• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed introduces Legion Pod sensor system

  16th February 2015

  Lockheed Martin has introduced its new Legion Pod multi-function sensor system for collaborative targeting operations between multiple aircraft, the company announced on 12 February. Ken …

• Land Warfare

  Saab subsystems for USMC AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR

  13th February 2015

  Saab has won a contract from Northrop Grumman to provide subsystems and components for the US Marine Corps (USMC) AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR), …

• Digital Battlespace

  Japan launches back-up spy satellite

  13th February 2015

  A reserve spy satellite was launched by Japan from its Tanegashima Space Centre on 1 February 2015. Following a three-day delay due to bad weather …

• Defence Helicopter

  France, Germany to upgrade Tiger simulators

  13th February 2015

  Thales and Rheinmetall Defence Electronics will partner to supply or upgrade 20 Tiger helicopter simulators for French and German armed forces, it was announced on …

• Digital Battlespace

  West: USMC demos networking-on-the-move

  13th February 2015

  The USMC has tested infantry squad level text messaging and image transfer during an exercise in December 2014. Exercise Talon Reach used a selection of …

• Digital Battlespace

  West: Navy cyber chief outlines goals

  13th February 2015

  The US Navy is on ‘cyber journey’ to safeguard freedom of action in an ever-changing world, according to Vice Ad Jan Tighe, commander of US …

• Defence Notes

  Asia and Middle East drive global defence spending rise

  12th February 2015

  Emerging economies in the Middle East and Asia are boosting global defence spending for the first time since 2010, a study by a leading UK …

• Military Logistics

  GE tests ceramic F414 engine blades

  12th February 2015

  GE Aviation has successfully tested the first non-static, lightweight Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) turbine blades in an F414 turbofan engine, the company announced on 10 …

• Naval Warfare

  Tomahawk's moving target capability tested

  12th February 2015

  Raytheon and the US Navy have successfully tested the moving target capability of the Tomahawk Block IV cruise missile, the company announced on 11 February. …

• Land Warfare

  Japan shows off nascent AAV7 fleet

  12th February 2015

  Japan exhibited its AAVP7A1 amphibious assault vehicles to media at Camp Fuji on 9 February 2015.  To date, the Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) …

• Defence Helicopter

  Indra to supply Spanish EC135 training system

  12th February 2015

  Indra has been awarded a contract to supply an integrated training system for the EC135 helicopter by the Defense Ministry of Spain, the company announced …

• Land Warfare

  Darpa introduces SXCT infantry programme

  12th February 2015

  Darpa has introduced a new Squad X Core Technologies (SXCT) programme aimed at developing integrated systems for land infantry, it announced on 9 February. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  West: Lockheed demos new C4ISR Test Bed

  12th February 2015

  The US Navy has recently been shown a demonstration of a new maritime C4ISR test bed to help accelerate the fielding of new capabilities. Speaking …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sogitec to train Swedish NH90 crew

  12th February 2015

  Sogitec Industries has won a contract by the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) to train Swedish Air Force and FMV Test and Evaluation NH90 crews, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  West: Northrop to demo BAT UAS

  11th February 2015

  Northrop Grumman will test two versions of the BAT fixed-wing UAS (12 ft and 14 foot) and a rotary wing (RBAT) variant later this year. Speaking at …

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 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 ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  Long Range Air Defence [Brazil]

  Background Brazil is in the process of expanding its medium-range air defence capabilities and is known to be interested in acquiring a long-range air defence ...

• 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 ...

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 ...