• Training

  Congressional speakers highlight Chinese threat at I/ITSEC 2022

  28th November 2022

  The US Congressional Modeling & Simulation (M&S) Caucus kicked off I/ITSEC 2022 with a picture of a clear and present threat from China.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  General Atomics offers two UAS to Ukraine for a dollar

  2nd February 2023

  US-built UAS like the MQ-9A Reaper would offer significantly more capability than systems like the TB2, which are already in service in Ukraine.

• Training

  Aechelon to supply mixed reality training system for B-52 crews

  24th October 2022

  Aechelon Technology will supply its mixed reality (MR) image generator system with existing integrated database for the B-52 to ensure interoperability with other US platforms.

• Air Warfare

  Australia says ‘goodbye Taipans, hello Black Hawks’

  18th January 2023

  After considerable dithering over the fate of the MRH90 helicopter fleet, Australia has made a decision to replace the European-designed type.

• Defence Notes

  How France’s future budget will prepare its forces for tomorrow’s warfare

  26th January 2023

  Under the future military programming law 2024-2030 umbrella, France intends to invest in innovation as well as in cyber, maritime, space and UAS capabilities.

• Naval Warfare

  Pakistan Navy continues renewal of submarine fleet

  26th January 2023

  While it awaits new Chinese-designed diesel-electric submarines, the Pakistan Navy continues its modernisation of older Agosta 90B boats.

• Land Warfare

  Textron delivers bespoke reconnaissance vehicle to US marines

  14th December 2022

  Textron has delivered a single bespoke Cottonmouth Reconnaissance Vehicle to the USMC for formal evaluation.

• Air Warfare

  General Atomics advances crewed-uncrewed teaming

  2nd December 2022

  General Atomics has successfully demonstrated new potential for crewed-uncrewed teaming with a focus on IR sensing and communication.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Navy orders Valkyrie drones for 'autonomous collaborative killer' project

  5th January 2023

  The USN has followed in the USAF's footsteps by ordering a pair of Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie UAVs.

• Land Warfare

  How Ukraine Leopard tank breakthrough opens new offensive options for Kyiv

  27th January 2023

  With donations of Leopard 2, Challenger 2 and M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine all now confirmed, Shephard Defence Insight analyses the implications for the conflict and the NATO nations supplying Kyiv with MBTs.

• Air Warfare

  European helicopter modernisation advances in Latvia and Czech Republic

  16th December 2022

  Latvia has received its first UH-60M helicopter, while the Czech Republic has taken delivery of support equipment for its UH-1Y and AH-1Z fleets.

• Naval Warfare

  First Type 26 frigate begins float-off

  28th November 2022

  The float-off of the first Type 26 frigate comes shortly after the UK MoD placed a long-awaited order for five further frigates, bringing the total contracted to eight.

• Air Warfare

  Defiant protest grounds US Army FLRAA contract

  4th January 2023

  Boeing and Sikorsky think the US Army's decision on the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft was not made in the right way and have filed a protest with the US Government Accountability Office, pausing the programme for more than three months.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2022: Hadean, British Army to showcase CTTP pathfinder progress

  21st November 2022

  The pathfinder agreement between the British Army and Hadean sought to transfer large portions of land-based physical training into a single synthetic environment. If the progress achieved is significant, this could be a big victory for distributed computing technologies in the defence sector.

• Training

  First T-6C trainers arrive in Thailand

  17th November 2022

  Deliveries have commenced of new trainer aircraft for Thailand's air force.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Elbit Systems UAVs [Israel]

  Background Various Contracts On 3 December 2024, the Israeli Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced it had purchased "advanced drones and autonomous systems" from Elbit Systems in various ...

• Maritime patrol

  Long Range Patrol Aircraft [The Philippines]

  Programme Background On 10 July 2023, Elbit Systems announced that it had secured a contract for two long-range patrol aircraft. Although the customer was not ...

• Trainer

  M-346 [Greece]

  Programme Background In April 2021, Elbit Systems was awarded a $1.65 billion contract to set up Hellenic Air Force International Flight Training Centre. The deal includes ...

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

  Hermes 900 (Uganda)

  Programme Background In September 2018, The East African reported that Uganda had received 24 Hermes 900 platforms from Elbit Systems. Evidence of the platform being ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Kenya]

  Programme Background Training On 23 August 2024, Baykar posted on social media that trainees from Kenya had completed their Bayraktar TB2 training at the Baykar Flight ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Project [UK]

  Programme Background Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Project The British Army launched the RAS project to provide the "direction required to exploit emerging technologies to ...

