• Uncrewed Vehicles

  L3 Harris to build protoype medium USV

  14th July 2020

  L3Harris Technologies is to design and build a prototype medium USV (MUSV) for the USN under a $35 million contract, the DoD announced on 13 …

• Digital Battlespace

  ​USN orders integrated air and missile defence radars from Raytheon

  20th July 2020

  US Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded Raytheon Missiles & Defense a $125.88 million contract modification to provide six Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR) low-rate initial …

• Training

  USN outlines F/A-18 STE enhancements

  8th July 2020

  The USN has unveiled plans for its continued update of F/A-18 and EA-18G synthetic training equipment (STE) over the next four years. With all but …

• Defence Notes

  Ukraine leans on US to build military capability

  17th July 2020

  Ukraine continues to expand its armed forces with the help of the US, with the acquisition late last year of additional Javelin antitank missiles being …

• Air Warfare

  GE to build engines for F-15EX

  3rd July 2020

  General Electric (GE) is to provide an undisclosed number of of F110-GE-129 engines to power USAF F-15EX fighter aircraft, under a $101.3 million contract from the …

• Land Warfare

  Poland embarks on quest for better VSHORAD

  2nd July 2020

  The Polish MoD Armament Inspectorate is procuring a new mobile very short range (VSHORAD) air defence system for the Polish Army under the Sona programme. …

• Air Warfare

  Brazilian Gripen passes local production milestone

  8th July 2020

  Brazilian factory Saab Aeronáutica Montagens (SAM) has begun production of the Gripen E/F fighter for the Brazilian Air Force. ‘The tail cone and front fuselage of …

• Digital Battlespace

  SE Asian airborne data links have a long way to go

  3rd July 2020

  Despite numerous modernisation programmes in Southeast Asian air forces, their true data link capabilities still have a long way to go to reach Western standards. …

• Training

  Iran claims domestic simulator capability

  6th July 2020

  Iran has the knowledge base to ensure domestic production of flight simulators for all aircraft operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF), …

• Air Warfare

  USAF could release extra squadron of Raptors for frontline service

  2nd July 2020

  The USAF could add a sixth squadron of combat-coded F-22A Raptor stealth fighters by ‘re-purposing’ training-coded aircraft, the outgoing commander of Air Combat Command (ACC) …

• Air Warfare

  Japan researches future fighter technologies

  22nd July 2020

  Japan has not produced fighters since 2011, when the last F-2 was delivered. Therefore, Japanese companies such as Sumitomo Electric that produced radar domes and …

• Defence Notes

  Necessity binds Syria to Iran for air defence equipment

  22nd July 2020

  News that Iran and Syria concluded a pact on 10 July to enhance the latter’s air defences has raised questions regarding the nature of this …

• Land Warfare

  Australia orders additional EF88 rifles

  16th July 2020

  The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is to receive an extra 8,500 EF88 bullpup rifles under an order announced by the Department of Defence on 13 July. Defence Minister …

• Air Warfare

  USN Super Hornet tests StormBreaker

  16th June 2020

  Raytheon Missiles & Defense announced on 15 June that it has completed the first guided release of the GBU-53/B StormBreaker precision-guided glide bomb from a …

• Naval Warfare

  Type 076 apparition emerges from the Chinese mist

  29th July 2020

  Speculation has been rife on the internet about an innovative new class of ship for the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN): a landing helicopter dock …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35I Adir (51-75) [Israel]

  Programme Background On 15 February 2015, Israel signed an FMS deal to procure 33 F-35A (F-35I Adir) fighter aircraft with an option of 17. Israel ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A [Denmark]

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

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A Japan

  In 2019, Japan requested to be an official partner in the F-35 programme, but this request was rejected by the Pentagon. The F-35 Joint Strike ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Multirole Fighter [Turkiye]

  Programme Background Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Turkey had already paid $1.4 billion into the programme, while its defence industry has ploughed significant ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A (61-75) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirement In 2009, the Italian MoD planned to purchase 131 F-35 aircraft, which was later reduced to 90. According to the MoD documentation, ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35B (31-40) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirement In 2009, the Italian MoD planned to purchase 131 F-35 aircraft, which was later reduced to 90. According to the MoD documentation, ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | F-X III Phase II (F-35)

  South Korea is purchasing an additional 20 F-35 aircraft for about $3.3 billion under the second phase of F-X III programme, according to the Defense ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | F-X III Phase II (F-35)

  South Korea is purchasing an additional 20 F-35 aircraft for about $3.3 billion under the second phase of F-X III programme, according to the Defense ...

