• Digital Battlespace

  Contract awarded for development of future UK space control system

  15th February 2024

  Project Beroe will underpin government control of future satellite constellations, further enhancing the UK’s multi-domain integration efforts.

• Air Warfare

  Romania boosts airlift capability with arrival of US C-130H-2 Hercules

  4th October 2023

  The strategic acquisition of C-130H Hercules represents a significant milestone in the ongoing collaboration between the US and Romania under the Foreign Military Sales programme.

• Training

  US marines and sailors engage in advanced training during Kuwait bilateral exercise

  11th October 2023

  The training focuses on sustaining and enhancing military capabilities, emphasising bilateral collaboration and sharing of tactics between US and Kuwaiti forces.

• Training

  Iran demonstrates improved missiles and tests capabilities and practices as part of two-day exercise

  30th October 2023

  Iran has tested new weapons at the recently concluded Eqtedar 1402 exercise which focused on what the Iranian government described as ‘emerging threats’.

• Land Warfare

  Austria trebles Pandur EVO 6x6 fleet via $1.9 billion order

  20th February 2024

  The Pandur EVO, a 6x6 APC which features a longer hull design, improved driveline technology and powerpack, will provide a significantly increased level of protection, payload and mobility compared to the Pandur I.

• Air Warfare

  Dubai Airshow 2023: How the MQ-9 Reaper UAS came to rule the skies

  10th November 2023

  Ahead of the 2023 edition of the Dubai Airshow, Shephard looks at the GA-ASI MQ-9A Reaper UAS, its role in shaping modern conflict dynamics, and its deployment for surveillance and precision strike throughout the Middle East.

• Land Warfare

  Panther MBT moves closer to production with $316 million development contract

  15th December 2023

  Rheinmetall unveiled the KF51 Panther at Eurosatory 2022. The MBT will use Leopard 2 components in its bare chassis, but will feature a new turret and the Rheinmetall 130mm L/52 smoothbore gun.

• Training

  Synthetic training capability demonstrated to UK Royal Navy

  5th September 2023

  QinetiQ, Inzpire and BAE Systems have completed a demonstration of the Platform Enabled Training Capability (PETC) to the UK Royal Navy, a system designed to provide immersive collective training across multiple platforms for increased readiness and cost savings.

• Digital Battlespace

  World Defense Show 2024: Maxar on course to have six observation satellites in orbit this year

  14th February 2024

  WorldView Legion, a fleet of high-performance satellites, will expand Maxar’s ability to revisit the most rapidly changing areas on Earth to better inform critical, time-sensitive decisions.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US government announces additional sanctions on Iran’s supporters

  6th February 2024

  Three Hong Kong-based companies and one Iranian entity have been supplying materials and sensitive technology for Iranian drones and missile production according to the US Department of the Treasury.

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall to upgrade Romanian air defence artillery systems

  2nd January 2024

  Romania is one of several countries near Ukraine and Russia which have recently signed contracts for improved air defence equipment alongside Austria, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2023: Australian companies launch rockets from Funnel Web robot, point to Ukraine potential

  7th September 2023

  Australian companies Black Sky Aerospace and Funnel Web Systems showcased a demonstration of rocket-firing from a UGV at Poland's MSPO, specifically pointing to potential in the war in Ukraine as a scenario where they could be used.

• Naval Warfare

  Italy finally funds naval missile projects

  17th November 2023

  The Italian MoD’s multi-year programme documents (DPP) detailing its current and planned acquisition projects has provided new details of funding for its 2023–25 naval missile programmes.

• Air Warfare

  Polish FA-50 fighters to be equipped with Thales Scorpion HMD

  18th October 2023

  Thales Scorpion Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) will augment FA-50 pilots’ vision in real time through hybrid inertial optical tracking.

• Land Warfare

  Pentagon runs out of funds to support Ukraine

  11th January 2024

  DoD authorities have been urging the US Congress to approve the national security supplemental request to ensure future donations to Kyiv.

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 - fixed-wing, 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. ...

• Data links

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

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Transponders and IFF

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

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

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

  Loyal Wingman [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 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 - fixed-wing, 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 ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (11-12) [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 - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Project Vixen [UK]

  Background Project Goal The Royal Navy uses Leonardo crewed Merlin (AW101) helicopters fitted with CROWSNEST pods to provide airborne early warning capabilities for carriers. An early 2021 Royal ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Project SEA 3000 [Australia]

  The February 2024 Enhanced Lethality Surface Combatant Fleet review recommends that the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) acquire at least seven, and optimally 11, Tier 2 ...

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. ...

• AMAS

  AMAS – Australian Minesweeping System – was developed with the assistance of the Defence Science & Technology Organisation and the Royal Australian Navy. It adopts ...

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

  MQ-28A Ghost Bat

  The MQ-28A Ghost Bat is a loyal wingman type MALE fixed-wing drone being developed by Boeing Defence Australia. Its development began in 2013 and took its first ...

• 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 ...

• 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: 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 ...

• Submarine-launched torpedoes

  Mk 48 Mod 7AT CBASS

  The MK 48 MOD 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) is the latest variant of the Mk 48 torpedo family manufactured by Lockheed Martin and ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 ...

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

  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 ...

• Military - USVs

  Bluebottle

  Bluebottle is a persistent, autonomous, uncrewed surface vessel from Ocius Technology in service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).