• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2016: Mobile firepower plans emerge

  27th September 2016

  The Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) programme is one of the few new ground combat vehicle acquisitions being currently pursued by the US Army.   MPF …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Triton UAS achieves milestone C

  27th September 2016

  The US Navy has received milestone C approval for the MQ-4C Triton UAS programme, it was announced on 22 September. The approval clears the way for …

• Training

  USS Bataan completes training exercise

  27th September 2016

  USS Bataan (LHD 5), a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship of the US Navy, has taken part in the two-week PHIBRON-MEU Integrated Training (PMINT) exercise off …

• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA 2016: V-247 to provide pivotal vigilance

  27th September 2016

  Bell Helicopter has unveiled its unmanned VTOL concept, the V-247 Vigilant tiltrotor, which it hopes will meet the US Marine Corps’ (USCM) requirement for a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Schiebel, Diehl Defence renew S-100 agreement

  27th September 2016

  Schiebel has renewed its teaming agreement with German company Diehl Defence for the marketing of the Camcopter S-100 within the German market, the company announced …

• Defence Notes

  BAE taps Aussie innovation for GCS

  27th September 2016

  BAE Systems is to tap the Australian industrial SME market for products and services to meet the needs of the Type 26 Global Combat Ship …

• Training

  Australia flies EC-135T2 helicopter

  27th September 2016

  The Australian Defence Force has flown for the first time a new EC-135 T2 twin-engine helicopter acquired as part of its Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS) …

• Defence Notes

  LRSAM in successful flight tests

  26th September 2016

  The Long Range Surface to Air Missile System (LRSAM) in development for the for Indian Navy has been successfully flight tested from the Interim Test …

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems signs Danish CV90 contract

  26th September 2016

  BAE Systems Hägglunds has been awarded a contract by the Danish government to provide systems integration, capability upgrades and support for long-term sustainment of Denmark’s …

• Naval Warfare

  Elements of T26 design move to output phase

  26th September 2016

  Elements of the design of the UK’s Type 26 Global Combat Ship could move into a manufacturing output phase. The latest step in an already …

• Military Logistics

  Japan requests KC-46A FMS

  26th September 2016

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a possible foreign military sale (FMS) of KC-46A aerial refuelling aircraft and related equipment, training, and …

• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA 2016: Helicopter engine replacement for the future

  26th September 2016

  The replacement of the T700 engine onboard the UH-60 Black Hawk and AH-64 Apache, through the Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP), remains a longer-term option …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2016: Saab M4 gets smarter

  26th September 2016

  Saab is moving forward with new munition technology for its latest-generation Carl Gustaf M4 84mm recoilless gun, including a ‘smart’ high-explosive (HE) round and a …

• Military Logistics

  US Navy orders air traffic radars

  26th September 2016

  Saab Defense and Security USA has received an order from the US Navy for the AN/SPN-50 (V)1 Shipboard Air Traffic Radar, it was announced on …

• Naval Warfare

  AWD Alliance: Destroyer programme ‘on schedule’

  26th September 2016

  During a recent visit by Shephard to the Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Alliance in South Australia, officials assured that construction of three destroyers for the …

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 ...