• Defence Notes

  Aero India 2017: Indian fighters deliver déjà vu

  21st February 2017

  There was a strong sense of déjà vu at Aero India 2017, as the Indian Air Force (IAF) is yet again on a hunt for …

• Training

  Raytheon developing CCEWIF wargame tool

  20th February 2017

  Raytheon will develop an automated tool that assesses the effectiveness of using kinetic and non-kinetic weapons in wargames, the company announced on 16 February. The …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG receives 11th regenerated C-27J

  20th February 2017

  The United States Coast Guard (USCG) station in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, has received a newly regenerated C-27J Spartan medium range surveillance aircraft, the USCG …

• Land Warfare

  Elbit announces mortar systems contract

  20th February 2017

  Elbit Systems of America will supply mortar fire control systems to the US Army under an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract announced on 16 February.The …

• Military Logistics

  IDEX 2017: First KC-390 production aircraft en route

  20th February 2017

  The first air-to-air refueling dry contact between Embraer's new KC-390 multi-mission medium transport aircraft and a jet fighter took place on 19 February.The trial took …

• Military Logistics

  Lockheed Martin awarded eCASS contract

  20th February 2017

  Lockheed Martin will deliver 63 Electronic Consolidated Automated Support System (eCASS) stations to the US Navy under a $166 million contract, with full rate production …

• Defence Helicopter

  IDEX 2017: Armed 429 testing this year

  20th February 2017

  NorthStar Aviation is looking to build on its success supplying armed Bell 407 multirole helicopters (MRH) to the United Arab Emirates by extending its weapon …

• Digital Battlespace

  BIRD Aerosystems unveils Aeroshield POD

  20th February 2017

  BIRD Aerosystems has launched a system that support the installation of the Airborne Missile Protection System (AMPS) on VIP wide body aircraft, called the Aeroshield …

• Special Operations

  US SOF looks at GPS 'out of the box'

  20th February 2017

  The US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is exploring concepts for alternative Global Positioning System (GPS) solutions, with representatives announcing an upcoming government/industry collaborative event.The 'out …

• Defence Helicopter

  IDEX 2017: Sea Venom starts to spit

  20th February 2017

  European missile manufacturer MBDA is moving forward with trials of its Anglo-French Sea Venom anti-ship missile and is using this year's IDEX exhibition to promote …

• Land Warfare

  ​IDEX 2017: China enters with force

  20th February 2017

  Chinese companies have come out in force at this year's IDEX exhibition in Abu Dhabi, likely indicating a renewed sales drive in the region by …

• Defence Helicopter

  Aero India 2017: Airbus remains optimistic in India

  20th February 2017

  Although Airbus Helicopters has every reason to feel aggrieved over the protracted and chaotic nature of Indian military acquisitions – just consider the twice-aborted Reconnaissance …

• Training

  SimCentric launches VBS3 FiresFST Pro

  20th February 2017

  SimCentric Technologies has released a new version of the VBS3 FiresFST call-for-fire and close air support training simulation system, the company announced on 15 February.VBS3 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Patrollers will be delivered with PicoSAR

  20th February 2017

  Leonardo has announced that its PicoSAR radar will be integrated onto the French army's new Safran Patroller unmanned aerial vehicle, following an order for 14 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IDEX 2017: Ukraine assesses armed ground robots

  20th February 2017

  The Ukrainian government is in the final evaluation stage for an armed unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) concept known as 'Fantom'.Developed by the company Spets Techno …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Latvia]

  Programme Background In August 2018, the Latvian government approved the acquisition of four UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters. The UH-60Ms are intended for both military and ...

• Transport

  C-130J [USA]

  Programme Background The C-130J Super Hercules is a four-engine turboprop transport aircraft developed by Lockheed Martin to replace aging C-130 variants. The US and foreign ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A Joint Strike Fighter - USAF

  Background The programme’s early competitive phase included three different airframe designs. Boeing submitted one design, Lockheed Martin submitted another, and McDonnell Douglas submitted a third ...

• Transport

  King Air 360 [Nigeria]

  Programme Background On 7 October 2021, Nigeria’s Budget Office published its proposed budget details. The Nigerian Air Force requested 10.86 billion Nigerian Naira (US$26.4 million) ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Light Attack/Trainer Aircraft - Ghana

  In 2013, the Chief of Ghana Air Force stated that A-29 is their preferred platform and this position was also submitted to the Government. In ...

