• Digital Battlespace

  ADF exploring aircraft countermeasures

  21st August 2017

  Australia's Defence Science and Technology Group (DST) and Chemring Australia have signed a five-year research agreement to explore new technologies for protecting Australian Defence Force …

• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA 2017: All eyes on Cayuse Warriors next home

  2nd October 2017

  With 30 MD Helicopters MD 530F Cayuse Warriors earmarked to be in Kabul by next year, further aircraft are expected to be delivered to other …

• Military Logistics

  Airbus receives order for five A330 MRTTs

  28th September 2017

  Airbus Defence and Space has received an order for five A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport aircraft (MRTT) that will be operated as part of the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ECA’s AUVs for Asian navy

  13th September 2017

  ECA Group has delivered unmanned mine disposal systems to the navy of an unnamed Asian country, the company announced on 8 September.The naval force is …

• Special Operations

  Georgian SF become NATO certified

  8th September 2017

  The Georgian Special Operations Forces (GEO SOF) has successfully completed NATO certification to operate a Special Operations Task Group (SOTG), defence sources have confirmed to …

• Military Logistics

  RCN unveils interim AOR ship

  4th September 2017

  The Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) nearly-completed interim auxiliary oiler replenishment (AOR) vessel has been unveiled at Davie Shipbuilding’s Quebec shipyard. The vessel, to be known …

• Military Logistics

  RAF’s A400M participates in Mobility Guardian

  21st August 2017

  A Royal Air Force  (RAF) A400M Atlas has taken part in Exercise Mobility Guardian in the US, the RAF announced on 14 August. The exercise …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DSEI 2017: BAE's Ironclad shows its strength

  11th September 2017

  BAE Systems will showcase its new Ironclad UGV at DSEI 2017, a UGV designed to provide ground support capability to the armed forces. The company …

• Naval Warfare

  Indian Navy receives LRSAM

  5th September 2017

  India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) have delivered the first Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LRSAM) manufactured in India to the …

• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA 2017: Bell to fly Valor soon

  2nd October 2017

  The Bell Helicopter V-280 Valor is due to fly imminently as the vehicle is now 100% complete. The FVL technology demonstrator aircraft is being built …

• Defence Notes

  PLAAF restructures its Airborne Corps

  6th September 2017

  Greater clarity has begun to emerge about the radical restructuring of China’s airborne force – what was once referred to as the 15th Airborne Corps …

• Training

  HUTC certifies Entrol H135 T2+ simulator

  26th September 2017

  The Heli-Union Training Center (HUTC) has certified its Entrol H135 T2+ FTD Level 2 simulator, expanding its helicopter simulator training programmes. The simulator includes a …

• Digital Battlespace

  General Dynamics secures CAC2S contract

  4th September 2017

  General Dynamics Mission Systems has won a full-rate production contract from the US Marine Corps (USMC) for the Common Aviation Command and Control System (CAC2S) …

• Military Logistics

  Indian C-130J fleet almost complete

  1st September 2017

  The Indian Air Force (IAF) received four more C-130J-30 Hercules last month, as Lockheed Martin fulfils a contract for 12 of the transport aircraft. The …

• Training

  DSEI 2017: Gripen positions for training programmes (video)

  18th September 2017

  At DSEI 2017 Saab positioned a variant of its Gripen C, dubbed the Gripen Aggressor, for two upcoming red air training programmes, the UK's ASDOT …

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 ...