• Digital Battlespace

  UK Joint Force to transform ISR

  20th January 2016

  The UK Joint Forces Command (JFC) has a desperate need for a layered and more integrated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) systems. JFC commander, Gen …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UDT Asia: Saab goes underwater

  20th January 2016

  Saab showcased two UUV designs – the Sea Wasp (pictured above) and MuMNS – during UDT Asia in Singapore.  The Sea Wasp is designed to …

• Digital Battlespace

  Free satellite comms for German troops

  19th January 2016

  Airbus Defence and Space will provide free satellite communications and calls to German troops under a contract renewal with the German Ministry of Defence, the …

• Training

  MilSim Asia: Saab's AsPac inroads

  19th January 2016

  Saab is making significant inroads into live, virtual and constructive simulation environments in the Asia-Pacific market. This is demonstrated by the Swedish company’s imminent training …

• Land Warfare

  Colombia’s new recon and patrol vehicles

  19th January 2016

  A new light strike vehicle, the VRC Cobra, designed by Colombian National Army engineers, was launched at the Expodefensa 2015. The 4x4 off-road reconnaissance combat …

• Defence Helicopter

  Lithuania assigns AS365 N3+ for SAR

  18th January 2016

  Three new AS365 N3+ helicopters have now entered service with the Lithuanian armed forces, Airbus Helicopters announced on 15 January. The aircraft have been assigned to 24/7 …

• Digital Battlespace

  New rockets for USAF

  18th January 2016

  The US Air Force (USAF) has awarded contracts to SpaceX and ATK Launch Systems to produce prototype rocket propulsion systems for the Evolved Expendable Launch …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russian Helicopters slated for partial privatisation

  15th January 2016

  The Russian government has revealed it is still considering selling a proportion of the shares in Russian Helicopters to a strategic investor or the holding’s …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Talon 120LE UAS awarded COA

  15th January 2016

  The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded a Section 333 Grant of Exemption and Certificate of Waiver and Authorization (COA) to UAV Solutions for its …

• Land Warfare

  Aster missile upgrade underway

  15th January 2016

  The EUROSAM consortium has been awarded a contract to develop a new version of the Aster 30 Block 1 missile for the French Ministry of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Korean Air wins UAV contract

  14th January 2016

  The Aerospace Division of Korean Air (KAL-ASD) has won a substantial contract for tactical UAVs for the Republic of Korea Army (ROKA), confirming Shephard’s report …

• Defence Helicopter

  Afghanistan orders more MD 530Fs

  13th January 2016

  The Afghan Air Force (AAF) will add a dozen new armed light helicopters with enhanced mission equipment to its fleet under an award by the …

• Naval Warfare

  SeaRAM in new demonstration

  12th January 2016

  The US Navy has conducted a live-fire exercise during which Raytheon’ SeaRAM anti-ship missile defence system used a Rolling Airframe Missile Block 2 to intercept …

• Naval Warfare

  PMSCs face changing environment

  12th January 2016

  National governments along the eastern rim of the Indian Ocean are beginning to regulate the activities of private maritime security contractors (PMSC), as a court …

• Defence Helicopter

  China goes old-tech with gyrocopters

  12th January 2016

  The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has begun operating and flying camouflage-painted gyrocopters, pictures to recently emerge on Chinese internet websites have revealed. The gyrocopters, christened …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  DELI [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Speaking to Shephard at SAHA Expo 2022, a spokesperson stated that the platform was expected to enter into service with the Turkish Armed ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Ground Master 403 Radar [Egypt]

  Background In 2020, Egypt ordered four of France-based Thales Ground Master 403 radars, the mobile member of their GM400 radar family.  At least one of the ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Akinci [Libya]

  Programme Background 2022 Reports In October 2022, various Libyan media outlets reported that the country was eyeing a possible procurement from Baykar, possibly the Akinici ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 [UK]

  Background Rumours In mid-October 2022, Mustafa Varank, Turkey’s minister of industry, revealed to CNN Turk that the UK was interested in Turkish armed drones. The ...

