• Naval Warfare

  RN embarks on experimental deployment of Littoral Response Group

  17th September 2020

  An RN task group, led by the landing platform dock ship HMS Albion, has departed the UK for a three-month deployment to the Mediterranean and …

• Defence Helicopter

  Fully modernised UH-60V takes flight

  15th September 2020

  The US Army claims to have passed a significant milestone in its $1.1 billion UH-60V Black Hawk programme, with the first flight on 11 September …

• Air Warfare

  AIM-9X Block II to benefit from software enhancements

  14th September 2020

  Raytheon Missiles and Defense is providing new and improved software, plus software risk reduction and support, for the development of Operational Flight Software 10.15 which …

• Land Warfare

  Malaysia to stand up new army units in Sabah

  17th September 2020

  Malaysian Defence Minister Ismail Sabri announced on 11 September that the Malaysian Army would establish a brigade headquarters, armoured regiment, three infantry battalions, three artillery …

• Defence Helicopter

  Longbow to make mast-mounted assembly and radar units for Apache Guardian

  7th September 2020

  FMS operators of the AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopter will be among the recipients of new mast-mounted assembly and radar units, under a $164.61 million …

• Military Logistics

  Belgium builds hangar for A400Ms

  28th August 2020

  A new hangar to accommodate Airbus A400M military transport aircraft is being built at Melsbroek Air Base near Brussels, Belgium. Laying the foundation stone on 24 …

• Air Warfare

  Greece orders Rafales amid broader procurement surge

  16th September 2020

  Dassault is to supply 18 Rafale multirole fighters to Greece, to continue the relationship between the French aircraft manufacturer and the Hellenic Air Force. The …

• Training

  Bahrain to receive AH-1Z flight training device

  10th September 2020

  Bell Textron on 9 September was awarded a $8.94 million contract modification to produce, deliver, install and integrate a fully assembled flight training device for …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army picks Bell Textron for FARA risk mitigation

  9th September 2020

  Bell Textron has received a $13.5 million order-dependent contract from US Army Contracting Command to conduct design studies, analysis, simulation, testing, integration and fabrication activities …

• Defence Helicopter

  Industry partners ink T55 deal in hot pursuit of German heavy-lift win

  18th September 2020

  Boeing, Honeywell and Rolls-Royce have jointly reached an agreement for T55 engine in-service support as part of a wider CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopter offer to …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Northrop integrates more systems on MQ-8C

  9th September 2020

  Northrop Grumman obtained an $11.64 million order from US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on 8 September, to provide non-recurring engineering for qualification testing and …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  K-MAX autonomy developments leave important question unanswered

  14th September 2020

  The potential of using unmanned and autonomous supply aircraft, particularly helicopters, in ‘hot’ areas has great appeal to the military. The problem is keeping away …

• Defence Helicopter

  Alligator variant makes progress with contract in the offing

  2nd September 2020

  Progress Arsenyev Aviation Company (a Russian Helicopters subsidiary) conducted the maiden flight of the latest Ka-52M attack helicopter prototype last month, according to the Russian …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed to integrate Network Enabled Weapon software with Seahawks

  28th August 2020

  The US Navy, via Naval Air Systems Command, has ordered labour and hardware from Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems for Phase 2 Network Enabled …

• Defence Helicopter

  Uruguay expects naval aviation improvements with Grifone

  25th August 2020

  The Uruguay Navy has received its first AB 412HP Grifone helicopter, with the second expected to follow by the end of 2020. ‘The first of …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow-On [USA]

  Programme Background In March 2019, Airbus stated that it expected orders from the US Army for between 12 and 15 UH-72A helicopters. In March 2020, ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M [France]

  Background In April 2021, the French government signed a deal for the purchase of eight H225M Airbus helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of SA330 Puma ...

