• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: Paris uncovered (video)

  26th June 2015

  The 2015 edition of the Paris Air Show was once again dominated by the billion-dollar airliner battle between Airbus and Boeing, but there were still …

• Military Logistics

  Darwin barge ramp project approved

  26th June 2015

  The Australian parliament has approved a $13.9 million project for a multi-user barge ramp facility in Darwin, the government announced on 23 June. The facility …

• Military Logistics

  Canadian SMP truck contract nears

  25th June 2015

  The tension is palpable as the Canadian Army gets closer to awarding a contract for a set of 1,500 new military trucks. A long running …

• Military Logistics

  Paris Air Show: KHI eyes export market

  25th June 2015

  Kawasaki Heavy Industries’ (KHI) military cargo aircraft will be operational with the Japanese Air Self Defence (JASD) force by 2017, Shephard has learned at the …

• Land Warfare

  Colt Canada to replace Ranger rifle

  25th June 2015

  Colt Canada has been awarded a contract to replace the Lee Enfield rifle used by the Canadian Rangers, it was announced on 23 June. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Blade 2015 underway in Italy

  25th June 2015

  The European Defence Agency's (EDA) Blade Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP) is underway in Italy. More than 1,000 military personnel and 30 helicopters have come together …

• Digital Battlespace

  US warns China on cyberattacks

  24th June 2015

  The US has asked China that they should both agree to behave in the proper manner in cyberspace. Following the data breach at the US Office of …

• Military Logistics

  General Atomics bags EMALS, AAG order

  24th June 2015

  General Atomics will produce Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) for the future aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), …

• Defence Notes

  Poland joins NATO’s 2% club

  24th June 2015

  Poland’s defence spending has reached above the 2% benchmark according to a NATO report, amid general reductions by many other European alliance members. The NATO …

• Military Logistics

  HII bags carrier modernisation order

  24th June 2015

  The Newport News Shipbuilding division of Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has received a US Navy contract for modernisation and nuclear propulsion work on the USS …

• Military Logistics

  A400M deliveries to recommence

  23rd June 2015

  Spanish regulator DGAM has lifted all remaining flight restrictions on new production Airbus A400Ms, paving the way for the recommencement of aircraft deliveries by Airbus …

• Military Logistics

  Airbus to acquire Safe Air

  23rd June 2015

  Air New Zealand is selling its aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) company, Safe Air to Airbus Group Australia Pacific. According to an Air New Zealand statement …

• Defence Helicopter

  Spirit delivers third King Stallion fuselage

  22nd June 2015

  Spirit AeroSystems has delivered the third fuselage of the CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter to prime contractor Sikorsky, the company announced on 19 June. With …

• Digital Battlespace

  Paris Air Show: Octopod spreads its tentacles

  22nd June 2015

  German company Aerodata unveiled its new all-in-one surveillance pod, the Octopod, at the Paris Air Show this year.  The company’s new product contains eight different …

• Naval Warfare

  China issues rules for ship use

  19th June 2015

  China is implementing technical guidelines that will ensure civilian vessels can be mobilised and operated by the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) during an emergency. …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  DELI [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Speaking to Shephard at SAHA Expo 2022, a spokesperson stated that the platform was expected to enter into service with the Turkish Armed ...

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

  Akinci [Libya]

  Programme Background 2022 Reports In October 2022, various Libyan media outlets reported that the country was eyeing a possible procurement from Baykar, possibly the Akinici ...

• Transport

  C-130J [Vietnam]

  Programme Background Requirement Vietnam’s interest in acquiring the C-130J reflects a broader effort to modernise its air transport fleet, which was previously dominated by Russian ...

