• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2025: Edge Group’s Nimr Automotive adds another three vehicles to its family

  26th February 2025

  The three vehicles were displayed at the show and are a further extension to the range it has already sold widely.

• Naval Warfare

  Airbus wins €480 million contract to build communications network for French air and naval forces

  26th February 2025

  The IP Network, named RIFAN 3, will build on the work of previous RIFAN 2 network, with development work carried out on the new system between 2026 to 2030.

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed Martin unveils new scalable counter-UAS system

  27th February 2025

  The scalable system was flown during a company-funded exercise to demonstrate its ability to detect, track and mitigate a mix of small uncrewed aerial systems, including drone swarms.

• Air Warfare

  Ireland to explore options for tactical UAS procurement

  14th March 2025

  The EU planning notice cited that the uncrewed aerial system (UAS) would be used for predominantly for reconnaissance purposes with a greater range and endurance than drones currently operated by the Irish Defence Forces.

• Naval Warfare

  GAO recommends better oversight of support for shipyards in the face of capacity concerns

  28th February 2025

  The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) believes the US industrial base will struggle to meet US Navy (USN) requirements. This follows recent warnings from USN heads of a decline in resources and that the industrial base is under strain.

• Naval Warfare

  Singapore to add two more submarines to fleet as it hikes defence spending

  3rd March 2025

  Singapore’s army and navy look set to benefit from increases in the country’s defence budget, with submarines and IFVs on the shopping list.

• Air Warfare

  Shield AI teases new upgraded V-Bat variant

  3rd March 2025

  The as-yet-unnamed variant will be formally unveiled in April, according to Shield AI. Of the upgrades to the V-Bat, this variant reportedly has a heavier fuel engine and is SATCOM integration-capable.

• Air Warfare

  First German P-8 flies and upgrade of first aircraft for USN completed

  28th February 2025

  The P-8 Poseidon multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) is based on the Boeing 737NG airliner. It has been ordered by several countries, including Germany, and US Navy (USN) P-8s are being upgraded.

• Air Warfare

  Sikorsky signs $313 million maintenance contract for Australian Navy MH-60Rs

  3rd March 2025

  The extension of its partnership with the Royal Australian Navy comes as the latter is increasing its fleet size, anticipating 12 further aircraft to be delivered by 2036.

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems receives funding as part of US drive to boost chip manufacture

  11th December 2023

  The US Government has been pushing to improve semiconductor and micro-chip manufacture within its borders – a key policy of the Biden government – and the funding will boost BAE Systems’ capabilities in the field.

• Defence Notes

  What does the US decision to pause Ukraine support mean for the war and the stock markets?

  4th March 2025

  NATO and other Western countries had been singing from the same song sheet since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia three years ago but the alliance has been weakened as the new US administration under President Donald Trump pauses military aid to Ukraine.

• Air Warfare

  IDEX 2025: Aselsan plans further electro-optic systems’ flight tests for 2025

  24th February 2025

  Aselsan CEO Ahmet Akyol confirmed that the tests for its TOYGUN and KARAT products would take place on a UAV platform as efforts continue to progress its “challenging” technology roadmap into 2025 and 2026.

• Air Warfare

  Anduril to supply loitering munitions to Ukraine with UK funding

  7th March 2025

  Since July 2024, the UK Government has provided more than £5.26 billion in support to Ukraine, including £3 billion in annual military aid and a £2.26 billion loan for defence spending. The latest deal will see Anduril supply Altius-600M and Altius-700M loitering munitions.

• Air Warfare

  Poland receives first batch of FA-50GF Fighting Eagle jets

  2nd January 2024

  Poland's acquisition of 48 FA-50 advanced trainer and light fighters from KAI has culminated in the formal display of a dozen FA-50 Block 10 jets by the Polish Air Force.

• Land Warfare

  FNSS wins Turkish vehicle order which could be worth more than $7.5 billion

  25th February 2025

  The initial order is for 25 Pars Alpha armoured vehicles in 8x8 configuration but the Turkish Land Forces (TLF) is planning to acquire more than 2,000 vehicles and additional orders are expected.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Chinese UAVs [Bangladesh]

  Background Request for Proposals (RFP) In 2023, as reported by Shephard at the time, the Bangladesh Army released a 106-page tender document to gather information ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Jackal [Taiwan]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 14 September 2023, Jon Parker, CEO And Chief Examiner at Flyby Technology, announced on LinkedIn that the company had signed ...

