• Digital Battlespace

  Rockwell’s ARC-210 radio for USAF F-16

  1st December 2017

  Rockwell Collins will equip a US Air Force F-16 aircraft with its next-generation ARC-210 RT-2036(C) networked communications airborne radio, the company announced on 29 November. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Europe ‘informally’ agrees on new drone rules

  30th November 2017

  The European Union’s aviation sector looks to have been given a shot in the arm following an ‘informal’ agreement between the European Parliament (EP) and …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ScanEagle aids disaster recovery missions

  4th December 2017

  Insitu's ScanEagle UAS has taken part in disaster recovery and fire suppression missions in California, Oregon and Texas, the company announced on 28 November. Insitu's …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Indian military yearns for larger UAV inventory

  6th December 2017

  The Indian military’s desire for UAVs will soon be boosted with further RfPs. While the army is already processing an RfP for mini-UAVs, India is …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SeeByte wins MK18 UUV support contract

  29th November 2017

  SeeByte has received a $22.59 million contract to provide engineering, technical support, and training services over five years for the US Navy's MK18 unmanned underwater …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Weaponised Fire Scout on the horizon

  7th December 2017

  The newest iteration of the Northrop Grumman Fire Scout, the MQ-8C, will be transitioned into fleet operations at the end of 2018 according to the US …

• Digital Battlespace

  Commtact unveils M2DLS data link system

  23rd November 2017

  Commtact has unveiled a newly developed Mini-Micro Data Link System (M2DLS) for aerial and ground applications. M2DLS is an advanced and reliable combined digital data …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Autonomous convoy brings logistics technology to the last mile

  23rd November 2017

  With global defence forces continuing to develop autonomous technologies, recent demonstrations of such capabilities are helping to inform decision makers on the readiness of such …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UMS Skeldar, ESG complete R-350 flight trials

  28th November 2017

  UMS Skeldar and ESG have completed a week-long flight demonstration programme of the R-350 rotary-wing UAS for Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information technology …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  CCG receives autonomous survey launch

  27th November 2017

  ASV Global has delivered a converted hydrographic survey launch to the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG), the company announced on 22 November.The conversion enables the 26ft …

• Military Logistics

  HMS Montrose returns to front-line service

  29th November 2017

  Royal Navy Type 23 frigate, HMS Montrose, has returned to front-line service at HM Naval Base (HNB) Devonport, Plymouth, after undergoing upgrades, it was announced …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Dubai Airshow 2017: Fury given engine endurance boost

  19th November 2017

  Lockheed Martin's Fury UAS now boasts an endurance of 15 continuous flight hours owing to a newly integrated 1803 engine. Announcing the UAV engine upgrades …

• Defence Notes

  Analysis: China’s AI revolution threatens US

  12th December 2017

  A new report from the Washington-based Center for a New American Security raised the alert level of the US defence community over China’s rise as …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Alpha, Sightec enter partnership

  20th November 2017

  Spain's Alpha Unmanned Systems, manufacturer of the Alpha 800 gasoline-powered UAS, has entered into a technology partnership with Sightec, an Israel-based developer of video image …

• Naval Warfare

  Stretched corvette design sketched by Saab

  24th November 2017

  Saab is working to conceptualise and design a new family of surface vessels for the Royal Swedish Navy (RSN), with capabilities that it thinks will …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior [India]

  Programme Background Make In India The 'Make In India' initiative is an effort by the Indian government to boost domestic manufacturing. In the context of ...

• Military UAS - small

  Black Hornet 3 PRS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army operated approximately 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS between 2013 and 2017, when the decision was made to retire ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Ajax IFV [UK]

  Background Prior to commencing development of the Ajax the UK utilised the Warrior was its primary IFV. However, the Warrior entered service in 1987 making it ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Naval Collaborative Combat Air Vehicle (N-CCAV) [India]

  Programme Background CATS Warrior The Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) is a planned, uncrewed and crewed family of aircraft in development by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-1 Gray Eagle [US Army]

  Background Required Quantity Although the US Army first envisioned a requirement for 132 MQ-1C Gray Eagles, the US Army's Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) was increased ...

