• Digital Battlespace

  Cobra Dane to gain more transmitter groups

  5th October 2020

  Diversified Technologies is building and factory-testing up to 11 new transmitter groups for the AN/FPS-108 Cobra Dane radar, under a $71.67 million sole-source contract from …

• Digital Battlespace

  New ground station adds to Australian SATCOM capabilities

  14th October 2020

  Joint Project 2008 Phase 3F is designed to provide the Australian armed forces with a suite of strategic and tactical satellite communication capabilities

• Digital Battlespace

  US companies team up to deliver secure comms for UAV operators

  16th October 2020

  AeroVironment is assisting Viasat under the US Army Reconfigurable Communications for Small Unmanned Systems programme

• Digital Battlespace

  BIRD launches special mission task force solution

  6th October 2020

  BIRD Aerosystems on 6 October unveiled what it described as a ‘complete end-to-end special mission task force solution tailored for maritime and ground surveillance missions’. …

• Naval Warfare

  BAE Systems expands its UUV family

  22nd September 2020

  BAE Systems on 22 September unveiled its Riptide UUV-12 system, as the newest addition to its portfolio of unmanned undersea systems.  The 30.5cm-diameter vehicle joins …

• Air Warfare

  NAVAIR picks Lockheed for more F-35 production support

  1st October 2020

  Lockheed Martin is to provide ‘economic order quantities of material’ in support of F-35 Lightning II low-rate initial production (Lots 15, 16 and 17), under …

• Land Warfare

  PREMIUM: ​UK tests Polaris DAGOR vehicle

  6th October 2020

  Polaris has provided two DAGOR vehicles for trial purposes to the 3 Commando Brigade. A tweet from the Chief of the General Staff showed pictures of the vehicle, although the MoD remains tight-lipped as to its future acquisition plans.

• Defence Notes

  Researchers harness the power of rotating detonation

  25th September 2020

  The University of Central Florida (UCF) and USAF have produced a rocket engine which uses oxygen and hydrogen in continuous rotating detonation (RD). The challenge …

• Digital Battlespace

  MANET solution enables vehicles to share data on the move

  13th October 2020

  IFVs and similar platforms require a robust, scalable MANET

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed Martin to redesign F-35 components

  29th September 2020

  Lockheed Martin is to provide $63.89 million worth of non-recurring engineering in support of redesigned components for the F-35 Lightning II multirole fighter aircraft, the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Boeing engages with next-generation SATCOM programme

  7th October 2020

  The US Space Force has awarded Boeing a $298.37 million contract to build a satellite prototype payload and develop hardware and software for the Evolved …

• Training

  B-2 Spirit sim gains latest IG upgrade

  2nd October 2020

  Under contract to Northrop Grumman, visual system specialist Quantum3D has completed an overhaul of a B-2 Spirit simulator at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma County. The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Protector takes to the skies

  28th September 2020

  The first MQ-9B SkyGuardian RPAS for the RAF (designated Protector RG Mk1) successfully completed its first flight in the US on 25 September, the UK …

• Land Warfare

  USAF invests heavily in SBD I

  25th September 2020

  Boeing has been awarded a $2.2 billion contract for the GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb Increment I (SDB I) weapon programme, the Department of Defense has …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF completes another ABMS experiment

  8th September 2020

  The second Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) On-Ramp Experiment for the USAF was completed on 3 September with the backing of US Space Command, Strategic Command …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• CUAS - jammers

  NEROD RF [France]

  Background France has procured an unconfirmed number of MC2's NEROD RF C-UAS rifles ("fusils brouilleurs") for short-range counter-drone use. In a 2024 Senate report, it ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  Counter-Uncrewed Systems (C-UxS) Framework Agreement [UK]

  Background The UK intends to place a Closed Framework Agreement for the procurement of Counter Uncrewed Systems (C-UxS). It requires solutions to detect, track, identify, record/communicate, and ...

• Static/towed guns

  Ground-Based, Medium-Calibre Gun Weapon System [US]

  Background In September 2026, the USAF issued a request for information (RFI) for a ground-based air defence system (GBAD) centred on a medium-calibre gun. This RFI ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9A Reaper [USAF]

  Background First order Following a development that began in 1998, in October 2002, the USAF ordered the first four MQ-9s of the production series. In ...

