• Naval Warfare

  Raytheon poised to receive first SPY-6 radar back-fit contract

  10th January 2023

  The US Navy plans to improve its Flight IIA Arleigh Burke destroyers with the addition of the Raytheon-built SPY-6 radar.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IAI lifts the lid on new loitering munition

  19th January 2023

  IAI is under contract with the US DoD to develop the hand-launched weapon.

• Air Warfare

  Northrop Grumman and US Air Force unveil B-21 stealth bomber

  5th December 2022

  The B-21 Raider sixth-generation stealth bomber will form the backbone of future USAF air power, and it is set to deliver capability and flexibility through advanced integration of data, sensors and weapons.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2022: Virtual Flag exercise enhances Five Eyes training capabilities

  22nd November 2022

  Virtual Flag is one of the US DoD's largest exercises, allowing three other Five Eyes allies, Australia, Canada and the UK to train in a live, virtual and constructive environment from anywhere on the planet.

• Defence Notes

  US Air Force inches closer to hypersonic capability

  9th December 2022

  The US Air Force’s first hypersonic weapon is scheduled to be operational from the B-52 in the autumn of 2023.

• Land Warfare

  Sweden considers European common air defence as NATO membership talks drag on

  10th January 2023

  The Swedish Prime Minister said the country will join the 15-member joint missile defence initiative launched in October and outlined its strengths and commitments to the NATO alliance.

• Naval Warfare

  Mothership for autonomous minehunters arrives in the UK

  1st February 2023

  A new commercial vessel conversion will support operation of the UK's autonomous minehunting capabilities.

• Training

  The 5 most significant training stories of 2022

  26th December 2022

  The year 2022 brought us many interesting training and simulation stories - we collected the five most important ones.

• Land Warfare

  US Abrams tanks will take 'months' to arrive in Ukraine

  27th January 2023

  As the Pentagon does not have any surplus Abrams tanks in its inventory, it is analysing the best ways to supply Kyiv.

• Training

  Industry consortium offers British Army training that meets the demands of the future battlefield

  5th December 2022

  The Raytheon UK-led Omnia Training will offer new training technologies for CTTP, with data and digitisation at the core of their bid.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2022: BAE Systems and Red 6 augment Hawk trainer jet's reality

  29th November 2022

  Integrated with BAE Systems' Hawk fast jet trainer, Red 6's Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality Systems can provide Red Air and synthetic training against near-peer adversaries.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  TB2 UAV conquers another export market with Kuwaiti order

  20th January 2023

  Turkish developer Baykar's best-selling TB2 has chalked up a 28th export customer, with more in the pipeline according to the company.

• Defence Notes

  Scorpius - A Quantum Leap in Electronic Warfare Capabilities and Performance (sponsored)

  17th November 2022

  As technology advances incessantly, so too do the deadly threats appearing on the multi-dimensional electronic battlefield.

• Training

  Crowded spectrum and operational security pose major challenges for US electronic warfare training

  15th November 2022

  Senior US commanders are restricted in their ability to train as they fight as the training task becomes more complex and the ability to use key equipment on exercises is limited by operational security.

• Air Warfare

  Iran turns to Russia to modernise fighter jet fleet

  1st February 2023

  As Iranian drones equip Russian forces in ever-increasing numbers, Su-35 fighter jets will soon be heading in the opposite direction as Tehran urgently seeks modern air combat capabilities.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  Background In 2010, the USAF announced the replacement of the HH-60G with a new Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH), and in 2012, the request for proposals ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15EX (2020) [USA]

  Programme Background The F-15EX is based on the 2-seat F-15QA (Qatar) configuration upgraded with USAF-only capabilities, including the Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS) ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  Long Range Air Defence [Belgium]

  Background In its Strategic Vision Defence 2025 Capability Investment Portfolio (CIP) document, Belgium announced that it has budgeted €1,981,590,000 ($2,287,101,638) for three long-range air defence systems. A decision is ...

• ISR/special mission

  P-1 EW [Japan]

  Programme Background Requirement Japan has operated the EP-3, a COMINT/SIGINT/ELINT configuration of the P-3 Orion, since 1993. As of 2024, the Japanese MoD maintains that these aircraft ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-Y tanker aircraft [USA]

  Programme Background The USAF is replacing its fleet of 396 KC-135 Stratotanker refuelling aircraft, built in the 1950s and 60s, and 59 KC-10 Extenders, which entered service ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15EX [USA]

  Programme Background The United States Air Force (USAF) was looking to procure 144 F-15EX fighter aircraft, including two RDT&E; configurations and six low-rate initial production aircraft. ...