• Data links

  Data links | F-X III Phase II (F-35)

  South Korea is purchasing an additional 20 F-35 aircraft for about $3.3 billion under the second phase of F-X III programme, according to the Defense ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | F-X III Phase II (F-35)

  South Korea is purchasing an additional 20 F-35 aircraft for about $3.3 billion under the second phase of F-X III programme, according to the Defense ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | F-X III Phase II (F-35)

  South Korea is purchasing an additional 20 F-35 aircraft for about $3.3 billion under the second phase of F-X III programme, according to the Defense ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Next-Generation Trainer Aircraft - UAE

  The UAE has a requirement for a next-generation fighter aircraft and possible platforms include F-35, F-16V, F/A-18, Rafale and Su-35. The UAE has historically sought ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A Japan Follow On

  The F-35 full-rate production is expected to be further delayed following an October 2020 US DoD announcement that postponed the simulation tests, originally planned for 2017 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A (1-32) [Poland]

  Programme Background During MSPO 2021, Lockheed Martin announced details related to F-35A manufacturing for the Polish Air Force. According to J.R McDonald, Lockheed Martin’s VP, business ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | F-35B Follow-On [UK]

  The Royal Air Force is planning to acquire 90 F-35B Joint Strike Fighters from 2026, in addition to the 48 aircraft which London had ordered for delivery ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• Air-to-surface missiles, Anti-ship missiles

  JSM

  The Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is a multi-role version of the Naval Strike Missile. Norway funded the programme to develop and produce the JSM for the ...

• EO/IR systems

  F-35 Lightning II Advanced EOTS

  The F-35 Lightning II Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) is a sensor that combines targeting forward-looking IR (FLIR) and IR search and track (IRST) capabilities for ...

• Fixed wing aircraft engines

  F135

  The F135, designed and developed by Pratt & Whitney, is one of the most advanced fighter engines in the world that delivers more than 40,000lb ...

• Fighter - multirole, Fighter - naval

  F-35B

  The F-35B Lightning II is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft with short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capability. The USMC is the main customer for the F-35B, ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  F-35 Gen III HMDS

  The F-35 Gen III helmet-mounted display system (HMDS) is provided by a joint venture between Elbit Systems of America and Rockwell Collins, developed for the F-35 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A

  The F-35A Lightning II is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft with CTOL capabilities. It is a multinational programme led by the US DoD, bringing together ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  25mm PGU-48/B

  The 25mm PGU-48/B is a medium-calibre armour-penetrating round manufactured by American Rheinmetall. The US Air Force uses the PGU-48/B with its F-35 aircraft.

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-81

  AN/APG-81 is operating in the X-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar designed by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems for the F-35 “Lightning” all-weather ...

• Fighter - multirole, Fighter - naval

  F-35C

  The F-35C Lightning II, also known as the F-35 carrier variant (CV), is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft in carrier configuration. It has larger wings and ...

• Air: Displays

  Panoramic Cockpit Display

  Developed by L3Harris and Elbit Systems America, the Panoramic Cockpit Display (PCD) is a touchscreen MFD integrated into F-35 aircraft. It provides two electronically divided ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  F-35 Training System

  BAE Systems is involved in F-35 Lightning II Training System design and sustainment, working with prime contractor Lockheed Martin. BAE Systems leads the instructional systems ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-130J Super Hercules

  The KC-130J Super Hercules is a tanker variant of the C-130J Super Hercules. It is designed to deliver fuel to several platforms, including helicopters and ...

• Fixed wing aircraft engines

  F414-GE-400

  The F414-GE-400 is a turbofan engine manufactured by GE Aviation and has various advanced technology features such as a Full Authority Digital Electronic Control (FADEC), ...

• Guided munitions

  GBU-53/B StormBreaker

  GBU-53/B StormBreaker is a precision-guided glide bomb developed by Raytheon to equip F-15, F/A-18 and F-35. It is also known as the Small Diameter Bomb II. The StormBreaker includes a ...