• Defence Helicopter

  Mexican Navy receives first MBe

  29th September 2016

  The Mexican Navy became the inaugural customer for the AS565 MBe at Airbus Helicopters’ facilities in Marignane, France on 28 September. The navy has been …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Bravura awarded aerostat management contract

  29th September 2016

  Bravura Information Technology Systems has been awarded a $305.7 million contract by the US Army for operation, maintenance and sustainment of its aerostats, it announced …

• Land Warfare

  MDM 2016: Marine Corps unveils new operational concept

  29th September 2016

  Implementing the new US Marine Corps Operational Concept is not for the light hearted, according to the Commandant of the service Gen Robert Neller. ‘If …

• Land Warfare

  ADAS 2016: New kit for Philippine marines

  29th September 2016

  The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) will benefit from new amphibious vehicles and unmanned aircraft systems being introduced over the next two years.  In March the …

• Training

  Farewell QF-4, hello QF-16

  29th September 2016

  The re-use of redundant fighter aircraft to act as full-scale aerial targets (FSAT) has a certain symmetry with the hunter becoming the hunted. In August, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MALE RPAS programme moves ahead

  29th September 2016

  The Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (MALE RPAS) programme to develop a common European UAS has moved into the definition study phase. …

• Defence Notes

  BAE to upgrade more Mk 45 naval guns

  29th September 2016

  BAE Systems has been awarded a $50 million contract option by the US Navy to upgrade four additional Mk 45 naval guns on its guided …

• Training

  Lockheed to supply F-16 trainers for Jordan

  28th September 2016

  Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $40 million contract to deliver a simulation-based F-16 aircraft training environment to the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF), the …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE develops handheld EW technology

  28th September 2016

  BAE Systems has developed new handheld electronic warfare (EW) technology for the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the company announced on 27 September. …

• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA 2016: Future Vertical Lift takes off (video)

  28th September 2016

  The US Army is currently looking for a new generation of rotorcraft to replace some of its in-service helicopters through its Future Vertical Lift (FVL) …

• Digital Battlespace

  AUSA 2016: Army pursues 7,000 new radios

  28th September 2016

  The US Army initiated a full and open competition for the Small Airborne Networking Radio (SANR) through its 11 August 2016 release of a draft …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Navy contracts MQ-4C Triton production

  28th September 2016

  Northrop Grumman will produce three LRIP Lot 1 MQ-4C Triton aircraft following a fixed price contract modification by US Naval Air Systems Command. In an …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2016: Army set for AMPV delivery

  28th September 2016

  The US Army is on schedule to receive its first Armoured Multipurpose Vehicle (AMPV) prototype from manufacturer BAE Systems this December, company officials have said. …

• Training

  New LCS training facility opens

  28th September 2016

  The Center for Surface Combat Systems (CSCS) has opened a new Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Training Facility (LTF) at the US Naval Base San Diego …

• Land Warfare

  US Army exercises JLTV option

  28th September 2016

  The US Army has exercised an option for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) programme with Oshkosh Defense, placing an order for $42 million, it …

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 ...