• Corvettes

  Steregushchy Class (Project 20380) (11-18)

  Programme BackgroundThe Steregushchiy class (Project 20380) corvettes are designed to operate in littoral combat zones and engage with enemy ships and submarines. The multi-role missions ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) (Tranche 2) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Data links

  Data links | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache (Indian Army)

  It is a hybrid procurement, as was the 2015 Air Force one (see separate entry), employing both a direct commercial sale with Boeing and an ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Hangor Class Submarines [Pakistan]

  Programme Background Timeline Chinese media first reported that the Pakistan Navy had agreed to buy eight modified Type 039B submarines in April 2015. The contract ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  T-15 Armata (Contracted)

  Programme Background The first contract for 132 Armatas was signed by the Russian MoD in 2015. This will comprise sufficient T-14, T-15 heavy IFV and ...

• Tanks

  T-14 Armata (Contracted)

  Programme Background The first contract for 132 Armatas was signed by the Russian MoD in 2015. This will comprise sufficient T-14, T-15 heavy IFV and ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Horizon 3 - Submarines Procurement Programme [Philippines]

  Programme Background Requirements The Philippines began its Future Submarine Acquisition back in 2015. The Philippines has no experience in operating submarines, but there is a ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• H160

  Airbus Helicopters unveiled a full-scale model of the H160 medium twin rotorcraft on 3 March 2015 at Heli-Expo. The utility helicopter, the first to be ...

• EO/IR systems

  Skybox

  The Skybox allows gimballed camera systems developed for small UAVs to be integrated on the nose of manned helicopters. It accommodates cameras such as DJI’s ...

• EO/IR systems

  OWLS

  Observation Wide-area Low-altitude Sensor (OWLS), demonstrated at Heli-Expo 2015, is a two-axis micro gimbal imager that combines a night vision sensor and an image-stabilised enclosure. ...

• Helicopter engines

  RR300

  The RR300 combines new design methodologies with the legacy of the M250 engine to produce a new engine family for the small rotorcraft market. Intended ...

• Air: mission management systems

  TM-100 Map and Video Management system

  Trakka Systems introduced a new TM-100 Map and Video Management system at HAI Heli-Expo 2017 in Dallas. The augmented reality mapping system with metadata video and audio ...

• EO/IR systems

  Geodetic photomapping and monitoring payload and blind zone cameras

  Heliatica unveiled a geodetic mapping and monitoring payload with Geoscan at Heli-Expo 2017. The system is designed to fit two Sony DSC-RX1 (24MP resolution) cameras ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  6XX

  Publicly unveiled at Heli-Expo in March 2017, the MD Helicopters 6XX is the next evolution in the MD 500 series and is a redesigned, single-engine ...

• Multipurpose missiles

  LAHAT

  The Laser Homing Attack (LAHAT) is an Israeli, semi-active, laser homing guided, low-weight, ATGM. It was designed to be fired from 105mm and 120mm tank guns.

• Tiltrotors

  AW609

  The Bell/Agusta BA609 became the first tiltrotor designed for the civilian market to fly in March 2003. In June 2011, Leonardo announced that it had ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  525 Relentless

  Bell Helicopter announced in February 2012 that it was developing the Model 525 Relentless. The Relentless features an ARC Horizon flight deck, including the Garmin ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Bars-8

  Following on from the 7t Bars-6 4x4 multipurpose armoured vehicle, Bogdan developed the 10t Bars-8 4x4 multipurpose armoured vehicle which was unveiled at the September ...

• Land: RWS

  AU-220M

  The AU-220M unmanned turret, developed by TsNII Burevestnik, a subsidiary of Uralvagonzavod (UVZ), mounts a dual-feed 57mm automatic cannon and a PKTM 7.62mm coaxial machine ...

• Military helicopters - maritime, Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  S-92/H-92

  The H-92 is the military version of the commercial S-92. It has a stand-up cabin, higher gross weight, more power and new composite rotor blades. ...

• Military vehicle engines

  TCD 2015

  The TCD 2015 is a modern water-cooled four stroke diesel V-engine that is currently integrated on the RG41 armoured vehicle.

• P1AR Virtual Hoist SAR simulator

  Priority 1 Air Rescue demonstrated an operational model of its Virtual Hoist SAR simulator for the first time at Heli-Expo 2017 with a small, transportable ...