• Digital Battlespace

  Honeywell to offer military SATCOM

  2nd November 2016

  Honeywell will work with Inmarsat to offer high-speed, high-bandwidth satellite communications capabilities for military use, the company announced on 31 October. Together, Honeywell’s JetWave satellite …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Indo Defence 2016: Basarnas embraces unmanned technology

  2nd November 2016

  Indonesia’s Basarnas national SAR agency is seeing its investment in unmanned technologies pay off, with the new systems now proving themselves on operations. The outfit, …

• Land Warfare

  Indo Defence 2016: Medium tank takes centre stage

  2nd November 2016

  Plans for the Indonesian Army to acquire a new medium tank are developing with a Modern Medium Weight Tank (MMWT) offering from Turkish vehicle manufacturer …

• Defence Helicopter

  Royal Marines' first Merlin Mk4 flies

  2nd November 2016

  The first Merlin Mk 4 helicopter for the British Royal Marines Commando Helicopter Force (CHF) has completed its first flight in Yeovil, Somerset, the Royal …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Zhuhai 2016: T333 UAV unveiled by Beijing company

  2nd November 2016

  Beijing-based Zhong Hang Zhi Technology (ZHZ) exhibited a new coaxial dual-rotor UAV dubbed the T333 at the biennial 11th Zhuhai Air Show, along with an …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Zhuhai 2016: Quadrant covers all sectors

  2nd November 2016

  There was absolutely no shortage of businesses hawking a bewildering array of UAVs at the 11th Zhuhai Air Show in China. Quadrant Space (Tianjin) Technology, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Indo Defence 2016: LAPAN displays unmanned aircraft

  2nd November 2016

  The Indonesian National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN) is displaying its LSU-02, LSU-03 and LSU-05 UAVs for the first time at Indo Defence 2016, the exhibition …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  New Neo V2 to continue radiation testing

  1st November 2016

  California-based unmanned systems designer and manufacturer Flycam UAV is continuing its nuclear test programme with the US Nuclear Corp, while also eyeing future developments in …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Octopus ISR partners with SkyIMD

  1st November 2016

  Octopus ISR Systems and SkyIMD have signed a strategic partnership agreement that will see SkyIMD integrate the Epsilon range of gimbals into its pods for …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Zhuhai 2016: Mysterious Bee buzzes show

  1st November 2016

  CETC Avionics unveiled an unusual UAV at the 11th biennial Zhuhai Air Show, this being dubbed the Mysterious Bee hybrid quadcopter.  The UAV is a …

• Military Logistics

  US Army to field test PowerWalk

  1st November 2016

  The US Army is set to start field trials of the PowerWalk bionic energy-harvesting device in 2017, it announced on 26 October. PowerWalk is an …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon to support RAF Sentinels

  1st November 2016

  Raytheon UK has been awarded a £131 million contract extension from the British Royal Air Force (RAF) to continue to manage support services for the …

• Defence Notes

  Zhuhai 2016: Mysterious J-20 sneaks in…and out

  1st November 2016

  China’s fifth-generation J-20 stealth fighter made a cameo appearance during the 11th Zhuhai Air Show in China, this being its first public foray anywhere in …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AeroVironment receives Dutch UAV order

  1st November 2016

  AeroVironment will provide the Netherlands Ministry of Defence with small UAS, upgrades and support services under a contract announced on 31 October. The contract will …

• Land Warfare

  M1061 mortar cartridge gets full materiel release

  1st November 2016

  Orbital ATK’s M1061 60mm mortar cartridge has been approved for full materiel release (FMR) by the US Joint Munitions Command, the company announced on 27 …

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 ...