• Defence Helicopter

  Indonesian helicopter issues denied by Eurocopter

  9th October 2013

  Technical issues have grounded much of the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) Puma/Super Puma fleet in recent months, it has emerged. TNI-AU sources told Shephard that electrical …

• Defence Helicopter

  Downturn in light military rotorcraft sales predicted

  8th October 2013

  As the overall international demand for light military helicopters contracts, manufacturers continue to pursue emerging markets to sustain production levels, according to a new study. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Watchkeeper receives MAA approval

  7th October 2013

  The WK450 Watchkeeper UAV design has finally received certification from the UK’s Military Aviation Authority (MAA), Thales UK has announced. According to Thales, which manufactures …

• Defence Helicopter

  UTC reverses furlough plans

  7th October 2013

  United Technologies (UTC) has announced that it will cancel the furloughs it had planned for this week following the US government’s decision to recall most …

• Defence Notes

  Allen-Vanguard to train Azerbaijan Navy EOD Unit

  7th October 2013

  Allen-Vanguard International will provide EOD/IEDD, Diving and Instructor Training to the Azerbaijan Navy EOD Unit (AZE Unit) under a new contract awarded by NSWC-Indian Head. …

• Naval Warfare

  New Zealand selects Sea Ceptor for ANZAC Frigate upgrade

  7th October 2013

  MBDA’s Sea Ceptor has been selected by the New Zealand Ministry of Defence (MoD) as the Local Area Air Defence (LAAD) system for the Royal …

• Defence Helicopter

  Elbit Systems announces DCoMPASS follow-on order

  7th October 2013

  Elbit Systems Electro-optics Elop will supply its Digital Compact Multi Purpose Advanced Stabilized System (DCoMPASS) electro-optical (EP) payload systems to the air force of an …

• Digital Battlespace

  RAF considers Tornado simulator extension

  7th October 2013

  As the RAF’s GR-4 Tornado simulator celebrates ten years in service, military and industry are considering ways to extend the life of the system to …

• Defence Helicopter

  AgustaWestland invokes arbitration clause

  6th October 2013

  Having lost its battle for a dialogue with the Indian authorities, AgustaWestland is invoking the arbitration clause in its AW101 contract with the MoD. The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army to use LTAS aerostats during NIE 14.1

  4th October 2013

  Trailer-mounted aerostat launcher systems supplied by Lighter Than Air Systems (LTAS) will be used during the US Army’s Network Integration Experiment (NIE) 14.1 to provide …

• Digital Battlespace

  French Navy ATL2 aircraft set for upgrade

  4th October 2013

  The French Navy’s fleet of Atlantique 2 (ATL2) maritime patrol aircraft are set to undergo a modernisation programme under a new contract between the French …

• Defence Notes

  Poland consolidates defence industry

  4th October 2013

  The Polish government has announced the establishment of Poland Armaments Group in an effort to strengthen its defence industry.  Under the plan, major state-owned defence …

• Defence Helicopter

  US shutdown affects helicopter production

  4th October 2013

  Already impacted by US defence budget cuts and sequestration, Sikorsky has been one of the hardest hit by the US government shutdown with helicopter production …

• Defence Notes

  Lockheed Martin, Pilatus Aircraft team for AIR 5428

  3rd October 2013

  A new team is in the running for the Australian Defence Force’s AIR 5428 pilot training system (PTS) programme, with the announcement that Lockheed Martin …

• Defence Helicopter

  UK seeks threat simulators for helicopters

  3rd October 2013

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is seeking a new approach to the simulation of man-in-the-loop (MITL) operated weapons, to counter threats to its combat …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  PC-21 (Project Air 5428) [Australia]

  The new PTS, including aircraft, flight training simulators and learning environments is being acquired from a single capability contractor, Team 21, which consists of Lockheed ...

• Transport, Transport/tanker aircraft

  Project Air 7404 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement Australia is thinking ahead to an enlarged transport fleet to replace the current C-130Js. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was the second ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A (Project Air 6000 Phase 2A/B) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) took delivery of 18 F-35A aircraft as of March 2020 and the remaining aircraft are expected to ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (5-6) [Australia]

  Background Four Contracted Units In the summer of 2020, Northrop Grumman announced that the Australian Government provided $333 million for three MQ-4C Tritons and associated GCS. ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Medium Range Air Defence [Australia]

  Background Faced with a growing threat from China and a vast land and sea territory to protect, Australia is seeking to establish a medium-range ground-based ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [Australia]

  Background Older Efforts On 23 April 2021, the US State Department's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) approval announcement revealed that Australia had requested to buy up ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (13-14) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Project Air 7003 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

• OPVs

  Arafura Class (Project SEA 1180) (1-6) [Australia]

  Programme Background Australia's new class of Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), the Arafura-class, will replace the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) fleet of Armidale and Cape-class patrol ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-28 Ghost Bat [Australia]

  Background Goal As stated by the Head of Air Force Capability, Air Vice-Marshal Robert Denney, in March 2022, the Ghost Bat will be an "operational system ...

