• Defence Notes

  Paris Air Show: New sting planned for Hornet

  13th June 2017

  Boeing is looking to take its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Block III, based on the heritage of a 1970s platform, decades into the future with a …

• Military Logistics

  UK F-35 support contract issued

  1st June 2017

  Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract by the US Department of Defense F-35 Joint Programme Office to deliver the initial training, engineering, maintenance and …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US demos robotic aviation refuelling system

  25th July 2017

  The US Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) recently demonstrated initial capabilities of an unmanned air refuelling system to limit helicopters' …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ECA demos new robotics features

  21st July 2017

  ECA Group has demonstrated two new features on an experimental model of its A9-E AUV as part of the EU-funded Smart and Networking Underwater Robots in …

• Defence Helicopter

  Ka-226T helicopter JV registered in India

  23rd June 2017

  Russian Helicopters and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) have registered a joint venture (JV) for the production of Ka-226T light helicopters in India, Russian Helicopters announced …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Orion UAV shown for first time

  27th July 2017

  The first Russian-made MALE class UAV, for a wide variety of military applications, was revealed at MAKS 2017 aerospace & defence exhibition near Moscow on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UAV demonstrator Sagitta makes maiden flight

  20th July 2017

  Airbus Defence and Space has for the first time flown its Sagitta UAS technology demonstrator, the company announced on 18 July. Sagitta flew autonomously for around …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: The aircraft on display (video)

  19th June 2017

  As Paris Air Show 2017 gets underway Shephard editors Grant Turnbull and Richard Thomas cast their gaze over the flight line to see what's on …

• Digital Battlespace

  EW Europe: Keysight focuses on emerging challenges (video)

  13th June 2017

  When you are up against complex threats in crowded RF environments, knowing that the EW systems on board your platform are in working order is …

• Land Warfare

  Slovakia receives Carl-Gustaf M4

  21st July 2017

  Slovakia will become the first country to deploy Saab's Carl-Gustaf M4 multi-role weapon, with delivery to the Slovakian armed forces having now taken place, Saab announced …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ECA to supply consumables for PAP demining ROVs

  17th July 2017

  ECA Group has been awarded a five-year contract by the French armed forces to supply consumables and spares for the French Navy's PAP demining remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), …

• Training

  Inzpire to support Protector RPAS training development

  21st July 2017

  Inzpire will provide subject matter expertise to support the development of training for the Royal Air Force’s future Protector UAS. The company announced a contract …

• Military Logistics

  AAR wins AM2 pallet, mat assembly contract

  17th July 2017

  AAR Mobility Systems will provide pallet and mat assemblies to US forces under a $255 million Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract announced on 12 July.The …

• Naval Warfare

  DCNS’s F21 torpedo enters final development phase

  26th June 2017

  DCNS’s F21 torpedo has entered into its final development phase following the completion of a qualification round of firing off the Var coast in France, …

• Defence Helicopter

  GTLK orders Russian-made HEMs helicopters

  26th July 2017

  Russian Helicopters and Russia’s state-owned leasing company GTLK signed on 20 July 2017 a contract detailing the delivery of 30 EMS helicopters under a newly-designed, …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  XQ-58A Valkyrie [USMC]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 30 December 2022, the US DoD announced that it had awarded Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems a $15.52 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) [Japan]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that GCAP's Japanese, British and Italian components are tracked in separate entries. Programme Timeline 2020: The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency of Japan issued ...

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS-39C/D Gripen Replacement [Czech Republic]

  Programme Background Requirements The Czech Republic Air Force operates 14 Gripens (12 JAS 39C and two JAS 39D variants) under a lease agreement that runs ...

• Fighter - electronic warfare

  Jamming and Escort Electronic Attack Aircraft (luWES) [Germany]

  Programme Background According to earlier reports, Berlin had earlier decided to procure 15 EA-18G Growlers over the Eurofighter Typhoon ECR concept, which is expected to be ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Multirole Fighter [Turkiye]

  Programme Background Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Turkey had already paid $1.4 billion into the programme, while its defence industry has ploughed significant ...

• Fighter - multirole

  TF-X Kaan Next Generation Fighter [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement Geopolitical factors have spurred aircraft development in Türkiye. With its removal from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter project following the Russian S-400 ...

• 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 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Eurofighter Typhoon First-Batch [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement The Turkish Air Force has operated two main fighter platforms, the F-16 and F-4, for several decades. As older F-16 airframes and ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Data links

  Data links | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A [Denmark]

  Programme Background  Denmark joined the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program in 2002 during the System Development and Demonstration phase and has influenced technical elements ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A (1-60) [Italy]

  The 2019 and 2020 budget contained significant funding for the F-35 programme: €690 million ($775 million) in 2019 and €859 million ($962 million) in 2020, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  F-35 Training System

  BAE Systems is involved in F-35 Lightning II Training System design and sustainment, working with prime contractor Lockheed Martin. BAE Systems leads the instructional systems ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers, EW test systems

  Model 527

  The Model 527 radar signal simulator is used for end-of-runway and walk-around radiated RWR testing to verify the operational status of the aircraft and its ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  AN/ALE-55 FOTD

  The ALE-55 Fibre Optic Towed Decoy (FOTD) is a high-powered electronic off-board countermeasure that works with an aircraft’s onboard EW equipment to defeat radiofrequency (RF) threats. It ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  SPEAR-EW

  The SPEAR-EW missile, developed by MBDA in collaboration with Leonardo, is an air-to-surface weapon designed to perform Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) missions. This ...

• EW test systems

  A2PATS

  Advanced Architecture Phase Amplitude and Time Simulator (A2PATS) is a real-time EM test environment simulator for military platforms and installed systems, designed to deliver mission ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  HAPS / PHASA-35

  The High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) is a solar-electric Persistent High Altitude Solar Aircraft (PHASA-35).  Produced by BAE Systems and Prismatic, the platform is designed to provide a persistent, ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-81

  AN/APG-81 is operating in the X-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar designed by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems for the F-35 “Lightning” all-weather ...

• Fighter - multirole

  MiG-35

  The MiG-35 (NATO reporting name Fulcrum F) is a multirole fighter, the latest variant of the MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter family.  The production of the MiG-35 ...

• EO/IR systems

  F-35 Lightning II Advanced EOTS

  The F-35 Lightning II Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) is a sensor that combines targeting forward-looking IR (FLIR) and IR search and track (IRST) capabilities for ...

• Fighter - multirole, Fighter - naval

  F-35B

  The F-35B Lightning II is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft with short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capability. The USMC is the main customer for the F-35B, ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35I Adir

  The F-35I Adir is an F-35A Lightning II variant customised to meet the requirements of the Israel Defense Forces to replace the F-16 fleet in ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  F-35 Gen III HMDS

  The F-35 Gen III helmet-mounted display system (HMDS) is provided by a joint venture between Elbit Systems of America and Rockwell Collins, developed for the F-35 ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/ALQ-178V(5)+

  The AN/ALQ-178(5)+ is an internally mounted self-protection system designed and developed by Aselsan and BAE Systems for the Turkish F-16C fighter aircraft. The system comprises ...

• Air-to-surface missiles, Anti-ship missiles

  JSM

  The Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is a multi-role version of the Naval Strike Missile. Norway funded the programme to develop and produce the JSM for the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A

  The F-35A Lightning II is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft with CTOL capabilities. It is a multinational programme led by the US DoD, bringing together ...