• Training

  ITEC 2016: ITEC hosts SISO event

  27th April 2016

  For the fifth year, the Simulation Interoperability Standards Organization (SISO) is organising a seminar in conjunction with ITEC. The seminar will take place at ExCeL, …

• Defence Notes

  Australia requests AIM-120D missiles

  27th April 2016

  The US State Department has approved a possible foreign military sale of AIM-120D advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles to Australia, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  CASC UAVs take world by storm

  27th April 2016

  The Cai Hong family of UAVs, China’s most successful UAV export series, is increasingly orbiting the world. Their manufacturer, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation …

• Training

  Canadian Army conducts gunners exercise

  26th April 2016

  The 5th Canadian Light Artillery Regiment (5 RALC) has deployed to 5 Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown for Exercise Pièces Aguerries, the Canadian government announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russian MoD places a contract for Mi-28UBs and Mi-26s

  26th April 2016

  The first contract for delivery of a batch of Mi-28UB attack helicopters with dual controls has been signed by Russian MoD and Russian Helicopters. The …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG orders new C-130J

  26th April 2016

  Lockheed Martin has received a $61.3 million contract from the US Air Force (USAF) for the production of a C-130J long range surveillance aircraft for …

• Digital Battlespace

  Typhoon in Reverse-IFF system demo

  26th April 2016

  An industry-government team has demonstrated an air-to-ground Mode 5 Reverse Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) capability integrated on an Italian Typhoon, Finmeccanica announced on 22 …

• Training

  Australia, Japan conclude bilateral exercise

  26th April 2016

  Aircraft and ships from the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) have completed the bilateral Exercise Nichi Gou Trident off …

• Defence Notes

  France torpedoes German and Japanese submarine bids

  26th April 2016

  France’s DCNS has been selected as winner of Australia’s AU$50 billion (US$38.5 billion) Project Sea 1000 Future Submarine programme.  The Cherbourg-based shipbuilder will help design …

• Land Warfare

  Hearing protection system achieves IOC

  26th April 2016

  The soldier hearing protection system delivered to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) by Marlborough Communications has achieved Initial Operating Capability (IOC), the company announced …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris selected for Australian communications contract

  26th April 2016

  The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has named Harris Corporation as the preferred tenderer for its new integrated battlespace communication system, the company announced on 22 …

• Naval Warfare

  Southern Ocean focus for new OPV

  25th April 2016

  An new OPV for New Zealand will include features that will allow it to operate in the Southern Ocean and near to Antarctica. The Royal New …

• Defence Notes

  DSA 2016: Indonesian priorities ahead

  25th April 2016

  Indonesia's head of the Directorate of Technology and Defence Industry, Brigadier-General Jan Pieter Ate, talks to Shephard Media about the procurement priorities for the country …

• Training

  H-ITC milestone

  25th April 2016

  The DCI Helicopter International Training Centre (H-ITC) has announced that it has now flown over 1,000 flight hours with its EC120 Colibri aircraft.H-ITC is a …

• Digital Battlespace

  Vehicle-levelling for Latvian TPS-77

  25th April 2016

  Lockheed Martin has selected Trust Automation to provide automatic vehicle levelling systems for the TPS-77 Multi-Role Radars (MRRs) being delivered to the Latvian Ministry of Defence, Trust …

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 ...