• Air Warfare

  Boeing delivers newest upgraded F/A-18 and reaffirms production end

  27th June 2024

  Boeing’s Super Hornet Block III modernisation programme has promised to significantly extend the jet’s service life and introduce advanced capabilities. The programme’s first aircraft were delivered to be upgraded in mid-2023.

• Land Warfare

  Will Ukraine war air defence experience unlock new markets for Korkut gun system?

  18th June 2024

  Aselsan’s Korkut twin 35mm air defence gun is a unique in-production self-propelled system that can be integrated on a range of tracked and wheeled platforms. Korkut is in Turkish service already, but the need for air defence and C-UAS capabilities highlighted by the Ukraine conflict may lead to greater foreign interest in this solution.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUKUS nations test AI-enabled UAV that destroys ground targets

  12th August 2024

  Australia, the US and the UK have been collaborating on the AI aerial vehicle.

• Land Warfare

  First locally built KF41 Lynx IFV handed over to Hungary

  26th July 2024

  The KF41 procurement is part of Hungary’s Zrínyi 2026 development plan and is one of several efforts to procure modern, NATO-standard platforms that will supersede legacy equipment received from the Soviet Union by 2026.

• Air Warfare

  Indian Army sets up first Apache attack helicopter squadron

  20th March 2024

  An additional six AH-64E Apache attack helicopters have been expected to join the Indian Armed Forces in May, bringing the total numbers to 28.

• Air Warfare

  Boeing looks to expand autonomous aircraft inspection system

  16th July 2024

  Boeing’s aircraft inspection system has been trialled on a range of aircraft and the company has been looking to trial it on more aircraft and ships at sea.

• Land Warfare

  MESHnet® Empowering Decision-Making at Every Level

  13th June 2024

  MESHnet is a modern suite of robust and secure networking solutions enabling fleet-wide communication and data exchange.

• Naval Warfare

  BAE Systems to upgrade Mk 45 control systems on Anzac-class frigates

  9th January 2024

  BAE Systems has been refreshing the Mk 45 guns on the Royal Australian Navy’s Anzac-class frigates for more than a decade and a new contract will take it to Mod 4 standard.

• Land Warfare

  Israel eyes ground-to-ground missile unit to counter rocket attacks

  12th March 2024

  Israel has been contemplating bolstering its defences against Hezbollah rocket attacks by creating a new IDF unit armed with Israeli-made ground-to-ground missiles.

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed says Israel will buy third squadron of F-35s in coming months

  23rd February 2024

  Lockheed Martin has revealed insights into the latest developments surrounding the F-35 programme, from pending Letters of Acceptance (LoAs) with Israel and Greece, to ongoing Tech Refresher 3 upgrades.

• Air Warfare

  US Space Force accelerates acquisition and development of capabilities

  4th March 2024

  The service’s efforts have related to the use of commercial technologies, as well as satellite development, missile tracking and warning, space data, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

• Land Warfare

  Layered Defence: How new technologies are enhancing armoured vehicle survivability and manoeuvrability (Studio)

  10th October 2024

  As modern threats evolve, armoured fighting vehicles face a new era of challenges, from loitering munitions to kinetic energy projectiles. Advances in active, passive, and reactive protection systems are crucial to ensuring battlefield dominance, freedom of manouver and vehicle survivability.

• Air Warfare

  AW609 titlrotor programme completes ship trial and looks to next phase

  26th June 2024

  The first Leonardo AW609 tiltrotor production aircraft made its maiden flight on 13 October 2022 which included an initial inflight evaluation of systems and general handling and it has now completed a ship trial.

• Air Warfare

  First two T901 improved engines delivered for UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters

  30th June 2024

  The Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP) is the US Army’s effort to build a 50% more powerful and 25% more fuel-efficient engine for its Black Hawk and Apache fleets.

• Air Warfare

  Singapore Airshow 2024: Saab's Gripen E sets sights on fighter procurement breakthroughs

  21st February 2024

  Saab can see glimmers of hope for its Gripen E multirole fighter jets, despite facing hurdles in recent fighter procurement competitions, as discussions unfold with Thailand, the Philippines and the Czech Republic.

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 - fixed-wing, 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. ...

• Data links

  Data links | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• 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 - fixed-wing, 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 - fixed-wing, 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 ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (11-12) [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 - fixed-wing, 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 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Project Vixen [UK]

  Background Project Goal The Royal Navy uses Leonardo crewed Merlin (AW101) helicopters fitted with CROWSNEST pods to provide airborne early warning capabilities for carriers. An early 2021 Royal ...

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. ...

• AMAS

  AMAS – Australian Minesweeping System – was developed with the assistance of the Defence Science & Technology Organisation and the Royal Australian Navy. It adopts ...

• 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).

• 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 - fixed-wing, 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 - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-28A Ghost Bat

  The MQ-28A Ghost Bat is a loyal wingman-type, Collobrative Combat Aircraft (CCA), MALE fixed-wing drone being developed by Boeing Defence Australia. Its development began in 2013 and took its ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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 ...

• Submarine-launched torpedoes

  Mk 48 Mod 7AT CBASS

  The MK 48 MOD 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) is the latest variant of the Mk 48 torpedo family manufactured by Lockheed Martin and ...