• Defence Helicopter

  Iranian-built helicopter prototype unveiled

  8th March 2017

  A prototype of the first Saba-248 utility helicopter, reportedly designed and manufactured in Iran, has been unveiled by the country's defence minister.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  GA-ASI selects Hughes for Predator B RPA

  8th March 2017

  Hughes Network Systems has been selected to work on the satellite communications system for the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) Type Certifiable Predator B UAS, …

• Defence Helicopter

  ​Heli-Expo 2017: 6XX specs revealed (video)

  8th March 2017

  MD Helicopters has revealed the target specifications of its new 6XX helicopter, which the company hopes to be able to certify within the next two …

• Special Operations

  Special ops flock to Flintlock

  8th March 2017

  The international special operations community has once again amassed across West Africa as part of Exercise Flintlock, designed to further develop the capabilities of indigenous …

• Land Warfare

  Saab receives Brazil RBS 70 order

  8th March 2017

  Saab will supply further RBS 70 Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) systems to the Brazilian Army under an $11.6 million contract announced on 6 …

• Training

  Frasca simulator for RCAF training

  8th March 2017

  A Frasca International Flight Training Device (FTD) for the Bell CH-139 helicopter will be supplied to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) under an order …

• Defence Helicopter

  Heli-Expo 2017: New TrakkaBeam orders

  8th March 2017

  Trakka Systems has announced two new customers for its TrakkaBeam A800 tactical searchlight: the Italian Navy and the German DRF Luftrettung air rescue service. The …

• Training

  Modifications to C-17 MTS complete

  8th March 2017

  TRU Simulation and Training has completed modification work to C-17 maintenance training platforms for US Air Force (USAF) and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) end …

• Digital Battlespace

  Salamandre HF waveform ready

  8th March 2017

  Thales is completing the development of a new 4G advanced waveform for high-frequency (HF) radio systems.The new wideband technology is designated as HF XL and …

• Defence Notes

  Hobart completes Sea Acceptance Trials

  8th March 2017

  The Royal Australian Navy's (RAN's) first air warfare destroyer, the future HMAS Hobart, has successfully completed Sea Acceptance Trials following 21 days at sea off …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Kelvin Hughes introduces SMS-D radar

  7th March 2017

  Kelvin Hughes has developed a new UAS detection system called the SMS-D designed for the detection and tracking of small aerial targets.The integrated, medium-range, radar-based …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed receives fifth AEHF payload

  7th March 2017

  Northrop Grumman has delivered the fifth payload for the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) programme to Lockheed Martin, the company announced on 6 March.The payload …

• Military Logistics

  Hensoldt details latest on RCAF radar work

  7th March 2017

  Hensoldt will equip six military airfields in Canada with its new generation airport surveillance radar (ASR), the company announced on 6 March.The company is supplying …

• Land Warfare

  Enhanced Tamir extends intercept range

  7th March 2017

  Testing on the Iron Dome air defence missile system has taken place using a new variant of the Tamir interceptor missile for the first time.An …

• Defence Helicopter

  PGZ, Leonardo sign cooperation agreement

  7th March 2017

  Leonardo has signed a cooperation agreement with Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) targeting the Polish armed forces' helicopter requirements.The agreement covers potential industrial cooperation around production, …

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 ...