• Defence Helicopter

  Arriel 2L2 makes first ground run

  22nd June 2017

  The engine that will power South Korea’s Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) has made its first ground run, Safran announced on 20 June. The Arriel 2L2 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed to support Sniper, LANTIRN pods

  22nd June 2017

  The US Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract to provide sustainment support for Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATP) and LANTIRN navigation …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Rafael showcase Drone Dome laser capability

  22nd June 2017

  Rafael has debuted the laser capability of its Drone Dome anti-UAV system at Paris Air Show, the latest upgrade to a system designed for the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Thales’ helicopter FFMS for Kuwait forces

  22nd June 2017

  Thales will provide the Kuwait military with flight and mission training solutions for the H225M Caracal helicopters on order from Airbus Helicopters, the company announced on …

• Defence Helicopter

  Construction of fifth SDTA CH-53K begins

  22nd June 2017

  Spirit AeroSystems has started assembly of the fifth System Demonstration Test Article CH-53K King Stallion helicopter for the US Marine Corps, the company announced on 19 …

• Military Logistics

  Paris Air Show: KC-390 preps for IOC (video)

  22nd June 2017

  Embraer’s KC-390 transport aircraft is on track to achieve initial operating capability (IOC) later this year, with the aircraft recently completing armoured vehicle and cargo loading qualifications. …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy tests SM-6 Blk IA

  22nd June 2017

  The US Navy has carried out testing of the Standard Missile-6 Block IA (SM-6 Blk IA) at the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  South Korea documents alien intruder

  22nd June 2017

  South Korea has confirmed that a small UAV located in its territory on 8 June was definitely from its northern neighbour after a crash cut …

• Digital Battlespace

  RADA tests OTM capabilities of tactical radars

  22nd June 2017

  RADA Electronic Industries has successfully completed testing the on-the-move (OTM) capabilities of its tactical radars, the company announced on 15 June.The testing concerns the newly integrated …

• Training

  Paris Air Show: UK leads the way in synthetic wrap

  22nd June 2017

  Following the award of a $35 million Area Weapons Effects Simulation (AWES) upgrade contract to Cubic Global Defense earlier this year by the UK MOD, …

• Defence Notes

  MBDA seeks munition revolution

  22nd June 2017

  European missile house MBDA has unveiled a new family of gliding smart munitions, but officials played down suggestions it could compete as a Small Diameter …

• Military Logistics

  Dry dock brings strategic succour to Indian Navy

  22nd June 2017

  A $71 million floating dock (FDNavy-2) built by Larsen and Toubro (L&T;) at its Kattupalli yard near Chennai will considerably improve dry dock slot constraints …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris receives manpack radio contract

  21st June 2017

  Harris Corporation will supply the US Special Operations Command with next-generation multi-channel manpack radios under a six-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract announced on 19 June. In …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG orders additional FRCs

  21st June 2017

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) has awarded a $289 million contract option to Bollinger Shipyards to produce and deliver an additional six Fast Response Cutters (FRCs), …

• Defence Notes

  Paris Air Show: F-35 makes its debut (video)

  21st June 2017

  The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II made its Paris Air Show debut and first flight demonstration to the public at Le Bourget.  Alan Norman, chief test …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Latvia]

  Programme Background In August 2018, the Latvian government approved the acquisition of four UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters. The UH-60Ms are intended for both military and ...

• Transport

  C-130J [USA]

  Programme Background The C-130J Super Hercules is a four-engine turboprop transport aircraft developed by Lockheed Martin to replace aging C-130 variants. The US and foreign ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A Joint Strike Fighter - USAF

  Background The programme’s early competitive phase included three different airframe designs. Boeing submitted one design, Lockheed Martin submitted another, and McDonnell Douglas submitted a third ...

• Transport

  King Air 360 [Nigeria]

  Programme Background On 7 October 2021, Nigeria’s Budget Office published its proposed budget details. The Nigerian Air Force requested 10.86 billion Nigerian Naira (US$26.4 million) ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Light Attack/Trainer Aircraft - Ghana

  In 2013, the Chief of Ghana Air Force stated that A-29 is their preferred platform and this position was also submitted to the Government. In ...

• Bomber

  B-21 Raider [USA]

  Programme Background Development The US DoD is developing a new long-range bomber called the B-21 Raider, previously known as LRS-B. At least 100 units are ...

• Trainer

  Trainer Aircraft (1-12) [Vietnam]

  Programme Background After years of operating Russian-built military equipment, Vietnam is more willing to procure US-supplied equipment following the lifting of the arms embargo in ...

