• Naval Warfare

  Order of long-lead items for Type 26 Batch 2 underway

  25th January 2021

  A key element in the RN future surface fleet, the Type 26 programme has reduced in scope from a planned 13 hulls to just eight.

• Digital Battlespace

  Skynet 6A makes progress

  15th January 2021

  UK military SATCOM programme passes important milestone.

• Land Warfare

  Thales and Bharat Dynamics seal production teaming agreement

  14th January 2021

  Starstreak components to be made in India.

• Training

  SDTS partners Rafaut Group for red air

  21st January 2021

  Although Secapem and Lun'Tech have been sold to the Rafaut Group, the former Secapem company SDTS remains independent as a partner with Rafaut. SDTS provides Red Air aggressor and target towing services.

• Training

  Elbit to train RN sub crews

  11th January 2021

  Elbit Systems UK to provide shore-based training at HMNB Clyde.

• Defence Notes

  Finland calls for HX best and final offers

  29th January 2021

  Competitors involved in the Finnish HX fighter acquisition programme have been issued with best and final offer requests, ahead of a contract award for one lucky manufacturer before the end of 2021.

• Defence Notes

  Hundreds of UK defence export applications held up over Saudi backlog

  14th January 2021

  Despite the UK's Export Control Joint Unit attempting to clear a licence application backlog, hundreds have been held up.

• Defence Notes

  Sweden offers Finland Gripen development partnership for HX

  16th February 2021

  The Swedish MoD has revealed a new offer to Finland, which it hopes will help to land a lucrative HX fighter contract.

• Land Warfare

  UK tests robot for chemical reconnaissance

  19th January 2021

  The fully autonomous Merlin UGV was developed to detect and report chemical agents over large areas in order to protect ground troops and help them to deal with hazardous scenarios. It was successfully tested by the UK MoD.

• Naval Warfare

  Forum makes 'highly advanced' LR-class submarine rescue vehicle

  26th January 2021

  SRV is capable of rescuing up to 17 people at a time.

• Digital Battlespace

  Slovakia picks Israeli air defence radar

  15th January 2021

  Government-to-government talks are under way between Slovakia and Israel to procure the Elta MMR system.

• Digital Battlespace

  Slovenia picks Type 163 laser target designator

  22nd January 2021

  Balkan republic becomes 23rd country to order high-energy target designator from Leonardo.

• Land Warfare

  Alcon launches new brake upgrade kit

  20th January 2021

  Caliper and pad kit for Ford F550​ is ruggedised for use on armoured vehicles.

• Naval Warfare

  DASA doles out funding for Intelligent Ship Phase 2

  12th January 2021

  Aim is to develop AI-based solutions for enhanced decision-making on RN vessels from 2030 onwards.

• Air Warfare

  UK buys SPEAR 3 to arm naval aircraft

  6th January 2021

  High-subsonic missile from MBDA will equip F-35B aircraft on UK carriers.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H135 (UK)

  Programme BackgroundAirbus Helicopters UK announced on 2 February 2022 that it has won an order to provide five additional H135 twin-engine helicopters for the MoD. The ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme [UK]

  Programme Background The next-generation platform concept is part of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, which sought to deliver a Future Combat Air System ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing

  FPV & Attack Drones (Ukraine Aid) [UK & Norway]

  Background £450 million On 11 April 2025, the UK MoD announced a £450 million package for Ukraine, which included £350 million from the UK from this ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Fleet Solid Support (FSS) (1-3) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirement The 2015 Strategic Defence & Security Review (SDSR) highlighted the requirement for three Military Afloat Reach & Sustainability (MARS) Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Magni-X (UK)

  Programme Background On 12 January 2022, Elbit Systems UK announced it had been awarded a contract from the UK MoD's Defence Equipment & Support's Future Capability ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Typhoon Tranche 3A - Qatar

  As a part of the agreement to sell Typhoon, the UK is establishing a ‘Joint Operations Squadron’ (to be known as 12 Squadron) with the ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Ukraine - UK supplied Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FIAC)

  Programme Background It was first reported in late September 2020 that the UK could provide eight Barzan-class fast attack craft to Ukraine. The platform has been ...

