• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Saudi Arabia requests PTDS from US

  24th January 2017

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a $525 million foreign military sale to Saudi Arabia of 74K Persistent Threat Detection System (PTDS) …

• Defence Helicopter

  Flightcell enhances tracking switch

  24th January 2017

  A tracking device that can be applied to helicopter fleets is Flightcell International’s DZMx. Recently advanced with new cellular tracking technology, the system can now …

• Military Logistics

  US Navy achieves EPF milestones

  24th January 2017

  The US Navy’s Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) programme remains on track with the keel for the ninth vessel authenticated and fabrication now begun on the …

• Military Logistics

  Vector Aerospace to overhaul T56 engines

  24th January 2017

  Vector Aerospace has signed a contract with an unnamed European nation to overhaul the customer's Rolls-Royce T56 turboprop engines, the company announced on 19 January. …

• Digital Battlespace

  MASS to continue providing Atalanta network

  24th January 2017

  Cohort company MASS will continue to provide the Classified Mission Network for Operation Atalanta until December 2018, the company announced on 23 January. The European …

• Defence Helicopter

  South Korea to modernise helicopter fleet

  24th January 2017

  South Korea is modernising its military helicopter fleet via a recently unveiled plan that includes buying additional maritime-based rotorcraft and upgrading existing Chinooks. The Defense …

• Defence Notes

  Ukraine targets Indian contracts worth billions

  24th January 2017

  Ukraine wants to expand its footprint in the Indian defence sector, eyeing projects worth at least $10 billion and projecting itself as a cheaper alternative …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  South Korea counters neighbour with UAV tech

  23rd January 2017

  Earlier this month the Ministry of National Defense in South Korea announced plans to field a laser-based counter-UAV system by 2020. Seoul estimates that North …

• Land Warfare

  L3 awarded M783 mortar fuze modification

  23rd January 2017

  L3 Technologies will supply an unnamed international customer with the M783 Point Detonating/Delay (PD/DLY) Mortar Fuze under a $32 million contract modification announced on 19 …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF receives E-3 with cockpit upgrade

  23rd January 2017

  The US Air Force (USAF) has received back into service the first E-3 Sentry aircraft to undergo the DRAGON cockpit modification programme, the USAF announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Brazilian Army extends Cougars’ life

  23rd January 2017

  The Brazilian Army is extending the life of two additional HM-3 Cougar medium multirole helicopters following an amendment contract to Helibras, the Brazilian helicopter manufacturer. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Flightcell wins ISO 9001 certification

  23rd January 2017

  Flightcell International has achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification for the design and manufacture of communications equipment for aviation, the company announced on 19 January. The company …

• Military Logistics

  Indonesia ogles an A400M fleet

  21st January 2017

  Indonesia is set to buy five A400M Atlas transport aircraft from Airbus Defence & Space, after the Indonesian House of Representatives greenlighted the acquisition proposal …

• Special Operations

  SHOT Show: Barrett .50 cal rifle for the 21st century (video)

  20th January 2017

  Since its introduction back in the 1980s, the Barrett M82 has gone on to become one of the most iconic rifles ever built. The .50 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Pentagon warns of cyber weakness

  20th January 2017

  Many US DoD networks, and the majority of the department's current acquisition programmes, are not capable of preventing nation-state adversaries from executing cyber attacks. According …

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 ...