• Defence Notes

  Israeli Air Force starts jet training with M-346

  28th January 2015

  Israeli Air Force (IAF) flight school cadets have commenced flights with the new Aermacchi M-346 instructional aircraft for the first time, the air force announced …

• Military Logistics

  First A400M for Malaysia moves toward delivery

  28th January 2015

  The first A400M for the Royal Malaysian Air Force is set to begin its first round of test flights and ground tests at the Airbus …

• Defence Notes

  Japan, UK to enhance operational cooperation

  28th January 2015

  In the first ever UK-Japan defence ministerial meeting, the two ministries agreed to enhance operational cooperation, the UK government announced on 21 January. The meeting …

• Military Logistics

  European Air Transport Fleet plans solidify

  28th January 2015

  The European Air Transport Fleet (EATF) partnership has now entered its second phase, the European Defence Agency announced on 19 January. The EATF three-phase strategy …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus Helicopters bullish in face of low oil price

  27th January 2015

  Despite the recent plunge in oil prices creating some short-term pain, Airbus Helicopters is bullish that strong opportunities remain for larger rotorcraft such as the …

• Digital Battlespace

  DRS demonstrates new laser designating gimbal

  27th January 2015

  DRS Technologies has successfully performed the first airborne demonstration of its GS205-XRZ laser designating gimbal, the company announced on 21 January. The GS205-XRZ variant executed …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Exelis to supply BRU-71/A for MQ-9 Reaper

  27th January 2015

  Exelis has received a $27 million follow-on contract from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for the BRU-71/A ejector rack, the company announced on 21 January. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  DRS to supply JTT-Rs for US, Australian Growlers

  27th January 2015

  DRS Technologies will deliver up to 180 Joint Tactical Terminal-Receivers (JTT-R) for US Navy and Australian EA-18G electronic warfare aircraft, the company announced on 22 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing awarded Indonesian AH-64E Apache contract

  27th January 2015

  Boeing has been awarded a contract to manufacture eight AH-64E Apache attack helicopters for Indonesia, according to a US DoD announcement on 26 January. This …

• Military Logistics

  Taiwan receives new support ship

  26th January 2015

  The Taiwanese Republic of China Navy (ROCN) received a new fast combat support ship on 23 January 2015. After completing sea trials the $130 million …

• Defence Helicopter

  First ADF HATS training helicopter takes flight

  26th January 2015

  The first build EC135 T2+ helicopter for the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF’s) new Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS) has completed its first flight at the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Malaysia boosts helicopter capability to battle rebels

  26th January 2015

  To allow Malaysia’s military to better counter insurgents, the country is obtaining second-hand S-70A Black Hawks from Brunei, and improving the combat capability of its …

• Naval Warfare

  Boeing’s Maritime Surveillance Aircraft ready to demo

  26th January 2015

  Boeing has completed baseline ground and flight testing of the Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) mission systems, clearing the way for customer demonstration flights to begin. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Maiden flight for Surion variant

  23rd January 2015

  A variant of the Surion helicopter destined for service in the Republic of Korea Marine Corps (ROKMC) completed its first flight on 19 January 2015 …

• Digital Battlespace

  MUOS-3 launched after swap delay

  23rd January 2015

  The US Navy has launched the third of five Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellites on 20 January after a delay due to a soldering …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Data links

  Data links | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390 [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirement The aircraft deliveries were scheduled to start by the end of 2016 and continue over a period of ten years. However,  the first ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-130H Replacement [Sweden]

  Programme Background Requirements Sweden has five C-130H aircraft (designated Tp-84) and one KC-130H. Two C-130Es bought in the 1960s have retired, but the six H ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Chile]

  Methodology Unit cost In 2024, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired one Hermes 900 for 50 million reais ($9.14 million), giving each drone an estimated ...

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS 39E/F Gripen [Brazil]

  Background In 2016, Gripen’s Project and Development Center was opened in Sao Paulo to allow Sweedish and Brazillian engineers to work together in the Gripen ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  H145M [Brazil]

  Background  Brazilian leadership announced in February 2022 that the Sabre Mil Mi-35M Hind-E attack helicopters were being retired from active service. This decision came as a ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Colombia]

  Methodology Unit cost In 2024, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired one Hermes 900 for 50 million reais ($9.14 million), giving each drone an estimated gross ...

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

  Hermes 900 (5) [Brazil]

  Background First three batches (2014-2024) Across three purchases, Defence Insight estimates that Brazil has acquired five Hermes 900 UAVs. In 2014, Elbit reported supplying one ...

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

  Hermes 900 (1-4) [Brazil]

  Background First batch (2014) In 2014, Elbit reported supplying one Hermes 900 UAV to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). The drone is called the RQ-900 in Brazilian ...

• Maritime patrol

  C295 add-on [Brazil]

  Programme Background  In 2014 Brazil signed a contracted for two additional C-295 SAR platforms with the option to acquire one additional platform. In 2018, reports ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Undisclosed European Country]

  Background Various Contracts On 18 November 2024, Elbit Systems announced it had awarded various contacts with a combined $335 million to an undisclosed European country. ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air-to-surface missiles

  MAR-1

  The MAR-1 is a Brazilian air-to-surface anti-radiation missile (ARM) developed by Mectron in collaboration with the Aerospace Technology and Science Department (DCTA) of the Brazilian ...

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

  Harpia

  Described as the UAV with the most onboard technology in Latin America, Harpia is a multifunctional fixed-wing Brazilian drone developed by Advanced Technologies Security & Defence.  The Uruguayan ...

• 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 ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  TPTS

  Tactical Procedures Training Simulators (TPTS), operating with SWARM software, can be used to provide most core training elements to pilots or offload training tasks from ...

• Guided munitions

  SMKB (Smart-MK-Bomb)

  The Smart-MK-Bomb, or the SMKB, is a precision guidance kit developed by Mectron and designed to turn Mk 82 and Mk 83 bombs into guided munitions.

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Albatroz Vortex

  The Albatroz Vortex from Stella Tecnologia is a development of the company's Albatroz UAV.  The key differentiator is that the Vortex is fitted with an ATJR ...

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

  Condor

  The Condor, or Atobá XR, is an in-development MALE-class UAV from Stella Technologia.  The development of the multi-role is tied to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), which has ...

• Trainer, Transport

  EMB-121 Xingu

  The EMB-121 Xingu is a twin-turboprop light transport and advanced multi-engine trainer aircraft developed by Embraer based on the EMB-110 Bandeirante. Its maiden flight was ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Arkhe Mission & Combat

  Launched in 2017, Atech's Arkhe Mission & Combat solutions offer a variety of solutions enabling operator to conduct missions from planning to execution and debriefing. It ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390/C-390 Millennium

  The KC-390 is a high-wing, twin-turbofan, T-tail design intended to meet the needs of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) for a tanker/transport aircraft. Developed and ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M

  The medium-weight, 11t-class H225M (formerly known as the EC725) is the latest military Super Puma/Cougar family member.  Technical features include a modular design of mechanical ...

• EO/IR systems

  Skyward

  The SkyWard system is an advanced Infrared Search and Track (IRST) solution developed for next-generation airborne platforms, including 5th-generation fighter aircraft.  Designed with modularity in ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Saber M60

  The Saber M60 is a low-altitude air-defence radar developed by the Brazilian Army's CTEx (Army Technology Centre) in collaboration with Bradar, part of Embraer Defence ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  RBS 70 system

  The RBS 70 was developed in the 1970s to meet the Swedish Army’s requirement for a low-cost, easy-to-use MANPADS which could function in extreme climatic ...