• Defence Helicopter

  CHF probes refuelling concept

  8th February 2018

  Lt Col Will Penkman, commanding officer of 846 Naval Air Squadron, said that the Royal Navy’s Commando Helicopter Force (CHF) would like to have an …

• Defence Helicopter

  Global ambitions for H135 military trainer

  12th February 2018

  Airbus Helicopters is marketing the H135 light twin-engine helicopter as a training platform to the US, Spanish and Mexican armed forces, the company has told …

• Defence Helicopter

  Qatar orders NH90s

  15th March 2018

  The Qatar armed forces has ordered 28 NH90 military helicopters, Airbus Helicopters announced on 14 March. The contract calls for 16 NH90s in tactical transport …

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed, MBDA form JV for Germany’s TLVS

  13th March 2018

  Lockheed Martin and MBDA Deutschland have formed a new joint venture (JV) to pursue the German military’s next generation integrated air and missile defence system, …

• Defence Notes

  US approves $1 billion in Saudi defence contracts

  23rd March 2018

  The US formally approved defence contracts totalling more than $1 billion with Saudi Arabia on 22 March, as the kingdom's crown prince continued his American …

• Defence Helicopter

  Vector receives Gazelle maintenance work

  14th March 2018

  Vector Aerospace has been contracted to provide maintenance support for the UK Army Air Corps' Gazelle AH Mk1 helicopter fleet, the company announced on 8 …

• Defence Notes

  Singapore Airshow 2018: BAE sees Typhoon potential in Asia-Pacific (video)

  8th February 2018

  BAE Systems spokesperson and former Chief of the Air Staff for the Royal Air Force Andrew Pulford spoke to Shephard about the potential success the Eurofighter Typhoon …

• Naval Warfare

  USS Tulsa completes acceptance trials

  19th March 2018

  The US Navy has successfully completed acceptance trials of its Independence-variant littoral combat ship (LCS), the future USS Tulsa, the navy announced on 15 March. …

• Naval Warfare

  Australia inks Sea 1180 OPV contract

  2nd February 2018

  A contract worth more than A$3 billion ($2.4 billion) for 12 OPVs for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has been signed with Lürssen, the Australian …

• Naval Warfare

  Singapore Airshow 2018: Maritime patrol paramount in Asia-Pacific

  7th February 2018

  With procurement opportunities for maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) ongoing in the region companies present at the Singapore Airshow jockeyed to shine the spotlight on their …

• Training

  L-39NG trainer development progresses

  19th March 2018

  Aero Vodochody’s L-39CW jet trainer has received type certification from the military aviation department of the Czech Republic Ministry of Defence, the company announced on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  RT LTA demos SkyStar 110 in Japan

  13th March 2018

  RT LTA Systems has carried out a live demonstration of its new SkyStar 110 micro-aerostat system at the SDF internal communication exhibition in Japan, the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Japan, China enhance recon satellite coverage

  1st March 2018

  The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries launched an optical reconnaissance satellite into orbit aboard an H-IIA launch vehicle from the Tanegashima …

• Military Logistics

  EU tackles tank transport troubles in face of Russia threat

  28th March 2018

  The EU will on 28 March present detailed plans to make it easier to move troops and equipment around the bloc as Europe seeks to …

• Defence Helicopter

  Wildcat's weaponised wing takes shape

  16th February 2018

  A newly-designed Leonardo AW159 Wildcat weapons-carriage wing is currently under development and will enter Royal Navy (RN) service as part of the UK MoD's Future Anti-Surface …

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 ...