• Digital Battlespace

  Cubic completes CME demonstration

  30th October 2015

  Cubic Global Defense and Draken International have completed a live flight demonstration of the Cubic Miniature Encryptor (CME) in Lakeland, Florida, the company announced on …

• Land Warfare

  Vietnam chooses Israeli SAM

  30th October 2015

  In the latest sales success for Rafael’s SPYDER surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, Vietnam has emerged as a buyer of the Israeli weapon. Confirmation of Vietnam’s …

• Military Logistics

  KC-46 test programme continues

  29th October 2015

  The KC-46 Pegasus programme's first test aircraft has arrived at Edwards Air Force Base where it will undergo Ground Effects and Fuel Onload Fatigue testing, …

• Military Logistics

  UK renews SeaWeigh commitment

  29th October 2015

  QinetiQ has been awarded a five-year maintenance contract for its SeaWeigh on-board Loading Computer Software (LCS) used by the UK Royal Navy, the company announced …

• Military Logistics

  KC-46A gains first export customer

  29th October 2015

  Japan’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 23 October it had adopted a US government proposal for the Japan Air Self-Defence Force’s (JASDF) next aerial …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon to continue DCGS support

  29th October 2015

  Raytheon has been awarded a new contract worth $393 million by the US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center to continue its mission support for …

• Defence Helicopter

  Lite Flite becomes EN9100 certified

  29th October 2015

  Lite Flite has been issued EN9100:2009 certification for its quality management system, the company announced on 27 October.  Lite Flite is a Danish manufacturer of …

• Naval Warfare

  US invokes UNCLOS in Spratly patrol

  29th October 2015

  After numerous recent hints the US Navy (USN) finally conducted a much-anticipated freedom-of-navigation (FON) patrol in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on …

• Defence Helicopter

  USMC CH-53K lifts off

  28th October 2015

  The CH-53K King Stallion helicopter prototype has successfully completed its first flight, manufacturer Sikorsky announced on 27 October. The aircraft is currently in development for …

• Land Warfare

  TDW demos scalable effects for UK MoD

  28th October 2015

  A new technology designed to allow military forces to select the explosive output of ammunition in the field has been demonstrated for the UK Ministry …

• Special Operations

  Special ops step for Bell 429

  28th October 2015

  Bell Helicopter's Aeronautical Accessories has added a special ops platform/step for the Bell 429 light, twin-engine helicopter to its product line, the company announced on …

• Military Logistics

  First HSSV for Oman launched

  27th October 2015

  The first of two High Speed Support Vessels (HSSVs) being built for the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) by Austal has been launched at the …

• Defence Helicopter

  RAN trials CH-47D from HMAS Canberra

  27th October 2015

  The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has moved closer to reaching operational capability for HMAS Canberra, with a ‘quick look’ trial of the CH-47D Chinook helicopter …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Unmanned systems head for the fire

  27th October 2015

  The US Department of the Interior (DoI) and US Forest Service are continuing to explore the use of unmanned systems during fire-fighting operations, with further …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed Martin team to build LRDR

  27th October 2015

  Lockheed Martin will lead a team to develop, build and test the Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) system as part of the country's layered Ballistic Missile Defense …

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 ...