• Defence Helicopter

  H160 confirmed for French military modernisation

  3rd March 2017

  The French Ministry of Defence has given the green light for Airbus Helicopters' H160 to be at the forefront of the military's ambitious helicopter modernisation …

• Digital Battlespace

  Estonia, Spain join EU SatCom Market

  3rd March 2017

  Spain and Estonia have joined the European Defence Agency's (EDA's) EU SatCom Market project, becoming the 21st and 22nd members to join the initiative, the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Avalon 2017: JORN upgrade award imminent

  3rd March 2017

  A decision on the upgrade to Australia's Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN) is imminent with the two bidding companies, Lockheed Martin Australia and BAE Systems …

• Defence Helicopter

  Heli-Expo 2017: Four H125s to training school

  2nd March 2017

  Qinetiq has ordered four H125 single engine helicopters from Airbus Helicopters in a deal worth £15 million (US$18 million).The aircraft will be used for the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MS-177 sensor flies on Global Hawk

  2nd March 2017

  Flight testing of the MS-177 sensor on the RQ-4 Global Hawk has begun at Northrop Grumman's Palmdale, California facility, the company announced on 1 March.This …

• Defence Helicopter

  Leonardo to work on RWUAS CCD Phase 2

  2nd March 2017

  Leonardo UK will work on the Rotary Wing Unmanned Air System, Capability Concept Demonstrator (RWUAS CCD) Phase 2 programme under a contract with the UK …

• Special Operations

  New command transforms European SOF

  2nd March 2017

  On 16 February, three NATO members signed an agreement which could have significant implications for the command and control (C2) structures of the international special …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Harris to develop BVLOS network for UAS

  1st March 2017

  Harris Corporation will develop a network to enable beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations for UAS, the company announced on 28 February.The work will be carried out under …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Avalon 2017: Ninox cashes in on UAV service boom

  28th February 2017

  Ninox Robotics, established in late 2014, is one of only four to five companies offering clients turnkey services with longer-endurance, fixed-wing UAVs. Indeed, as such, …

• Training

  Avalon 2017: RAAF opts for CAE Hawk support

  28th February 2017

  The Australian Department of Defence has selected CAE to provide support and training for the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) BAE Systems Hawk MK127 training …

• Military Logistics

  Qinetiq acquires Rubikon Group

  28th February 2017

  Qinetiq Australia has acquired Australia-based integrated logistics support provider RubiKon Group, the company announced on 27 February. The acquisition will see the company become a …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus to retrofit German CH-53 helicopters

  28th February 2017

  Airbus Helicopters has received a contract to retrofit the German armed forces' CH-53 heavy transport helicopters, the company announced on 27 February.This contract covers work …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SkyRanger UAS flies BVLOS

  28th February 2017

  Aeryon's SkyRanger UAS has carried out a beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) flight at the Foremost UAS Range in Canada, the company announced on 24 February.The …

• Military Logistics

  UK to upgrade Scottish military bases

  27th February 2017

  Scottish military bases will be upgraded under a £1.7 billion funding package announced by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) on 24 February.A number of …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop, USMC complete IIE for G/ATOR

  27th February 2017

  Northrop Grumman and the US Marine Corps successfully completed an initial integration event (IIE) in November 2016 for the AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) system, …

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 ...