• Defence Notes

  Typhoon in Brimstone live firing

  19th July 2017

  MBDA’s Brimstone air-to-surface missile has been fired from a Eurofighter Typhoon for the first time.The integration of the weapon is part of the Phase 3 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Aussie GPS technology used on US cube satellite

  20th July 2017

  Australian GPS technology, developed by the University of New South Wales in partnership with the Defence Science and Technology Group, has been included in the …

• Digital Battlespace

  France pursues AWACS cockpit upgrade

  21st July 2017

  The French air force is set to receive a new digital cockpit upgrade for its four-strong Boeing E-3F airborne warning and control system (AWACS) fleet, …

• Training

  HAL’s HTT-40 production continues

  20th July 2017

  Hindustan Aeronautics' (HAL's) second HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft prototype has completed its first flight.According to HAL, the aircraft flew as expected for around one hour, executing …

• Naval Warfare

  BAE racks up RIB production (video)

  1st August 2017

  BAE Systems has reached the 50% production milestone of its Pacific 24 Mk 4 Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) programme for the UK’s Ministry of Defence …

• Land Warfare

  US Army studies M249 replacement

  3rd August 2017

  In the aftermath of a classified industry day of briefings and discussions, the US Army is calling for industry white papers to detail potential replacements …

• Digital Battlespace

  Milrem UGV performs MANET role

  18th August 2017

  Communications specialist, Silvus Technologies, has integrated a mobile ad hoc network payload on board an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) for the first time as it seeks …

• Land Warfare

  Vietnam orders T-90 tanks from Russia

  25th July 2017

  Vietnam has ordered 64 T-90S/SK main battle tanks (MBT) from Russia, the culmination of months of speculation as the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) sought to …

• Defence Helicopter

  Ka-226T to undergo testing in Iran

  11th August 2017

  Russian Helicopters and Iran Helicopter Support and Renewal Company (IHSRC) are to test the Ka-226T light utility helicopter in Iran for its ability to operate …

• Training

  360iSR launches Spanish ISR training

  11th August 2017

  360ISR has launched a new joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) training programme for the Spanish armed forces, under a contract announced by the company on …

• Training

  Australia shortlists simulation requirement

  17th July 2017

  Australia has down-selected two consortia to compete for its JP 9711 Core Simulation Capability (CSimC) requirement. CSimC is aimed at upgrading and expanding the Australian …

• Training

  ASDOT team crumbles

  20th July 2017

  Following on from the Cobham Special Missions announcement of 14 July that it had teamed with Draken International for the UK’s Air Support to Defence …

• Defence Notes

  Can the US get a foot in Vietnam’s door?

  25th July 2017

  The China-Vietnam relationship might be less complicated than Washington would wish, despite Beijing’s recent threat to use force against Hanoi to stop drilling in the …

• Naval Warfare

  USN ponders how to maintain its edge

  28th July 2017

  As competition from peer and near-pear countries challenges the maritime dominance enjoyed by the US Navy for a generation, the service is having to look …

• Training

  BAE Systems introduces iMOTR

  10th August 2017

  BAE Systems has introduced a new Innovative Multiple-Object Tracking Radar (iMOTR) system designed to provide military test ranges with more accurate time, space and position …

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 ...