• Defence Helicopter

  AHM achieves G Inspection

  3rd January 2017

  Airbus Helicopters Malaysia has carried out a G Inspection of a Southern Vietnam Helicopter (VNHS) AS332 L2 helicopter, the company announced on 29 December. VNHS …

• Defence Helicopter

  Serbia takes nine H145Ms

  3rd January 2017

  Airbus Helicopters and the Serbian government have signed for nine H145Ms. The aircraft will be received by the Serbian Air Force and Police. The order for …

• Land Warfare

  Raytheon to upgrade partner nation Patriot

  3rd January 2017

  Raytheon will modernise the Patriot Integrated Air and Missile Defense System of an unnamed partner nation under a direct commercial sales contract worth over $600 …

• Land Warfare

  The year ahead: Land programmes in the Americas

  3rd January 2017

  The coming year is likely to be as eventful as 2016. The civil war in Syria is ongoing as is the attempt by the Iraqi …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Russian forces receive Orlan-10 UAS

  3rd January 2017

  The Russian Ministry of Defence has announced that a new batch of Orlan-10 UAS has been delivered to the Kamchatka UAV squadron of the Russian …

• Training

  Aermacchi M-345 completes first flight

  3rd January 2017

  Leonardo Aermacchi's M-345 High Efficiency Trainer (HET) prototype aircraft successfully completed its first flight from Venegono Superiore airfield in Varese, Italy, on December 29. The M-345 …

• Military Logistics

  US sends armoured brigade equipment to Europe

  3rd January 2017

  US Army Europe (USAREUR) reopened a storage facility in the Netherlands on 15 December as part of the prepositioning of equipment for an armoured brigade …

• Digital Battlespace

  SAAB, UAE sign support agreement

  2nd January 2017

  Saab will provide support services for the Erieye airborne early warning and control system operated by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) under a contract announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  TUM developing new simulation software

  2nd January 2017

  The Technical University of Munich (TUM) is developing new simulation software to improve helicopter pilot training for extreme flight conditions. Turbulent air flows near oil …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Leonardo acquires Sistemi Dinamici

  2nd January 2017

  Leonardo-Finmeccanica has announced that it has acquired full control of Sistemi Dinamici, with the acquisition of the remaining 60 percent of shares set to strengthen …

• Defence Helicopter

  Spain receives Tiger HAD/E helicopter

  30th December 2016

  The first Tiger HAD/E helicopter in Block 2 configuration was delivered to the Spanish Army in mid-December, OCCAR has announced. The new helicopter will join …

• Defence Notes

  India tests Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon

  29th December 2016

  The Defence and Research Development Organization (DRDO) has conducted a successful flight test of the Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) from an Indian Air Force aircraft, …

• Naval Warfare

  HMS Shoreham completes refurb

  28th December 2016

  Extensive refurbishment and maintenance work has now completed on the Royal Navy’s HMS Shoreham minehunter vessel, Babcock announced on 22 December. Babcock is responsible for …

• Defence Helicopter

  Luftwaffe SF to join army and navy

  27th December 2016

  German H145M Light Utility Helicopter Special Operations Forces (LUH SOF) crews will become part of the Bundeswehr's special forces as of 1 April 2017 as …

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed Martin receives $1.45b for PAC-3/MSE

  27th December 2016

  Lockheed Martin has received a $1.45 billion contract for production and delivery of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) and PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) interceptors, …

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 ...

• 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 - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (5-6) [Australia]

  Background Four Contracted Units In the summer of 2020, Northrop Grumman announced that the Australian Government provided $333 million for three MQ-4C Tritons and associated GCS. ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Medium Range Air Defence [Australia]

  Background Faced with a growing threat from China and a vast land and sea territory to protect, Australia is seeking to establish a medium-range ground-based ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (13-14) [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 ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [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 ...

• 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, ...

• 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 - MALE

  MQ-28 Ghost Bat [Australia]

  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 system ...

• Loitering munitions

  Mission Talon Strike [Australia]

  Background Request for Tender (RFT) On 19 May 2025, the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA), an agency aimed at streamlining defence invocation for the Australian Defence ...

• Military UAS - small

  VTOL UAV [New Zealand]

  Background Defence Capability Plan (DCP) In April 2025, the New Zealand government published the DCP, a document that is essentially a blueprint for what procurements ...

• Trainer

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

  Programme Background Requirements The RAAF is seeking a future solution that provides a ‘relevant, adaptable, affordable and safe LIFTS out to 2050’ for training pilots ...

• Military UAS - small

  DEF129 (Tactical UAS) [Australia]

  Programme Background Programme Announcement The Australian Army announced the Project Land 129 Phase 3 programme in 2017. This announcement led to the release of an industry ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Harpii Szpon (Loyal Wingman) [Poland]

  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 the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Air-5416 Project Echidna

  Air-5416 Project Echidna was an initiative launched in 2001 by BAE Systems for the Australian DoD. Its goal was to overhaul the self protection systems ...

• 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 ...

• 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. ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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). ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-28A Ghost Bat

  The MQ-28A Ghost Bat is a loyal wingman-type, Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), MALE fixed-wing drone being developed by Boeing Defence Australia. Its development began in ...

• Military - USVs

  Bluebottle

  Bluebottle is a persistent, autonomous, uncrewed surface vessel from Ocius Technology in service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF). In ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - micro

  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 ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Hawkei

  Thales Australia developed the 4x4 Hawkei for the Australian Army's Land 121 Phase 4 Protected Mobility Vehicle – Light (PMV-L) project.  The prototype was unveiled in ...

• 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 ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  AGM-88E AARGM

  The AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) is a supersonic, medium-range, air-launched tactical missile compatible with US and allied strike aircraft. Designed to upgrade the AGM-88 ...

• Military UAS - mini

  M Solar-X

  First revealed in August 2020, in February 2024, at its symposium, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) showcased the M Solar-X. This solar-powered fixed-wing drone was ...