• Defence Helicopter

  Auditors savagely criticise Australian Tigers

  2nd September 2016

  Australia’s Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) fleet has come under severe criticism in a report issued by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) on 1 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  RAN tests ScanEagle from HMAS Newcastle

  2nd September 2016

  First-of-class flight trials have been carried out to assess the operability of the ScanEagle UAS from a Royal Australian Navy guided missile frigate, the navy …

• Defence Helicopter

  Insurgencies shape ME rotary procurement

  1st September 2016

  Jordan’s geographical positioning in the Middle East is likely to be heavily influencing its military procurements in recent years. The country’s neighbouring borders are Iraq …

• Training

  US Navy test range centre breaks ground

  1st September 2016

  Construction of a new operations centre for the US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division's (NAWCAD's) Atlantic Test Ranges (ATR) has officially begun with a …

• Land Warfare

  Saudi deal shines light on Yemen campaign

  1st September 2016

  The US State Department’s approval of another billion dollar arms deal to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has provided some rare insight into the country’s …

• Defence Notes

  MSPO 2016: Israeli companies target Polish market

  1st September 2016

  Poland’s ambitious programme to modernise its armed forces is one of the biggest in Europe, and with billions of dollars likely to be spent over …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USAF expands UAS pilot eligibility

  1st September 2016

  The US Air Force (USAF) has expanded eligibility requirements for its RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS pilot programme, with airmen in all air force specialty codes …

• Naval Warfare

  Clyde moving to River drumbeat

  31st August 2016

  The fitting out of HMS Forth, the first of the new batch of River-class OPVs for the Royal Navy, is expected to be completed by …

• Defence Helicopter

  Cobras over Sirte – AH-1Ws enter the conflict

  31st August 2016

  In an echo of the role British Apache attack helicopters played in the 2011 intervention in Libya, US Marine Corps (USMC) AH-1W Cobras have entered …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sensors heading for Middle Eastern UH-60s

  31st August 2016

  An undisclosed Middle Eastern country is to receive eight Wescam MX-10D EO/IR designating turrets, L-3 Communications has announced. The delivery of the payloads, which started …

• Military Logistics

  US AFRL focuses on biofuels

  31st August 2016

  The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is playing a key role in the development and commercialisation of biofuels as an environmentally friendly alternative fuel …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Canada orders RQ-21A Blackjack UAS

  31st August 2016

  The Canadian Department of National Defense is set to acquire the RQ-21A Blackjack UAS, with an agreement for the UAS signed with the US Navy, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ECA developing power plant UAV service

  31st August 2016

  ECA Group is working on a new UAS service for hydroelectric power plants to provide aerial monitoring of infrastructure including penstock pipes to detect leaks, …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF turning DCGS into open architecture

  30th August 2016

  An unspecified battle management team has partnered with the US Air Force Research Laboratory and Air Combat Command to shift from the closed architecture of …

• Military Logistics

  USCG reviews C-27J missionisation package

  30th August 2016

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) has completed the system requirements review for the C-27J Spartan medium-range surveillance aircraft missionisation package, it was announced on 24 …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• ISR/special mission, Maritime patrol

  C295 MPAs/MSAs [Spain]

  Programme Background Required to replace Spain's existing P-3M Orion fleet set to reach OSD in the mid-late 2020s, Airbus' C295W has been selected as the replacement ...

• Loitering munitions

  Deluge (First batch) [France]

  Background Unveiling MBDA unveiled a scale model of the One-Way Effector (OWE), later named the Deluge, at the Paris Air Show 2025. As Breaking Defence reported at the ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-390 [Portugal]

  Programme Background Leadership from the Portuguese Air Force and Embraer signed a contract for a sixth C-390, with the option for ten additional aircraft for ...

• Loitering munitions

  Deluge (Additional batches) [France]

  Background Unveiling MBDA unveiled a scale model of the One-Way Effector (OWE), later named the Deluge, at the Paris Air Show 2025. As Breaking Defence reported at the ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-390 Options [Portugal]

  Programme Background Leadership from Embraer and the Portuguese Air Force formalised a contract that includes 10 aircraft options that can be utilised by any NATO ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  French MALE UAVs [France]

  Background Requirements The French Ministry of the Armed Forces wishes to develop a French MALE offering comparable to the MQ-9 Reaper, which would, it is hoped, promote ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye [France]

  Programme Background Saab and the French Defence Procurement Agency signed an MoU at Paris Air Show 2025 for the firm purchase two GlobalEye aircraft and the ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [French Air Force]

  Background Rafale F5 companion During a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the French Strategic Air Forces (FAS) at Saint-Dizier Air Base in October 2024, France’s Minister of ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-390 [Lithuania]

  Programme Background The Lithuanian Armed Forces confirmed the selection of the C-390 as the Air Force's new military transport aircraft during Paris Air Show 2025. ...

