• Naval Warfare

  Saab to upgrade Swedish corvettes

  5th July 2017

  The Swedish Defence Material Administration has awarded Saab a contract worth $147.93 million to modify and upgrade the Swedish Marine’s Gävle class corvettes, the company announced …

• Military Logistics

  CACI to support USAF test systems

  12th June 2017

  CACI International will provide full service automated testing system support services to the US Air Force (USAF) 309th Electronics Maintenance Group under the Automated Test …

• Defence Helicopter

  ​Brazilian Navy details Super Cougar delivery

  23rd May 2017

  The Brazilian Navy has received seven H225M in UH-15 configuration from Airbus Helicopters subsidiary Helibras, with the first of two UH-15A CSAR aircraft to be delivered this year out …

• Military Logistics

  USMC receives final JPADS

  5th July 2017

  The Marine Corps Systems Command has delivered the last of 162 Joint Precision Airdrop Systems (JPADS) to the US Marine Corps (USMC). JPADS is used to deliver …

• Defence Notes

  Raytheon makes out like a bandit in Taiwan

  3rd July 2017

  There was nothing new in the first arms package released by the Trump administration that Taiwan did not already have in its inventory, beyond some …

• Digital Battlespace

  Hensoldt to acquire Kelvin Hughes

  5th July 2017

  German sensor house Hensoldt is set to acquire UK radar company Kelvin Hughes from UK private equity firm ECI and management, Hensoldt announced on 30 June. …

• Digital Battlespace

  RAAF signs MMS agreement

  12th June 2017

  The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) will benefit from a new operations management resource under an agreement with Boeing companies Jeppesen and Tapestry Solutions. The …

• Land Warfare

  Orbital ATK demos MK44 Bushmaster Chain Gun

  30th June 2017

  Orbital ATK has successfully demonstrated its MK44 Bushmaster Chain Gun by firing a variety of both 30mm and 40mm ammunition during the company’s Bushmaster User …

• Training

  ATTower for German Air Force training

  7th June 2017

  UFA’s ATTower training simulator is part of a package being delivered to train German Air Force controllers in Kaufbeuren, Germany.  The solution is being delivered …

• Military Logistics

  C-27J deliveries to Air Station Sacramento completed

  26th June 2017

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) Air Station Sacramento, California, has taken delivery of the sixthC-27J Spartan medium range surveillance aircraft, marking the completion of the …

• Defence Helicopter

  MANPADS threat pushes AMPS development

  4th July 2017

  BIRD Aerosystems has further developed its Airborne Missile Protection System (AMPS) and Aeroshield Pod due to the increased proliferation of MANPADS, the company told Shephard at the Paris …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sino-Russian AHL contract due soon

  16th June 2017

  Russia and China are cooperating on the Advanced Heavy Lifter (AHL) helicopter project, but the two parties have not yet signed a full contract. However, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: Arming options for CV-22

  16th June 2017

  Further arming options are being considered for the US Air Force’s special operations CV-22 tiltrotor as Bell-Boeing plans where to take the variants of the …

• Naval Warfare

  RAAF P-8A flies for Operation Gateway

  9th June 2017

  A Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) P-8A Poseidon has completed its first overseas deployment to Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Base Butterworth as part of …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: Test pilot talks CH-53K (video)

  26th June 2017

  While the CH-53K was not present at this year's Paris Air Show, Shephard had the opportunity to speak with Lt Col Jonathan Morel, CH-53K government chief …

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 ...