• Loitering munitions

  Mission Talon Strike [Australia]

  Background Request for Tender (RFT) On 19 May 2025, the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA), an agency aimed at streamlining defence invocation for the Australian Defence ...

• Military UAS - small

  VTOL UAV [New Zealand]

  Background Defence Capability Plan (DCP) In April 2025, the New Zealand government published the DCP, a document that is essentially a blueprint for what procurements ...

• Trainer

  Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements The RAAF is seeking a future solution that provides a ‘relevant, adaptable, affordable and safe LIFTS out to 2050’ for training pilots ...

• Military UAS - small

  DEF129 (Tactical UAS) [Australia]

  Programme Background Programme Announcement The Australian Army announced the Project Land 129 Phase 3 programme in 2017. This announcement led to the release of an industry ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Harpii Szpon (Loyal Wingman) [Poland]

  Background Market Evaluation On 6 November 2023, speaking at the IQPC International Fighter Conference (IFC) 2023 in Madrid, Major General Cezary Wiśniewski, the Deputy General Commander of the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Air-5416 Project Echidna

  Air-5416 Project Echidna was an initiative launched in 2001 by BAE Systems for the Australian DoD. Its goal was to overhaul the self protection systems ...

• Trainer

  King Air trainer

  Textron / Beechcraft King Air trainers are a family twin-engine aircraft based on King Air 90, 100, 200 and 350 utility aircraft. The King Air ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Australian Defence Force MRH90 Training

  As prime contractor for the ADF's MRH90 training programme, CAE has provided two MRH90 full-flight mission simulators (FFMS), training facilities and engineering and support services. ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  RAAF Hawk Mk 127 FMS

  Under subcontract to BAE Systems, CAE is designing and manufacturing three Hawk Mk 127 full-mission simulators (FMS) for the Royal Australian Air Force that will ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Wanderer

  The Wanderer is a low-altitude, low-cost, long-endurance UAV produced in-house by the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) Jericho Disruptive Innovation Group and the Australian Government's Defense Science ...

• Light attack

  Hawk 200

  The Hawk 200 is a single-seat light attack iteration of the Hawk 100 (see separate entry) and Advanced Jet Trainer or AJT (see separate entry). ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-28A Ghost Bat

  The MQ-28A Ghost Bat is a loyal wingman-type, Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), MALE fixed-wing drone being developed by Boeing Defence Australia. Its development began in ...

• Military - USVs

  Bluebottle

  Bluebottle is a persistent, autonomous, uncrewed surface vessel from Ocius Technology in service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF). In ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  Predator Mission Trainer (PMT)

  The CAE Predator Mission Trainer (PMT) is an integrated platform that combines the features of CAE's UAS mission trainer with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' Predator-specific ...

• Maritime patrol

  Challenger 604

  Bombardier Challenger CL-604 MPAs are in service with the Royal Danish Air Force and the Korea Coast Guard. The first of three Danish aircraft entered ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Phantom 4 (Series)

  Designed for aerial photograph applications by DJI, the Phantom 4 series of UAVs includes the Phantom 4 Pro, Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, Phantom 4 Advanced ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Hawkei

  Thales Australia developed the 4x4 Hawkei for the Australian Army's Land 121 Phase 4 Protected Mobility Vehicle – Light (PMV-L) project.  The prototype was unveiled in ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  AN/ALR-2001

  BAE Systems’ AN/ALR-2001 Electronic Support Measure (ESM) is thought to be based on Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Elta Systems division’s EL/M-8382 ESM. The AN/ALR-2001 is ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  AGM-88E AARGM

  The AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) is a supersonic, medium-range, air-launched tactical missile compatible with US and allied strike aircraft. Designed to upgrade the AGM-88 ...

• Military UAS - mini

  M Solar-X

  First revealed in August 2020, in February 2024, at its symposium, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) showcased the M Solar-X. This solar-powered fixed-wing drone was ...