• Air Warfare

  JetZero receives $235 million from the US Air Force to develop fuel-efficient blended-wing aircraft

  18th August 2023

  JetZero has won a $235 million award from USAF to accelerate the development of its blended-wing body aircraft which promises a 50% reduction in fuel burn and emissions.

• Training

  Royal Air Force begins training instructors on Protector UAV simulator in the US

  31st August 2023

  Personnel from the RAF's 54 Squadron are currently undertaking the first Instructor Operating Course (IOC) on Protector simulators at the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) Flight Test & Training Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky lands $2.7 billion contract for CH-53K helicopters, eight for Israel and 27 for USMC

  25th August 2023

  The USN has awarded Sikorsky a $2.7 billion contract for the production and delivery of 35 CH-53K King Stallion helicopters, split between the USMC and Israel, with deliveries expected to start in 2026.

• Land Warfare

  Russia details new T-80 tank variant, reports plans for renewed production

  21st September 2023

  Russia has introduced an upgraded version of the T-80BVM main battle tank, designed for increased survivability based on combat experiences in Ukraine and aims to restart production of the type after a 20-year gap.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2023: MSI Defence Systems announces new mobile counter-UAS solution

  15th September 2023

  At DSEI 2023, MSI Defence Systems showcased the latest iteration of its Terrahawk Paladin VSHORAD C-UAS system, featuring radar and optical sensors and a 30mm Bushmaster autocannon. The company is working on a mobile version mounted on a 6x6 truck.

• Land Warfare

  US Army receives first 20 IVAS headset prototypes from Microsoft

  3rd August 2023

  The IVAS embedded training tool provides soldiers with objective-based scenarios and battle drills through holographic and mixed-reality (MR) imagery.

• Naval Warfare

  DSEI 2023: Exail in competition for Australian mine countermeasures contract

  14th September 2023

  French company Exail's UMIS maritime mine countermeasure (MCM) multi-drone system is in competition for a Royal Australian Navy contract.

• Air Warfare

  How the US Air Force is improving C2 and connectivity in contested logistics scenarios

  9th August 2023

  Preparing multi-capable airmen to perform various tasks in multiple contexts is a main USAF goal to improve logistics efforts.

• Naval Warfare

  Poland signs $1.5 billion contract for coastal defence missiles

  7th September 2023

  Kongsberg has been awarded a contract worth NOK16 billion ($1.49 billion) from the Polish Ministry of National Defence for delivery of four Naval Strike Missile (NSM) Coastal Defence System (CDS) squadrons.

• Training

  DSEI 2023: Inzpire extends training support to Royal Air Force

  8th September 2023

  Inzpire's Collective Training Division (CTD) has been awarded a two-year contract to provide subject matter expertise support for 20 Squadron’s Qualified Weapons Instructor (Command & Control) Course (QWI (C2)) at RAF Boulmer.

• Air Warfare

  Japan develops long-range target observation munition to accompany missiles

  19th June 2023

  To guide long-range weapons, Japan is developing a new missile with the express purpose of providing observation and targeting data.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UMS Skeldar and Ultra Maritime unveil anti-submarine warfare solution at DSEI 2023

  12th September 2023

  The new ASW platform allows for the deployment of sonobuoys via a rotary-wing UAS, enhancing capabilities to track potentially hostile submarines.

• Training

  DSEI 2023: 4GD to upgrade SimStriker smart target with generative AI and computational vision

  15th September 2023

  Both the SimStriker enhancements involving computer vision and generative AI are currently in development, with some aspects already de-risked.

• Air Warfare

  Russia to start mass production of Scalpel loitering munition

  15th September 2023

  A Russian loitering munition developer has said it will begin mass production a loitering munition which is claimed to be much cheaper than the Lancet which has been widely used in Ukraine.

• Training

  Hadean bridges synthetic environment to physical world

  20th September 2023

  Hadean is set to participate in the inaugural industry-led event October Sky in Sydney, Australia.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-2 (Japan)

  Programme Background The UH-2 is a Japanese militarised version of Bell’s civilian 412EPX, with the two OEMs cooperating on this particular programme. The Acquisition, Technology ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-2 Forecast (Japan)

  Programme Background The UH-2 is a Japanese militarised version of Bell’s civilian 412EPX, with the two OEMs cooperating on this particular programme. The Acquisition, Technology ...

• Trainer

  T-6C [Thailand]

  Programme Background The contract is for 12 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II advanced military training aircraft, ground-based training systems for pilots and maintenance professionals, a mission ...

• ISR/special mission

  ISTAR Aircraft (South Korea)

  Programme Background South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration stated that Seoul is planning to procure additional aircraft to minimize potential surveillance gaps amid growing security ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  KUS-FT (South Korea)

  Programme Background Requirement The ROKA had identified a need for tactical UAVs that can be employed at the divisional level to carry out ISTAR missions ...

