• Defence Notes

  South Korea accepts two bids for KF-X fighter

  10th March 2015

  Two companies have submitted bids for South Korea’s US$7.9 billion programme to develop and procure a locally-build fighter. The project suffered a slight hiccup when …

• Naval Warfare

  ISIS can threaten Med

  3rd March 2015

  ISIS extremists could present a threat to shipping in the Mediterranean as a result of the unstable situation in Libya. International consultancy Perim Associates, experts …

• Defence Helicopter

  Heli-Expo 2015: Vector Aerospace details recent contracts

  3rd March 2015

  Vector Aerospace Helicopter Services – North America (HS-NA) is to refurbish the airframe of a Sikorsky S-76B helicopter for the Royal Thai Navy under a …

• Defence Notes

  IDEX 2015: Rockwell Collins seeks partnerships in region

  26th February 2015

  Rockwell Collins expects to see continued growth in the Middle East as the region continues to invest and grow its own industrial base through investment …

• Digital Battlespace

  Avalon 2015: Australian Wedgetail fully operational by mid-year

  25th February 2015

  Full operating capability (FOC) is expected to be declared for the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) Wedgetail E-7A airborne early warning and control aircraft before …

• Naval Warfare

  South Korea, New Zealand induct new hovercraft

  23rd February 2015

  Griffon Hoverwork has delivered its first BHT 150 air cushion vehicle to the Korea Coast Guard (KCG), in the first delivery to a military or …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Avalon 2015: Global Hawk flies in for airshow

  23rd February 2015

  The US Air Force will be exhibiting a Global Hawk RQ-4 high-altitude long-endurance UAV at the Australian Airshow near Melbourne after flying an aircraft to …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Aero India: The Eagle has landed

  19th February 2015

  Closer US-India military cooperation in the UAV field kicked up a gear when AeroVironment and Bangalore-based Dynamatic Technologies inaugurated a production facility on 17 February.  The …

• Defence Helicopter

  IDEX 2015: ISIS to impact Middle East rotorcraft plans

  18th February 2015

  The protracted fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) will cast a long shadow over military requirements in the region, particularly in …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  North Dakota seizes UAS development opportunities

  17th February 2015

  North Dakota is working to establish itself as a centre of UAS excellence, with a number of recent developments underpinning efforts to bolster the regional …

• Digital Battlespace

  Japan launches back-up spy satellite

  13th February 2015

  A reserve spy satellite was launched by Japan from its Tanegashima Space Centre on 1 February 2015. Following a three-day delay due to bad weather …

• Naval Warfare

  Lockheed lays keel for 13th US LCS

  11th February 2015

  An industry team led by Lockheed Martin has laid the keel for the 13th US Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), which will be named USS …

• Land Warfare

  US gives ammunition and artillery to Lebanon

  11th February 2015

  The US has delivered ammunition and artillery worth over $25 million in assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces, the US Embassy to Lebanon announced on …

• Defence Helicopter

  US budget: Army dares Congress to blink first

  3rd February 2015

  The US Army has placed itself firmly on a collision course with Congress over its controversial aviation restructure initiative (ARI). Essentially making the argument that …

• Digital Battlespace

  Special forces suit project confirmed

  30th January 2015

  The future of the US Special Operations Command’s (USSOCOM’s) Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS) programme is assured following a change of command. Details remained …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Self-propelled guns

  Mobile Tactical Cannon [US]

  Background The US Army began using the M777 in 1995. Since then, it has served as a field artillery piece providing fire support for American ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  MCH-101 [Japan]

  Programme Background At the time of the 2023 signing , Japan had a fleet of 10 MCH-101s and three CH-101.The KHI MCH-101 helicopter is a version ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Hurkus C [Niger]

  Programme Background  In late April 2021, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) President and CEO Temel Kotil claimed in an interview with CNN Turk TV that an export customer for ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-5 Replacement [Mexico]

  Background  Mexico's last fighter aircraft capability rested with their fleet of eight F-5E and two F-5F Tiger IIs platforms from Northrop Grumman; the units were retired ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  Mistral 3 [North Macedonia]

  Background North Macedonia signed a contract for the procurement of Mistral 3 short-range air defence systems. The systems will modernise the Army and are expected ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Light Protected Mobility Vehicle (Phase 1) [North Macedonia]

  Background The acquisition of an LPMV to equip the North Macedonian Armed Forces' Light Infantry Battalion Group (LIBG) is considered the most urgent priority for the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker [North Macedonia]

  Background In its Long-Term Defence Capabilities Development Plan (LTDCDP) published in 2019, the North Macedonian MoD outlined plans to acquire Light Armoured Vehicles (LAVs) to ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AW169M [North Macedonia]

  Background Bids and suppliers Prior to Leonardo's award of the North Macedonian contract, Airbus, Lockheed Martin and Bell Helicopters had all put in bids for ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AW149 [North Macedonia]

  Background Bids and suppliers Prior to Leonardo's award of the North Macedonian contract, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, and Bell Helicopters had all put bids in for ...

