• Military Logistics

  RAAF C-17 Globemaster fleet achieves FOC

  28th February 2014

  The Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF’s) C-17A Globemaster fleet has reached Final Operational Capability (FOC), with the six-strong aircraft fleet operated by Number 36 Squadron …

• Defence Helicopter

  Rolls-Royce to produce additional V-22 engines

  28th February 2014

  Rolls-Royce will produce AE 1107C engines for the US Marine Corps MV-22 aircraft fleet under a $90.1 million contract awarded by Naval Air Systems Command. …

• Military Logistics

  UK MoD orders additional AAR 463L pallets

  27th February 2014

  AAR will supply 463L cargo pallets to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) under a four-year £8.3 million contract announced on 27 February. The contract …

• Defence Helicopter

  RAN’s MH-60R Romeo helicopter fleet taking shape

  27th February 2014

  The third and fourth MH-60R Romeo helicopters to be produced for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) by Lockheed Martin have left the company’s facility in …

• Defence Helicopter

  Thales announces optronic payload support contract

  27th February 2014

  Thales will support optronic payloads onboard a number of fixed-wing and rotary aircraft in the French military’s fleet under a €164 million contract announced on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Denel’s Seeker 400 UAV completes first flights

  27th February 2014

  The Seeker 400 unmanned aircraft system in development with Denel has completed its first flight tests at the Alkantpan range in the Northern Cape, South …

• Defence Helicopter

  Slowdown in bookings for Airbus Helicopters

  27th February 2014

  Net bookings for Airbus Helicopters dropped from 469 units in 2012 to 422 in 2013 while annual revenues remained stable with a marginal increase to …

• Defence Notes

  UK and US extend science and technology partnership

  27th February 2014

  UK and US defence departments signed a communiqué on 26 February to increase transatlantic collaboration in science and technology initiatives. Philip Dunne, UK Minister for …

• Digital Battlespace

  Boeing P-8A Poseidon enters full-rate production

  26th February 2014

  The US Navy has placed an order with Boeing for 16 additional P-8A Poseidon aircraft, pushing the programme from preliminary low-rate production into full-rate production. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Austria orders Selex ES air defence radar

  26th February 2014

  Selex ES will supply its RAT31DL/M deployable air defence radar (DADR) system to the Austrian Ministry of Defence under an order announced on 26 February. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Heli Expo 2014: MD Helicopters showcases MD530G armed aerial scout

  26th February 2014

  MD Helicopters (MDHI) has used Heli Expo 2014 to showcase the new MD 530G armed aerial scout, the next model in a line of purpose-driven …

• Defence Helicopter

  Heli-Expo 2014: Sikorsky finally receives Turkish Black Hawk contract

  25th February 2014

  After almost three years of protracted contract negotiations, Sikorsky has finally come to an agreement with Turkey for the production of 109 Black Hawk helicopters. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Hagel outlines Pentagon budget proposals

  25th February 2014

  US defence secretary Chuck Hagel has outlined the FY2015 budget which will see the retirement of several weapon systems and shrinking of the US Army …

• Digital Battlespace

  Commercial EMS demand forces DoD policy review

  25th February 2014

  The US DoD is to reassess its electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) operational procedures following a government-led directive to open up more of the spectrum to commercial …

• Defence Helicopter

  Heli-Expo 2014: Bell bullish about future of military products

  24th February 2014

  Bell Helicopter is taking the planned retirement of the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior and TH-67 Creek fleets on the chin and remains bullish about its future …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  PC-21 (Project Air 5428) [Australia]

  The new PTS, including aircraft, flight training simulators and learning environments is being acquired from a single capability contractor, Team 21, which consists of Lockheed ...

• Transport, Transport/tanker aircraft

  Project Air 7404 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement Australia is thinking ahead to an enlarged transport fleet to replace the current C-130Js. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was the second ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A (Project Air 6000 Phase 2A/B) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) took delivery of 18 F-35A aircraft as of March 2020 and the remaining aircraft are expected to ...

