• Defence Notes

  NATO outlines future challenges as Ukrainian funding from US stalls

  15th March 2024

  In 2023, defence spending increased by an unprecedented 11% across European NATO countries and Canada. Since 2014, the group has spent an additional US$600 billion on defence.

• Air Warfare

  Dubai Airshow 2023: GA-ASI and Edge forge MQ-9B weapon integration partnership on future UAE drones

  13th November 2023

  The partnership between Edge and General Atomics aims to concentrate on incorporating precision-guided munitions and guided-glide weapon systems onto forthcoming MQ-9Bs, provided that the Gulf Country gains access to the platform.

• Defence Notes

  Boeing fined $51 million due to unauthorised exports

  5th March 2024

  An administrative settlement between the US Department of State and the manufacturer resolved 199 violations of US regulations including unauthorised exports of technical data to China.

• Air Warfare

  Exclusive: Germany ventures deeper into aircraft jamming capabilities within luWES programme

  15th February 2024

  Germany's luWES programme has advanced with investigations into incorporating jamming capabilities into various aircraft types, including business jets, UAVs and other platforms.

• Air Warfare

  Pakistan’s fighter dilemma: Pursuing Chinese FC-31 amid Turkish Kaan uncertainty

  9th January 2024

  With the Pakistan Air Force acknowledging its intention to procure Chinese J-31/FC-31 fifth-generation aircraft, questions have arisen about Pakistan’s stance on joining Turkey’s TF-X Kaan fighter programme, heightening speculation on the nation’s strategic alliances.

• Air Warfare

  Dubai Airshow 2023: Paramount completes first test phase for new composite rotor blades

  16th November 2023

  The composite rotor blades for Mil Mi-type helicopters have been developed by global aerospace and technology company Paramount and partner AAL Group.

• Air Warfare

  Dubai Airshow 2023: EDGE Group acquires majority stake in Swiss VTOL company

  6th November 2023

  The announcement came ahead of Dubai Airshow 2023 where EDGE will showcase ANAVIA's VTOL solutions brought into its portfolio through the acquisition of a majority shareholding in the Swiss company.

• Naval Warfare

  Is the US Navy’s new DDG(X) destroyer facing cancellation?

  6th June 2024

  The projected costs for the DDG(X) destroyer project are spiralling, its technologies need to be matured and the USN has more pressing priorities. If the programme begins to repeat some of the mistakes made on previous major surface combatant procurements then DDG(X) is likely to face the axe.

• Air Warfare

  Dubai Airshow 2023: EDGE Group partners with Thai defence company on UAVs

  10th November 2023

  EDGE Group and RV Connex have agreed to collaborate to provide UAVs, loitering munitions and other defence solutions to the Thai market.

• Training

  Dubai Airshow 2023: First Bell 505 training helicopters delivered to Royal Jordanian Air Force

  17th November 2023

  Jordan ordered ten helicopters 12 months ago and joins Montenegro and the army and navy of South Korea as military operators of the 505.

• Air Warfare

  India to strengthen China and Pakistan borders with final S-400 SAM system deliveries

  7th November 2023

  India's full acquisition of its S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems has been fast approaching its final stages, as officials from India and Russia prepare work on finalising the delivery schedule for the last two squadrons.

• Air Warfare

  Dubai Airshow 2023: MBDA to develop and build ‘smart missiles’ in UAE

  14th November 2023

  In a bid to bolster its strategic partnership with the UAE and further its missile capabilities, MBDA established the UAE Missile Engineering Centre earlier this year from where it will produce so-called 'smart weapons'.

• Air Warfare

  US Army continues pivot to large-scale combat operations from counter-insurgency in the shadow of world events

  27th February 2024

  US Army Aviation has been pivoting to face a different kind of war. On the platform front that has meant investing in proven systems and improving platforms already in service.

• Air Warfare

  US Air Force strategic programmes to be affected by budgetary uncertainty

  15th November 2023

  The operation under continuing resolutions can impact the schedule of several US Air Force efforts including the B-21, AMRAAM and C3BM.