• Military UAS - mini

  RemoEye-006A [Bolivia]

  Background Ceremony In June 2013, the Bolivian air force inducted its first two UAVs into service, with the models, FAB 0001 and FAB 0002, being ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  Barak MX [Thailand]

  Background Thailand is procuring the Barak MX air defence system, which will be operated by the Anti-Aircraft Regiment of the Security Force Command. The system ...

• CUAS - jammers

  Airbase Air Defence Systems CUAS [US]

  Background The US Air Force's Budget Documentation for FY 2027 included $1.529 billion for Air Base Air Defence, part of which was to be used for ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 [Jordan]

  Background Requirement The Jordanian Air Force has a requirement for training helicopters that are to be used in the King Hussein Air College. The country currently ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  US Air Force Air Base Defence Missile Defence [US]

  Background The US Air Force's (USAF) Air Base Air Defence Missile Defence (ABAD MD) programme is part of the Air Force Physical Security System and sits ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Tornado Replacement (F-35A) [Germany]

  Background Requirement In March 2020, it emerged that the German government was considering  30 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets to replace 45 nuclear-capable Tornados. The remaining 40 Tornados ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V (1-8) [Bulgaria]

  Programme Background Requirement Bulgarian MoD plans to procure 16 new-built fighter aircraft to replace its fleet of 15 Russian-manufactured MiG-29 fighters. Lockheed Martin’s F-16 Block ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-47 Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  Background Requirement Originally conceived as a replacement for the F-22, the PCA was designed to counter various air threats, including integrated air defence systems and ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: EO/IR – Jamming Systems

  AN/AAQ-45

  Leonardo’s AN/AAQ-45 Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasures is designed to equip rotorcraft. The system is being installed on Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk medium-lift utility helicopters used ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  J/ALQ-8

  Like Israel, Japan elected to outfit its McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F-15J/DJ combat aircraft with an indigenous self-protection system. This takes the form of Mitsubishi Electric’s J/ALQ-8 ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  FAB-T Force Element Terminal

  The Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals - Force Element Terminal (FAB-T FET) is a nuclear-hardened SATCOM solution designed for airborne applications. Produced by Raytheon, ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  25mm PGU-48/B

  The 25mm PGU-48/B is a medium-calibre armour-penetrating round manufactured by American Rheinmetall. The US Air Force uses the PGU-48/B with its F-35 aircraft.

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  25mm PGU-23/U

  The 25mm PGU-23/U is a medium-calibre training round manufactured by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems. The US Air Force utilises it with its AC-130 and ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Warrior Systems

  General Dynamics Mission Systems is prime contractor and system integrator for the US Army’s Warrior soldier systems, which include Air Warrior, Future Force Warrior, Land Warrior ...

• Air: mission management systems

  TBMCS

  Theater Battle Management Core Systems (TBMCS) is a US joint C2 integrated BMS used to plan and execute air campaigns in theatres of operations worldwide. ...

• Fighter - air superiority

  F-5E/F Tiger II

  The F-5E (single-seat)/F (twin-seat) Tiger II is an air superiority fighter developed by Northrop Grumman based on the original F-5 Freedom Fighter. Production of the ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  30mm PGU-13B High Explosive Incendiary

  The 30mm 30mm PGU-13B High Explosive Incendiary (HEI) is a medium-calibre munition manufactured by Northrop Grumman. The US Air Force uses the PGU-13B HEI with ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  CLS-200

  The CLS-200 is part of the Yates Electrospace Corporation Silent Arrow family. It is a powered cargo-carrying one-use UAV, based on the company's GD-2000 glider.  In ...

• Trainer

  T-6A/B Texan II

  The T-6 Texan II is a single-engine trainer aircraft, which was developed from the Pilatus PC-9 to meet the training requirements of USAF and USN ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-4 Phantom II family

  The F-4 Phantom II is a two-seat multirole fighter developed originally by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) to meet USN interceptor requirements. It soon became a unified ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  EMB-312 Tucano

  The EMB-312 Tucano (Brazilian designation T-27) is a trainer and light attack aircraft developed by Embraer to meet the training requirements of the Brazilian Air ...

• Loitering munitions

  Sureshastra

  The Sureshastra, or Smart Unmanned Munitions System (S-UMS), is a jet-powered, catapult-launched loitering munition manufactured by Veda Aeronautics.  In 2023, the Indian Air Force (IAF) acquired ...