• Training

  What to expect at IT²EC 2022 (Sponsored)

  8th March 2022

  IT²EC will bring the military training and simulation community together under one roof at the ExCel Centre, London, on 26-28 April 2022, to once again share knowledge and gain insights into training, simulation and education.

• Defence Notes

  Annual UK defence equipment spending jumps by more than £1 billion, deliveries nearly double

  28th January 2022

  The latest annual figures from MoD Defence Equipment & Support describe a significant increase in UK defence equipment spending.

• Training

  Qatar changes tack by basing M-346s in-country for training

  26th February 2022

  Leonardo has confirmed a long-speculated order from Qatar for six M-346 trainer aircraft, which will fly alongside the country’s diverse fighter jet fleet — but will the small Gulf country have sufficient logistical abilities, training footprint and personnel to make effective use of it?

• Defence Helicopter

  GE Aviation chases place in New Medium Helicopter programme

  24th February 2022

  Engine manufacturer GE Aviation emphasises maintenance and sustainable fuel benefits as it chases a place in the UK’s New Medium Helicopter programme.

• Air Warfare

  RAF receives final P-8A Poseidon

  11th January 2022

  Boeing has successfully completed the delivery of all nine P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft as contracted by the RAF.

• Air Warfare

  UK funds additional F-35 squadron but doubts persist over future fleet total

  22nd February 2022

  The UK has committed to spend more money on a second tranche of F-35B fighter jets but it has not divulged how many it plans to buy.

• Training

  'Fight's on' as Red Flag shows necessity of live air training

  27th January 2022

  The first Red Flag exercise of the year underscores the importance of live training for the US and its allies.

• Defence Notes

  Interesting times beckon in unstable 2022 (Opinion)

  28th January 2022

  As the international security situation shows no sign of improving, the UK must balance its constrained defence resources against geostrategic priorities to support regional and global allies.

• Defence Helicopter

  The Combat Veteran - 40 Years of the Chinook in the UK

  10th January 2022

  The Chinook has served in every RAF campaign of the past 40 years. But in Afghanistan, it faced greater pressure than ever before.

• Digital Battlespace

  Deployable Lanza radar passes NATO tests

  5th January 2022

  Tests verified the ability of the Lanza 3D deployable air defence radar to detect and track ballistic missiles.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Elbit Systems UK and MoD begin talks on Watchkeeper MLE upgrade

  25th January 2022

  Talks have begun on a mid-life extension (MLE) upgrade for the UK's Watchkeeper tactical UAV.

• Defence Notes

  Lockheed Martin deliberates over F-35 2022 production rate

  7th January 2022

  After a remarkable year for F-35 sales, Lockheed Martin has started internal discussions regarding a 2022 production target.

• Naval Warfare

  UK RAF and NATO members assess SeaVue

  9th December 2021

  Raytheon Intelligence & Space’s SeaVue surveillance system has been demonstrated during joint military exercises with the RAF and other NATO members.

• Defence Helicopter

  Future requirements and negotiations to decide UK NMH fleet total

  14th December 2021

  The UK MoD is still to decide on the exact number of aircraft to order under the New Medium Helicopter programme — but there is little room for delay.

• Air Warfare

  RAF leads the way to a green future

  25th November 2021

  Sir Mike Wigston spoke at King’s College London on the RAF’s plan to be NetZero by 2040 and the milestones along the way.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  StormShroud: Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) [UK]

  Background Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) Strategy Reflecting on lessons learned from the cancellation of the Mosquito programme, the Royal Air Force (RAF) redefined the role ...

• ISR/special mission

  Shadow R1 [UK]

  Programme Background The RAF is moving forward with an ambitious plan to transform its intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) force to enable greater ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M (UK)

  RAF base at Brize Norton built a new training facility for A400M pilots and crew. The aircraft will look to reach full operation capability by 2022 when ...

• AEW&C

  E-7 Wedgetail (737) - UK

  Programme Background Seeking to replace its six ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AEW&C;, the British Royal Air Force awarded Boeing a £1.89 billion contract in 2019 covering the ...

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

  LANCA (Loyal Wingman): Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) [UK]

  Background Project Mosquito & Cancellation Beginning in 2019, the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), in collaboration with the Royal Air Force (RAF), began ...

