• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UDT 2016: Private firm to field unmanned survey fleet

  3rd June 2016

  An American company is bidding to become the second largest operator of Hugin AUVs in the world. It will begin taking delivery of its 14 …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG to introduce new cyber guidelines

  2nd June 2016

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) is currently in the process of developing cyber strategy standards for port vulnerability assessments, which will begin to be implemented in summer …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UDT 2016: Fully autonomous MCM tests conducted

  2nd June 2016

  The US and UK militaries have trialled fully autonomous unmanned mine disposal systems, as industry and operators look to determine the future make up of …

• Land Warfare

  ILA 2016: Gloves come off in TLVS fight

  2nd June 2016

  MBDA and Raytheon are fighting a bloody battle over the German Tactical Air Defence System (TLVS). Although MBDA was selected with its Medium Extended Air …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Predator B Big Wing flies 37 hours

  2nd June 2016

  The Big Wing Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper UAS variant has completed its longest endurance flight of 37 hours, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) announced on 1 June.  The endurance …

• Naval Warfare

  UDT 2016: Military research created commercial SonarBell

  2nd June 2016

  A UK-based company that has commercialised military sonar location research from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) say that their Sonarbell product could have more applications …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UDT 2016: Wasps, torpedoes and ASW

  2nd June 2016

  While the US Combat Terrorism Technical Support Organization (CTTSO) continues to trial three Saab Sea Wasp ROVs delivered to them earlier this year, the company …

• Land Warfare

  ILA 2016: Close range impact

  2nd June 2016

  Rheinmetall and MBDA have launched a new very short range air defence system that is on display for the first time at the ILA 2016 …

• Defence Helicopter

  ILA 2016: Airbus Helicopters everyone's friend in Germany

  2nd June 2016

  As the competition to replace Germany’s CH-53G helicopters with a new platform heats up, Airbus Helicopters is keeping its options open. This takes place amid …

• Defence Notes

  Australia seeks SM-2 Block IIIB

  2nd June 2016

  The US State Department is considering a possible $301 million foreign military sale (FMS) of SM-2 Block IIIB standard missiles and associated equipment and support …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Sikorsky demos S-76 autonomous flight

  1st June 2016

  Sikorsky has successfully demonstrated a 30 mile autonomous flight of its Sikorsky S-76 medium-size commercial utility helicopter, it announced on 31 May. The demonstration completes …

• Defence Helicopter

  ILA 2016: Sikorsky builds up heavy lift offering

  1st June 2016

  With a request for proposal (RFP) for Germany’s Heavy Transport (STH) helicopter programme expected in 2017, Sikorsky is ramping up its efforts to win the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus DS awarded German satcom contract

  1st June 2016

  Airbus Defence and Space (Airbus DS) has been awarded a $126.78 million contract by the German armed forces to provide commercial satellite communication services until …

• Military Logistics

  KC-30A offloads 50 million lbs of fuel

  1st June 2016

  A Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) deployed for Operation OKRA has reached a major milestone, offloading 50 million pounds of …

• Naval Warfare

  US CBP receives first interceptor vessel

  1st June 2016

  SAFE Boats International (SBI) has completed and delivered a new Coastal Interceptor Vessel (CIV) for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations …

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 ...