• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Gray Eagle production transitions to ER model

  13th October 2017

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has transitioned its production line from the MQ-1C Gray Eagle to its new long-range variant MQ-1C ER Gray Eagle extended …

• Digital Battlespace

  AUSA 2017: Redkite-I soars to final testing

  11th October 2017

  A new wide-area sensor payload developed for Insitu’s Integrator UAS is expected to complete final testing this year, paving the way for operators to begin …

• Defence Helicopter

  Burkina Faso orders Mi-171Sh helicopters

  18th September 2017

  The air force of Burkina Faso has placed an order for the procurement of two Russian Helicopters Mi-171Sh, Rostec announced at the end of August …

• Digital Battlespace

  Rockwell demos WBHF comms link

  21st September 2017

  Rockwell Collins has successfully demonstrated the resilience of next-generation high frequency (HF) communications using a wideband high frequency (WBHF) system over a 5,000 mile distance, …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Navy orders more APKWS guidance kits

  13th October 2017

  BAE Systems has received a $59.5m contract from the US Navy to deliver additional Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) guidance kits to transform unguided …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2017: BAE showcases SHORAD for Bradley (video)

  9th October 2017

  BAE System has brought its concept of the Bradley IFV equipped with its maneuver short range air defence (M-SHORAD) solution. Shephard spoke with Mark Signorelli, deputy and VP …

• Digital Battlespace

  Kelvin Hughes INBS for RNZN

  20th September 2017

  Kelvin Hughes has received a contract from Hyundai Heavy Industries to supply an Integrated Navigation Bridge System (INBS) for the Maritime Sustainment Capability (MSC) vessel …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UAVOS enhances GPS spoofing protection for UAVs

  13th October 2017

  UAVOS has improved the GPS spoofing identification algorithms for its UAVs, protecting against jamming by the most advanced electronic warfare (EW) systems, the company announced …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2017: Hot topics (video)

  9th October 2017

  Grant Turnbull, editor at Shephard Media, highlights some of the key technologies at this year's AUSA, including short range air defence systems, UGVs and active …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ADEX 2017: Uconsystem and Firstec expand ranges

  19th October 2017

  Uconsystem, a South Korean manufacturer of UAVs, demonstrated a strong move into the commercial market at Seoul ADEX 2017 as it builds upon military sales …

• Digital Battlespace

  IAI Elta receives helicopter SATCOM order

  11th October 2017

  Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Elta Systems has received a contract from an undisclosed customer to deliver an ELK-1891 satellite communications (SATCOM) network, the company announced …

• Special Operations

  SADC SF expands capabilities

  21st September 2017

  The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Special Forces completed its most recent biennial training exercise in September, further extending its capabilities and interoperability as a …

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2017: Thales pitches new F90 rifle to Germany

  12th September 2017

  Defence manufacturer Thales has set its sight on the European and NATO market for its new F90MBR modular bullpup rifle, with the company already bidding …

• Naval Warfare

  Raytheon to supply JSOWs to Qatar

  10th October 2017

  Raytheon Missile Systems has received a $172.8 million contract from the US Department of Defense to provide AGM-154C Block III Joint Standoff Weapons (JSOW) to …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG orders 14th C-130J aircraft

  19th September 2017

  Lockheed Martin has received a contract option worth approximately $63.5 million from the US Air Force for the production of a C-130J Super Hercules to …

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 ...