  Textron / Beechcraft King Air trainers are a family twin-engine aircraft based on King Air 90, 100, 200 and 350 utility aircraft. The King Air ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Australian Defence Force MRH90 Training

  As prime contractor for the ADF's MRH90 training programme, CAE has provided two MRH90 full-flight mission simulators (FFMS), training facilities and engineering and support services. ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  RAAF Hawk Mk 127 FMS

  Under subcontract to BAE Systems, CAE is designing and manufacturing three Hawk Mk 127 full-mission simulators (FMS) for the Royal Australian Air Force that will ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Wanderer

  The Wanderer is a low-altitude, low-cost, long-endurance UAV produced in-house by the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) Jericho Disruptive Innovation Group and the Australian Government's Defense Science ...

• Light attack

  Hawk 200

  The Hawk 200 is a single-seat light attack iteration of the Hawk 100 (see separate entry) and Advanced Jet Trainer or AJT (see separate entry). ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-28A Ghost Bat

  The MQ-28A Ghost Bat is a loyal wingman-type, Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), MALE fixed-wing drone being developed by Boeing Defence Australia. Its development began in ...

• Military - USVs

  Bluebottle

  Bluebottle is a persistent, autonomous, uncrewed surface vessel from Ocius Technology in service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF). In ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  Predator Mission Trainer (PMT)

  The CAE Predator Mission Trainer (PMT) is an integrated platform that combines the features of CAE's UAS mission trainer with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' Predator-specific ...

• Maritime patrol

  Challenger 604

  Bombardier Challenger CL-604 MPAs are in service with the Royal Danish Air Force and the Korea Coast Guard. The first of three Danish aircraft entered ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Phantom 4 (Series)

  Designed for aerial photograph applications by DJI, the Phantom 4 series of UAVs includes the Phantom 4 Pro, Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, Phantom 4 Advanced ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Hawkei

  Thales Australia developed the 4x4 Hawkei for the Australian Army's Land 121 Phase 4 Protected Mobility Vehicle – Light (PMV-L) project.  The prototype was unveiled in ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  AN/ALR-2001

  BAE Systems’ AN/ALR-2001 Electronic Support Measure (ESM) is thought to be based on Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Elta Systems division’s EL/M-8382 ESM. The AN/ALR-2001 is ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  AGM-88E AARGM

  The AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) is a supersonic, medium-range, air-launched tactical missile compatible with US and allied strike aircraft. Designed to upgrade the AGM-88 ...

• Military UAS - mini

  M Solar-X

  First revealed in August 2020, in February 2024, at its symposium, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) showcased the M Solar-X. This solar-powered fixed-wing drone was ...