• Defence Notes

  Netherlands to invest more in defence

  21st September 2016

  More money will be spent on security, including the armed forces, ‘because of the security situation, nearby and elsewhere in the world’, the King of …

• Land Warfare

  UVision Hero-30 eyes South Korea

  21st September 2016

  UVision Air and Firstec have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), under which Firstec will market and sell UVision’s Hero-30 lethal loitering systems in the South …

• Land Warfare

  Analysis: UK to issue MRV-P bid invites

  21st September 2016

  The UK MoD will publish an invitation to negotiate (ITN) for its Multi-Role Vehicle Protected (MRV-P) programme in the final quarter of 2016, industry sources …

• Digital Battlespace

  US CBP orders Multi-Role Enforcement Aircraft

  21st September 2016

  Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has been awarded a $280 million contract by US Customs and Border Protection to engineer and integrate 12 Multi-Role Enforcement Aircraft …

• Military Logistics

  C-130J empennage milestone

  21st September 2016

  Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures (TLMAL) has delivered the 50th C-130J Super Hercules empennage assembly to the production line, Lockheed Martin announced on 19 September. TLMAL …

• Military Logistics

  Renewing RNZAF’s fixed-wing fleet

  21st September 2016

  Responses to two New Zealand RfIs for both transport and maritime patrol aircraft are due on 30 September. The Future Air Mobility Capability (FAMC) requirement …

• Training

  Typhoon simulator whips up a storm (video)

  21st September 2016

  Former Luftwaffe pilot Raffael Klaschka gives Shephard a first-hand look at a Eurofighter Typhoon simulator. The simulator is used for both basic and advanced training, the latter will …

• Naval Warfare

  DCNS floats FREMM frigate Bretagne

  21st September 2016

  DCNS is nearing delivery of the FREMM Bretagne frigate to the French Navy, with the vessel floated at the company’s Lorient, France facility on 16 September. …

• Naval Warfare

  Busy French Navy pressed for spare capacity

  21st September 2016

  French naval forces would likely find it difficult to meet additional tasks or deployment with their existing assets, according to a senior official. Speaking to …

• Military Logistics

  ADAS 2016: Pride of Philippine Navy dented

  20th September 2016

  The Philippine Navy’s (PN) first Strategic Sealift Vessel (SSV) was hit by a Liberian-registered tanker in waters off Zamboanga City on 19 September. At the …

• Digital Battlespace

  UK buys BriteCloud missile countermeasures

  20th September 2016

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has purchased 'a significant number' of Leonardo's BriteCloud Expendable Active Decoys (EADs), a missile-jamming countermeasure, for the UK Royal …

• Defence Helicopter

  Hungarian Mi-17 repairs begin

  20th September 2016

  Russian Helicopters will repair four Mil Mi-17 transport helicopters operated by Hungary, according to a contract signed in July, the company announced on 13 September. …

• Naval Warfare

  New Naval Security Team for RCN

  19th September 2016

  The Royal Canadian Navy has announced plans to form a Naval Security Team (NST) to enhance the safety and security of its ships and personnel while …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus D&S signs new Skynet partners

  19th September 2016

  Airbus Defence and Space (D&S) has added three more service providers to deliver Skynet military satellite communication services to Australian, New Zealand and US forces. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Cormorant UAV expands flight testing

  19th September 2016

  Urban Aeronautics’ wholly owned subsidiary Tactical Robotics has expanded the flight testing of its Cormorant UAV as it works to expand the system's flight envelope. …

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 ...