• Military Logistics

  UK's F-35 preparation ramps up

  3rd April 2017

  Lockheed Martin will deliver initial training, engineering, maintenance and logistics support for the UK's F-35 Lightning II fleet under an £80 million contract announced on …

• Digital Battlespace

  Industry looks to refresh Sentinel systems

  3rd April 2017

  With the Royal Air Force's Sentinel R1 aircraft now planned to be in service for at least another four years, industry is in talks with …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Camcopter in MUM-T development

  3rd April 2017

  Schiebel is looking to develop the Camcopter S-100 UAS' manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) capabilities with the integration of a new datalink, the company announced on 20 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ​SOFINS: Long endurance UAV to protect air bases

  3rd April 2017

  The French military presented the hydrogen fuel cell-powered Long Endurance Multi-Mission (LEMM) multi-rotor UAV, which is claimed to have 'an unprecedented endurance within its class'.At …

• Special Operations

  ​SOFINS: Anti-UAV rifle targets the drones

  3rd April 2017

  Monaco-based company MC-CLIC presented its anti-UAV rifle at the SOFINS exhibition, near Bordeaux, which was developed to meet a requirement from the government of the …

• Land Warfare

  Estonia calls for NATO air defence deployment

  3rd April 2017

  Estonia has said it would welcome the deployment of advanced NATO air defence assets within its territory, including long-range Patriot missile systems from the US, …

• Defence Helicopter

  HAL receives Dhruv order, increases sales

  3rd April 2017

  Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is in receipt of an order for 32 Dhruv Mk III helicopters, according to a contract signed on 30 March, buoying …

• Land Warfare

  Thailand to buy VN1 from China

  3rd April 2017

  The Royal Thai Army (RTA) selected the Chinese-built VN1 8x8 as its newest IFV, after visiting its production facilities and testing the VN1 against the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SAS 2017: Textron highlights USV expansion

  2nd April 2017

  Textron Systems has highlighted the expansion of US Navy interest and applications for its fourth-generation Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle (CUSV) at the Navy League Sea-Air-Space …

• Special Operations

  ​SOFINS: Counter terror UAVs on display

  2nd April 2017

  French company CM Drones showcased two specialist UAVs designed specifically for counter-terror operations at the SOFINS exhibition, near Bordeaux from 28-30 March.The company promoted its …

• Training

  Leonardo plans T-100 production centre in Alabama

  31st March 2017

  Leonardo DRS will produce the T-100 jet trainer at a new aircraft manufacturing facility in Tuskegee, Alabama, if it is successful in its bid for …

• Digital Battlespace

  Astro to deliver L-band mesh reflectors

  31st March 2017

  Airbus Defence and Space has selected Northrop Grumman company Astro Aerospace to provide L-band mesh reflectors for two Inmarsat 6 satellites, the company announced on …

• Training

  Simulator preps for F-35-QEC operations

  31st March 2017

  BAE Systems' flight engineering simulator is set to begin training for F-35 Lightning II pilots preparing for flight trials on the UK's incoming Queen Elizabeth …

• Special Operations

  SOFINS: French company pitches UAV hive concept

  31st March 2017

  French start-up company Drone Hive is showcasing a new concept for unmanned air vehicles (UAV) operations at the SOFINS exhibition.As one of the company's executives …

• Special Operations

  SOFINS: New marine assault suit makes a splash

  31st March 2017

  The US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has awarded Mustang Survival a $7 million contract for its Maritime Assault Suit System (MASS) programme, service officials have …

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 ...