• Defence Notes

  Poland consolidates defence industry

  4th October 2013

  The Polish government has announced the establishment of Poland Armaments Group in an effort to strengthen its defence industry.  Under the plan, major state-owned defence …

• Defence Helicopter

  US shutdown affects helicopter production

  4th October 2013

  Already impacted by US defence budget cuts and sequestration, Sikorsky has been one of the hardest hit by the US government shutdown with helicopter production …

• Defence Notes

  Lockheed Martin, Pilatus Aircraft team for AIR 5428

  3rd October 2013

  A new team is in the running for the Australian Defence Force’s AIR 5428 pilot training system (PTS) programme, with the announcement that Lockheed Martin …

• Defence Helicopter

  UK seeks threat simulators for helicopters

  3rd October 2013

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is seeking a new approach to the simulation of man-in-the-loop (MITL) operated weapons, to counter threats to its combat …

• Defence Helicopter

  Karem Aircraft to design tiltrotor for JMR TD

  3rd October 2013

  A fresh contender has joined the race to design the US military’s next-generation of rotorcraft. Karem Aircraft has been awarded a design contract for phase …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army EMARSS programme transfers to PEO Aviation

  2nd October 2013

  The US Army’s Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System (EMARSS) programme has been transferred to the US Army’s Program Executive Office (PEO) Aviation, where …

• Military Logistics

  Rolls-Royce to open Global Hawk engine service facility

  2nd October 2013

  Rolls-Royce is to serve the US Air Force’s Global Hawk UAV engine fleet from a new engine depot facility to be opened at Tinker Air …

• Land Warfare

  General Dynamics details ammunition orders

  2nd October 2013

  General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems will supply a variety of ammunition products and a munition system to the US military under a range of …

• Land Warfare

  US Army orders Mantis i23 gimbaled sensor payloads

  2nd October 2013

  The US Army has ordered Mantis i23 gimbaled sensor payloads from AeroVironment for its fleet of RQ-11B Raven unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The contract, worth …

• Land Warfare

  Turkey selects Chinese missile defence system

  2nd October 2013

  In an unexpected move, Turkey has selected a Chinese firm as the preferred bidder for its Turkish Long Range Air and Missile Defence System (T-LORAMIDS) …

• Land Warfare

  Denel awarded South African Badger ICV contract

  1st October 2013

  Denel has won a contract to manufacture over 200 Badger infantry combat vehicles (ICV) for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) over the next …

• Defence Helicopter

  Kratos to build maintenance trainers for CH-53K

  1st October 2013

  Sikorsky has issued an $8.5 million contract to Kratos Defense & Security Solutions for the design and development of maintenance training systems for the CH-53K …

• Digital Battlespace

  Japan requests E-767 AWACS Mission Computing Upgrade

  30th September 2013

  Japan is seeking to acquire an E-767 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) Mission Computing Upgrade (MCU) from the US under a foreign military sale …

• Defence Helicopter

  Merlin celebrates ten years in service

  30th September 2013

  The Royal Air Force (RAF) has celebrated ten years of continuous Merlin operations at a ceremony at RAF Benson on 27 September.  Speaking to journalists …

• Military Logistics

  French Air Force plans for A400M future

  30th September 2013

  The French procurement agency (DGA) used a ceremony to mark delivery of the first A400M transport aircraft to the French Air Force in Seville on …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Data links

  Data links | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390 [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirement The aircraft deliveries were scheduled to start by the end of 2016 and continue over a period of ten years. However,  the first ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-130H Replacement [Sweden]

  Programme Background Requirements Sweden has five C-130H aircraft (designated Tp-84) and one KC-130H. Two C-130Es bought in the 1960s have retired, but the six H ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Chile]

  Methodology Unit cost In 2024, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired one Hermes 900 for 50 million reais ($9.14 million), giving each drone an estimated ...

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS 39E/F Gripen [Brazil]

  Background In 2016, Gripen’s Project and Development Center was opened in Sao Paulo to allow Sweedish and Brazillian engineers to work together in the Gripen ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  H145M [Brazil]

  Background  Brazilian leadership announced in February 2022 that the Sabre Mil Mi-35M Hind-E attack helicopters were being retired from active service. This decision came as a ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Colombia]

  Methodology Unit cost In 2024, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired one Hermes 900 for 50 million reais ($9.14 million), giving each drone an estimated gross ...

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

  Hermes 900 (5) [Brazil]

  Background First three batches (2014-2024) Across three purchases, Defence Insight estimates that Brazil has acquired five Hermes 900 UAVs. In 2014, Elbit reported supplying one ...

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

  Hermes 900 (1-4) [Brazil]

  Background First batch (2014) In 2014, Elbit reported supplying one Hermes 900 UAV to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). The drone is called the RQ-900 in Brazilian ...

• Maritime patrol

  C295 add-on [Brazil]

  Programme Background  In 2014 Brazil signed a contracted for two additional C-295 SAR platforms with the option to acquire one additional platform. In 2018, reports ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Undisclosed European Country]

  Background Various Contracts On 18 November 2024, Elbit Systems announced it had awarded various contacts with a combined $335 million to an undisclosed European country. ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air-to-surface missiles

  MAR-1

  The MAR-1 is a Brazilian air-to-surface anti-radiation missile (ARM) developed by Mectron in collaboration with the Aerospace Technology and Science Department (DCTA) of the Brazilian ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Harpia

  Described as the UAV with the most onboard technology in Latin America, Harpia is a multifunctional fixed-wing Brazilian drone developed by Advanced Technologies Security & Defence.  The Uruguayan ...

• 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 ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  TPTS

  Tactical Procedures Training Simulators (TPTS), operating with SWARM software, can be used to provide most core training elements to pilots or offload training tasks from ...

• Guided munitions

  SMKB (Smart-MK-Bomb)

  The Smart-MK-Bomb, or the SMKB, is a precision guidance kit developed by Mectron and designed to turn Mk 82 and Mk 83 bombs into guided munitions.

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

  Albatroz Vortex

  The Albatroz Vortex from Stella Tecnologia is a development of the company's Albatroz UAV.  The key differentiator is that the Vortex is fitted with an ATJR ...

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

  Condor

  The Condor, or Atobá XR, is an in-development MALE-class UAV from Stella Technologia.  The development of the multi-role is tied to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), which has ...

• Trainer, Transport

  EMB-121 Xingu

  The EMB-121 Xingu is a twin-turboprop light transport and advanced multi-engine trainer aircraft developed by Embraer based on the EMB-110 Bandeirante. Its maiden flight was ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Arkhe Mission & Combat

  Launched in 2017, Atech's Arkhe Mission & Combat solutions offer a variety of solutions enabling operator to conduct missions from planning to execution and debriefing. It ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390/C-390 Millennium

  The KC-390 is a high-wing, twin-turbofan, T-tail design intended to meet the needs of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) for a tanker/transport aircraft. Developed and ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M

  The medium-weight, 11t-class H225M (formerly known as the EC725) is the latest military Super Puma/Cougar family member.  Technical features include a modular design of mechanical ...

• EO/IR systems

  Skyward

  The SkyWard system is an advanced Infrared Search and Track (IRST) solution developed for next-generation airborne platforms, including 5th-generation fighter aircraft.  Designed with modularity in ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Saber M60

  The Saber M60 is a low-altitude air-defence radar developed by the Brazilian Army's CTEx (Army Technology Centre) in collaboration with Bradar, part of Embraer Defence ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  RBS 70 system

  The RBS 70 was developed in the 1970s to meet the Swedish Army’s requirement for a low-cost, easy-to-use MANPADS which could function in extreme climatic ...