• Military UAS - small

  Orbiter 3 (Croatia)

  Programme Background The Croatian government launched a competitive tender for the procurement of a short-range UAV in October 2017. Although the tender was opened on ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Protected 4x4 Replacement [Argentina]

  Programme Background Argentina currently operates the AML, Spartan 4x4 APC and Dongfeng Warrior CSK131, with 45 still in service across the three vehicles. It also previously operated ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (MIV) [UK]

  Background History The UK MoD announced in March 2018 that it would re-join the Boxer programme and pursue a sole-source acquisition of the 8x8 vehicle. ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  Fixed Site-Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft System Integrated Defeat System [Qatar]

  Background In 2022, Qatar received authorisation from the US Government to acquire 10 Fixed Site-Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft System Integrated Defeat System (FS-LIDS) for $1 billion. Also ...

• Military UAS - mini

  AR100-H [Germany]

  Programme Background In May 2022, it was announced that 145 AR100-H drones would be supplied to the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). At the time of ...

• Military UAS - small

  Alpha 900 [Uruguay]

  Background Acqustiion In October 2022, the Alpha 900 from Alpha Unmanned Systems was reportedly jointly purchased by the Uruguayan state energy company UTE and the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Sixth-Generation Aircraft [South Korea]

  Programme Background Hanwha industries has confirmed that a new engine is under development to replace the American manufactured F-414 engine; according to reports, the new ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Ermine (Ukraine Aid) [Netherlands]

  Background Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Western governments have sought to provide as much assistance as possible to the Ukrainian government. ...

• Minehunters

  New Generation Minehunters/Coastal (NGM/C) (1-5) [Italy]

  Background Requirements Four vessels were planned to be NGM/A, a new ocean-going MCMV, while a further eight NGM/C minehunters, a new coastal MCMV. These will replace ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military - USVs

  SHARC

  The Sensor Hosting Autonomous Remote Craft (SHARC) wave glider platform is a JV developed between Boeing and Liquid Robotics. The SHARC is able to deliver ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - small

  Outlaw SeaHunter

  Outlaw UAVs are used by military and research agencies for training, testing, data collection and system development. In the 114-137kg maximum take-off weight class, SeaHunter ...

• Military UAS - small

  NRQ-21

  Insitu displayed the NRQ-21 Integrator at the Unmanned Warrior 2016 event in Wales. The aircraft has been designed to carry out tasks on land and ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Mounted Warrior

  Mounted Warrior will provide an integrated system-of-systems ensemble designed to improve the survivability, lethality and combat effectiveness of armoured vehicle crewmen. The system leverages capabilities ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Warrior

  The Warrior IFV entered service with the British Army in mid-1987. A total of 789 vehicles were delivered in IFV, infantry command, anti-tank, recovery, repair, ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  MIHDS

  The Modular Integrated Helmet Display System (MIHDS) is designed and developed jointly by General Dynamics Mission Systems, USA and Microvision Inc. The system's SD2500 design ...

• Military - USVs

  MAST

  The Maritime Autonomy Surface Testbed (MAST) was developed by ASV Global and Roke Manor Research under funding from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. It ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  CATS Warrior

  Manufactured by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior is a medium-altitude long-endurance UAS part of the CATS family ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  Warrior 2020

  Finland’s Warrior 2020 programme is focused on improving individual soldier equipment in the five capability areas defined by NATO: C4I, lethality, mobility, survivability and sustainability. Warrior ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58D Kiowa Warrior

  The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, manufactured by Bell Helicopter Textron, is a two-person, light scout helicopter with a day/night mast-mounted sight, glass cockpit and four-bladed rotor system. ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MUBC

  The Modular Universal Battery Charger (MUBC) is a scalable charging system for a range of military and commercial batteries. It provides for the addition of ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F Cayuse Warrior

  An evolution of the OH-6 Cayuse light observation helicopter, the MD 530F was initially Federal Aviation Administration-certified in July 1985 as the Model 369FF. It ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  Athena 511

  The Athena 511 is a compact all-in-one GPS-aided INS air data system. The system’s integrated inertial sensing uses a tactical grade, ring-laser gyro IMU, with ...

• Land: RWS

  Unmanned T40

  Nexter is developed an unmanned variant of its T40 two-man turret to meet the growing demand for these types of systems. Like the standard T40, ...