• Naval Warfare

  China tests controversial SCS airstrip

  11th January 2016

  Garnering vociferous regional objections, China landed a first aircraft onto its new 3,000m-long airstrip at Fiery Cross Reef in the disputed South China Sea on …

• Defence Helicopter

  USAF joins race to clear DVE

  11th January 2016

  The US Air Force is looking to enhance the capabilities of its Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk fleet so it can operate more safely and effectively …

• Training

  Australian, Chinese navies conduct exercise

  7th January 2016

  The Australian and the Chinese navies have conducted a joint passage exercise off the coast of Queensland, the Australian Department of Defence announced on 2 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Philippines hunts for C4ISTAR and radars

  7th January 2016

  The Philippines military is in the market for new ‘command-and-control and radar systems’, Manila announced on 4 January. A news piece on the website of …

• Naval Warfare

  Malaysia to install new coastal radars

  6th January 2016

  Malaysia will receive new coastal radars later this year for installation in the troubled eastern Sabah region of the Southeast Asian nation. A contract with …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russia confirms Egyptian Ka-52 order

  4th January 2016

  Russian Helicopters has acknowledged for the first time the existence of a contract for 46 Ka-52 coaxial rotor attack helicopters for Egypt. Alexander Mikheev, director …

• Defence Helicopter

  Royal Navy says SAR-onara

  4th January 2016

  The Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm has officially ended its role in UK search and rescue (SAR) operations, concluding nearly 60 years of service. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  HAL to manufacture Ka-226T

  4th January 2016

  An indigenous helicopter production deal between India and Russia was signed in late December after more than a year of negotiations.  The contract, sealed when …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Vietnam unveils indigenous HALE

  24th December 2015

  Despite outsiders knowing little about Vietnam’s UAV developments, local media revealed in December that the country was developing its largest vehicle yet, a HALE platform. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Cubic details new company acquisitions

  23rd December 2015

  Cubic Corporation is expanding its portfolio with the acquisition of two new companies, TeraLogics and GATR Technologies. The new acquisitions will enhance Cubic’s offerings in …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IRIS eyes operational focus

  21st December 2015

  Colombia’s indigenous IRIS tactical UAV, developed by the government-owned Corporacion De La Industria Aeronautica Colombiana (CIAC), is set to be delivered to the Colombian Air …

• Land Warfare

  Nexter set for ammo boom

  21st December 2015

  Nexter Group’s newly enlarged ammunition business is expected to achieve sales of nearly €750m in 2015, a 50% increase from last year. Officials disclosed their results …

• Land Warfare

  Boxer beats rivals in Lithuania

  18th December 2015

  The Lithuanian Ministry of Defence (MoD) is currently in negotiations with German consortium ARTEC for the proposed purchase of 8x8 Boxer infantry fighting vehicles. If …

• Defence Helicopter

  AW101 on hold for Indonesia, for now

  18th December 2015

  Catering to domestic concerns, Indonesia’s president has overturned a decision by the national air force (TNI-AU) to acquire three AgustaWestland AW101 helicopters for VVIP use. …

• Land Warfare

  Tank life extension challenge

  16th December 2015

  The UK MoD has released a tender document for an initial pre-competition phase for the life extension of 227 Challenger II (CR2) main battle tanks …

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 ...