• Bomber

  B-21 Raider [USA]

  Programme Background Development The US DoD is developing a new long-range bomber called the B-21 Raider, previously known as LRS-B. At least 100 units are ...

• Trainer

  Trainer Aircraft (1-12) [Vietnam]

  Programme Background After years of operating Russian-built military equipment, Vietnam is more willing to procure US-supplied equipment following the lifting of the arms embargo in ...

• Military UAS - mini

  RemoEye-006A [Bolivia]

  Background Ceremony In June 2013, the Bolivian air force inducted its first two UAVs into service, with the models, FAB 0001 and FAB 0002, being ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  Barak MX [Thailand]

  Background Thailand is procuring the Barak MX air defence system, which will be operated by the Anti-Aircraft Regiment of the Security Force Command. The system ...

• CUAS - jammers

  Airbase Air Defence Systems CUAS [US]

  Background The US Air Force's Budget Documentation for FY 2027 included $1.529 billion for Air Base Air Defence, part of which was to be used for ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 [Jordan]

  Background Requirement The Jordanian Air Force has a requirement for training helicopters that are to be used in the King Hussein Air College. The country currently ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  US Air Force Air Base Defence Missile Defence [US]

  Background The US Air Force's (USAF) Air Base Air Defence Missile Defence (ABAD MD) programme is part of the Air Force Physical Security System and sits ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Tornado Replacement (F-35A) [Germany]

  Background Requirement In March 2020, it emerged that the German government was considering  30 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets to replace 45 nuclear-capable Tornados. The remaining 40 Tornados ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V (1-8) [Bulgaria]

  Programme Background Requirement Bulgarian MoD plans to procure 16 new-built fighter aircraft to replace its fleet of 15 Russian-manufactured MiG-29 fighters. Lockheed Martin’s F-16 Block ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-47 Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  Background Requirement Originally conceived as a replacement for the F-22, the PCA was designed to counter various air threats, including integrated air defence systems and ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: EO/IR – Jamming Systems

  AN/AAQ-45

  Leonardo’s AN/AAQ-45 Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasures is designed to equip rotorcraft. The system is being installed on Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk medium-lift utility helicopters used ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  J/ALQ-8

  Like Israel, Japan elected to outfit its McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F-15J/DJ combat aircraft with an indigenous self-protection system. This takes the form of Mitsubishi Electric’s J/ALQ-8 ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  FAB-T Force Element Terminal

  The Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals - Force Element Terminal (FAB-T FET) is a nuclear-hardened SATCOM solution designed for airborne applications. Produced by Raytheon, ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  25mm PGU-48/B

  The 25mm PGU-48/B is a medium-calibre armour-penetrating round manufactured by American Rheinmetall. The US Air Force uses the PGU-48/B with its F-35 aircraft.

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  25mm PGU-23/U

  The 25mm PGU-23/U is a medium-calibre training round manufactured by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems. The US Air Force utilises it with its AC-130 and ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Warrior Systems

  General Dynamics Mission Systems is prime contractor and system integrator for the US Army’s Warrior soldier systems, which include Air Warrior, Future Force Warrior, Land Warrior ...

• Air: mission management systems

  TBMCS

  Theater Battle Management Core Systems (TBMCS) is a US joint C2 integrated BMS used to plan and execute air campaigns in theatres of operations worldwide. ...

• 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 ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  30mm PGU-13B High Explosive Incendiary

  The 30mm 30mm PGU-13B High Explosive Incendiary (HEI) is a medium-calibre munition manufactured by Northrop Grumman. The US Air Force uses the PGU-13B HEI with ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  CLS-200

  The CLS-200 is part of the Yates Electrospace Corporation Silent Arrow family. It is a powered cargo-carrying one-use UAV, based on the company's GD-2000 glider.  In ...

• Trainer

  T-6A/B Texan II

  The T-6 Texan II is a single-engine trainer aircraft, which was developed from the Pilatus PC-9 to meet the training requirements of USAF and USN ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-4 Phantom II family

  The F-4 Phantom II is a two-seat multirole fighter developed originally by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) to meet USN interceptor requirements. It soon became a unified ...

• 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 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Sureshastra

  The Sureshastra, or Smart Unmanned Munitions System (S-UMS), is a jet-powered, catapult-launched loitering munition manufactured by Veda Aeronautics.  In 2023, the Indian Air Force (IAF) acquired ...