• Digital Battlespace

  L-3 expands ISR portfolio

  16th October 2015

  L-3 Communications has acquired ForceX and renamed it as L-3 ForceX, the company announced on 13 October. The organisation will be incorporated into L-3's Integrated …

• Defence Helicopter

  RAF SAR service complete

  16th October 2015

  The Royal Air Force (RAF) UK search and rescue (SAR) air operations drew to a close in October, marking the end of more than 74 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army orders Improved Gray Eagle

  15th October 2015

  The US Army has awarded a full-rate production contract to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA‑ASI) for 19 Improved Gray Eagle (IGE) UAS to be delivered …

• Military Logistics

  ESB vessel construction begins

  15th October 2015

  General Dynamics NASSCO has started construction of the second ship of the US Navy's reclassified Expeditionary Base Mobile (ESB) programme, the company announced on 14 …

• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA 2015: US Army to evolve MUM-T

  15th October 2015

  The speed at which the US Army has had to integrate the Shadow UAS into combat aviation brigades following the aviation restructure initiative (ARI) is …

• Digital Battlespace

  Boeing contracts Ducommun for resolvers

  15th October 2015

  Boeing has awarded a multi-year contract to Ducommun to supply resolvers for the navigation system used on US Navy and Royal Navy submarines, the company announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  US considers Saudi helicopter sale

  15th October 2015

  The US state department has approved a potential foreign military sale of UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters and associated parts, equipment and logistical support to …

• Land Warfare

  Orbital ATK details ammo contracts

  15th October 2015

  Orbital ATK has been awarded domestic and international contracts worth $105 million for medium- and large-calibre ammunition, the company announced on 12 October.  The new …

• Military Logistics

  DCNS to supply BPCs to Egypt

  15th October 2015

  The Egyptian Ministry of Defence has awarded a contract to DCNS for the supply of two Mistral-class projection and command ships (BPCs), it was announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA 2015: Elbit tracks DVE trends (video)

  14th October 2015

  With the problem of operating helicopters in degrated visual environments (DVE) a much-discussed aspect of AUSA 2015, Elbit Systems showcased the role its helmet tracking system …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2015: Refined XM25 go for launch

  14th October 2015

  Budget uncertainty in the US is unlikely to delay the introduction of the army’s long-awaited smart grenade launcher, industry officials have said.   The XM25 …

• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA 2015: Industry prepares DVE solutions

  14th October 2015

  Industry is positioning itself to provide solutions for degrated visual environments (DVE) on the US Army's helicopters. The US Army indicated during the AUSA exhibition in …

• Defence Helicopter

  Thai army buys more AW139s

  14th October 2015

  The Royal Thai Army (RTA) is expanding the size of its AgustaWestland fleet after signing up for eight twin-engine AW139 helicopters. The latest deal, announced …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AeroVironment books FMS order

  14th October 2015

  AeroVironment will supply RQ-11B Raven UAS to seven unnamed international customers under an $18.5 million foreign military sales contract awarded by the US Army. The …

• Military Logistics

  First upgraded Israeli C-130H takes off

  14th October 2015

  The Israeli Air Force's first upgraded C-130H Hercules aircraft has been rolled out at Nevatim airbase, it was announced on 11 October.  The upgraded transport …

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 ...