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

  Teal 2 [USAF]

  Programme Background On 8 August 2023, Teal Drones announced it had received a $2.6 million deal for 172 Teal 2 UAVs, spare parts and training from ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  MH-139 (UH-1N Huey Replacement)

  Background  Competing bids In competition with the Boeing/Leonardo bid was Sikorsky with a HH-60U offer, and Sierra Nevada with an upgrading offer of UH-60As to ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) (Increment 1) [USAF]

  Background Requirements The programme’s requirements are based on the USAF’s belief that mass is necessary to compete effectively against an adversary in symmetrical warfare. However, ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Electronic Warfare (EW) UAV [US Army]

  Background Army evaluations In May 2026, the US Army evaluated CX2’s Wraith rotary-wing UAV during Exercise Ivy Mass at Fort Carson. The evaluation was conducted in support ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-X / T-7A Red Hawk [USAF]

  Background On 27 September 2018, it was announced that the Boeing-Saab team had been awarded a contract for the programme. The initial contract was worth $813 million ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | P-1 EW [Japan]

  Japan is advancing its electronic warfare (EW) capabilities through the development of an EW version of the domestically produced Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft. The ...

• Data links

  Data links | P-1 EW [Japan]

  Japan is advancing its electronic warfare (EW) capabilities through the development of an EW version of the domestically produced Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft. The ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | P-1 EW [Japan]

  Japan is advancing its electronic warfare (EW) capabilities through the development of an EW version of the domestically produced Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft. The ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | P-1 EW [Japan]

  Japan is advancing its electronic warfare (EW) capabilities through the development of an EW version of the domestically produced Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft. The ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: maintenance simulators

  F-22 Training Devices

  TRU Simulation + Training F-22 MTD programme includes three training devices that provide USAF students at Sheppard AFB, Texas, with maintenance training on landing gear, ...

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

  EX-3 Revenant

  The EX-3 Revenant is a developmental fixed-wing aircraft being developed by Exosonic. It is a Mach 1.2 supersonic UAV designed to be a 5th-generation representative, modular, autonomous ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  USAF KC-135 ATS

  The KC-135 Aircrew Training System (ATS) programme delivers initial qualification, requalification, continuation and upgrades training for USAF KC-135 aircrews, including pilots, co-pilots and boom operators. ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  T-1 Jayhawk

  FlightSafety operates and maintains T-1 training devices as part of its CLS contract. Air Education and Training Command uses these high-fidelity simulators and part-task trainers ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Air Combat Training

  Boeing has experience in delivering training for fixed-wing air combat platforms including F-15C/E, F-16, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G, F-22 and MV/CV-22.

• EW test systems

  JTE

  The Joint Threat Emitter (JTE) is a multi-threat, high-fidelity simulator with realistic ERP levels, which simulates single- and double-digit surface-to-air and anti-aircraft artillery radar systems. ...

• ISR/special mission

  EC-130H Compass Call

  The EC-130H is an EW aircraft based on the modified C-130H transport aircraft. It is used by the USAF to disrupt enemy command and control communications ...

• ISR/special mission

  EA-37B Compass Call

  The EA-37B (also known as EC-37B) is a Compass Call EW aircraft based on the commercial G550 platform. The USAF is now transitioning the EW capabilities previously ...

• Trainer

  T-38 Talon

  Developed by Northrop Grumman, the T-38 Talon is an advanced trainer aircraft introduced into service in 1961. The T-38 has the same basic airframe as ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  T-38C Talon

  FlightSafety supports nearly 40 T-38 training devices as part of its contract for logistics support for the T-38. The T-38C is a converted T-38A/B that ...

• EW test systems

  ELT A62

  ELT A62 product family deals with multiple sensors of EW equipment suites. ELT A62 is a training system for EW personnel that can be sea-, ...

• Subsystems: software, Subsystems: visual

  SimuSphere HD

  SimuSphere HD immerses fast jet pilots in a virtual training environment claimed to be equivalent to real-world flying missions. As part of L3Harris Technologies' HD ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  JPRWRS

  The Joint Portable Radar Warning Receiver Stimulator (JPRWRS) has been developed as a method of providing fixed- and rotary-wing aircrews with a low-cost, open-air threat ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  KC-46A ATS

  FlightSafety supports the USAF aircrew training program for the KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft. The program delivers a multi-faceted training package to the USAF from design, ...

• Air: maintenance simulators

  C-17 Globemaster III MTS

  TRU Simulation and Training C-17 Maintenance Training System (MTS) supports training needs for this complex computerised aircraft. The MTS provides skill development for more than 1,100 ...