• Training

  Finland hosts COLD BLADE 2016

  29th March 2016

  The Finnish defence forces hosted exercise COLD BLADE 2016 at Ivalo airbase in Finland, the European Defence Agency announced in late March. A total of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DefExpo 2016: DRDO UAVs proliferate

  29th March 2016

  The Aeronautical Development Establishment's (ADE), of the state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Golden Hawk is undergoing trials by the Indian Army and paramilitary …

• Military Logistics

  DefExpo 2016: BEML’s Tatra trucks plough on

  29th March 2016

  Czech company, Tatra has resumed its participation in India's military truck sector with the licenced production of its heavy vehicles by local company Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML). …

• Naval Warfare

  VolkerStevin to upgrade Mare Harbour

  29th March 2016

  VolkerStevin has been awarded a £19 million contract by the UK’s Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) to upgrade Mare Harbour, the UK government announced on 22 …

• Defence Helicopter

  FIDAE 2016: Final Mexican 407GXP delivered

  28th March 2016

  Bell Helicopter announced on the eve of the FIDAE airshow in Chile that it has delivered the 15th and final 407GXP to the Mexican Air …

• Naval Warfare

  Lockheed opens upgraded VLS production line

  28th March 2016

  Lockheed Martin has opened an upgraded Mk 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) production line at its Middle River facility in Maryland, it announced on 24 …

• Military Logistics

  FIDAE 2016: Chilean Army CN-235 gets a face lift

  28th March 2016

  The first aircraft in the Chilean Army’s fleet of three CASA CN-235-100M aircraft has completed a comprehensive upgrade of its flight deck avionics. Work has …

• Military Logistics

  AAR receives US Navy contract

  28th March 2016

  AAR has received a five-year, $104.97 million fixed-price contract from the US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to provide fleet logistics support for the C-40A …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed Martin looks to future of GPS

  28th March 2016

  The Lockheed Martin GPS III programme has not been without its challenges. Nevertheless, the company remains confident that it will meet the August 2016 available-for-launch …

• Naval Warfare

  DIMDEX 2016: Pre-show planning by European OEMs

  28th March 2016

  European OEMs are positioning themselves for potential procurement programmes in the GCC region. They are eager to explore a maritime security and defence market still …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ThunderB UAS flies for 25+ hours

  28th March 2016

  Bluebird Aero Systems has demonstrated the ability of its ThunderB UAV system to fly for more than 20 hours, completing a flight of 25.5 hours …

• Digital Battlespace

  Japan’s new Field Communication System

  28th March 2016

  The Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF) has fielded a new communication system featuring dedicated wireless devices of various frequency bands and modulation systems, the service …

• Naval Warfare

  US coastal force seeks 'intimidating' patrol boat

  28th March 2016

  The US Navy's Coastal Riverine Force (CRF) is looking to replace up to 160 of its 25ft and 34ft force protection boats with a larger …

• Land Warfare

  DefExpo 2016: Nimda offers T-72 upgrade

  28th March 2016

  Israeli firm Nimda is positioning itself to offer an upgrade for the Indian Army’s ageing Ajeya main battle tanks (MBT), a domestic version of the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Norway's AW101 takes flight

  25th March 2016

  The first of 16 AgustaWestland AW101 helicopters being built for the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MoJ) has successfully performed its maiden flight …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Data links

  Data links | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390 [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirement The aircraft deliveries were scheduled to start by the end of 2016 and continue over a period of ten years. However,  the first ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Hermes 900 [Chile]

  Methodology Unit cost In 2024, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired one Hermes 900 for 50 million reais ($9.14 million), giving each drone an estimated ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-130H Replacement [Sweden]

  Programme Background Requirements Sweden has five C-130H aircraft (designated Tp-84) and one KC-130H. Two C-130Es bought in the 1960s have retired, but the six H ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  H145M [Brazil]

  Background  Brazilian leadership announced in February 2022 that the Sabre Mil Mi-35M Hind-E attack helicopters were being retired from active service. This decision came as a ...

