• Digital Battlespace

  EW Europe: App encryption threatens surveillance

  10th May 2016

  The increasing use of commercial products such as the internet and smartphones by terrorist organisations to carry out their operations presents a new challenge to …

• Training

  ITEC 2016: IFS selected for MFTS action

  10th May 2016

  The UK MFTS took a major step forward in February when Affinity Flying Training Services signed the contract to provide the remaining fixed-wing training elements for …

• Land Warfare

  ADMM-Plus shows counterterrorism resolve

  10th May 2016

  In a major show of cooperation, special forces representing 15 nations from the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) performed a counterterrorism exercise in Singapore …

• Training

  Portsmouth Skills Development Centre reopens

  10th May 2016

  The Royal Navy and BAE Systems have r-opened the Skills Development Centre at Portsmouth Naval Base following upgrade and modernisation work, the company announced on …

• Defence Notes

  RAF tests enhanced Brimstone

  10th May 2016

  The latest technical enhancements of the MBDA Brimstone air-to-surface missile have been tested in operational trials by the Royal Air Force (RAF) at China Lake …

• Training

  ITEC 2016: Training inflation

  10th May 2016

  The Bideford, UK-based Inflatable Wall Company (IWC) has announced a number of new orders. The Royal Australian Regiment, Austrian Ministry of Defence and Zurich Police …

• Military Logistics

  RAAF practices KC-30A aerial refuelling

  10th May 2016

  A KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) and C-17A Globemaster III cargo aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) have conducted air-to-air refuelling for the …

• Naval Warfare

  HMAS Stuart enters ASMD upgrade

  10th May 2016

  The Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Stuart Anzac-class frigate has entered the Anti-Ship Missile Defence (ASMD) upgrade, with the vessel now docked at the BAE Systems …

• Training

  ITEC 2016: Singapore invests in Aussie training areas

  9th May 2016

  Singapore is investing heavily in training Down Under, with the announcement on 6 May that it will spend AU$2.25 billion (US$1.66 billion) on defence infrastructure. …

• Defence Notes

  US military expand kinetic energy efforts

  9th May 2016

  The US Marine Corps (USMC) is joining the US Army in an expanded vision for kinetic human-generated energy designs, also known as kinetic energy harvesting. …

• Training

  Changes for SAR training unit

  9th May 2016

  Following the end of UK military Search and Rescue (SAR) operations in January the Royal Air Force (RAF) Search & Rescue Training Unit (SARTU) based …

• Naval Warfare

  ADMM-Plus conducts largest exercise

  9th May 2016

  Participants in the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) performed a counterterrorist assault aboard a ship in the South China Sea on 8 May as …

• Digital Battlespace

  SharpEye radar on SA support vessel

  9th May 2016

  The Kelvin Hughes SharpEye radar system has been installed and commissioned on board the South African Navy’s fleet replenishment ship, SAS Drakensberg, the company announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Tight race for Singapore helicopters

  9th May 2016

  International OEMs are looking to secure a lucrative contract and bragging rights as the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) replaces two squadrons of AS332/532 …

• Military Logistics

  BAE Systems to maintain USS Gettysburg

  6th May 2016

  The US Navy has awarded a $29.4 million contract to BAE Systems to maintain the USS Gettysburg (CG 64) Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser, the company …

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 ...