• Military UAS - small

  Tactical UAVs [North Macedonia]

  Background European Peace Facility (EPF) The EPF, established in 2021, operates separately from the EU budget. Between 2021 and 2027, the EPF has a financial ...

• Military UAS - small

  Small Surveillance Drones [Denmark]

  Background Second Agreement on the Arctic and North Atlantic In October 2025, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland announced the second agreement of the Arctic and ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [Netherlands]

  Background Dutch and American collaboration On 16 October 2025, the Dutch MoD announced a Letter of Intent (LOI) had been signed to join the USAF’s ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian [Denmark]

  Background Arctic Capability Package In February 2021, Denmark published the Arctic Capability package, a commitment to invest in new technologies, particularly uncrewed systems, to improve surveillance ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker [Greece]

  Background The Greek Army currently operates a number of outdated vehicles, the majority of which are older American platforms like the M113. As part of ...

• Military UAS - small

  Air-Launched Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (ALUAV) [India]

  Background  Origins The development programme has its origins in the US-India Defence Technology and Trade Initiative signed between the nations in 2006 and renewed in 2015. This ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Major networking projects

  BCS

  Battle Control System (BCS) is a USAF Acquisition Category 1 major automated information system programme that provides air sovereignty C2 for the North American Aerospace ...

• Major networking projects

  BCS-F

  Battle Control System-Fixed (BCS-F) is a replacement for the fixed sites for the Region/Sector Air Operations Center, also known as Region Air Operations Center-Air Defense ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  TW-860 TSM Sprit

  TrellisWare TW-860 is a MANET-capable software-defined radio designed specifically for body wearable applications. It provides voice and data connectivity in a small form factor, featuring ...

• Light UGVs

  PackBot

  PackBot, previously designated 510 PackBot, is a tracked, tactical, mobile UGV with forward-articulated flippers that can perform multiple missions. PackBot is being delivered to customers ...

• Land: air defence radar

  JLENS

  The Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System (JLENS), often referred to as the "Spy Balloon", was a tethered aerial detection system ...

• Frigates

  GMF 140

  The GMF 140 is a concept frigate designed by Rheinmetall Naval Systems. It is initially being marketed towards North American procurement as a next-generation integrated air ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  TW-135 TSM Shadow

  TrellisWare TW-135 is a MANET-capable, high-power radio designed for manpack, vehicular, fixed-site and airborne applications. Marketed as a networking radio, it provides high-speed voice, video ...

• Ultra-light UGVs

  FirstLook

  The Endeavor Robotics (now FLIR Systems) FirstLook is a tracked, compact, rugged, expendable and lightweight robot that provides situational awareness, performs persistent observation and investigates ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Saetlbyol-9

  North Korea unveiled two drones at the 2023 Weapons and Equipment Exhibition in Pyongyang on 2 August 2023. One drone, the Saetlbyol-9, or Morning Star-9,  ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Predator XP

  The Predator XP is an updated unarmed version of the original Predator UAV that the US government has licensed for sale to a broader customer ...

• Fighter - ground attack, ISR/special mission

  Hürkuş-C

  The Hürkuş-C is a light attack and reconnaissance aircraft developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries based on the Hürkuş trainer to meet the requirements of the ...

• Trainer

  T-34 Mentor

  The T-34 Mentor is a trainer aircraft developed by Beechcraft (now Raytheon) to meet the requirements of the USAF and USN to replace the North American ...

• Loitering munitions

  PS Killer (PSK)

  The PS Killer (PSK) is a throw-and-forgot loitering munition developed by an American startup, XDOWN.  Uniquely, the system is shaped like a size 7 American football and is ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F/A-18A/B

  The F/A-18 Hornet A and B aircraft, or F-18A/B ('CF-18' in Canada and 'EF-18' in Spain), were the first models in the USN’s line of ...

• Surface-to-surface missiles

  Hwasong-7 (Nodong-1)

  The Hwasong-7 is a North Korean tactical ballistic missile based on the Hwasong-6. It has the NATO reporting name Scud D. It was designed with ...