• Digital Battlespace

  Halifax frigates to get sensor upgrades

  7th February 2019

  General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada has received two contracts totalling $186 million to upgrade and maintain the underwater sensors installed on the Royal Canadian Navy’s modernised …

• Defence Notes

  Former USAF agent charged with defecting to Iran

  14th February 2019

  The US Justice Department charged a former US Air Force intelligence official on 13 February 2019 with spying for Iran, saying she exposed a fellow …

• Digital Battlespace

  SEA awarded personal area network work

  6th November 2018

  Cohort company SEA will lead the physical and technical software integration of soldier personal area networks with the British Army’s current body armour and load …

• Defence Notes

  North Korea tests new 'ultramodern tactical weapon'

  16th November 2018

  North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen the testing of a ‘newly developed ultramodern tactical weapon’, Pyongyang's state media reported 16 November, a move …

• Land Warfare

  NATO members receive new land munitions

  6th February 2019

  Denmark, France and the Netherlands have received the first shipment of new anti-tank weapons under the Land Battle Decisive Munition (LBDM) multi-national NATO project. The …

• Naval Warfare

  Belgium Naval & Robotics, FSR team for MCM

  16th November 2018

  Belgium Naval & Robotics has partnered with Flanders Ship Repair (FSR) to bid for the programme to supply twelve mine hunting vessels for the Belgian …

• Digital Battlespace

  Finland, Bittium sign agreement

  9th November 2018

  Bittium Wireless and the Finnish Defence Forces have signed a framework agreement for Bittium's Tough Comnode terminals and related accessories, Bittium announced on 5 November. …

• Defence Helicopter

  SB>1 Defiant completes initial ground run tests

  5th February 2019

  The Sikorsky Boeing SB>1 Defiant helicopter has completed its initial ground run and is being ground tested before its first flight. The helicopter is being …

• Military Logistics

  Safran opens turbine blade research centre

  8th February 2019

  Safran has opened a new research centre for advanced turbine blades used on airplane and helicopter engines at its plant in Gennevilliers, France, the company …

• Defence Notes

  The Weekly Defence Podcast - Episode 3

  8th February 2019

  Welcome to Episode 3 of The Weekly Defence Podcast. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2018: Thai Army receives howitzer crew trainers

  19th November 2018

  Israeli simulation specialists, Bagira Systems has delivered its Joint-fires BattleSpace Simulator (JOBSS) to Van Halteren Defence, as part of the latter’s Integrated-Howitzer Crew Trainer (I-HCT) programme …

• Naval Warfare

  Indonesia orders MCMVs and inducts hospital ship

  11th February 2019

  Jakarta has ordered two new mine countermeasures vessels (MCMV), while the Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) also commissioned a second hospital ship, KRI Semarang, on 21 January. …

• Special Operations

  SO/LIC 2019: USSOCOM seeks to shrink sensors for drones

  8th February 2019

  US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is looking to miniaturize sensors its uses on large unmanned aircraft systems so they can be flown on smaller UAS …

• Training

  Meggitt highlights new acoustic training system

  4th February 2019

  Meggitt Training Systems utilised the live-fire range opportunities at the recent Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show industry range day to highlight its new …

• Military Logistics

  Lithuania receives new Unimog trucks

  16th October 2018

  The Lithuanian armed forces have received a new batch of 54 Unimog U5000 trucks from Daimler, the Lithuania Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 12 …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Joint Light Helicopter (HIL) Programme

  Programme Background The French Ministry of the Armed Forces has elected to bring the launch of the French Armed Forces’ HIL programme forward to 2021. ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 TTH [France]

  Programme Background In 2001, the French government made its first purchase of 34 NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopters, followed by a second order in 2013 for ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - mini

  Micro & Mini Drones (France)

  Programme Background RequirementOn 23 April 2021, an RfP was published by the Direction de la Maintenance Aéronautique (DMAé) to supply around 500 micro and nano drones for the ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | OPV Procurement (1-2) [Montenegro]

  During Euronaval 2024, the French Ministry of Armed Forces and Veterans announced that Montenegro signed a contract for the acquisition of two OPV 60. Both ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | OPV Procurement (1-2) [Montenegro]

  During Euronaval 2024, the French Ministry of Armed Forces and Veterans announced that Montenegro signed a contract for the acquisition of two OPV 60. Both ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (13-15) [France]

  In June 2020, The French government has pledged to buy new military heavy-lift helicopters and accelerate plans for naval drone, ISTAR and tanker aircraft programmes as ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 300 [France]

  Programme Background Plans to Purchase At Eurosatory 2022, Col. Arnaud Goujon, the French Army's chief of plans, told the media that the French Army was ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 Special Forces [France]

  Programme Background In French service, advanced H225M Caracals with aerial refuelling capabilities are used by SOF units of the French Air Force (FAF) and French ...

