• Air Warfare

  Space domain “has never been more critical” to US security, says US chief of space operations

  12th April 2024

  The increasing relevance of space in warfare scenarios and the proliferation of threats have been pushing the US Space Force towards modernising and investing in new capabilities.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Specialist solutions: the growing importance of niche UAS in defence

  31st July 2024

  DARPA and Northrop Grumman outline plans for the XRQ-73 uncrewed aerial system with hybrid-electric power, which will join the growing ranks of highly specialist UAV designs.

• Land Warfare

  Saab to supply air defence systems to Lithuania under $123 million deal

  10th July 2024

  Unveiled at the DSEI 2017, the Mobile Short-Range Air Defence (MSHORAD) solution, comprising the Giraffe 1X, C2 and RBS 70 NG Remote Weapon System (RWS), was developed by Saab to meet the requirement of mobile forces to identify and counter air threats.

• Naval Warfare

  Netherlands selects Barracuda submarine as Australia looks on

  20th March 2024

  With the Netherlands selecting the Barracuda design for its new Orka-class submarines, it will give Australia a chance to see what it could have had after it cancelled its conventional submarine (SSK) project based on Barracuda, opting instead for a nuclear-powered submarine (SSN).

• Air Warfare

  Boeing says next stage of Poland Apache deal is close and Chinook may be next

  30th July 2024

  Boeing has seen a renewed demand for the Apache attack helicopter with Poland and Australia becoming customers, while India, the UK, the US, the Netherlands and Egypt have also bought new aircraft or upgraded platforms.

• Air Warfare

  UK F-35 deliveries navigate TR-3 software snag as MoD keeps cool

  29th March 2024

  While the Royal Air Force recently received two new Lightning F-35B jets, delays in TR-3 software implementation have raised questions about the delivery of the remaining 13 Lockheed Martin jets.

• Land Warfare

  Jackal 3 in full-scale production as 53 more are ordered by British Army

  19th September 2024

  Babcock will build an additional 53 High Mobility Transporter (HMT) Jackal 3s for the British Army in partnership with Supacat.

• Air Warfare

  NATO’s Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability moves ahead with development contracts

  26th July 2024

  The Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability (NGRC) programme is a transnational effort across NATO to replace a range of helicopters which are expected to begin retiring from the mid-2030s.

• Defence Notes

  Ireland’s government plots way forward for defence strategy

  29th May 2024

  Ireland finds itself outside of the norm when it comes to European security as an EU nation surrounded mostly by water and whose only land border is with a non-EU country. The Irish Government has been working to overcome the challenges the neutral country faces from having the smallest budget per capita and per GDP of all EU member states.

• Air Warfare

  SkyGuardian remote aircraft gains PT6 E power boost

  22nd July 2024

  The SkyGuardian remotely piloted aircraft has completed a viability flight with the PT6 E engine from Pratt & Whitney.

• Land Warfare

  Hensoldt to supply TRML-4D radars for Latvia and Slovenia as part of €100 million deal

  5th July 2024

  The TRML-4D, based on the maritime TRS-4D radar, has been designed to provide similar scanning and surveillance capabilities to forces on land for air surveillance.

• Air Warfare

  Safran continues to support UK Merlin helicopters

  4th April 2024

  The new engine support contract could be extended until 2040 to match the AW101 Merlin helicopter’s retirement date.

• Air Warfare

  RTX signs multinational NATO deal on Paveway laser guidance kits

  18th July 2024

  RTX has signed a multinational framework contract with NATO, providing Paveway laser guidance kits to improve the accuracy of the alliance’s air missions.

• Air Warfare

  Bell waits for imminent FLRAA Milestone B decision

  23rd July 2024

  Bell won FLRAA in late 2022. Since the cancellation of FARA earlier this year, it has committed more resources to the programme, with an eye on the possibility it could fulfil many Black Hawk replacement requirements worldwide

• Defence Notes

  Haiti crisis forces Caribbean militaries to prepare for intervention

  12th March 2024

  As gangs gain control of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s Caribbean neighbours have been preparing to intervene in the failed state, with the US and other partners waiting in the wings with equipment and financial support.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  PC-21 (Project Air 5428) [Australia]

  The new PTS, including aircraft, flight training simulators and learning environments is being acquired from a single capability contractor, Team 21, which consists of Lockheed ...

