• Defence Notes

  Raytheon Missile sales go from strength to strength

  27th October 2017

  Raytheon enters the final quarter of the year in a strong financial position supported by continued international and domestic demand across its missile portfolio. For …

• Defence Notes

  Dubai Airshow 2017: What to expect (video)

  9th November 2017

  In advance of the Dubai Airshow 2017, Shephard Media's UV editor Richard Thomas discusses some of the expected highlights of this year's show with rotary editor …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MQ-9 shows off ASW capabilities

  15th November 2017

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has announced that its MQ-9 Predator B UAS has demonstrated the remote detection and tracking of submerged contacts, such as …

• Digital Battlespace

  RMN patrol vessel receives MARSS NiDAR system

  13th October 2017

  MARSS has successfully installed its NiDAR perimeter security system on the first of six offshore patrol vessels for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), the company …

• Defence Notes

  Analysis: China hones naval defence systems

  17th November 2017

  Chinese companies have honed their maritime and naval defence systems via experience gained from their land reclamation efforts and base building in the South China …

• Defence Notes

  D&S 2017: Show highlights (video)

  9th November 2017

  As Defense and Security 2017 draws to a close Gordon Arthur, Asia/Pacific editor at Shephard Media, talks through some of the news from the week. 

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Zephyr soars into the commercial market

  16th November 2017

  The Zephyr UAS is set to enter the commercial market at the end of 2018 as Airbus Aerial touts the platform as part of its commercial …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Sensofusion launches AIRFENCE 5.0

  13th November 2017

  Sensofusion has released AIRFENCE 5.0, an advanced counter-UAS radio frequency (RF) technology. The system is designed to protect militaries, airports, prisons and private companies from …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Dubai Airshow 2017: Falco Evo lands in Middle East

  14th November 2017

  An unnamed customer in the Middle East is the recipient of its first Falco Evo surveillance UAV, a Leonardo release has revealed. The delivery to …

• Defence Helicopter

  Dubai Airshow 2017: FLIR continues to surveil Middle East

  15th November 2017

  FLIR Systems closed on order for its Ranger HDC multisensor surveillance system in the Middle East via a US company worth in the region of …

• Defence Notes

  D&S 2017: Serbs showcasing arms in Thailand

  8th November 2017

  Belgrade-based Yugoimport-SDPR exhibited a wide array of new weapon systems at the Defence & Security 2017 expo, held in Bangkok from 6-9 November. 'Our participation in …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Boeing concludes acquisition of Aurora

  10th November 2017

  Boeing has concluded its acquisition of Aurora Flight Sciences, it was announced on 8 November. Aurora - developer and manufacturer of advanced aerospace platforms and …

• Defence Notes

  Dubai Airshow 2017: Calidus showcases B-250 (video)

  12th November 2017

  UAE-based company Calidus has unveiled for the first time its new light attack aircraft, the B-250, with multirole capabilities at Dubai Airshow 2017 on 12 …

• Defence Helicopter

  USMC fields Northrop’s mission computer

  7th November 2017

  Northrop Grumman’s next-generation mission computer has been fielded by the US Marine Corps on the UH‑1Y and AH-1Z helicopters, the company announced on 2 November. …

• Defence Helicopter

  D&S 2017: Leonardo strengthens ties with Thailand

  8th November 2017

  Leonardo Helicopters signed an MoU with the Defence Technology Institute in Thailand for the possibility of establishing an MRO facility in the country as Thailand considers …

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 ...