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

  Protector RG1 [UK]

  Background Programme Goal The programme aims to replace the MQ-9A Reapers in the RAF's inventory until they are formally retired in October 2025. The MQ-9B will deliver a UK ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H-47ER Chinook [UK]

  Programme Background 2021 FMS Announcement In October 2018, the US State Department approved a $3.5 billion FMS of 16 CH-47 Chinooks fitted with extended-range fuel tanks ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8A Poseidon [UK]

  Programme Background In July 2016, the UK government announced that it had ordered nine aircraft for service with the RAF. Under this frame, in January ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | A400M (forecast) [United Kingdom]

  In April 2025, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that as part of the Strategic Defence Review is reviewing a potential purchase of additional A400M Atlas ...

• Data links

  Data links | A400M (forecast) [United Kingdom]

  In April 2025, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that as part of the Strategic Defence Review is reviewing a potential purchase of additional A400M Atlas ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | A400M (forecast) [United Kingdom]

  In April 2025, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that as part of the Strategic Defence Review is reviewing a potential purchase of additional A400M Atlas ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Typhoon Tranche 3A - Qatar

  As a part of the agreement to sell Typhoon, the UK is establishing a ‘Joint Operations Squadron’ (to be known as 12 Squadron) with the ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Land Autonomous Collaborative Platform (LACP) [UK]

  Background Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) Strategy Reflecting on lessons learned from the cancellation of the Mosquito programme, the Royal Air Force (RAF) redefined the role ...

• Transport

  Command Support Air Transport Recapitalisation (UK)

  Programme Background The tender, originally released on 28 October 2021, requires industry bidders to put forward aircraft that can achieve a minimum unrefuelled range of ...

• AEW&C

  E-7 Wedgetail (Second Order) [U.K.]

  Programme Background Seeking to replace its six ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AEW&C;, the British Royal Air Force awarded Boeing a £1.89 billion contract in 2019 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• EO/IR systems

  RAPTOR

  The Reconnaissance Airborne Pod for Tornado (RAPTOR), based on Raytheon's DB-110, was developed for the UK RAF Tornado GR4s. RAF specifications required target recognition with ...

• EO/IR systems

  DJRP

  The Digital Joint Reconnaissance Pod (DJRP) is a tactical EO/IR reconnaissance system. It provides simultaneous high resolution and wide field-of-view EO imagery and horizon-to-horizon day/night ...

• 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: air combat simulators

  Tornado GR4 Synthetic Training Service

  Thales provides its Tornado GR4 Synthetic Training Service (TSTS) through its 100%-owned subsidiary, Ace. The service is a complete suite of synthetic training for Tornado ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  FIASTS

  Thales, through 100%-owned subsidiary Merlin, is delivering a ‘packaged’ training and maintenance system for RAF aircrew through the FsAST Integrated Aircrew Synthetic Training Service (FIASTS). ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: Electronic Attack - Pod

  Sky Shadow-2

  Leonardo’s Sky Shadow-2 electronic attack pod was designed for the Panavia Tornado-GR4A ground attack aircraft in service with the RAF. 

• Fighter - multirole

  Tornado (IDS/ADV)

  The Tornado is a family of two-seat, twin-engine, variable-sweep wing multirole fighters manufactured by Panavia, a trans-European consortium of BAE Systems, Airbus Space and Defence ...

• Air: Displays

  Tornado Advanced Radar Dsiplay & Information System (TARDIS)

  The Tornado Advanced Radar Display & Information System (TARDIS) is developed by BAE Systems, UK, specifically for the UK's Royal Air Force's (RAF) fleet of ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  A400M Training

  Thales is the principal training provider for the Airbus A400M with a contract to provide FFSs and flat-panel trainers. Four A400M FFS and two flat-panel ...

• Air: maintenance simulators

  Engineering and Maintenance Training

  BAE Systems designs and delivers engineering and maintenance training, with the ability to provide a package to address the needs of all personnel ranging from ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  LANCA / Mosquito

  The Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft (LANCA) is a developmental 'Loyal Wingman' UAS that the RAF and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) hoped would support its crewed ...

• ISR/special mission, Trainer

  TC-135S/W

  The TC-135S and TC-135W are training aircraft developed by Boeing based on the EC-135 to provide crew training for RC-135S Cobra Ball optical and electronic ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Eurofighter HMSS

  Eurofighter Typhoon’s Helmet Mounted Symbology System (HMSS) provides pilots with enhanced situational awareness, data display and sensor/effector cueing. Developed by BAE Systems, it is in ...

• Trainer

  Hawk AJT

  The Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) is the latest version of what is claimed to be the world’s most widely used advanced jet trainer. Almost ...

• Air: maintenance simulators

  C-17 Globemaster III MTS

  TRU Simulation and Training C-17 Maintenance Training System (MTS) supports training needs for this complex computerised aircraft. The MTS provides skill development for more than 1,100 ...