• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems to continue AC-C2CS support

  2nd September 2015

  BAE Systems has received a contract from the Australian government to continue supporting Australian Defence Force (ADF) military air operations for the next four years. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Thales to offer Watchkeeper to Poland

  2nd September 2015

  Thales has teamed with Polish company WB Electronics to offer a solution for Poland’s Gryf programme based on the Watchkeeper UAS, Thales announced on 1 September. …

• Naval Warfare

  Ireland to renovate maritime capability

  2nd September 2015

  Ireland is planning an overhaul of its maritime capability following the release of its Defence White Paper. The white paper outlines plans for replacement of …

• Defence Helicopter

  Brunei MPTC plans to become ATO

  2nd September 2015

  The CAE Brunei Multi-Purpose Training Centre (MPTC) plans to become an Approved Training Organization (ATO) according to European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) guidelines and procedures, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Boeing demos counter-UAS laser

  1st September 2015

  Boeing has showcased the capabilities of its Compact Laser Weapon System design. The live engagement follows the company’s participation in the recent ‘Black Dart’ counter-UAS …

• Defence Helicopter

  US approves Boeing upgrade of UK Apaches

  1st September 2015

  The UK has inched closer to a decision on its attack helicopter replacement, with the US formally approving an FMS sale of up to 50 …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG orders Air Data Computers

  1st September 2015

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) has awarded a contract to the Defense Solutions division of Curtiss-Wright to provide Air Data Computer technology for its MH-65 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  China unveils ‘game-changing’ CH-5

  1st September 2015

  State television in China has revealed the existence of a new CH-5 UCAS, a new type of platform equipped with a sense-through-the-wall radar. China Central …

• Land Warfare

  New Zealand downselects new rifle

  1st September 2015

  The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has selected a replacement rifle for the incumbent 5.56mm Steyr AUG A1 under the Individual Weapon Replacement programme. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russian high-speed testbed revealed

  1st September 2015

  A high-speed helicopter testbed based on a Mi-24K attack helicopter will take to the air for the first time in late 2015, it has emerged. …

• Naval Warfare

  P-8A Poseidon for RAAF ordered

  1st September 2015

  The US Navy has ordered 13 Full-Rate Production (FRP) Lot 2 P-8A Poseidon aircraft from Boeing Defense in a nearly $1.5 billion contract, it was …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russian Helicopters eyes Indian after-sales

  1st September 2015

  Russian Helicopters has put forward a proposal to improve its after-sales service provision for Russian-made helicopters operated in India at the Russia-India conference. One of …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop-led team outlines WGS proposal

  31st August 2015

  A Northrop Grumman-led team has submitted a proposal to the Australian government for utilisation of the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) system. The team also includes …

• Digital Battlespace

  DoD awards FHE manufacturing contract

  31st August 2015

  FlexTech Alliance has been awarded a cooperative agreement by the US Department of Defense (DoD) to establish and manage a Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII) for …

• Military Logistics

  USAF concerned over KC-46A delays

  28th August 2015

  Continuing delays to the maiden flight of the USAF’s next generation aerial tanker has increased concerns among Pentagon officials. This has prompted a revision of …

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 ...