• Uncrewed Vehicles

  China’s unmanned plans for SCS

  31st May 2016

  Unmanned technology is set to play a pivotal role in Chinese monitoring of the South China Sea, where Beijing has been robustly claiming territory and …

• Training

  ITEC 2016: ATAC supplies live air for USN

  11th May 2016

  Increasingly, governments are turning to service companies to provide military training services. In the US, Airborne Tactical Advantage Company LLC (ATAC), an operating unit of …

• Training

  ITEC 2016: Singapore invests in Aussie training areas

  9th May 2016

  Singapore is investing heavily in training Down Under, with the announcement on 6 May that it will spend AU$2.25 billion (US$1.66 billion) on defence infrastructure. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army tests GBSAA system

  13th May 2016

  he US Army has been testing the Ground Based Sense And Avoid (GBSAA) system at its Dugway Proving Ground, it announced on 10 May. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris to upgrade US MRAP radios

  6th May 2016

  Harris Corporation has been awarded a $12 million order to upgrade the tactical radios used by the US Air Force (USAF) for multiband communications in …

• Training

  Meggitt bags second EST II order

  19th May 2016

  Meggitt Training Systems has been awarded a second $15.6 million delivery order for the Engagement Skills Trainer (EST) II system to the US Army and …

• Defence Notes

  RAF tests enhanced Brimstone

  10th May 2016

  The latest technical enhancements of the MBDA Brimstone air-to-surface missile have been tested in operational trials by the Royal Air Force (RAF) at China Lake …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus DS awarded German satcom contract

  1st June 2016

  Airbus Defence and Space (Airbus DS) has been awarded a $126.78 million contract by the German armed forces to provide commercial satellite communication services until …

• Defence Helicopter

  Brazil certifies weaponised Fennecs

  18th April 2016

  The Brazilian Army has completed qualification trials of a new integrated weapon system fitted to the service’s upgraded AS550 C3e (H125M) Fennec helicopters. Airbus Helicopters’ …

• Naval Warfare

  US CBP receives first interceptor vessel

  1st June 2016

  SAFE Boats International (SBI) has completed and delivered a new Coastal Interceptor Vessel (CIV) for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  One in a million

  6th June 2016

  The Shadow has become the first UAS of its size to achieve one million flight hours, more than 85% of which have taken place during …

• Naval Warfare

  US plans five-year EOD boat programme

  6th June 2016

  The US Navy's explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) and salvage diving specialists are poised to acquire up to 80 new 9m rigid-hull inflatable boats over the …

• Defence Helicopter

  US extends AAR's Afghan flight ops

  25th May 2016

  The US Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) has issued an extension on an existing contract with the AAR's Airlift Group subsidiary for rotary-wing flight services in Afghanistan, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Predator B Big Wing flies 37 hours

  2nd June 2016

  The Big Wing Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper UAS variant has completed its longest endurance flight of 37 hours, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) announced on 1 June.  The endurance …

• Land Warfare

  NATO readiness brought into question

  12th May 2016

  The ever-increasing threat from Russia following the 2014 annexation of Crimea has brought into question the operational readiness of NATO forces. In this new political …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS 39E/F Gripen (Brazil)

  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 development ...

• 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

  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 ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Army Aviation Project [Brazil]

  Programme Background Brazilian Investment As reported by Shephard, in August 2023, the Brazilian government disclosed its plans to invest BRL 52.8 billion ($10.6 billion) in new military ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Brazil]

  Programme Background First Batch (2014) In 2014, Elbit reported supplying the Hermes 900 to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). The drone is called the RQ-900 in ...

• 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 ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Undisclosed European Country]

  Background Various Contracts On 18 November 2024, Elbit Systems announced it had awarded various contacts with a combined $335 million to an undisclosed European country. ...

• Military helicopters - attack, Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-35M Replacement [Brazil]

  Programme Background The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) High Command sprung a surprise on 10 February 2022 when it issued a document stating that its fleet ...

• Light attack

  M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirement Brazil operates several A-1 (AMX) light attack aircraft, which were produced by Embraer in partnership with Leonardo in the 1980s. Similarly, the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VBC Cav-MSR [Brazil]

  Programme Background Purpose The Brazilian Army's mechanised cavalry regiments are believed to operate approximately 400 EE-9 Cascavel 6x6 fire support vehicles manufactured by the now-defunct ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• Air-to-air missiles

  Python-4

  The Python-4 is fitted with an 11kg high-explosive warhead and IR homing system as well as a double-base solid propellant rocket. The missile can fly at ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  H125M

  The H125M (formerly the AS550 B3e Fennec) is a military version of the civil H125. The helicopter has a reduced radar signature due to the use ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: Electronic Attack - Pod

  Sky Shield

  The Sky Shield RF pod  jammer can perform simultaneous jamming against multiple, diverse threats and can equip both small and large platforms. Simultaneous jamming is ...

• EO/IR systems, Land: unattended sensor/surveillance systems, Sea: ship surveillance and fire control systems

  SHAPO

  SHAPO is a multi-sensor, gyro-stabilised observation payload. It is intended for UAVs, helicopters, light aircraft, patrol boats, aerostats, airships, armoured vehicles and masts. Sensors include a ...

• 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.

• 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 ...

• 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 ...