• MPVs - 4x4, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Multi-Role Vehicle (Protected) (MRV-P) Package 1 (UK)

  Programme Background Requirement The MRV-P programme was intended to procure replacements for a diverse fleet of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles purchased during the wars in Iraq ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  30,000 FPV Drones (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Programme Background IDCC On 9 January 2025, the UK MoD announced that 30,000 FPV drones would be sent to Ukraine after the awarding of £45 million ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8A Poseidon [UK]

  Programme Background In July 2016, the UK government announced that it had ordered nine aircraft for service with the RAF. Under this frame, in January ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  New Medium Helicopter (NMH) [UK]

  Programme Background NMH Market Interest Day On 11 November 2021, the MoD communicated the requirements of the £1 billion ($1.34 billion) New Medium Helicopter (NMH) ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | F-35B Follow-On [UK]

  The Royal Air Force is planning to acquire 90 F-35B Joint Strike Fighters from 2026, in addition to the 48 aircraft which London had ordered for delivery ...

• Data links

  Data links | F-35B Follow-On [UK]

  The Royal Air Force is planning to acquire 90 F-35B Joint Strike Fighters from 2026, in addition to the 48 aircraft which London had ordered for delivery ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | F-35B Follow-On [UK]

  The Royal Air Force is planning to acquire 90 F-35B Joint Strike Fighters from 2026, in addition to the 48 aircraft which London had ordered for delivery ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | F-35B Follow-On [UK]

  The Royal Air Force is planning to acquire 90 F-35B Joint Strike Fighters from 2026, in addition to the 48 aircraft which London had ordered for delivery ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  UK MFTS

  The Military Flying Training System (MFTS) programme, is a private finance initiative involving the MoD and Ascent, a JV of Lockheed Martin and Babcock, which was ...

• Trainer

  Phenom 100

  Phenom 100 is a very light jet originally developed for single owner-pilot operation but later gained popularity as a jet trainer aircraft. The platform first ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  CAE 700MR

  The CAE 700MR FTD is a full mission simulator platform for military helicopter-specific flight and mission training. It is a fixed-base system based on CAE's ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  UK MSHATF

  The Medium Support Helicopter Aircrew Training Facility (MSHATF) opened for training at RAF Benson, England in July 1999. It provides training services to personnel from ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  UK/ARC341 (ADRA)

  The Advanced Digital Radio Airborne (ADRA) provides a Bowman VHF radio capability to helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. It is fully compatible with the Bowman VHF ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  AUKUS SSN

  The AUKUS-SSN will be the submarine design resulting from the AUKUS trilateral pact between Australia, the US and the UK. Expected to incorporate technology from ...

• Major networking projects

  Project Marshall

  The Joint Military Air Traffic Services project was initiated by the UK MoD in November 2005 to identify and evaluate options for the future delivery ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  ASTOR FBFCT

  The Fixed Base Flight Crew Trainer (FBFCT) is a Level 5+ FTD for the UK RAF’s Airborne Standoff Radar (ASTOR) platform. The ASTOR FBFCT is ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BvS10 Beowulf

  BAE Systems Hägglunds launched the BvS10 Beowulf articulated tracked ATV at the September 2015 DSEI exhibition in the UK. The Beowulf is an unarmoured variant ...

• Military UGVs

  T7

  The T7 is a multi-mission robotic system designed for military, police and hazardous missions. At DSEI 2017, the UK MoD awarded the Harris Corporation a ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  ADR+ Bowman VHF/Centaur

  The ADR+ is the VHF vehicle and manpack radio member of the ADR family of VHF radios developed initially for the UK Bowman programme. The ...

• Data links

  AN/URC-138

  The AN/URC-138 is a Link 16 interoperable terminal originally developed for the Sea Harrier. It has the same Link 16 crypto as JTIDS/MIDS. The system ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Warthog

  The Warthog is based on the ST Kinetics Bronco all terrain tracked carrier (ATTC) and was developed to meet a UK MoD urgent operational requirement ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  Storm Shadow/SCALP EG

  The Storm Shadow is an air-launched cruise missile developed by France, Italy and the UK. It is known as the Storm Shadow in the UK ...

• Naval: COMINT and ELINT systems

  Outfit UAP

  Outfit UAP is an ESM system developed by Thales for UK RN submarines including Astute-class submarines.