• Air Warfare

  US Air Force pushes NGAD decision to Trump administration

  6th December 2024

  NGAD has been on hold since mid-2024, while the branch reassessed the scope and cost of the programme.

• Land Warfare

  US Army set for Beowulf CATV first-year delivery milestone as Arctic threats mount

  1st August 2024

  Deliveries will enable the service to progress with the replacement of the ageing fleet of SUSVs.

• Air Warfare

  Italy “in favour” of Saudi Arabia joining GCAP, says PM

  28th January 2025

  Prime Minister Moloni's comment came as Italy and Saudi Arabia signed a swathe of agreements totalling $US10 billion for greater cooperation, including between its defence and aerospace industries.

• Defence Notes

  UK boosts defence budget by 5.3%, but is this enough?

  30th October 2024

  The UK budget announced in Parliament on 30 October is the first by a Labour government in 14 years. While it sees a boost in defence spending, this comes in the face of fiscal challenges and the effects of inflation.

• Naval Warfare

  Mitsubishi to build new OPV for Indonesia to enhance security coverage

  4th February 2025

  The offshore patrol vessel (OPV) will join its predecessor vessel in enforcing security around Indonesia’s coastline.

• Air Warfare

  Philippines grows its S-70i fleet with 10 new deliveries

  17th January 2025

  The 10 helicopters delivered throughout 2024 make up part of a larger contract for 32 Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopters for the country.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy contracts X-Bow to boost rocket motor manufacture

  3rd December 2024

  The US has been battling hard to keep up with demand for solid rocket motors (SRMs).

• Land Warfare

  Will future ground fleets finally embrace hybrid electric solutions?

  6th September 2024

  Despite growing interest in hybrid electric capabilities and its obvious advantages, obstacles and common challenges continue to hamper its deployment into military vehicles.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Ukraine gets new Trinity drone donation from Quantum Systems

  2nd August 2024

  The Trinity, like the Vector, is a tactical surveying and imaging drone, used in Ukraine to assess the extent of war damage.

• Naval Warfare

  Japan to boost surface fleet with new destroyers and missile ships

  18th July 2024

  Japan is enhancing its naval capabilities with the construction of the 13DDX advanced destroyer and Aegis System Equipped Vessels (AESV), aiming to strengthen its air and missile defence amid increasing security threats, particularly in East Asia.

• Land Warfare

  Saab to supply Giraffe radars to US Air Force in Europe

  9th December 2024

  Saab began development of the radar in 2012. Production started in 2014 and Sweden ordered systems in 2020 for SEK2.1 billion as part of a five-year deal.

• Naval Warfare

  German Navy places its faith in F125 frigates

  7th October 2024

  First-of-class Baden-Württemberg, a German F125 frigate, has been put to the test and declared suitable for Indo-Pacific operating conditions.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Australian Navy takes first Arafura OPV for testing

  30th January 2025

  Though the delivery marks progress, the delayed programme was slashed to six vessels in 2024.

• Naval Warfare

  NATO Allies share maritime mine-clearing techniques to combat a growing international menace

  25th September 2024

  The US and many other countries came together to share mine-clearing protocols at Exercise Sea Breeze in the Black Sea, aiming to make navigation pathways safer.

• Air Warfare

  USAF’s B-52J upgrade advances with new engine review success

  17th December 2024

  Rolls-Royce has announced that its F130 engine passed its Critical Design Review (CDR), a key milestone towards the B-52J upgrade for the US Air Force (USAF).

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  The Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  The Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The FVL-MS programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft utilised ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 1) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) [US Army]

  Background USMC First, Army Second In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply ...

• Loitering munitions

  Launched Effects-Short Range (LE-SR) [US]

  Background Goal The Army sees LE-SR as a family of systems comprising an air vehicle, an effects payload, mission system applications, and associated support equipment, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) [USA]

  Programme Background US Army's Future Vertical Lift Programme The FLRAA is one of three strands of a broader army programme. The others are the Future ...

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

  Large ULS-A / Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) [USMC]

  Background US Marine ULS-A programmes The US Marines are seeking a family of Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A), which will provide logistics and ground units with their ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 2) [US Army]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was intended to ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey [Japan]

  Programme Background Procurement Contracts The Japanese government is the first export customer of the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey, having ordered 17 helicopters from the US across ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook [U.S Army]

  As the Army's only heavy-lift helicopter, the CH-47F Improved Cargo helicopter is an essential component of the Army's Multi-Domain Battle framework. The CH-47F and MH-47G ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Data links

  Data links | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

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

  V-247 Vigilant

  The V-247 Vigilant is a tiltrotor UAV from Bell. Officially introduced in 2016, it features an open modular architecture and can host several payloads. These include ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  SB-1 Defiant

  The SB-1 Defiant is a Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) aircraft. Sikorsky and Boeing announced in February 2013 that they would submit a joint proposal ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Aerosonde Mk 4.8 HQ FTUAS

  From the Texton family of Aerosonde UAS, the Aerosonde Mk 4.8 Hybrid Quad (HQ) FTUAS is a tactical drone purpose-built to meet the US Army's Future Vertical Lift ...

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Korean Future Vertical Lift (KFVL)

  Unveiled at KADEX 2024, the Korean Future Vertical Lift (KFVL) is a family of uncrewed helicopters from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). Despite being in the ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  S-97 Raider

  The S-97 Raider helicopter is based on the five-year, company-funded X2 Technology Demonstrator project. Like the X2, the S-97 Raider will feature twin coaxial, counter-rotating ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AVX JMR

  AVX Aircraft proposed a compound helicopter with coaxial rotors, small wings and dual ducted-fan propulsors for the US Army’s JMR-TD FVL programme. In April 2015, ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  APR-39E(V)2

  The AN/APR-39E(V)2 is a digital radar warning receiver manufactured by Northrop Grumman. The receiver is a modernised version of the AN/APR-39 radar warning receiver and ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  HQ-60

  Similarly to other platforms in the L3 Technologies Hybrid Quadrotor (HQ) and Fixed-Wing Rotator family (see separate entries) of VTOL fixed-wing UAVs, the HQ-60 has ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  H6 Poseidon

  Manufactured by Swarmly, the H6 Poseidon is a fixed-wing VTOL-capable UAV. The second largest member of the Poseidon family, the vertical lift is provided through ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  X-Sight

  Elbit X-Sight is a developmental helmet-mounted display system designed for helicopters. According to the manufacturer, it will offer a high field of view and colour binocular ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Bell 360 Invictus

  The Bell 360 Invictus was the company's prototype for the US Army's Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) programme.  The helicopter features retractable weapon bays, two ...

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Kargo II

  The Kargo II is a cargo-carrying rotary-wing UAV from Piasecki. It has a cargo capacity of 1,300 lbs, 500 lbs more than the original Kargo ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Warrior Systems

  General Dynamics Mission Systems is prime contractor and system integrator for the US Army’s Warrior soldier systems, which include Air Warrior, Future Force Warrior, Land Warrior ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Veloce-15

  The ST Engineering Veloce-15 (V-15) is a hybrid fixed-wing UAV with four rotors for vertical lift and a tail-mounted two-bladed pusher propeller for horizontal propulsion.  ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Integrated Avionics Suite

  Northrup Grumman's Integrated Avionics Suite is an open architecture mission equipment package, which can be deployed on a number of rotorcraft platforms. It consists of ...