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

  Tactical Short-Range UAVs (Taiwan)

  Programme Background Long-Held Desire Alongside other branches of the Taiwanese military, the ROCA is trying to incorporate more uncrewed systems into its force structure. During the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Multirole Fighter (Taiwan)

  Programme Background Taiwan claims that Chinese fighter jets are often crossing into the island's air defence zone. The Republic of China Air Force is looking for options ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Fighter Aircraft [United Arab Emirates]

  Programme Background Competitors and Bids Lockheed Martin On 25 September, the United Arab Emirates submitted a FMS request for the F-35A; the proposal was approved ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Invincible Class (Type 218SG) (5-6) [Singapore]

  In March 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Defence (Mindef) announced it would acquire two more submarines to complement its four Type 218SG Invincible-class submarines. Speaking to ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Invincible Class (Type 218SG) (5-6) [Singapore]

  In March 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Defence (Mindef) announced it would acquire two more submarines to complement its four Type 218SG Invincible-class submarines. Speaking to ...

• Frigates

  Type 054A/P (Pakistan)

  Programme Background Contracts Pakistan has ordered four frigates from China under the Type 054AP programme, which refers to the vessels being based on the Peoples ...

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

  Artillery UAV [Thailand]

  Programme Background Requirement & Replacement The Royal Thai Army (RTA) was understood to be seeking a new tactical UAV to replace four legacy Israel Aerospace Industries ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Data links

  Data links | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Transport

  Large Transport Aircraft-II (LTA-II) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirements The aircraft are needed for peacetime, international peacekeeping, emergency and combat operations. They are especially required to ensure a strategic lift capacity ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

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

  FH-95

  The FH-95, sometimes called the Feihong 95 or Flying Swan, is a UAV designed for EW, ISR and strike missions.  It is manufactured by Aerospace Times Feihong Technology Corporation ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CH-802

  The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation CH-802 is a fixed-wing micro air vehicle intended for short-range surveillance and tactical reconnaissance missions in support of ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CH-10

  The CH-10 is a tilt-rotor uncrewed aircraft unveiled by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC) in 2018.  The platform can take off and land on ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Dragon 10A

  The Loitering Dragon 10A is a tube-launched loitering munition from Norinco.  Similar in design to AeroVironment's Switchblade, the drone was displayed alongside its tube launcher at ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CH-805

  The CH-805 is known for its stealthy design and is used for target practice in air defence exercises and equipment testing. It is sometimes mentioned ...

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

  CH-4

  The CH-4 is a MALE UAV available in two variants, the CH-4A and CH-4B. The China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics developed the platform, which is manufactured ...

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

  CH-500

  The CH-500 is a small, coaxial, rotary-wing, multipurpose UCAV and is manoeuvrable due to its tandem, dual-rotor arrangement without a tail rotor – also making it ...

• Self-propelled missile systems

  Shahab Thaqeb

  Shahab Thaqeb is an Iranian-developed variant of China's HQ-7 short-range air defence system, itself a copy of  Thales' Crotale systems imported by China in the ...

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

  CH-6

  The CH-6, or Cai Hong 6 or Rainbow-6, is a UCAV unveiled by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) on 19 April 2021.  Shown ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Pegaz

  The Pegaz, or Pegasus, is a multi-role UCAV developed for the Serbian Armed Forces. It is being manufactured by Military Technical Institute Belgrade (MIT) in collaboration ...

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

  Caihong

  The Caihong (Rainbow), also known as the Cai Hong or CH, is a solar-powered HALE platform designed for near-space flight. It is suitable for military ...

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

  CH-5

  The CH-5 is a medium-altitude, long-endurance UAS designed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation to perform various military missions. Applications of the CH-5 include ISTAR, ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  AR-1

  The AR-1 is a Chinese air-to-surface missile specifically designed for deployment from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), notably the CH-3 and CH-4 series. Developed by the ...

• Anti-ship missiles

  C-801

  The C-801 is a Chinese subsonic anti-ship missile that served as the foundational design for many subsequent Chinese anti-ship missiles. It is the export variant ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CH-91

  The CH-91 has been designed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation for tactical missions such as battlefield reconnaissance, target location, artillery fire correction and damage ...