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

  MQ-4C Triton (5-6) [Australia]

  Background Four Contracted Units In the summer of 2020, Northrop Grumman announced that the Australian Government provided $333 million for three MQ-4C Tritons and associated GCS. ...

• Data links

  Data links | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (13-14) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

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

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [Australia]

  Background Older Efforts On 23 April 2021, the US State Department's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) approval announcement revealed that Australia had requested to buy up ...

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

  Project Air 7003 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

• OPVs

  Arafura Class (Project SEA 1180) (1-6) [Australia]

  Programme Background Australia's new class of Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), the Arafura-class, will replace the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) fleet of Armidale and Cape-class patrol ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (11-12) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

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

  MQ-28 Ghost Bat [Australia]

  Background Goal As stated by the Head of Air Force Capability, Air Vice-Marshal Robert Denney, in March 2022, the Ghost Bat will be an "operational system ...

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

  Project Vixen [UK]

  Background Project Goal The Royal Navy uses Leonardo crewed Merlin (AW101) helicopters fitted with CROWSNEST pods to provide airborne early warning capabilities for carriers. An early 2021 Royal ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Air-5416 Project Echidna

  Air-5416 Project Echidna was an initiative launched in 2001 by BAE Systems for the Australian DoD. Its goal was to overhaul the self protection systems ...

• 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 ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Australian Defence Force MRH90 Training

  As prime contractor for the ADF's MRH90 training programme, CAE has provided two MRH90 full-flight mission simulators (FFMS), training facilities and engineering and support services. ...

• AMAS

  AMAS – Australian Minesweeping System – was developed with the assistance of the Defence Science & Technology Organisation and the Royal Australian Navy. It adopts ...

• Military - USVs

  Bluebottle

  Bluebottle is a persistent, autonomous, uncrewed surface vessel from Ocius Technology in service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF).

• Air: air combat simulators

  RAAF Hawk Mk 127 FMS

  Under subcontract to BAE Systems, CAE is designing and manufacturing three Hawk Mk 127 full-mission simulators (FMS) for the Royal Australian Air Force that will ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Wanderer

  The Wanderer is a low-altitude, low-cost, long-endurance UAV produced in-house by the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) Jericho Disruptive Innovation Group and the Australian Government's Defense Science ...

• Light attack

  Hawk 200

  The Hawk 200 is a single-seat light attack iteration of the Hawk 100 (see separate entry) and Advanced Jet Trainer or AJT (see separate entry). ...

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

  MQ-28A Ghost Bat

  The MQ-28A Ghost Bat is a loyal wingman-type, Collobrative Combat Aircraft (CCA), MALE fixed-wing drone being developed by Boeing Defence Australia. Its development began in 2013 and took its ...

• Maritime patrol

  Challenger 604

  Bombardier Challenger CL-604 MPAs are in service with the Royal Danish Air Force and the Korea Coast Guard. The first of three Danish aircraft entered ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  Predator Mission Trainer (PMT)

  The CAE Predator Mission Trainer (PMT) is an integrated platform that combines the features of CAE's UAS mission trainer with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' Predator-specific ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  AN/ALR-2001

  BAE Systems’ AN/ALR-2001 Electronic Support Measure (ESM) is thought to be based on Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Elta Systems division’s EL/M-8382 ESM. The AN/ALR-2001 is ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  M Solar-X

  First revealed in August 2020, in February 2024, at its symposium, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) showcased the M Solar-X. This solar-powered fixed-wing drone was ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Phantom 4 (Series)

  Designed for aerial photograph applications by DJI, the Phantom 4 series of UAVs includes the Phantom 4 Pro, Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, Phantom 4 Advanced ...

• Submarine-launched torpedoes

  Mk 48 Mod 7AT CBASS

  The MK 48 MOD 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) is the latest variant of the Mk 48 torpedo family manufactured by Lockheed Martin and ...