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

  Watchkeeper X (Contracted) [Romania]

  Programme Background 2021 In mid-2021, the Romanian manufacturer Aerostar signed a collaboration with U-TacS to potentially produce the Watchkeeper X in Romania. U-TacS is a ...

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

  Watchkeeper X (Uncontracted) [Romania]

  Programme Background 2021 In mid-2021, the Romanian manufacturer Aerostar signed a collaboration with U-TacS to potentially produce the Watchkeeper X in Romania. U-TacS is a ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Thailand]

  Programme Background Requirement The Naval Acquisition Management Office (NAMO) of the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) announced its intention to acquire one MALE UAV system comprising three ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Matrice 300 (Ukraine)

  Programme Background On 11 December 2021, Ukrainian media reported that the Administration of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine had acquired  60 Matrice 300 rotary-wing ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Kondor Naval Helicopters (Poland)

  Programme Background In 2018, the Polish MoD announced its requirement to purchase up to eight naval helicopters to replace in-service SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopters. Polish ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  IAR-99 Replacement (Romania)

  On 29 August 2017, Leonardo announced that the IAR-99 trainer technology demonstrator (TD) will be fitted with company's Vixen 500E AESA radar. The Vixen 500E AESA ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F -Kenya

  Crew transition training took place at the MD Helicopters headquarters in Mesa, Arizona, with field service support, armament, and gunnery training scheduled to occur at ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  F-5E/F Adversary Trainer US Navy

  The F-5N is a single seat, dual engine supersonic land based fighter. It is designed to a service life of 9000 flight hours. The aircraft ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Land 400 Phase 2 - Boxer CRV [Australia]

  Programme Background History The Land 400 Phase 2 programme will procure a replacement for the ASLAV, a derivative of the General Dynamics Land Systems Light Armoured Vehicle ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air combat Training Centers

  Training centres and networked simulation devices for collective training in a realistic operational context at various levels (squadron, distant, joint, coalition) – Rafale Simulation Center, ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  UAV Simulators

  Elbit Systems has developed simulation systems to train personnel in UAV operation, from generic UAV training for initial screening procedures up to full mission, high-fidelity ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Air Combat Training

  Boeing has experience in delivering training for fixed-wing air combat platforms including F-15C/E, F-16, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G, F-22 and MV/CV-22.

• Air: Displays

  F-16 Center Pedestal Display

  Produced by Elbit Systems of America, the F-16 Center Pedestal Display (CPD) provides a high-resolution colour display that replaces several legacy instruments on F-16 aircraft. 

• Air: air combat simulators

  USAF F-16 Training System

  L3Harris Technologies is supporting approximately 180 F-16 pilot and maintenance trainers as part of the USAF’s F-16 Training System. Programme contract options extend through 2019. ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  SkyBreaker

  Elbit Systems' SkyBreaker is an airborne Mission Training Centre that enables networked training between various trainees and platforms, including a range of air force platforms. ...

• Land: C2 simulators

  BGSC

  The Battle Group Simulation Center (BGSC) is a commander’s open training tool for doctrine and tactics. BGSC uses AI-based, adaptive-behaviour CGF. Applications include: conventional and ...

• Air: mission management systems

  Naval Command Center

  The Elbit Systems Naval Command Center (NCC) provides the infrastructure, systems and functionality required to achieve maritime domain awareness in conjunction with applicable means, evaluating ...

• Land: air defence simulators

  Live Training System for Air Defence

  Elbit Systems' Live Training System for Air Defence is integrated on various short- and medium-range air defence systems. The Live Training System provides networked and ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  VMTS

  Elbit Systems' Virtual Mission Training System (VMTS) provides realistic training at a reduced cost in a fighter-like environment, claims the company. Using a data link, ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  F-35 Training System

  BAE Systems is involved in F-35 Lightning II Training System design and sustainment, working with prime contractor Lockheed Martin. BAE Systems leads the instructional systems ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  Instrumented Ground Combat Training Systems

  Cubic supplies combat training systems for CTCs, homestations and forward-deployed environments. The systems are designed to support missions including force-on-force, urban operations, joint, combined arms ...

• Major networking projects

  DAP

  Israel’s Digital Army Program (DAP) offers interoperability of tri-service (air, land, sea) platforms and sensors for force-wide collaboration. The system is implemented in the IDF ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  Tzofit Training Centre

  In June 2009, Elbit inaugurated the Beechcraft King Air B200 Tzofit Training Centre for IDF pilots. Elbit Systems serves as the project’s prime contractor, while ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72A/B Lakota

  In 2006, the US Army selected a version of the medium-sized, twin-engine H145, designated the UH-72A Lakota,  to meet its requirement for a new Light ...