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

  FPV Drones [Israel]

  Background Reported Programme According to the Globes media outlet, reporting in March 2025, the Ministry of Defense Department of Production and Procurement was publishing the ...

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

  KUS-FS (ROKA) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Inception The Aerospace Division of Korean Air (KAL-ASD) commenced developing the MUAV in 2008 in response to a ROKAF requirement for a MALE ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Croatia]

  Background Contract Award As reported by Shephard in November 2024, Croatia's government approved the purchase of six Bayraktar TB2 drones, a training package in Türkiye, a command-and-control centre, ...

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

  KUS-FS (ROKAF) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Inception The Aerospace Division of Korean Air (KAL-ASD) commenced developing the MUAV in 2008 in response to a ROKAF requirement for a MALE UAV ...

• Loitering munitions

  Long Range One-way Platforms [US]

  Solicitation In October 2024, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) released a solicitation for long-range, one-way platforms. The DIU noted recent conflicts highlighted the asymmetric impact of low-cost, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (South Korea)

  Programme Background Requirments Seoul required UAS assets to help monitor its neighbour to the north and, increasingly, Chinese activities in waters and in the air near ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (Japan)

  Programme Background Selection & Contract AwardIn 2015, Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft were selected by Japan to ...

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

  Eurodrone (Forecast) [Czechia]

  Programme Background Eurodrone Programme For context, the European MALE RPAS, or Eurodrone, is a quad-nation effort from some of Europe's most prominent defence manufacturers to ...

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

  Eurodrone (Forecast) [Japan]

  Programme Background Japan's Application The Letter of Approval (LOA) for observer status in the programme was presented to the Japanese Ambassador to Germany, Hidenao Yanagi, by Joachim ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Type 16 Mobile Combat Vehicle [Japan]

  Programme Background The Type 16 Manoeuvre Combat Vehicle (MCV), formerly known as the Mobile Combat Vehicle, was developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) to meet ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  GenCOM Defense Ground

  GenCOM Defense Ground provides an automatic multi-layered situational awareness picture to the decision-maker, based on external signal data (metadata) gathered in real time. Integrating with ...

• Major networking projects

  DCGS

  The Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) is the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office plan for the integrated architecture of all ground and surface computing and communications ...

• EO/IR systems

  CM262

  Manfuaucted by AVT Australia, the CM262 is a ground-based imaging system combining four sensor configurations into a compact and ruggedised system for C-UAS and ISR ...

• Land: air defence radar

  KRONOS Power Shield Land

  This system is an L-band digital AESA anti-TBM radar. It is the land-based version of the naval KRONOS Power Shield, also known as KRONOS Ground ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  AMRAAM-ER

  The AIM-120 AMRAAM-ER is essentially an upgraded version of the AIM-120 AMRAAM tailored for extended range and enhanced performance in ground-based air defense systems like ...

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  Initial Maneuver - SHORAD

  Unveiled at AUSA 2019, Initial Maneuver Short Range Air Defense (IM-SHORAD) is a multipurpose platform, based on the Stryker IFV, which moves and maneuvers in ...

• Parvus DuraCOR 312

  The Parvus DuraCOR 312 is an Ultra-Small Form Factor (USFF) modular mission computer unveiled by Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions in November 2016. The DuraCOR 312 is ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Type 87

  The Type 87 is a 6x6 armoured reconnaissance vehicle developed by the now defunct Defense Division of Komatsu to meet the specific requirements of the ...

• Land: battle management systems

  AMDWS

  AMDWS (Air and Missile Defense Work Station), is a collaborative battlespace awareness information management system developed by Northrop Grumman to meet the requirements of the ...

• AEW&C

  P600 AEW&C

  In June 2019, Embraer and IAI/Elta signed a cooperation agreement aimed at developing an AEW&C; aircraft based on the business jet Praetor 600, namely the ...

• Long-range Video and Data Downlinks

  BMS airborne and ground-based equipment enables long-range, real-time HD video and broadband data links. Products include cockpit control panels, airborne antennas, real-time encoders, compact high-power ...

• Land: battle management systems

  FAAD/C-RAM C2

  The Forward Area Air Defense (FAAD) Command and Control (C2) system was developed by Northrop Grumman to provide command and control (C2) for the US Army ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Airborne Launching and Attack System (AirLAS)

  The Airborne Launching and Attack System (AirLAS) is a system that pairs Diehl Defence's IRIS-T air-to-air missile with a reusable carrier UAV developed by POLARIS. The companies ...

• Data links

  Universal Link System

  Developed by Scytalys, the Universal Link System (ULS) is a modular, scalable multi data link processor. It supports all NATO and US standard data links ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  MIM-72 Chaparral

  The MIM-72 Chaparral is a short-range, low-altitude, surface-to-air missile produced for the M48 Chaparral fire unit. It was produced as a replacement for the cancelled MIM-46 Mauler ...