• Defence Helicopter

  US Army issues CD&RR Phase 2 contracts for FLRAA

  31st March 2021

  Bell Textron and Sikorsky-Boeing will complete Competitive Demonstration and Risk Reduction phase of Future Long Range Assault Aircraft programme by 30 March 2022.

• Defence Notes

  Uneven recovery looms over European defence industry

  1st April 2021

  Tier 1 companies in Europe have weathered the COVID storm so far, but how are governments addressing the needs of essential SMEs?

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Udar evolves with no destination in sight

  3rd March 2021

  What is the next step for the Udar combat UGV, after it has already undergone two redesigns in its short lifetime?

• Defence Helicopter

  ALIAS achieves first autonomous take-off

  30th March 2021

  DARPA and Sikorsky demonstrated supervised autonomy capabilities using a specially converted S-70 OPV Black Hawk.

• Naval Warfare

  Capability gaps hamper Varan aircraft carrier

  17th February 2021

  A somewhat unfamiliar design — and the lack in Russia of a carrier-based AWACS capability — suggest that the Nevsky Design Bureau has bitten off more than it can chew.

• Land Warfare

  US Army places emphasis on transformational vehicle capabilities

  12th March 2021

  The US Army is intensifying efforts to add advanced capabilities to its next generation of combat vehicles. The army plans to embed the newest sensors and technologies into these platforms, to ensure survivability, mobility, lethality and volume of fire.

• Digital Battlespace

  French Navy orders SonoFlash

  19th March 2021

  New sonobuoy leverages French sovereign capabilities in acoustic sensing technology.

• Training

  State Department approves two Dutch FMS training deals

  18th March 2021

  Training support from the US will help the Royal Netherlands Air Force to make the transition to new models of the CH-47 and AH-64.

• Defence Helicopter

  Austria awaits first modified S-70 Black Hawk

  12th March 2021

  The first of three modified S-70 helicopters will be formally handed over to the Austrian Air Force on 15 March.

• Defence Helicopter

  South Korea requests Hellfire missiles

  22nd March 2021

  AGM-114R to equip Republic of Korea Army AH-64E attack helicopters.

• Defence Notes

  Israeli F-35s operating from ‘Gulf soil’ a genuine possibility

  8th March 2021

  New possibilities for Israeli F-35s could be on the way, including the aircraft being fielded from 'Gulf soil' to better counter Iranian threats.

• Land Warfare

  'Deplorable' AFV programmes leave British Army at risk from peer adversaries, Defence Committee warns

  16th March 2021

  Released just before the first part of the Integrated Review is unveiled on 16 March, the latest House of Commons Defence Committee report highlighted obsolescence in the British Army armoured vehicle fleet and warned that the service is at serious risk of being outmatched by its most challenging peer adversaries.

• Defence Helicopter

  USMC thinks hard about cutting CH-53K King Stallion numbers

  12th March 2021

  The USMC is weighing up whether or not to reduce CH-53K heavy-helicopter numbers but a decision on that front has not been taken in line with schedule.

• Air Warfare

  South Korea joins the ‘big boys’ with rollout of KF-21

  13th April 2021

  South Korea's project to create an affordable but capable modern fighter still appears to be on track, as the first prototype is rolled out.

• Land Warfare

  Smart munitions hold the key for Derivatsiya

  19th February 2021

  The tactical role of 2S38 Derivatsiya-PVO may be diminished unless guided or programmable munitions can be successfully integrated.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28UB - Russia

  Programme BackgroundThe Russian MoD plans to acquire up to 60 Mi-28UB aircraft for the Russian Air Force by mid-2020s. Moscow signed a contract with Russian Helicopters ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28UB - Forecast [Russia]

  Programme Background The Russian MoD plans to acquire up to 60 Mi-28UB aircraft for the Russian Air Force by mid-2020s. Moscow signed a contract with Russian ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Ka-52K Katran [Russia]

  Programme Background The Ka-52K Katran is a navalised version of the Ka-52 Alligator reconnaissance and attack helicopter.  The history of the Ka-52K is aligned with ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60A [Portugal]

  Programme Background At the end of February 2025, the Portuguese Minister of National Defence said that as part of the Portuguese Army's Support, Protection & ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  AW119Kx [Bosnia and Herzegovina]

  Programme Background  In May 2025, the U.S. State Department approved an FMS to Bosnia and Herzegovina for approximately $100 million including 8 AW119Kx helicopters and a ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Mi-26T2 Halo [Russia]

  Programme Background The original Mi-26 was initially revealed to the West at the Paris airshow in June 1981. In terms of carrying capacity (weight and ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-1Y Venom (Czechia)

