• Defence Notes

  QinetiQ opens new laser research facility

  28th November 2017

  QinetiQ has opened a new facility for the development and testing of advanced laser technology at its headquarters in Farnborough, UK, the company announced on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Dubai Airshow 2017: Steel Rock ready for the international skies

  13th November 2017

  UK-based company Steel Rock is launching its range of UAV and counter-UAV products to the international market at the Dubai Airshow 2017. Steel Rock designs …

• Training

  QinetiQ launches Mirach, Firejet aerial targets simultaneously

  17th October 2017

  QinetiQ has flown Firejet and Mirach aerial targets together for the first time during a live exercise from Ministry of Defence (MoD) Hebrides on the …

• Digital Battlespace

  DSEI 2017: New COMINT for Watchkeeper

  13th September 2017

  Qinetiq’s AS3 COMINT system is ready to be utilised on the Watchkeeper UAV and development of the system for use on other UAVs is continuing, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DSEI 2017: Qinetiq shows new Titan configuration

  13th September 2017

  Qinetiq North America (QNA) showcased its Titan UGV equipped with a RGP protection unit and ISR sensor suite for the first time at DSEI. The …

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2017: Shields up for UK active protection

  13th September 2017

  The UK Ministry of Defence has officially announced that it is funding a new initiative that could see vehicle-based active protection systems (APS) fielded for …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Unmanned demos come with demanding cost

  21st August 2017

  An increasing number of unmanned demonstrations, similar to the Royal Navy’s Unmanned Warrior in 2016, are on the horizon as end users continue to get …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Qinetiq to lead MAPLE phase four

  18th August 2017

  Qinetiq will lead phase four of the Maritime Autonomous Platform Exploitation (MAPLE) project for the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) under a £4.5million contract …

• Digital Battlespace

  QNA demos underwater Dolphin technology

  24th August 2017

  QinetiQ North America (QNA) has successfully demonstrated full-duplex underwater acoustic data communications using its new Dolphin technology, the company announced on 22 August. The demonstration …

• Defence Notes

  Typhoon in Brimstone live firing

  19th July 2017

  MBDA’s Brimstone air-to-surface missile has been fired from a Eurofighter Typhoon for the first time.The integration of the weapon is part of the Phase 3 …

• Training

  Qinetiq to upgrade UK MoD Hebrides radars

  6th July 2017

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Qinetiq have announced a joint invest of £16.8m for two new BAE Systems tracking radars at MoD Hebrides, Qinetiq announced …

• Training

  ASDOT gains pace

  17th July 2017

  The UK’s Air Support to Defence Operational Training (ASDOT) requirement has been ratcheted up following the declaration that Cobham Special Missions had signed a teaming …

• Training

  Inzpire delivers UK training exercise

  19th June 2017

  Inzpire has delivered the UK's distributed training event Exercise RED KITE at the Air Battlespace Training Centre (ABTC) at Royal Air Force Waddington, the company announced …

• Digital Battlespace

  Qinetiq, Rockwell team for GNSS receivers

  2nd June 2017

  Qinetiq and Rockwell Collins will collaborate on the development of new generation Multi Constellation Open Service (MCOS) and secured Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers, …

• Land Warfare

  Qinetiq, BAE team for electric drive tech

  1st June 2017

  Qinetiq and BAE Systems have teamed to market the E-X-Drive electric drive system for tracked combat vehicles in international markets. Qinetiq’s E-X-Drive transmission for tracked …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Project Vampire [UK]

  Programme Background Prior RN Tests Project Vampire began in 2021, before the January 2022 Phase 1 tender announcement. In September 2021, as part of Vampire, a Banshee ...

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

  Carrier-UAV: Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) [UK]

  Background Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) Strategy Reflecting on lessons learned from the cancellation of the Mosquito programme, the Royal Air Force (RAF) redefined the role ...

• Tanks

  Future Ground Combat System MBT (UK)

  Programme Background The UK MoD is understood to be in the process of determining the capabilities of a notional next-generation armoured vehicle fleet that could ...

