• Defence Notes

  ADECS 2018: South Korea harbours nuclear submarine ambitions

  31st January 2018

  South Korea is airing ambitions to form a nuclear-powered submarine (SSN) fleet and the eventual commissioning of such boats is being described as ‘politically inevitable’. …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: RAAF receives first F-35 trainers

  9th May 2018

  As part of a multi-million dollar investment in infrastructure and training equipment at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Williamtown, New South Wales, the RAAF has now …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: Griffins and Squirrels leave helicopter flying school

  9th May 2018

  The last graduates leave the UK’s Defence Helicopter Flying School (DHFS) on 28 March having trained on the Squirrel HT1/HT2 and Griffin HT1 helicopters at …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: SISO meeting heralds ITEC

  9th May 2018

  As in previous years, the Simulation Interoperability Standards Organization (SISO) will be organising its annual ‘Seminar on Modelling & Simulation (M&S;) standards’, in conjunction with …

• Military Logistics

  USN looks to new logistics auxiliary platforms

  9th May 2018

  In an effort to optimize its future fleet logistics platforms, the US Navy (USN) is exploring the concept of a common hull, multi-mission auxiliary ship …

• Training

  HAL’s Hawk I flies with RTOS

  12th February 2018

  Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has successfully completed the first flight of its Hawk I training aircraft with its newly developed Real Time Operating System (RTOS), …

• Digital Battlespace

  Astro Aerospace completes NISAR CDR

  31st January 2018

  Astro Aerospace has completed the critical design review of the AstroMesh radar antenna reflector for the NASA-Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) synthetic aperture radar (NISAR) …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army increases funding for Patriot radar replacement

  13th February 2018

  The US Army is seeking to boost funding as part of efforts to replace the legacy Patriot radar system in its lower-tier missile defence architecture. …

• Defence Helicopter

  BAE to demonstrate optical seeker for DARPA

  9th May 2018

  BAE Systems has received a $13.1 million contract from DARPA to demonstrate a new optical seeker for precision-guided munitions, the company announced on 7 May. …

• Special Operations

  Rangers to hone close combat skills

  8th May 2018

  The US Army’s 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment (1/75) wants enhanced training skills to increase their tactical efficiencies and combat lethality in extreme close quarters. A …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: US agrees FMS training deal with RNLAF

  9th May 2018

  The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract to the Dutch Government for $110 million for continued F-16 training for …

• Training

  CAE to develop joint multinational simulation centre

  9th May 2018

  CAE has received a contract from a Gulf Cooperation Council customer to develop a joint multinational simulation centre for command and staff training, the company …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Indonesia angles towards Turkey for UCAV requirement

  19th January 2018

  Alongside its participation in an effort to field a domestically designed MALE UAV for surveillance purposes, PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) is also planning to jointly …

• Digital Battlespace

  Malaysia’s network-centric programme makes unclear progress

  9th May 2018

  Despite Phase 1A of the Network-Centric Operations (NCO) programme of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) being completed and handed over in December 2015 and officially …

• Naval Warfare

  Singapore Airshow 2018: Maritime patrol paramount in Asia-Pacific

  7th February 2018

  With procurement opportunities for maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) ongoing in the region companies present at the Singapore Airshow jockeyed to shine the spotlight on their …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Chinese UAVs [Bangladesh]

  Background Request for Proposals (RFP) In 2023, as reported by Shephard at the time, the Bangladesh Army released a 106-page tender document to gather information ...

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

  Jackal [Taiwan]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 14 September 2023, Jon Parker, CEO And Chief Examiner at Flyby Technology, announced on LinkedIn that the company had signed ...

