• Defence Helicopter

  Canada extends life of Griffon, Cormorant

  20th January 2016

  As it contemplates not having a fully-operational CH-148 Cyclone maritime patrol helicopter until ‘sometime in the next decade’, Canada is moving ahead with life extensions …

• Defence Helicopter

  TH-67s heading to new home in South America

  20th January 2016

  Thirty of the US Army’s divested TH-67 Creek helicopters are heading to South America to provide initial helicopter training for allied militaries across the region.  …

• Digital Battlespace

  Urthecast plans 16 satellite launch

  20th January 2016

  Space sensor systems company Urthecast is planning to launch a new satellite constellation comprised of 16 satellites between 2019 and 2020. Speaking at the Defence …

• Digital Battlespace

  UK Joint Force to transform ISR

  20th January 2016

  The UK Joint Forces Command (JFC) has a desperate need for a layered and more integrated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) systems. JFC commander, Gen …

• Naval Warfare

  Indonesian SIGMA 10514 PKR launched

  19th January 2016

  The first of two SIGMA 10514 Perusak Kawal Rudal (PKR) guided-missile frigates under construction for the Indonesian Navy has been launched by PT PAL’s Surabaya …

• Training

  MilSim Asia: Simulation growth slow in Asia Pacific

  19th January 2016

  The Asia-Pacific market for military training and simulation is predicated to change significantly in coming years, although its value will only grow gradually. In 2014 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Free satellite comms for German troops

  19th January 2016

  Airbus Defence and Space will provide free satellite communications and calls to German troops under a contract renewal with the German Ministry of Defence, the …

• Training

  MilSim Asia: Saab's AsPac inroads

  19th January 2016

  Saab is making significant inroads into live, virtual and constructive simulation environments in the Asia-Pacific market. This is demonstrated by the Swedish company’s imminent training …

• Digital Battlespace

  UDT Asia: OSI busy in Asia-Pacific

  19th January 2016

  OSI Maritime Systems has chalked up a number of recent successes in the Asia-Pacific naval sector. Exhibiting at UDT Asia 2016, the company highlighted that …

• Land Warfare

  Colombia’s new recon and patrol vehicles

  19th January 2016

  A new light strike vehicle, the VRC Cobra, designed by Colombian National Army engineers, was launched at the Expodefensa 2015. The 4x4 off-road reconnaissance combat …

• Land Warfare

  New vehicles for French special forces

  18th January 2016

  Renault Trucks Defense (RTD) has received an order from the French defence procurement agency (DGA) for Light Special Forces Vehicles and Heavy Special Forces Vehicles, …

• Military Logistics

  DLA introduces new quick-deploy teams

  18th January 2016

  The US Defense Logistics Agency has introduced a new quick-deploy logistics capability called the Rapid Deployment Initiative programme, designed to help the Department of Defense …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Universal UAV breezes flight tests

  18th January 2016

  The Universal UAV programme by Schweitzer Ingenieurgesellschaft performed its first test flights late last year, which are scheduled to continue in 2016. Conducted under heavy …

• Defence Helicopter

  Lithuania assigns AS365 N3+ for SAR

  18th January 2016

  Three new AS365 N3+ helicopters have now entered service with the Lithuanian armed forces, Airbus Helicopters announced on 15 January. The aircraft have been assigned to 24/7 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Saab to deliver UAV to Swedish Police

  18th January 2016

  The Swedish Police has awarded a contract to Saab for the delivery of three UAV systems, it was announced on 13 January.  The system selected …

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 ...