• Special Operations

  Cubic unveils new single-case solution to enable data-rich processing in complex environments

  7th May 2024

  DTECH Fusion Edge High-Performance Compute (eHPC) is designed to run data centre-type level processing at the tactical edge.

• Land Warfare

  Germany commits €1.2 billion to close air defence system

  26th January 2024

  German consortium ARGE NNbS will meet German military requirements for short-range and very short-range air defence under a system which will integrate new and existing air defence assets.

• Land Warfare

  Slovakia receives two donated MANTIS air defence systems

  26th October 2023

  The MANTIS air defence system has been designed to protect vital structures and was developed to protect the camps where Bundeswehr troops were stationed in Afghanistan.

• Land Warfare

  MBDA and Saab strengthen partnership on anti-tank and air defence systems

  31st January 2024

  MBDA and Saab have solidified their partnership in anti-tank and air defence capabilities as they attempt to enhance military readiness amid escalating threats in high-intensity conflicts.

• Training

  Royal Air Force begins training instructors on Protector UAV simulator in the US

  31st August 2023

  Personnel from the RAF's 54 Squadron are currently undertaking the first Instructor Operating Course (IOC) on Protector simulators at the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) Flight Test & Training Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

• Naval Warfare

  Canada unveils connector barges for shore access of its naval fleet

  15th November 2023

  The Royal Canadian Navy’s Sea-to-Shore Connector project has been designed to allow ship-borne vehicles, troops and equipment to be delivered ashore more rapidly.

• Naval Warfare

  Australia to respond to surface fleet review in 2024

  2nd October 2023

  The Australian government will receive the much-anticipated independent Royal Australian Navy surface fleet review today, but will not publish the document or its response until next year.

• Training

  Team Fisher achieves final milestone in Royal Navy training contract

  3rd October 2023

  Team Fisher, the Capita-led consortium overseeing the Royal Navy’s data and technology-focused training transformation programme Selborne, has completed the final milestone outlined in its original contract to expedite frontline personnel training.

• Training

  Philippines joins ANNUALEX Indo-Pacific naval exercise as observer as tensions rise in the region

  13th November 2023

  Annual Exercise (ANNUALEX), a multinational naval exercise including participants from Australia, Canada, Japan and the US, started on 11 November and will involve 30 ships and 40 aircraft.

• Naval Warfare

  Frigate building in South America – the fleet renewal challenge

  2nd April 2024

  South America has become something of a retirement village warships where the average age of major surface combatants is 40 years, some of which should probably be in a museum. Peru, however, has joined Brazil and Colombia in a group of three countries that have been attempting to modernise their fleets with new frigates and corvettes built in local shipyards.

• Air Warfare

  Bombardier delivers seventh Global 6000 for Battlefield Airborne Communications Node programme

  26th October 2023

  BACN aircraft serve as high-altitude communications gateways, relaying or bridging voice and data between air and surface forces, surmounting traditional obstacles such as mountains, rough terrain or distance.

• Air Warfare

  BAE Systems to provide technology refresh to US MQ-25 refuelling UAS

  12th February 2024

  Boeing's MQ-25 Stingray, a pivotal asset for the US Navy's future carrier operations, will receive a technological boost by BAE Systems.

• Air Warfare

  BAE Systems to provide technology refresh to US MQ-25 refuelling UAS

  12th February 2024

  Boeing's MQ-25 Stingray, a pivotal asset for the US Navy's future carrier operations, will receive a technological boost by BAE Systems.

• Air Warfare

  Romania boosts airlift capability with arrival of US C-130H-2 Hercules

  4th October 2023

  The strategic acquisition of C-130H Hercules represents a significant milestone in the ongoing collaboration between the US and Romania under the Foreign Military Sales programme.

• Air Warfare

  Philippines moves forward with C-130J Super Hercules purchase

  19th October 2023

  The Philippine Government has approved the purchase of three Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules military transport aircraft, marking a reduction from the originally planned acquisition of five aircraft.

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 ...

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

  Harpii Szpon (Loyal Wingman) [Poland]

  Programme 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 ...

• 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 - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Loyal Wingman [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 ...

• Data links

  Data links | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirement The USN wants to acquire carrier-capable loyal wingman drones. These drones will have a high level of autonomy, allowing them to work alongside crewed ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (11-12) [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 ...

• 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 - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Project Vixen [UK]

  Programme Background Project Goal The Royal Navy uses Leonardo crewed Merlin (AW101) helicopters fitted with CROWSNEST pods to provide airborne early warning capabilities for carriers. An early ...

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

  MQ-28 Ghost Bat [Australia]

  Programme 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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• 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. ...

• 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 ...

• AMAS

  AMAS – Australian Minesweeping System – was developed with the assistance of the Defence Science & Technology Organisation and the Royal Australian Navy. It adopts ...

• 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 ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  NGJ

  Raytheon's Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) was selected by the USN in 2013 to replace the legacy ALQ-99 systems used on the EA-18G electronic attack aircraft. ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  AN/ALQ-210

  Lockheed Martin’s AN/ALQ-210 is an Electronic Support Measure (ESM) outfitting the Sikorsky MH-60R Romeo naval support helicopter. The manufacturer’s official literature says that the product ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Air-5416 Project Echidna

  BAE Systems’ commenced its work on the Australian Department of Defence’s Air-5416 Project Echidna initiative in 2001. The rationale of the programme was to overhaul ...

• 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). ...

• Air: chaff, flare and decoy systems

  Vicon-XF

  Thales’ Vicon-XF is a countermeasure dispensing system which can equip an array of platforms, primarily large aircraft and rotorcraft, according to the manufacturer’s official literature. ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Submarine-launched torpedoes

  Mk 48 Mod 7AT CBASS

  The MK 48 MOD 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) is the latest variant of the Mk 48 torpedo family manufactured by Lockheed Martin and ...