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

  Skeldar V-200 (ASW) [Canada]

  Programme Background Contract Award At Euronaval 2022, Shephard reported that UMS Skeldar and Ultra had been awarded a Phase 2 contract on 19 October to provide ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Project Land 2097 Phase 4 [Australia]

  Programme Background According to the RfI, under Project Land 2097 Phase 4, the selected helicopter must comprise a commercial or military off-the-shelf solution that is ...

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

  Project Tiquila [UK]

  Programme Background Tender Notice On 18 September 2020, the MoD Combat Air Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) Team published a tender notice for a system integrator ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme [UK]

  Programme Background The next-generation platform concept is part of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, which sought to deliver a Future Combat Air System ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) [USA]

  Programme Background US Army's Future Vertical Lift Programme The FLRAA is one of three strands of a broader army programme. The others are the Future ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The OMFV programme is the latest of several attempts to develop a Bradley replacement.  Designed to be capable of operating with or without ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Jackdaw

  At DSEI 2023, QinetiQ unveiled the Jackdaw, a low-cost, high-performance, attritable fixed-wing UAV. QinetiQ has stated it is designed for swarming and collaborative autonomous operations, including crewed-uncrewed teaming. The ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Delta B15

  The Delta B15 is a target drone developed by QinetiQ Germany and Rheinmetall. QinetiQ Germany showcased the drone in 2024, as part of the initial phase of ...

• Military UGVs

  SPUR

  The Squad Packable Utility Robot (SPUR) is QinitiQ's newest tactical land UGV. Designed to be backpackable, the drone can be deployed rapidly from its stowed state.  It ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Mosquito UHV-T

  The Mosquito UHV-T, manufactured by QinetiQ, is a cost-effective unmanned helicopter target designed primarily for military training exercises. It is powered by a two-cylinder, two-stroke 60hp engine. ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Vindicator II UAV-T

  QinietQ, the manufacturer of the Vindicator II UAV-T, describe it as a cost-effective, recoverable, remotely piloted, basic training target. It is designed to simulate the threat ...

• Sea: weapon training, Military - USVs

  Sprite

  The Sprite is a USV developed by QinetiQ and designed for live-fire training exercises. 

• Air: aerial targets

  Banshee Jet 40 / Jet 40+

  The Banshee Jet 40 and Jet 40+ are aerial target drones developed by QinetiQ.  Part of the Banshee series, transonic systems that travel at or faster ...

• Air: aerial targets, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Banshee Jet 80+

  Released in 2018, the Banshee Jet 80+, also known as the MQM-185B, is an autonomous aerial target manufactured by QinetiQ Target Systems.  The Banshee target can simulate an ...

• Air: aerial targets, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Banshee NG

  The Banshee Next Generation (NG) is an aerial target manufactured by QinetiQ. It offers interoperability with other Banshee series equipment, and a twin-gas turbine engine powers it, ...

• Air: mission management systems

  MissionGrid

  Hensoldt MissionGrid is a mission system that integrates radar and electro-optic sensors using a mission computer, mission management software and data links. The system is ...

• Sea: weapon training, Military - USVs

  Hammerhead USV-T

  Hammerhead USV-T is an expendable uncrewed surface vessel target designed for simulating a multi-vehicle swarm threat. It is developed by QinetiQ Target Systems.

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  WAE-342

  The WAE-342 is a twin-cylinder, two-stroke engine developed by QinetiQ Target Systems (formerly Meggitt Target Systems) for integration on unmanned systems. 

• Air: aerial targets

  Banshee Jet 80

  Manufactured by QinetiQ Target Systems, the Banshee Jet 80 is an autonomous aerial target developed from previous versions.  It features a twin 40kg thrust gas turbine engine ...

• Military UGVs

  Dragon Runner

  The Dragon Runner UGV, manufactured by QinitiQ, has two versions: the Dragon Runner 10 (DR10) and the slightly larger Dragon Runner 20 (DR20). All Dragon ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Banshee Whirlwind

  Originally made by Meggitt Target Systems, a company QinetiQ acquired in 2016, the Banshee is an aerial target and the first drone in the Banshee series.  ...