• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall denies Challenger 2 upgrade contract speculation

  19th March 2021

  Rheinmetall has poured cold water on social media speculation about signing a £750 million ($1.4 billion) contract from the UK to upgrade Challenger 2 MBTs, saying instead that is still negotiating with the MoD. The future of the MBT Life Extension Programme will be defined by the second part of the Integrated Review.

• Defence Notes

  NATO eyes 5G but proceeds with caution

  19th March 2021

  NATO is exploring the potential of 5G for fast and effective military communication through secure networks. However, the alliance lacks a specific policy and strategy for 5G, and a balance must be struck between the opportunities and threats that the technology presents.

• Defence Notes

  Taiwan’s Quadrennial Defence Review highlights China’s threat

  1st April 2021

  Taiwan releases a major defence report every four years after elections take place.

• Air Warfare

  F-35 Block Four testing includes two types of F135 engine

  9th February 2021

  Pratt & Whitney to make STOVL and conventional engines.

• Air Warfare

  USAF places Lot 19 JASSM-ER order

  25th February 2021

  JASSM-ER has a more fuel-efficient turbojet engine than the baseline missile.

• Air Warfare

  Enhancements keep Warthog tusks sharp

  4th February 2021

  Times have changed, new threats have emerged and capabilities have evolved – but the A-10 endures with an upgrade under way.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UK investment in Switchblade loitering munitions revealed

  17th March 2021

  UK interest in loitering munitions is growing, with confirmation in a new US DoD contract that it has invested in the AeroVironment Switchblade weapons system.

• Special Operations

  Special operations move up the agenda for RN

  17th March 2021

  ​Special operations are moving ‘from the memory bank to the frontal lobe’ of UK naval strategic thinking, says the incoming Assistant Chief of Staff for the RN Special Operations Cell.

• Air Warfare

  AFRL starts SHiELD pod assembly

  26th February 2021

  Aircraft self-defence laser is expected to be tested in FY2024.

• Defence Notes

  NGAD exemplifies usefulness of digital engineering

  11th February 2021

  Digital engineering techniques enabled the next-generation USAF fighter to be designed, assembled, tested and flown in rapid time.

• Air Warfare

  Denmark seeks ammunition for F-35A cannon

  20th January 2021

  Danish defence procurement agency DALO issues RfI for framework tender.

• Air Warfare

  F-15EX takes to the skies

  4th February 2021

  Boeing is initially providing eight F-15EX fighters to the USAF.

• Land Warfare

  Russia puts Bumerang on the global market

  22nd February 2021

  Bumerang has been approved for export and presented at two trade shows already this year – but as its name suggests, efforts to sell the wheeled armoured platform could rebound.

• Air Warfare

  Aero India 2021: Naval fighters prove their mettle

  4th February 2021

  Boeing and other contenders display their proposed solutions for Indian tender to procure naval fighters.

• Defence Notes

  UK rolls the dice with Integrated Review

  31st March 2021

  The Integrated Review is certainly ambitious in its scope but how realistic is it?

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V (Jordan)

  Programme Background On 3 February 2022, the US State Department announced that it has approved a potential sale of 12 F-16 C Block 70 aircraft,  four ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement Turkish Air Force ordered 100 F-35A aircraft as a partner nation, however, the country was removed from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V (1-8) [Bulgaria]

  Programme Background Requirement Bulgarian MoD plans to procure 16 new-built fighter aircraft to replace its fleet of 15 Russian-manufactured MiG-29 fighters. Lockheed Martin’s F-16 Block ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A Denmark

  Denmark joined the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program in 2002 during the System Development and Demonstration phase and has influenced technical elements of the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V (9-16) [Bulgaria]

  Programme Background In April 2022, the US State Department approved a potential FMS worth $1.673 million to procure eight F-16Vs to Bulgaria. The aircraft are ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V Block 70 (Bahrain)

  Programme Background In 2018, the US government awarded a $1.12 billion contract to Lockheed Martin to produce 16 F-16 Block 70 aircraft for Bahrain, which ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  Programme Background At the Portuguese National Defense Conference on April 22, 2025, General João Cartaxo Alves reaffirmed that the F-35A remains the sole viable successor ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Next Generation Fighter (Romania)

  In February 2022 Romanian President Klaus Iohannis gave a speech stating that Romania was considering the acquisition of F-35 fighters to replace its F-16 inventory in ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Next Generation Fighter (Romania)

  In February 2022 Romanian President Klaus Iohannis gave a speech stating that Romania was considering the acquisition of F-35 fighters to replace its F-16 inventory in ...

