• Digital Battlespace

  Cubic completes CME demonstration

  30th October 2015

  Cubic Global Defense and Draken International have completed a live flight demonstration of the Cubic Miniature Encryptor (CME) in Lakeland, Florida, the company announced on …

• Land Warfare

  Vietnam chooses Israeli SAM

  30th October 2015

  In the latest sales success for Rafael’s SPYDER surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, Vietnam has emerged as a buyer of the Israeli weapon. Confirmation of Vietnam’s …

• Military Logistics

  KC-46 test programme continues

  29th October 2015

  The KC-46 Pegasus programme's first test aircraft has arrived at Edwards Air Force Base where it will undergo Ground Effects and Fuel Onload Fatigue testing, …

• Military Logistics

  KC-46A gains first export customer

  29th October 2015

  Japan’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 23 October it had adopted a US government proposal for the Japan Air Self-Defence Force’s (JASDF) next aerial …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon to continue DCGS support

  29th October 2015

  Raytheon has been awarded a new contract worth $393 million by the US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center to continue its mission support for …

• Defence Helicopter

  Lite Flite becomes EN9100 certified

  29th October 2015

  Lite Flite has been issued EN9100:2009 certification for its quality management system, the company announced on 27 October.  Lite Flite is a Danish manufacturer of …

• Naval Warfare

  US invokes UNCLOS in Spratly patrol

  29th October 2015

  After numerous recent hints the US Navy (USN) finally conducted a much-anticipated freedom-of-navigation (FON) patrol in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on …

• Defence Helicopter

  USMC CH-53K lifts off

  28th October 2015

  The CH-53K King Stallion helicopter prototype has successfully completed its first flight, manufacturer Sikorsky announced on 27 October. The aircraft is currently in development for …

• Land Warfare

  TDW demos scalable effects for UK MoD

  28th October 2015

  A new technology designed to allow military forces to select the explosive output of ammunition in the field has been demonstrated for the UK Ministry …

• Special Operations

  Special ops step for Bell 429

  28th October 2015

  Bell Helicopter's Aeronautical Accessories has added a special ops platform/step for the Bell 429 light, twin-engine helicopter to its product line, the company announced on …

• Defence Helicopter

  RAN trials CH-47D from HMAS Canberra

  27th October 2015

  The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has moved closer to reaching operational capability for HMAS Canberra, with a ‘quick look’ trial of the CH-47D Chinook helicopter …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Unmanned systems head for the fire

  27th October 2015

  The US Department of the Interior (DoI) and US Forest Service are continuing to explore the use of unmanned systems during fire-fighting operations, with further …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed Martin team to build LRDR

  27th October 2015

  Lockheed Martin will lead a team to develop, build and test the Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) system as part of the country's layered Ballistic Missile Defense …

• Digital Battlespace

  Honeywell to supply Thai T-50 avionics

  26th October 2015

  Honeywell Aerospace will supply avionics for the Royal Thai Air Force’s T-50 Golden Eagle fleet under a new contract with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bell expands Mexican footprint

  26th October 2015

  Bell Helicopter has opened a new sales office in Mexico City, the company announced on 23 October.  The new office will support local and regional …

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 ...

• 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 UAS - fixed-wing, 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 ...

• 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 - fixed-wing, 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 - fixed-wing, 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 - fixed-wing, 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 - fixed-wing, 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 - fixed-wing, 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 - fixed-wing, 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 ...

• EO/IR systems, Land: unattended sensor/surveillance systems, Sea: ship surveillance and fire control systems

  SHAPO

  SHAPO is a multi-sensor, gyro-stabilised observation payload. It is intended for UAVs, helicopters, light aircraft, patrol boats, aerostats, airships, armoured vehicles and masts. Sensors include a ...