• Naval Warfare

  Israel orders three new submarines from TKMS

  24th January 2022

  The presence of an elongated sail on concept artwork and the high price tag of the submarines has prompted questions about the capabilities of new boats ordered by Israel from Germany.

• Defence Notes

  Russian invasion of Ukraine puts a rocket under German defence spending

  1st March 2022

  Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted a sea-change in Germany’s approach to defence spending.

• Naval Warfare

  South Korea awards warship contracts and readies SAM for production

  20th January 2022

  South Korea is a hotbed of naval activity - with frigates, destroyers, submarines and new SAMs all under construction.

• Defence Notes

  Singapore Airshow 2022: Airbus banks on ‘beauty’ of longer-range tanker for KC-Y

  17th February 2022

  Airbus has high hopes of landing a new tanker contract with the USAF, as it and prime Lockheed Martin bet on their joint LMXT concept to deliver an extended-range capability for the KC-Y programme.

• Air Warfare

  Australia receives first upgraded C-130J

  16th January 2022

  Australia is upgrading its C-130J fleet and has prepared the way for a future P-8A upgrade, but the RAAF is struggling with its much-delayed C-27J programme.

• Defence Notes

  European governments offer weapons to Ukrainian ground forces

  28th February 2022

  Ukrainian troops will receive anti-tank weapons, Stinger MANPADS and other materiel from European allies.

• Training

  MQ-9A Reaper provides overwatch for SOF freefall training

  18th February 2022

  US Army SOF freefall parachute training was supported for the first time by overwatch from an MQ-9A Reaper UAS.

• Training

  RAF Valley undergoes fast-jet training transformation

  21st March 2022

  The UK MoD and industry partner Ascent Flight Training are in the process of wrapping up their study into fast-jet pilot training with a more streamlined course expected to be the result.

• Air Warfare

  Malaysia steps up training with US National Guard

  25th February 2022

  More training is on the agenda as Malaysia waits for an American-built radar to arrive next year.

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall launches Lynx 120 for mechanised fire support

  21st February 2022

  Rheinmetall has armed its Lynx IFV chassis with a 120mm gun for mechanised fire support and antitank operations.

• Defence Notes

  BAE Systems posts strong 2021 financials

  25th February 2022

  BAE Systems seems to have weathered the worst economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, as shown in its latest preliminary full-year financial results.

• Land Warfare

  Abrams sale to Poland moves a step closer

  21st February 2022

  Polish plans to buy the most advanced variant of the Abrams MBT have received a boost after approval from the US State Department.

• Naval Warfare

  QinetiQ supports Royal Navy electronic warfare contract

  17th February 2022

  QinetiQ is supporting RN efforts to enhance the EW capabilities of its ships.

• Defence Helicopter

  AW149 undergoes weapons firing trials

  17th February 2022

  An AW149 helicopter test-fired unguided and laser-guided rockets in trials in an undisclosed European country.

• Air Warfare

  PACAF commander: China’s air force has limited interoperability with Russia

  17th March 2022

  While China continues to field multiple new aircraft types, the lack of military partners it can fight alongside nevertheless places Beijing at a disadvantage.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  The Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  The Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The FVL-MS programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft utilised ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Project Proteus [UK]

  Project Proteus is an RN and Leonardo effort to design and develop an uncrewed helicopter demonstrator that could provide an innovative alternative to existing crewed ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Project Proteus [UK]

  Project Proteus is an RN and Leonardo effort to design and develop an uncrewed helicopter demonstrator that could provide an innovative alternative to existing crewed ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey [Japan]

  Programme Background Procurement Contracts The Japanese government is the first export customer of the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey, having ordered 17 helicopters from the US across ...

• Loitering munitions

  Launched Effects-Short Range (LE-SR) [US Army]

  Background Goal The Army sees LE-SR as a family of systems consisting of an air vehicle, effects payload, mission system applications, and associated support equipment ...

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  MQ-8C Fire Scout (USA)

  Programme Background Timeline According to the Naval Air Systems Command, having first ordered the MQ-8B in 2009, the UAV has become a pillar of the ...

• Military UAS - small

  Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirement & Objective The RN identified a requirement to acquire an RPAS to transport cargo and supplies between ships and personnel. When mature, it ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R Seahawk (Saudi Arabia)

  The sale is aimed at improving Saudi Arabia’s capability to meet current and future threats from enemy weapon systems, provide the capability to identify, engage ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Data links

  Data links | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Korean Future Vertical Lift (KFVL)

  Unveiled at KADEX 2024, the Korean Future Vertical Lift (KFVL) is a family of uncrewed helicopters from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). Despite being in the ...

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

  Aerosonde Mk 4.8 HQ FTUAS

  From the Texton family of Aerosonde UAS, the Aerosonde Mk 4.8 Hybrid Quad (HQ) FTUAS is a tactical drone purpose-built to meet the US Army's Future Vertical Lift ...

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

  HQ-60

  Similarly to other platforms in the L3 Technologies Hybrid Quadrotor (HQ) and Fixed-Wing Rotator family (see separate entries) of VTOL fixed-wing UAVs, the HQ-60 has ...

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

  V-247 Vigilant

  The V-247 Vigilant is a tiltrotor UAV from Bell. Officially introduced in 2016, it features an open modular architecture and can host several payloads. These include ...

• Air: Displays

  F-15 Replacement Vertical Situation Display

  BAE Systems Replacement Vertical Situation Display (RVSD) replaces the legacy VSD units on F-15E aircraft. The AMLCD display offers a larger display size and is compatible ...

• Baby Shark 260

  The Foxtech Baby Shark 260 is a fixed-wing VTOL UAV for commercial and civil operations, which has four spar-mounted rotors to provide vertical lift, a pusher ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  X-Sight

  Elbit X-Sight is a developmental helmet-mounted display system designed for helicopters. According to the manufacturer, it will offer a high field of view and colour binocular ...

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

  H6 Poseidon

  Manufactured by Swarmly, the H6 Poseidon is a fixed-wing VTOL-capable UAV. The second largest member of the Poseidon family, the vertical lift is provided through ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Proteus

  Proteus is a technology demonstrator that Leonardo is developing in collaboration with the UK MoD's Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S;) Future Capabilities Group and the ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Bell 360 Invictus

  The Bell 360 Invictus is the company's prototype for the US Army's Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) programme.  The helicopter features retractable weapon bays, two ...

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

  Veloce-15

  The ST Engineering Veloce-15 (V-15) is a hybrid fixed-wing UAV with four rotors for vertical lift and a tail-mounted two-bladed pusher propeller for horizontal propulsion.  ...

• Military UGVs

  Avenger

  In January 2017, Med-Eng announced the launch of a new bomb disposal and tactical robot, called the Avenger, at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas. ...

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

  Ultra

  The Ultra UAV, or HCMC, is a fixed-wing twin-engined cargo-carrying platform manufactured by Windracers. The platform is mainly aimed at the commercial market and has conducted trials ...

• Nimbus 1800

  Foxtech's Nimbus 1800 is a tri-copter, lightweight, fixed-wing VTOL UAV designed for civilian and commercial mapping and inspection roles. It has a 2.8kg weight without ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Loong 2

  The Loong 2 is a rotary-wing mini-UAV manufactured by LoongUAV. Designed for ISR missions, the UAV features a universal plug-and-play standardised interface, meaning a lot of different ...