• OPVs

  OPV Procurement (1-2) [Montenegro]

  Programme Background Timeline During Euronaval 2024, the French Ministry of Armed Forces and Veterans announced that Montenegro signed a contract for the acquisition of two ...

• OPVs

  OPV 58 S [Senegal]

  Programme Background Senegal ordered three OPV 58 S patrol vessels on 17 November 2019. A procurement contract was signed between the Ministry of Armed Forces ...

• Loitering munitions

  Colibri [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated in a press conference in May 2022 that the Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA) and ...

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

  French MALE UAVs [France]

  Background Requirements The French Ministry of the Armed Forces wishes to develop a French MALE offering comparable to the MQ-9 Reaper, which would, it is hoped, promote ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  UX11 (Ukraine Aid) [France]

  Programme Background First Batch On 6 September 2023, Sébastien Lecornu, the French Minister of Defence, announced Delair was providing Ukraine with more than 150 drones. ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  PLFS [France]

  Programme Background The Sabre, then known as the Sherpa FS, was developed as a response to a 2014 requirement for three types of new vehicles ...

• Loitering munitions

  Larinae [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated in a press conference in May 2022 that the Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA) ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Counter-UAS systems

  Boreades

  Boreades is a modular anti-UAV system developed by CS. This suite combines multi-sensors and multi-effectors in order to enable the detection, identification and neutralisation of rogue ...

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

  UAS 100

  The UAS 100 is an autonomous, three-engined platform, modular UAS manufactured by Thales in partnership with Issoire Aviation, Hionos and with the support of the ...

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

  Vespa-15

  The Vespa-15 is a first-person view (FPV) rotary-wing UAV manufactured by a Ukrainian company.  In May 2025, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Ukraine announced it ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Tundra 2

  The Tundra 2 is a rotary-wing UAV from Hexadrone. It is described as a new, modular, plug-and-play, and multi-trade drone. Hexadrone's website states that the French Armed ...

• OPVs

  OPV 60

  The OPV 60 is designed to conduct surveillance missions in coastal and EEZ waters. The ship can be armed with a 40mm naval gun and ...

• EO/IR systems

  Euroflir 350

  The Euroflir 350 is an out-of-production gyro-stabilised optronic system. According to Safran, it is effective at long ranges, can track mobile targets, designate important areas for ...

• Military helicopters - light/training, Military helicopters - multirole, Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  H160M

  Airbus is developing the H160M to meet the requirements of the French military for the Joint Light Helicopter (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger, or HIL) programme. It ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Lanner

  Unveiled at Eurosatory 2024, the Lenner is a modified variant of the Pengion C VTOL drone, specifically modified to meet the SDTL (Light Tactical Drone System) program ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 TTH

  Developed as a multinational programme between France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, the European NH90 was designed to meet NATO requirements for multirole capability from ...

• Land: handheld NV devices

  O-NYX

  The Thales O-NYX is a Ultra-Compact Night Vision Goggle used by the French armed forces. They have an enlarged field of vision to 51° compared ...

• Pistols

  Glock Pistol

  The Glock family of pistols have been in widespread service since the Glock 17 was selected for Austrian military and police service in 1982. The company's ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Mistral 2

  MISTRAL is a man-portable, fully digital, heat-seeking missile designed to meet the requirements of all branches of the armed forces to defend against air threats. ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  TDS-FA/-TA/-H

  Thales’ TDS family is comprised of Radar Warning Receivers (RWRs) designed to equip a range of fixed-wing aircraft. The product series includes the TDS-FA designed ...

• Loitering munitions

  Toutatis

  The Toutatis is an in-development loitering munition from Thales. According to Thales, the platform is effective against groups of fighters and unarmored and light-armoured vehicles. Unveiled at ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Sky Keeper

  The Sky Keeper is a rotary-wing UAV from Milton International.  The UAV is capable of carrying a 10kg payload and features a modular gimbal, meaning ...