• Uncrewed Vehicles

  iRobot sells defence business

  10th February 2016

  Arlington Capital Partners has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire iRobot’s defence & security business, which will operate as a new independent company after …

• Defence Helicopter

  Singapore Airshow: Bell building momentum with trifecta

  10th February 2016

  Despite an industry downturn, much of it driven by the oil and gas segment, Bell Helicopter ‘had a good year’ in 2015. Although the OEM …

• Defence Notes

  US defence budget contains modernisation risk

  10th February 2016

  The proposed FY2017 US defence budget includes some risk to programme modernization, Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and Chief Financial Officer Mike McCord acknowledged at …

• Land Warfare

  Russia’s MBTs ‘a concern’ for West

  9th February 2016

  Western defence planners should be ‘very concerned’ with Russia’s developments in land warfare capabilities, particular main battle banks (MBT). Last year, Russia unveiled several new …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  S-100 flies with detect and avoid system

  9th February 2016

  Schiebel’s Camcopter S-100 UAS has taken part in a demonstration during which it was fitted with a newly developed airborne detect and avoid system, the company …

• Land Warfare

  Finland to procure munition from US

  9th February 2016

  Finnish Minister of Defence Jussi Niinistö has given his approval to procure munitions for a heavy rocket launcher system from the US, it was announced …

• Digital Battlespace

  Singapore Airshow: RSAF aerostat being tested

  9th February 2016

  The Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF) new aerostat is currently undergoing manufacturer testing to meet its safety and operational standards, the national defence ministry …

• Digital Battlespace

  Singapore Airshow: Manila confirms Israeli radars

  9th February 2016

  After a long-running process, the Philippines has finally inked a deal with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Elta Systems for three over-the-horizon air surveillance radars.  The …

• Training

  RAN capability transformation boosts simulation

  8th February 2016

  The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Plan Pelorus focuses on ways to achieve improved operational capability in the future and one of the key areas that …

• Naval Warfare

  DCNS selects 3DEXPERIENCE platform

  8th February 2016

  DCNS has selected the 3DEXPERIENCE platform from Dassault Systèmes for the engineering, design, construction and lifecycle services of naval defence solutions, it was announced on …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF orders Viperfish SDI-1 video recorders

  8th February 2016

  Gatekeeper Systems has received a purchase order from Stirling Computers to provide 25 Viperfish SDI-1 high-definition airborne digital video recorders to the US Air Force, …

• Naval Warfare

  Searchmaster radar in first flight

  5th February 2016

  Thales' Searchmaster radar has completed its first flight, marking the start of a six month flight test campaign, the company announced on 4 February. Thales is …

• Training

  UK orders Beechcraft training aircraft

  5th February 2016

  Beechcraft Defense has been subcontracted by Affinity Flying Training Services to provide ten Beechcraft T-6C Texan II military training aircraft to the UK Ministry of …

• Training

  Affinity to support Ascent

  5th February 2016

  Affinity Flying Services, an Elbit Systems and KBR joint venture, has been awarded a contract valued at £500 million to support Ascent Flight Training in …

• Land Warfare

  Germany and Netherlands sign cooperation agreement

  5th February 2016

  German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen and her Dutch counterpart, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, signed a letter of intent in Amsterdam on 4 February to deepen …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (1-9) [NATO]

  Programme Background Following operations in Libya and extensive analyses by the European Defence Agency (EDA), it was agreed at the NATO Summit in 2012 that ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT Follow-On (NATO)

  Following operations in Libya and extensive analyses by the European Defence Agency (EDA), it was agreed at the NATO Summit in 2012 that the EDA ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R Seahawks [Norway]

  Programme Background NH90 NFH cancellation  The Norwegian government announced the termination of the NH90 NFH helicopter contract for 14 NH90s with NHIndustries in June 2022. Seahawk Acquisition ...

• Tanks

  New MBT [Romania]

  Programme Background Requirement The Romanian Army's MBT fleet is composed of T-55 variants that are due to be retired in the mid-2020s. Although Romania's TR-85 ...