• Military UAS - small

  Flexrotor [Phillipines]

  Background Horizon 3 In September 2024, Airbus offered the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) various military equipment, including the Flexrotor, A400M and H225M, to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Larinae: Medium-range loitering munition [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated at a press conference in May 2022 that the General Directorate for Armament (DGA) ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Super Galeb Replacement [Serbia]

  Programme Background Serbia is looking to replace their aged fleet of Super Galeb aircraft from Yugoslavia with a new trainer and light attack aircraft.  According ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Watchkeeper X (Contracted) [Romania]

  Background 2021 In mid-2021, the Romanian manufacturer Aerostar signed a collaboration with U-TacS to potentially produce the Watchkeeper X in Romania. U-TacS is a joint ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Watchkeeper X (Uncontracted) [Romania]

  Background 2021 In mid-2021, the Romanian manufacturer Aerostar signed a collaboration with U-TacS to potentially produce the Watchkeeper X in Romania. U-TacS is a joint ...

• Military UAS - small

  Aerosonde Mk 4.7 [Qatar]

  Background Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) At DIMDEX 2016, a QAR 54.7 million ($14.97 million) MoU between the Qatar Armed Forces and the US company Textron Systems for ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Displays

  LAD2008DA

  Produced by Psion DSP, LAD2008DA is a 20"x8" Large Area Display for full-glass cockpit applications. It was showcased during the 2022 Farnborough Air Show and the 2023 ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Wing Loong X

  The Wing Loong X, or WL-X, is a fixed-wing UAV developed by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). Debuted at the Paris Air Show ...

• Air: Displays

  RDU-4208 LAD

  ScioTeq RDU-4208 is a 20"x8" Large-Area Display. It features a fully redundant, high-resolution screen with multitouch support. Unveiled in 2022, it was also demonstrated in ...

• Air: aerial targets, Loitering munitions

  Super Simsek

  The Super Simsek (Süper Şimşek) is an improved version of the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) training drone turned loitering munition.  The drone has reconfigurable payload options ...

• EO/IR systems

  M-19 HD

  The M-19 HD multi-sensor, multispectral, HD observation and targeting payload was unveiled at the Paris Air Show in June 2015. It can incorporate up to ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Orbiter 5

  Unveiled at Paris Air Show 2023, the Orbiter 5 is a fixed-wing UAV from Aeronautics.  The multi-mission drone can host two payloads simultaneously, features autonomous flight and ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Rotary Wing Cargo UAV

  Displayed at Paris Air Show 2023, the Rotary Wing Cargo UAV is a cargo-carrying and ISR drone manufactured by Turkish Aerospace (TAI). Powered by a ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Stealth UCAV (nEUROn Successor)

  At the Paris Air Show 2025, Dassault Aviation showcased a stealthy UCAV, the successor of the nEUROn aircraft. A Safran M88 engine will power the ...

• Loitering munitions

  SpyX

  The SpyX is a loitering munition from BlueBird Aero Systems. Unveiled at the Paris Air Show 2023, the munition offers autonomous electro-optical guided attack capabilities and ...

• Loitering munitions

  FWD-LM01

  The FWD-LM01 is a loitering munition unveiled by Flying Wedge Defence & Aerospace at the Paris Air Show 2025. The manufacturer states the drone is built for ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  AeroForce 380

  The AeroForce 380 is a MALE fixed-wing drone. Based on the Milkor 380, it is tailored for maritime surveillance and Coast Guard missions. It can ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Strix 425

  The Strix 425 is a mini fixed-wing drone from EOS Technologie. The hand-launched platform can host a removable VTOL system and multiple payloads.  According to a company ...

• Military UAS - small

  LR2M

  The Long Range and Multi-Missions (LR2M) is a fixed-wing VTOL-capable small UAV from Aeronefs Services. Unveiled at the Paris Air Show 2025, the drone is suited to ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  Air Keeper

  Elbit Systems unveiled the Air Keeper, an airborne SIGINT and EW system for aircraft at the Paris Air Show 2015. Already operational, Air Keeper is ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  HeliSure

  Rockwell Collins HeliSure is a product line of situational awareness solutions for rotary-wing aircraft. It provides glass cockpit capabilities using commercial off-the-shelf equipment that can be ...