  Programme Background Czech Armed Forces intended to use the UH-1Y Venom helicopters in various missions including utility, search and rescue, aerial reconnaissance, air-to-ground support and ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  CH-47D Replacement [Thailand]

  Programme Background The RTA divested its six Boeing CH-47D Chinooks after failing to sell the 25-year-old aircraft on the second-hand market. Thailand found Chinook maintenance ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  T129 (Nigeria)

  Programme Background Requirement The Nigerian Air Force has an ongoing requirement for attack helicopters in order to assist the country's ongoing counter-insurgency operations. Nigeria already ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Ka-226T- Air Force [India]

  Programme Background India had operated a diverse and antiquated fleet of helicopters to support its high-altitude operations along contested borders with China and Pakistan. Reducing ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Naval Utility Helicopters [India]

  Programme Background The programme would have involved the formation of a joint venture between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and another local or foreign manufacturer. In June ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Ka-226T - Army [India]

  Programme Background India had operated a diverse and antiquated fleet of helicopters to support its high-altitude operations along contested borders with China and Pakistan. Reducing ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1Z Viper [Czech Republic]

  Programme Background On 3 May 2019, it was announced that the US State Department had approved a possible FMS of four AH-1Z Vipers to the Czech ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Heavy-lift Helicopter STH [Germany]

  Programme Background The German government issued a tender in March 2019 for the procurement of heavy-lift helicopters under the Schwerer Transporthubschrauber (STH) program, 60 units are ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Heavy Lift Helicopter [Philippines]

  Programme Background Procurement from Russia In November 2021, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed that a contract had been signed to acquire 16 Mi-171 heavy ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Mi-38

  Russian Helicopters' Mi-38 medium-lift helicopter is designed to compete with the Leonardo AW101 and Sikorsky S-92 in both the civil and military markets. The first ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28UB

  Russian Helicopters unveiled the Mi-28UB rotorcraft at the International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS 2013) exhibition. As the combat training modification of the Mi-28NE Night ...

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

  BAS-750

  The BAS-750, or БАС-750, is a rotary-wing UAS unveiled at Army 2022 by Russian Helicopters. Described as a multifunctional UAV, it can host various payloads to complete several mission ...

• Air-to-air missiles

  9M39 Igla-V

  The 9M39 Igla-V (‘needle’) is a Russian IR homing SAM adapted for helicopter use. It is an air-launched version of the Igla MANPADS, which the ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28N/Mi-28NM

  The Mi-28N is a Russian attack helicopter manufactured by Russian Helicopters for use by the Russian Armed Forces. The helicopter is twin-engined with tandem seating ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  NSTsI-V

  Developed by KRET, the NSTsI-V is a helmet-mounted targeting and display system for pilots. The system projects an image onto the transparent screen in front of ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Ansat

  The Ansat is a light, multipurpose, twin-engine helicopter designed and built by Kazan Helicopters. The helicopter is able to carry up to six fully equipped troops, ...

• Helicopter guns

  YAK-B

  The YAK-B is a four-barrel 12.7x108mm Gatling gun. The system is remotely controlled, using a gas-operated mechanism, and offers a high rate of fire. It ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-171Sh

  The Mi-8AMTSh (domestic)/Mi-171Sh (export) is a civil and military transport helicopter that was developed from the Mi-8MT/Mi-17 by the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant. The type is built ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  Rychag-AVM

  KRET’s Rychag-AVM radio frequency jammer is designed to perform electronic attack against hostile communications and radar systems. The Rychag-AVM ensemble is mounted onboard dedicated Mil ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  Kopyo-A

  The Kopyo-A is a Russian, multipurpose radar intended for deployment on helicopters. It is designed for coastal monitoring, search and detection of sea surface and ground ...

• Land: RWS

  Nanuk Russian

  Rheinmetall Canada's Nanuk RWS family includes this variant for non-NATO weapons, which combines full stabilisation, long-range day/night all-weather sights and a versatile weapon cradle that ...

• Land: RWS

  Qimek Russian

  Rheinmetall's Qimek single-weapon RWS family includes a variant for non-NATO weapons, which combines full stabilisation, long-range day/night all-weather sights and a versatile weapon cradle for ...

• Military helicopters - attack, Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-35M

  The Mi-35M is a multirole combat helicopter used for ground attack, assault and cargo transport. It is the current production version of Rostvertol's Mi-24/35. Designed ...

• Helicopter guns

  GSh-23L

  The GSh-23 is a 23mm double-barrelled aircraft gun designed by KBP Instrument Design Bureau. The gun is designed to fire fragmentation mines, armour-piercing explosives and ...