• Tanks

  M1A2 Abrams SEPv3 [Romania]

  Programme Background Requirement The Romanian Army's MBT fleet is composed of T-55 variants that are due to be retired in the mid-2020s. Although Romania's TR-85 ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) - (Greece)

  Programme Background EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) was announced in early 2022 and the project contract was awarded ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  UAV Tactical Level [Norway]

  Programme Background Request for Information (RfI) In September 2022, the Norwegian Defence Material Agency (NDMA) launched a request for information in preparation for a possible ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) - (Italy)

  Programme Background EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) was announced in early 2022 and the project contract was awarded ...

• Maritime patrol

  MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  Programme Background In 2017, Germany and France announced that they would be working towards developing an MPA to replace their current fleets in service. The ...

• Tanks

  Leopard 2A8 [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Bidders and Suppliers The Leopard 2A8, the latest in the Leopard family, was selected by the Royal Dutch Army as per announcements in ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Kuwait]

  Background Contract Award On 18 January 2023, Baykar announced signing a $370 million export contract with Kuwait for the Bayraktar TB2. According to the announcement, ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton - Germany (Cancelled)

  Programme Background Germany requested to buy four MQ-4C Triton HALE UAVs from Northrop Grumman. On 5 April 2018, the US State Department announced that it ...

• Corvettes

  European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [France]

  Programme Background Requirements The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is one of the new PESCO (Permanent Structured Cooperation on Defence and Security) projects. PESCO was established ...

• AEW&C

  Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (1-6) [NATO]

  Programme Background NATO’s E-3A AWACS fleet is set to retire in 2035, after 50 years of service. To plan for the required follow-on capability, NATO's ...

• Corvettes

  European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirements The 2021-2023 Documento Programmatico Pluriennale (DPP) - a multi-year defence planning document from the Italian MoD - includes a plan to acquire eight "Patrol Ships", ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: air defence radar

  APIS

  APIS is a passive high-resolution primary radar system developed by Indra. It is the first passive system in the world capable of offering images using ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  AE50R

  The AE50R is an aviation gasoline single rotary engine with an output of 40.4kW. The engine is certified according to European Aviation Safety Agency Part ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  LOTUS

  The LOTUS, Low Observable Tactical Unnamed System, is a tactical UAV especially designed for border patrol ISR operations.  The development of the project is funded by ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Mistral 3

  The Mistral 3 is the latest member of the Mistral family of very short-range surface-to-air missiles. It entered service in 2018 and has been chosen ...

• Helicopter engines

  Arriel 2H

  Safran Helicopter Engines received European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) engine type certification for its Arriel 2H engine, installed in the Avicopter AC312E, in April 2018. ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  AR5

  First announced in October 2012, the AR5 is a MALE UAS designed for SAR, surveillance and maritime patrol missions. The AR5 can be flown manually or commanded ...

• Air: NVGs

  PNL-3M Orlik

  PNL-3M are high-performance, lightweight, passive stereoscopic NVGs for helicopter crew members. Certification by European Aviation Safety Agency also enables civilian use. The device can be ...

• Trainer

  Gabriel-TP

  Gabriel-TP is a low-wing, two-seat tandem trainer aircraft aimed at both military and civilian customers. It is certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in ...

• Loitering munitions

  Akeron RCH 170

  Unveiled in April 2025, the Akeron RCH 170 is a fixed-wing loitering munition from MBDA. Similar in design to the Switchblade 300, the catapult launched system ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Standard 3

  Jointly developed by ATR and Thales, The Standard 3 avionics suite has been specifically designed for ATR-600 aircraft. It offers the pilot user-friendly interface, along ...

• Loitering munitions

  Akeron RCX 50

  Unveiled in April 2025, the Akeron RCX 50 is a rotary-wing loitering munition from MBDA.  According to reports, the RCX 50 is designed to support ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  DroneGun

  DroneGun enables controlled management of an adversarial UAS, causing no damage to the UAV or surrounding area. It either forces the drone to perform a ...

• Military - USVs

  NOMARS

  The No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) is a US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) effort to develop a first-of-its-kind large uncrewed surface vessel.

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  Trident 100TD2

  The Trident 100TD2 is a compression-ignition engine that is capable of operating on various types of heavy fuel. It is claimed to offer up to ...

• Space: radar systems

  ESA Sentinel-1

  Sentinel-1 is a planned constellation of four satellites with two already in orbit and two on order. They carry a payload of a C-band SAR ...