• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UK furthers unmanned engineering efforts

  3rd May 2013

  Despite an overall perception of a British engineering industry in stagnation, efforts are underway in the unmanned arena to develop next generation systems to match …

• Defence Helicopter

  Italy receives first NH90 TTH in FOC configuration

  3rd May 2013

  The Italian Army has taken delivery of the first NH90 tactical transport helicopter (TTH) in Final Operational Capability configuration at an official ceremony at AgustaWestland’s …

• Defence Notes

  SCS UK MoD training services contract extended

  2nd May 2013

  SCS will continue to provide training support to the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) Joint Forces Command (JFC) following the award of a 12-month extension …

• Military Logistics

  Final three C-130Js for Iraq set for delivery

  2nd May 2013

  The final three C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft on order for the Iraqi Air Force (IQAF) are set for delivery by Lockheed Martin, it has …

• Military Logistics

  FlightSafety wins KC-46 Aircrew Training System contract

  2nd May 2013

  FlightSafety has been selected to provide the Aircrew Training System for the KC-46 tanker transport aircraft to the US Air Force. The contract will see …

• Digital Battlespace

  NATO admits C2 failings

  1st May 2013

  A NATO official has identified weak links in the alliance’s C2 chain as it prepares for its next venture into integration testing, Unified Vision 2014. …

• Land Warfare

  US Army issues JETS TLDS prototype contracts

  1st May 2013

  The US Army has selected DRS and BAE Systems for the three-year engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase of the Joint Effects Targeting System (JETS) …

• Defence Helicopter

  US furthers next-generation helicopter studies

  30th April 2013

  Plans for a next generation US helicopter to replace the AH-64 Apache and UH-60 Black Hawk have moved forward with three different configurations under evaluation. …

• Defence Helicopter

  GKN chases JMR involvement

  30th April 2013

  GKN Aerospace is in talks with Bell Helicopter and Sikorsky about possible involvement in their bids for the US Joint Multirole (JMR) next-generation helicopter project. …

• Naval Warfare

  Thales’ APAR completes first Sea Acceptance Test

  29th April 2013

  Thales’s multi-function Active Phased Array Radar (APAR) has undergone the first Sea Acceptance Test (SAT) on the new Iver Huitfeldt Class frigates of the Royal …

• Military Logistics

  Sofradir wins KC-46 infrared camera contract

  29th April 2013

  Rockwell Collins has selected Sofradir EC to provide high resolution infrared cameras to support work on the US Air Force KC-46 tanker programme. Rockwell Collins …

• Military Logistics

  RMMV announces Danish armed forces deal

  26th April 2013

  Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) is to supply  the Danish armed forces with 14 heavyweight protected recovery vehicles under a deal announced on 26 February. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Succesful DeSIRE flight announced

  26th April 2013

  EDA and ESA announce succesful civil UAS integration trial The European Defence Agency (EDA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) announced on 26 April the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Rotem develops hyper-hemispherical sapphire domes

  26th April 2013

  The Crystals Division of Israeli manufacturer Rotem Industries announced today that it had manufactured the first production series of hyper-hemispherical (240 degrees or more) sapphire …

• Military Logistics

  First A400M nears IOC

  26th April 2013

  The first production A400M is expected to be delivered to the French Air Force and achieve military initial operation capability (IOC) in the second quarter …

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 ...