• Military helicopters - attack, Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M / H145M Add-On [Romania]

  Methodology As part of a potential initial order for 12 H225M helicopters, Romania has included the option to acquire 30 additional helicopters from Airbus. Shephard estimates this ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H145 Helicopter [Honduras]

  Programme Background  The Honduran Government has purchased a total of four H145 Helicopters manufactured by Airbus to develop the armed forces preparedness against natural disasters ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H135 [UK]

  Programme Background Airbus Helicopters UK announced on 2 February 2022 that it has won an order to provide five additional H135 twin-engine helicopters for the ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Maritime Operations Helicopters

  The three maritime operations helicopters will be used for logistics and personnel transport, alongside transportation of PASKAL naval special forces in operations in the area. ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H145M [Ireland]

  Background On 30 December 2024 Ireland announced a contract with Airbus for four new H145M helicopters to replace the Air Corps existing fleet of light ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Future Aircrew Training Program [Canada]

  Background The FAcT requires to graduate 120 pilots, 40 combat systems officers and 36 airborne electronic sensor operators per year with 15% fluctuation. Training services are ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH-90 [Spain]

  Programme Background Along with a range of other air programmes, the Spanish Government announced the nation has set aside 1 billion euros (USD$1.162 billion) to ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Bell 412EPI-Indonesia

  Programme Background PTDI is assembling Bell helicopters in its factory in Bandung.  The first Bell 412EPI was delivered to Indonesian Army on 29 December 2020 ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-73 Advanced Helicopter Training System (AHTS) (TH-57 Replacement)

  Programme Background Contenders for the competition included the Leonardo single engine TH-119 – a military variant of the AW119Kx – and Bell’s newly upgraded single ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW101 [Poland]

  Bids and suppliers Airbus Helicopters Though not involved in the final bid stage, Airbus Helicopters had originally put the H225M forward to meet the Polish ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Spain HT-29 Caiman (NH90 TTH) - Army First Batch

  HT-29 Caiman GSPAs (NH90 TTH) will be assembled at Airbus Helicopters’ facility in Albacete and will replace AS332 Super Puma fleet in service. Even though ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  SW4 Puszczyk Replacement [Poland]

  Background  Requirement In 2002, Poland order 47 SW4 training helicopters from Italian manufacturer Leonardo; as of Spring 2025, the Ministry of Defence is looking to ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H145M [Spain]

  Programme Background  In May 2025, Spain announced the National Helicopter Plan as part of the country's wider effort to rearm in response to American pressure. ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - light/training

  H145

  The light, twin-engine EC145 began as an initiative to increase the cabin size of the BK 117 C1 aircraft, involving Kawasaki of Japan and Airbus ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M

  The medium-weight, 11t-class H225M (formerly known as the EC725) is the latest military Super Puma/Cougar family member.  Technical features include a modular design of mechanical ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H145M

  The H145M (formerly known as the EC645 T2) is the military version of the H145 medium-sized (3.7t) helicopter (covered in a separate entry). It is ...

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

  H135M

  The H135M (formerly known as the EC635 and also designated as H135) is a light utility variant of the EC135 twin-engine, multipurpose 3t helicopter. In ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H215M

  The H215M (formerly the AS532 ALe) is the most recent addition to the Cougar family.  It is a medium-weight (9t-class), twin-engine helicopter, combining the AS532's ...

• Air: mission management systems

  Helionix

  The Helionix digital avionics suite was developed from the need for a more powerful avionics system with greater functions and computing capacity, alongside a user-friendly interface. ...

• Helicopter engines

  Arriel 2+/2D

  Unveiled in 2011, the Arriel 2+ is an upgrade of the Arriel 2 and is intended for single- and twin-engine helicopters. It incorporates a new ...

• Helicopter engines

  LTS101

  The LTS101 was first certified in 1975. Since then, over 2,100 engines have been delivered to customers worldwide, logging over 11 million service hours. The ...

• EO/IR systems

  Viviane

  Viviane is an out-of-production gyro-stabilised night and adverse weather observation system with missile sight.  Manufactured by Safran, it was fitted to French Army Gazelles. It contained a ...

• Air: mission management systems

  APM 2000

  The current generation of autopilots is the APM 2000 family, fitted on major worldwide platforms. The APM 2000 is based on an integrated digital computer. ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H175M

  The Airbus H175M is the military variant of the H175 and works to fill a gap in the H175 helicopter family, as well as offer ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Light Armed Helicopter

  The South Korean government selected Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in July 2014 to develop the Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) and the related Light Civil Helicopter ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AS365 N3+ Dauphin

  The AS365 N3+, manufactured by Airbus Helicopters (formerly Eurocopter), was developed from the Dauphin series of medium, twin-turboshaft rotorcraft. The AS365 N3+ was launched at the 2009 ...

• Military UAS - small

  Flexrotor

  Flexrotor, or U030 Flexrotor, is a VTOL small UAS manufactured by Aerovel. It can integrate different types of payloads, including electro-optical systems and advanced sensors, to suit ...

• 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 ...