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS 39E/F Gripen [Brazil]

  Background In 2016, Gripen’s Project and Development Center was opened in Sao Paulo to allow Sweedish and Brazillian engineers to work together in the Gripen ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Hermes 900 [Colombia]

  Methodology Unit cost In 2024, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired one Hermes 900 for 50 million reais ($9.14 million), giving each drone an estimated gross ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Hermes 900 (5) [Brazil]

  Background First three batches (2014-2024) Across three purchases, Defence Insight estimates that Brazil has acquired five Hermes 900 UAVs. In 2014, Elbit reported supplying one ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  Long Range Air Defence [Brazil]

  Background Brazil is in the process of expanding its medium-range air defence capabilities and is known to be interested in acquiring a long-range air defence ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Hermes 900 (1-4) [Brazil]

  Background First batch (2014) In 2014, Elbit reported supplying one Hermes 900 UAV to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). The drone is called the RQ-900 in Brazilian ...

• Maritime patrol

  C295 add-on [Brazil]

  Programme Background  In 2014 Brazil signed a contracted for two additional C-295 SAR platforms with the option to acquire one additional platform. In 2018, reports ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air-to-surface missiles

  MAR-1

  The MAR-1 is a Brazilian air-to-surface anti-radiation missile (ARM) developed by Mectron in collaboration with the Aerospace Technology and Science Department (DCTA) of the Brazilian ...

• Military UAS - small

  Harpia

  Described as the UAV with the most onboard technology in Latin America, Harpia is a multifunctional fixed-wing Brazilian drone developed by Advanced Technologies Security & Defence.  The Uruguayan ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  EMB-312 Tucano

  The EMB-312 Tucano (Brazilian designation T-27) is a trainer and light attack aircraft developed by Embraer to meet the training requirements of the Brazilian Air ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  TPTS

  Tactical Procedures Training Simulators (TPTS), operating with SWARM software, can be used to provide most core training elements to pilots or offload training tasks from ...

• Guided munitions

  SMKB (Smart-MK-Bomb)

  The Smart-MK-Bomb, or the SMKB, is a precision guidance kit developed by Mectron and designed to turn Mk 82 and Mk 83 bombs into guided munitions.

• Military UAS - tactical

  Albatroz Vortex

  The Albatroz Vortex from Stella Tecnologia is a development of the company's Albatroz UAV.  The key differentiator is that the Vortex is fitted with an ATJR ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Condor

  The Condor, or Atobá XR, is an in-development MALE-class UAV from Stella Technologia.  The development of the multi-role is tied to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), which has ...

• Trainer, Transport

  EMB-121 Xingu

  The EMB-121 Xingu is a twin-turboprop light transport and advanced multi-engine trainer aircraft developed by Embraer based on the EMB-110 Bandeirante. Its maiden flight was ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Arkhe Mission & Combat

  Launched in 2017, Atech's Arkhe Mission & Combat solutions offer a variety of solutions enabling operator to conduct missions from planning to execution and debriefing. It ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390/C-390 Millennium

  The KC-390 is a high-wing, twin-turbofan, T-tail design intended to meet the needs of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) for a tanker/transport aircraft. Developed and ...

• Fighter - air superiority

  F-5E/F Tiger II

  The F-5E (single-seat)/F (twin-seat) Tiger II is an air superiority fighter developed by Northrop Grumman based on the original F-5 Freedom Fighter. Production of the ...

• 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 ...

• EO/IR systems

  Skyward

  The SkyWard system is an advanced Infrared Search and Track (IRST) solution developed for next-generation airborne platforms, including 5th-generation fighter aircraft.  Designed with modularity in ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Saber M60

  The Saber M60 is a low-altitude air-defence radar developed by the Brazilian Army's CTEx (Army Technology Centre) in collaboration with Bradar, part of Embraer Defence ...

• Trainer

  Phenom 100

  Phenom 100 is a very light jet originally developed for single owner-pilot operation but later gained popularity as a jet trainer aircraft. The platform first ...