• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus delivers satcom systems for EU missions

  6th February 2017

  Airbus Defence and Space is providing satellite communications (SATCOM) systems for European military training missions as part of a framework contract with the European Defence …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SRC announces counter-UAS contract

  3rd February 2017

  SRC will provide the US Army with an integrated counter-UAS (C-UAS) system under a $65 million contract announced on 2 February. According to the company, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Armed UAV export reform pressure mounts

  3rd February 2017

  While the US regularly exports billions of dollars-worth of fighter jets, missiles and other advanced military systems to its closest allies, one piece of equipment …

• Digital Battlespace

  Boeing, USAF sign GPS contract

  3rd February 2017

  Boeing has entered into a sustainment agreement with the US Air Force for the Global Positioning System (GPS) constellations, the company announced on 2 February. …

• Digital Battlespace

  China continues AEW aircraft advances

  3rd February 2017

  As the first US Navy E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft were arriving in Japan on 2 February, it emerged that China is pursuing …

• Defence Notes

  MBDA strengthens Polish ties

  3rd February 2017

  MBDA has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Poland’s PGZ that will see the two companies enhance mutual cooperation, MBDA announced on 2 February. The …

• Training

  M-346 in cold test certification

  3rd February 2017

  Leonardo has carried out cold test certification of the M-346 in January in Kiruna, Sweden, the company announced on 2 February.  The testing ensures that …

• Military Logistics

  Australia seeks ammunition load carrier

  3rd February 2017

  BAE Systems and Sea Box International will compete to develop prototype ammunition load carriers for the Australian Defence Force, the Australian Ministry of Defence announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Flightcell enables aircraft tracking via cellular broadband

  2nd February 2017

  Flightcell International has released a new high-frequency tracking technology that uses Internet Protocol (IP) over cellular broadband, the company announced on 30 January. Cellular IP Tracking …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australia eyes unmanned technology

  2nd February 2017

  The Australian government has committed to the acquisition of seven Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton unmanned maritime surveillance platforms early next decade, and it is also …

• Military Logistics

  Huntington Ingalls awarded CVN 80 work

  2nd February 2017

  Huntington Ingalls Industries has received a $25.5 million modification to an existing advance planning contract in support of advance fabrication of the aircraft carrier Enterprise …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Analysis: Have we finally reached 'peak drone'?

  2nd February 2017

  If there is one word that can describe the commercial drone market over the last few years, it is 'hyped'.Drones – or unmanned aerial vehicles …

• Land Warfare

  MEADS updates Wisła offer

  2nd February 2017

  MEADS International (MI) has updated its offer for Poland’s medium-range air defence (Wisła) programme to reflect the requirement for greater technology transfer into the Polish …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky resolves engine issues

  2nd February 2017

  Sikorsky has confirmed it has resolved CH-53K engine overheating problems, which were revealed in a recent report.The issues were outlined in the Director, Operational Test …

• Military Logistics

  F-22 redelivered to USAF from Speedline facility

  2nd February 2017

  The first F-22 Raptor to undergo work at Lockheed Martin’s Inlet Coating Repair (ICR) Speedline facility has been redelivered to the US Air Force ahead …

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 ...