• Defence Helicopter

  Dubai Airshow 2023: South Korean homegrown helicopters make international debut

  14th November 2023

  Two KAI helicopters, the KUH-1E utility helicopter and the Light Attack Helicopter (LAH), have taken centre stage at the Dubai Airshow 2023.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Garmoosha [UAE]

  Programme Background First Contract In an interview with Shephard at the Dubai Airshow 2021, Faisal Al Bannai, CEO of EDGE, stated the development of the ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  S-70M Black Hawk [Indonesia]

  Programme Background On 23 August 2023, Lockheed Martin announced that Sikorsky had signed an agreement with PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) for a strategic partnership in ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye (1-3) [UAE]

  Programme Background The GlobalEye is a modification of Bombardier's Global 6000 jet aircraft fitted with the S-band Erieye Extended Range (ER) radar and mission system ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Reach-S [UAE]

  Programme Background At the Dubai Airshow 2023, held in November, EDGE Group announced that the UAE Armed Forces had acquired 100 units of the Reach-S, ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  HT-100 [Undisclosed]

  Programme Background At the Dubai Airshow 2023, EDGE Group announced that it had accepted an order for six HT-100 drones. The drones will be supplied ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (4-5) [UAE]

  Programme Background United Arab Emirates Air Force had a requirement for three tanker aircraft. Boeing confirmed that the UAE sent an official request for three ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Sky Mantis (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Programme Background Reuters Report Speaking to Reuters in March 2024, Evolve Dynamics stated that about 100 Sky Mantis drones were flying in Ukraine, highlighting a ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) Project [Japan]

  Programme Background Requirement The Japanese Coast Guard (JCG) operated a few dozen Chinese-made UAVs that conducted SAR and surveillance activities. The drones performed well and ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Data links

  Data links | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9B [UAE]

  Programme Background Requirement The programme is required to meet current and future threats faced by the UAE by proving ISR, target acquisition, locating submarines and counter-land and ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Heron Mk 1 Replacement [Singapore]

  Programme Background Ahead of the Singapore Airshow, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) outgoing chief, Major General Kelvin Khong, stated that the service would ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  AR-2000

  Unveiled by the China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC) at the Dubai Air Show 2023, the AR-2000 is a large rotary-wing drone designed for ...

• VD200

  The VD200 is a tail-sitting VTOL UAV which is able to transition to fixed-wing horizontal flight. The UAV was displayed by CADI, a subsidiary of ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  SW-1

  The fixed-wing SW-1 is designed to perform tactical ISTAR missions. It was displayed at the Airshow China exhibition in November 2012. 

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  TD220

  The TD220 is an electric, coaxial dual-rotor UAV manufactured by Zhong Hang Zhi (ZHZ). The aircraft, which debuted at the 2014 Singapore Airshow, is designed ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Sky Archer

  The Sky Archer is a short-endurance unmanned quadcopter designed for military use. It weighs 38kg and can reportedly carry two 50mm recoilless rocket launchers. 

• Awing-F100J

  Awing-F100J is the latest UAV from Tianjin-based Quadrant Space (Tianjin) Technology and was displayed at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China for the first time ...

• Self-propelled missile systems

  Sky Dragon 12

  Norinco presented a model of the FK-1000 short-range SAM system at Airshow China 2012 and unveiled the newly-named Sky Dragon 12 at Africa Aerospace and ...

• Transport

  Y-20

  Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation launched the development of the Y-20 strategic transport aircraft in 2006. The Y-20 incorporates a high-set wing, T-tail and rear cargo-loading ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Wing Loong 10

  The Wing Loong 10 is a HALE UAV, known as the WL-10 in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and formally known as the Cloud ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  WJ-600

  First revealed during the 2010 China Airshow, the WJ-600is a large-scale baseline UCAV manufactured by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation and is a maritime ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  WJ-500

  WJ-500 is a stealthy subsonic UAV with a low radar signature and the appearance of a cruise missile with very short mid-mounted control surfaces. It ...

• Military - USVs

  SeaFly-01

  The SeaFly-01 USV, developed by Beijing Sifang Automation, was showcased at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China in November 2016. It is designed for various ...

• Awing-F20

  The Awing-F20 is a fixed-wing UAV designed by Quadrant Space (Tianjin) Technology. The platform was displayed at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China, alongside other ...

• Air: aerial targets

  TL-8

  The TL-8 is a target drone that can be used to simulate second- and third-generation fighters, cruise missiles and other targets in weapon testing and ...

• Awing-H100J

  The Awing-H100J is a rotary-wing UAV designed by Quadrant Space (Tianjin) Technology. The Awing-H100J was displayed at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China, alongside other ...