• Transport, Transport/tanker aircraft

  Project Air 7404 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement Australia is thinking ahead to an enlarged transport fleet to replace the current C-130Js. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was the second ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A (Project Air 6000 Phase 2A/B) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) took delivery of 18 F-35A aircraft as of March 2020 and the remaining aircraft are expected to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (5-6) [Australia]

  Background Four Contracted Units In the summer of 2020, Northrop Grumman announced that the Australian Government provided $333 million for three MQ-4C Tritons and associated GCS. ...

• Data links

  Data links | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (13-14) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

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

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [Australia]

  Background Older Efforts On 23 April 2021, the US State Department's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) approval announcement revealed that Australia had requested to buy up ...

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

  Project Air 7003 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

• OPVs

  Arafura Class (Project SEA 1180) (1-6) [Australia]

  Programme Background Australia's new class of Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), the Arafura-class, will replace the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) fleet of Armidale and Cape-class patrol ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (11-12) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

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

  Project Vixen [UK]

  Background Project Goal The Royal Navy uses Leonardo crewed Merlin (AW101) helicopters fitted with CROWSNEST pods to provide airborne early warning capabilities for carriers. An early 2021 Royal ...

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

  MQ-28 Ghost Bat [Australia]

  Background Goal As stated by the Head of Air Force Capability, Air Vice-Marshal Robert Denney, in March 2022, the Ghost Bat will be an "operational system ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Air-5416 Project Echidna

  Air-5416 Project Echidna was an initiative launched in 2001 by BAE Systems for the Australian DoD. Its goal was to overhaul the self protection systems ...

• 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 ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Australian Defence Force MRH90 Training

  As prime contractor for the ADF's MRH90 training programme, CAE has provided two MRH90 full-flight mission simulators (FFMS), training facilities and engineering and support services. ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  RAAF Hawk Mk 127 FMS

  Under subcontract to BAE Systems, CAE is designing and manufacturing three Hawk Mk 127 full-mission simulators (FMS) for the Royal Australian Air Force that will ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Wanderer

  The Wanderer is a low-altitude, low-cost, long-endurance UAV produced in-house by the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) Jericho Disruptive Innovation Group and the Australian Government's Defense Science ...

• Light attack

  Hawk 200

  The Hawk 200 is a single-seat light attack iteration of the Hawk 100 (see separate entry) and Advanced Jet Trainer or AJT (see separate entry). ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-28A Ghost Bat

  The MQ-28A Ghost Bat is a loyal wingman-type, Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), MALE fixed-wing drone being developed by Boeing Defence Australia. Its development began in ...

• Military - USVs

  Bluebottle

  Bluebottle is a persistent, autonomous, uncrewed surface vessel from Ocius Technology in service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF). In ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  Predator Mission Trainer (PMT)

  The CAE Predator Mission Trainer (PMT) is an integrated platform that combines the features of CAE's UAS mission trainer with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' Predator-specific ...

• Maritime patrol

  Challenger 604

  Bombardier Challenger CL-604 MPAs are in service with the Royal Danish Air Force and the Korea Coast Guard. The first of three Danish aircraft entered ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Phantom 4 (Series)

  Designed for aerial photograph applications by DJI, the Phantom 4 series of UAVs includes the Phantom 4 Pro, Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, Phantom 4 Advanced ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  AN/ALR-2001

  BAE Systems’ AN/ALR-2001 Electronic Support Measure (ESM) is thought to be based on Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Elta Systems division’s EL/M-8382 ESM. The AN/ALR-2001 is ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Hawkei

  Thales Australia developed the 4x4 Hawkei for the Australian Army's Land 121 Phase 4 Protected Mobility Vehicle – Light (PMV-L) project.  The prototype was unveiled in ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  M Solar-X

  First revealed in August 2020, in February 2024, at its symposium, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) showcased the M Solar-X. This solar-powered fixed-wing drone was ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  AGM-88E AARGM

  The AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) is a supersonic, medium-range, air-launched tactical missile compatible with US and allied strike aircraft. Designed to upgrade the AGM-88 ...