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

  Tactical Short-Range UAVs (Taiwan)

  Programme Background Long-Held Desire Alongside other branches of the Taiwanese military, the ROCA is trying to incorporate more uncrewed systems into its force structure. During the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Multirole Fighter (Taiwan)

  Programme Background Taiwan claims that Chinese fighter jets are often crossing into the island's air defence zone. The Republic of China Air Force is looking for options ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Mid-Shore Multi Mission Vessels [Canada]

  Canada is seeking to procure six Mid-Shore Multi Mission Vessels (MSMMVs) to replace its mid-shore science vessels as well as address existing capability gaps within the ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Mid-Shore Multi Mission Vessels [Canada]

  Canada is seeking to procure six Mid-Shore Multi Mission Vessels (MSMMVs) to replace its mid-shore science vessels as well as address existing capability gaps within the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Fighter Aircraft [United Arab Emirates]

  Programme Background Competitors and Bids Lockheed Martin On 25 September, the United Arab Emirates submitted a FMS request for the F-35A; the proposal was approved ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Invincible Class (Type 218SG) (5-6) [Singapore]

  In March 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Defence (Mindef) announced it would acquire two more submarines to complement its four Type 218SG Invincible-class submarines. Speaking to ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Invincible Class (Type 218SG) (5-6) [Singapore]

  In March 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Defence (Mindef) announced it would acquire two more submarines to complement its four Type 218SG Invincible-class submarines. Speaking to ...

• Frigates

  Type 054A/P (Pakistan)

  Programme Background Contracts Pakistan has ordered four frigates from China under the Type 054AP programme, which refers to the vessels being based on the Peoples ...

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

  Artillery UAV [Thailand]

  Programme Background Requirement & Replacement The Royal Thai Army (RTA) was understood to be seeking a new tactical UAV to replace four legacy Israel Aerospace Industries ...

• 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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

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

  FH-95

  The FH-95, sometimes called the Feihong 95 or Flying Swan, is a UAV designed for EW, ISR and strike missions.  It is manufactured by Aerospace Times Feihong Technology Corporation ...

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

  CH-802

  The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation CH-802 is a fixed-wing micro air vehicle intended for short-range surveillance and tactical reconnaissance missions in support of ...

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

  CH-10

  The CH-10 is a tilt-rotor uncrewed aircraft unveiled by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC) in 2018.  The platform can take off and land on ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Dragon 10A

  The Loitering Dragon 10A is a tube-launched loitering munition from Norinco.  Similar in design to AeroVironment's Switchblade, the drone was displayed alongside its tube launcher at ...

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

  CH-805

  The CH-805 is known for its stealthy design and is used for target practice in air defence exercises and equipment testing. It is sometimes mentioned ...

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

  CH-4

  The CH-4 is a MALE UAV available in two variants, the CH-4A and CH-4B. The China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics developed the platform, which is manufactured ...

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

  CH-500

  The CH-500 is a small, coaxial, rotary-wing, multipurpose UCAV and is manoeuvrable due to its tandem, dual-rotor arrangement without a tail rotor – also making it ...

• Self-propelled missile systems

  Shahab Thaqeb

  Shahab Thaqeb is an Iranian-developed variant of China's HQ-7 short-range air defence system, itself a copy of  Thales' Crotale systems imported by China in the ...

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

  CH-6

  The CH-6, or Cai Hong 6 or Rainbow-6, is a UCAV unveiled by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) on 19 April 2021.  Shown ...

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

  Pegaz

  The Pegaz, or Pegasus, is a multi-role UCAV developed for the Serbian Armed Forces. It is being manufactured by Military Technical Institute Belgrade (MIT) in collaboration ...

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

  Caihong

  The Caihong (Rainbow), also known as the Cai Hong or CH, is a solar-powered HALE platform designed for near-space flight. It is suitable for military ...

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

  CH-5

  The CH-5 is a medium-altitude, long-endurance UAS designed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation to perform various military missions. Applications of the CH-5 include ISTAR, ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  AR-1

  The AR-1 is a Chinese air-to-surface missile specifically designed for deployment from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), notably the CH-3 and CH-4 series. Developed by the ...

• Anti-ship missiles

  C-801

  The C-801 is a Chinese subsonic anti-ship missile that served as the foundational design for many subsequent Chinese anti-ship missiles. It is the export variant ...

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

  CH-91

  The CH-91 has been designed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation for tactical missions such as battlefield reconnaissance, target location, artillery fire correction and damage ...