• Training

  AIDC readies new AJT for Taiwan

  20th June 2016

  A programme to meet Taiwan’s need for a new advanced jet trainer (AJT) started soon after President Tsai Ing-wen assumed office in May. The Republic …

• Digital Battlespace

  Eurosatory: Lockheed illustrates Infirno technology (video)

  17th June 2016

  Lockheed Martin demonstrated its high definition ISR sensor, Infirno, at Eurosatory 2016 in Paris. The system’s modular turret allows users to reconfigure Infirno to meet …

• Defence Helicopter

  GECO Puma MSS FOC on track

  17th June 2016

  Inzpire Ltd has announced that the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) two Puma squadrons, part of Joint Helicopter Command (JHC), are shortly to announce final operating …

• Military Logistics

  Eurosatory: Kokam targets Euro tactical vehicle

  17th June 2016

  Kokam is looking to diversify markets for its battery and power solutions away from the traditional Korean customers and into Europe, the US and elsewhere. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Eurosatory: At the end of the tether

  17th June 2016

  ECA Group have shown the IT180-999 tethered UAV system in public for the first time, as they pursue potential programmes in France and other countries …

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory: VULCANO gets more precise

  17th June 2016

  Leonardo-Finmeccanica’s VULCANO weapon system will feature Rockwell Collins’ NavFire Precision Positioning Service (PPS) GPS, according to a 13 June company statement from Rockwell Collins. The …

• Military Logistics

  Eurosatory: Saft battery supply

  17th June 2016

  Saft will supply specialised military batteries to Team Leidos under a two year contract announced on 13 June. Under the contract Saft will supply around …

• Military Logistics

  First Y-20s delivered to PLAAF

  17th June 2016

  The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) received its first examples of the Y-20 transport aircraft built by the Xian Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Eurosatory: Aero Cougar enters final development

  17th June 2016

  A final production version of the MPL 30 Aero Cougar UAS payload will be ready by the end of the year, according to the system …

• Digital Battlespace

  Eurosatory: New VSHORAD C2 system unveiled

  17th June 2016

  MBDA has launched Licorne, a very short-range air defence (VSHORAD) command and control system for fast reaction, airborne or amphibious forces.  Licorne uses the same …

• Digital Battlespace

  Eurosatory: Steps towards European waveform

  16th June 2016

  A new European waveform developed under the European Secure Software defined Radio (ESSOR) programme is bringing militaries closer to true interconnectivity. At the tactical level, …

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory: Sig Sauer aims for German rifles

  16th June 2016

  The German Bundeswehr and KSK special forces unit are interested in getting new rifles and Sig Sauer is going to put forward a solution based …

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory: French SF mount up

  16th June 2016

  A new set of vehicles for the French Special Forces will offer them improved mobility and firepower on operations. According to the French DGA, 25 …

• Defence Notes

  Eurosatory: Teaming for latest Aster

  16th June 2016

  A Cooperation Arrangement was signed between the defence ministries of Italy and France for the joint development of the Aster 30 Block 1 NT missile in …

• Military Logistics

  Kokam conducts ballistic tests on NANO battery

  16th June 2016

  Kokam has carried out successful ballistic testing on battery cells using its Lithium Ion NANO battery technology and found that the cells do not experience thermal …

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 ...