• Military UAS - mini

  RQ-20B Puma [USAF]

  Background Requirement According to Trace Stevenson, the AeroVironment (AV) Vice President and product line general manager, the USAF Security Forces required a small UAV to ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Bell 407GX [Iraq]

  Programme Background Between 2009 and 2015 Iraq was supplied with at 26 Bell 407s as part of the reconstruction of the Iraqi Air Force. The ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (USAF) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Baclground As of November 2020, the US DoD had signed 14 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) (Increment 1) [USAF]

  Background Requirements The programme’s requirements are based on the USAF’s belief that mass is necessary to compete effectively against an adversary in symmetrical warfare. However, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  Background In 2010, the USAF announced the replacement of the HH-60G with a new Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH), and in 2012, the request for proposals ...

• AEW&C

  E-7A Wedgetail (1-2) [USA]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that this entry covers the two rapid-prototype E-7 aircraft, whose contract was signed in August 2024. A second programme entry covers the ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-Y tanker aircraft [USA]

  Programme Background The USAF is replacing its fleet of 396 KC-135 Stratotanker refuelling aircraft, built in the 1950s and 60s, and 59 KC-10 Extenders, which entered service ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15EX (2025-2026) [USA]

  Methodology Units required Based off the FY2027 USAF budget request, between FY2025 and FY2026, the U.S. Air Force received funding for 40 F-15EX platforms. Congress ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-46A (USA)

  Programme Background The first five Low Rate Initial Production lots were contracted for a total of 67 aircraft for $10.94 billion. The initial contract signed ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• ISR/special mission

  RF-4C

  The RF-4C is a tactical reconnaissance aircraft developed based on the F-4 Phantom II by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) to meet the requirements of the USAF ...

• 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 ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  SurSAR

  The Surveillance Synthetic Aperture Radar (SurSAR) is a coherent surveillance and imaging radar developed by Array Systems Computing in Canada. It is derived from UPD-8/9 systems ...

• EW test systems

  CEESIM

  The Combat Electromagnetic Environment Simulator (CEESIM) family of simulators is designed for use in development, T&E;, maintenance and training support of airborne, land, shipboard and ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  F-15 Tactical Electronic Warfare Suite (TEWS)

  The F-15 Tactical Electronic Warfare Suite (TEWS) is an integrated defence system manufactured by Northrop Grumman. It is designed for the F-15, F-15K and F-15E ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  SECT

  The Simulator for Electronic Combat Training (SECT) is a device that blends high-fidelity equipment, environmental and EW simulation with a computer-based training engine, auto-evaluation and scoring ...

• Data links

  MIDS LVT-3 FDL

  For the MIDS LVT-3 Fighter Data Link (FDL) the USAF sought lower volume and cost than Class 1 and 2 JTIDS. The contract was awarded ...

• Land: battle management systems

  C4I Connect

  C4I Connect is a voice communications system for battlefield C2. It is a large-scale, divisional/regional system that manages voice sessions in the tactical battle area, ...

• Air: mission management systems

  9Air C4I

  9Air C4I provides an air C2 capability ranging from air operations level to real-time execution in a mobile environment. It is a net-centric system that ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/ALR-94

  BAE Systems’ AN/ALR-94 electronic countermeasures (ECM) system forms a key part of the self-protection suite of the US Air Force’s Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor combat ...

• Bomber

  B-2 Spirit

  The B-2 Spirit is a multirole stealth bomber manufactured by Northrop Grumman for the USAF. The Spirit is a flying wing aircraft, meaning that it ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  AN/ALR-56C

  The AN/ALR-56C is a radar warning receiver manufactured by BAE Systems. It is designed to share data regarding radar threats with the aircraft's BAE Systems' ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/ALQ-165 ASPJ

  Northrop Grumman’s AN/ALQ-165(V) Airborne Self Protection Jammer (ASPJ) is a widely used radar jammer and is deployed on an array of combat aircraft. The system ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  RF-7800W

  The RF-7800W-OU440 high-capacity LoS radio has an IP design that operates from 4.4-5GHz. This provides connectivity at distances over 50km and extending WANs and LANs ...

• Air: mission management systems

  DACCS

  Divisional Artillery Command and Control System (DACCS) integrates division artillery C4I with battalion C4I, making fire control an integral part of the C4I distribution network. ...