• Data links

  Data links | Next Generation Fighter (Romania)

  In February 2022 Romanian President Klaus Iohannis gave a speech stating that Romania was considering the acquisition of F-35 fighters to replace its F-16 inventory in ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Next Generation Fighter (Romania)

  In February 2022 Romanian President Klaus Iohannis gave a speech stating that Romania was considering the acquisition of F-35 fighters to replace its F-16 inventory in ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Next Generation Fighter (Romania)

  In February 2022 Romanian President Klaus Iohannis gave a speech stating that Romania was considering the acquisition of F-35 fighters to replace its F-16 inventory in ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Next Generation Fighter (1-32) [Romania]

  In February 2022, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis gave a speech stating that Romania was considering the acquisition of F-35 fighters to replace its F-16 inventory in ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Next Generation Fighter (1-32) [Romania]

  In February 2022, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis gave a speech stating that Romania was considering the acquisition of F-35 fighters to replace its F-16 inventory in ...

• Data links

  Data links | Next Generation Fighter (1-32) [Romania]

  In February 2022, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis gave a speech stating that Romania was considering the acquisition of F-35 fighters to replace its F-16 inventory in ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: air combat simulators

  USAF F-16 Training System

  L3Harris Technologies is supporting approximately 180 F-16 pilot and maintenance trainers as part of the USAF’s F-16 Training System. Programme contract options extend through 2019. ...

• Air: Displays

  F-16 Center Pedestal Display

  Produced by Elbit Systems of America, the F-16 Center Pedestal Display (CPD) provides a high-resolution colour display that replaces several legacy instruments on F-16 aircraft. 

• Air: air combat simulators

  Air Combat Training

  Boeing has experience in delivering training for fixed-wing air combat platforms including F-15C/E, F-16, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G, F-22 and MV/CV-22.

• Air: air combat simulators

  Iraqi Air Force F-16 FMT/WTT

  L3Harris Technologies has built two F-16 Block 52 Full Mission Trainers (FMTs), two F-16 Block 52 Weapon Tactics Trainers (WTTs), two brief/debrief systems and one ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  USAF F-16 ATD– JHMCS

  L3Harris Technologies has provided its simulated Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) and Advanced Helmet Mounted Display (AHMD) on the USAF’s F-16 Aircrew Training Device programme. ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  I-HUD2

  The I-HUD2 is a modernised display for the F-16 platform, which is based on the base F-16 HUD in service with the US Air Force ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35I Adir

  The F-35I Adir is an F-35A Lightning II variant customised to meet the requirements of the Israel Defense Forces to replace the F-16 fleet in ...

• Data links

  MIDS-LVT(1) (ViaSat)

  MIDS-LVT(1) adds Link 16 communications to airborne and maritime platforms. It provides all operational modes of the Link 16 waveform, and implements the required MIDS ...

• Data links

  MIDS LVT(1) (EuroMIDS)

  MIDS-LVT(1) adds Link 16 communications to airborne and maritime platforms. It provides all operational modes of the Link 16 waveform, and implements the required MIDS ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  USAF F-16 MTC

  L3Harris Technologies has delivered seven F-16 Mission Training Centers (MTC) to the USAF and is currently on contract to deliver three additional MTC systems to ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16A/B Block 1, 5, 10, 15, 20

  The F-16 Fighting Falcon programme started as a low-cost, highly manoeuvrable day fighter to complement the higher-cost, heavier McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle air superiority fighter. ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  F-16 and F/A-18 Simulators

  HRS manufactures simulators and trainers with fully functional instrument panels, cockpit displays, stick and throttle grips with controllers, visual image generation and integration of the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V Block 70/72

  The F-16 Block 70/72, also referred to as the F-16V, is a fourth-generation multirole fighter aircraft. It is the latest version of Lockheed Martin's F-16 ...

• Air: aerial targets

  QF-16 FSAT

  The QF-16 Full Scale Aerial Target (FSAT) is an optionally piloted supersonic aerial target developed to replace the QF-4 in USAF service. Retired F-16 fighters are ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/ALQ-178(V)

  BAE System’s AN/ALQ-178(V) is an integrated self-protection system designed to protect combat aircraft. During its service life it has outfitted several airframes including the Dassault ...