• Transport

  C-130J [Vietnam]

  Programme Background Requirement Vietnam’s interest in acquiring the C-130J reflects a broader effort to modernise its air transport fleet, which was previously dominated by Russian ...

• Corvettes

  Steregushchy Class (Project 20380) (11-18)

  Programme BackgroundThe Steregushchiy class (Project 20380) corvettes are designed to operate in littoral combat zones and engage with enemy ships and submarines. The multi-role missions ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) (Tranche 2) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an organic, ...

• Military UAS - mini

  RemoEye-002B [South Korea]

  Background Contract award The RemoEye-002B was adopted by the Republic of Korea Army (ROKA) as a battalion-level ISR asset in late 2013, when Uconsystem received ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale Procurement (1-36) [Qatar]

  Methodology PGO As this programme is complete, the PGO is 100%. Units required A total of 36 units were required through this programme. This was ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Data links

  Data links | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Dominator [Mexico]

  Background Confirmation In September 2015, the Mexican government purchased two Dominator XPs after the UAS completed a series of flight trials. Data from the Stockholm ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• EO/IR systems

  OWLS

  Observation Wide-area Low-altitude Sensor (OWLS), demonstrated at Heli-Expo 2015, is a two-axis micro gimbal imager that combines a night vision sensor and an image-stabilised enclosure. ...

• EO/IR systems

  Skybox

  The Skybox allows gimballed camera systems developed for small UAVs to be integrated on the nose of manned helicopters. It accommodates cameras such as DJI’s ...

• Helicopter engines

  RR300

  The RR300 combines new design methodologies with the legacy of the M250 engine to produce a new engine family for the small rotorcraft market. Intended ...

• Air: mission management systems

  TM-100 Map and Video Management system

  Trakka Systems introduced a new TM-100 Map and Video Management system at HAI Heli-Expo 2017 in Dallas. The augmented reality mapping system with metadata video and audio ...

• EO/IR systems

  Geodetic photomapping and monitoring payload and blind zone cameras

  Heliatica unveiled a geodetic mapping and monitoring payload with Geoscan at Heli-Expo 2017. The system is designed to fit two Sony DSC-RX1 (24MP resolution) cameras ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  6XX

  Publicly unveiled at Heli-Expo in March 2017, the MD Helicopters 6XX is the next evolution in the MD 500 series and is a redesigned, single-engine ...

• Multipurpose missiles

  LAHAT

  The Laser Homing Attack (LAHAT) is an Israeli, semi-active, laser homing guided, low-weight, ATGM. It was designed to be fired from 105mm and 120mm tank guns.

• Tiltrotors

  AW609

  The Bell/Agusta BA609 became the first tiltrotor designed for the civilian market to fly in March 2003. In June 2011, Leonardo announced that it had ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Bars-8

  Following on from the 7t Bars-6 4x4 multipurpose armoured vehicle, Bogdan developed the 10t Bars-8 4x4 multipurpose armoured vehicle which was unveiled at the September ...

• Land: RWS

  AU-220M

  The AU-220M unmanned turret, developed by TsNII Burevestnik, a subsidiary of Uralvagonzavod (UVZ), mounts a dual-feed 57mm automatic cannon and a PKTM 7.62mm coaxial machine ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  525 Relentless

  Bell Helicopter announced in February 2012 that it was developing the Model 525 Relentless. The aircraft is designed primarily for the oil and gas industry ...

• Military vehicle engines

  TCD 2015

  The TCD 2015 is a modern water-cooled four stroke diesel V-engine that is currently integrated on the RG41 armoured vehicle.

• Military helicopters - light/training

  AW119

  The AW119 is a lightweight helicopter designed and produced by Augusta, then AugustaWestland, and, since 2016, by Leonardo. The helicopter first flew in 1995 and entered ...

• Military helicopters - maritime, Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  S-92/H-92

  The H-92 is the military version of the commercial S-92. It has a stand-up cabin, higher gross weight, more power and new composite rotor blades. ...

• OPVs

  Uribe/Holzinger Class

  Uribe- and Holzinger-class offshore patrol vessels are similar ships in service with the Mexican Navy. Six Uribe-class ships entered service in 1982-83, but one of ...