• Defence Helicopter

  Helitech 2015: Wireless intercom on display (video)

  12th October 2015

  Norwegian company Axnes displayed its new generation intercom system at this year’s Helitech International exhibition. Shephard spoke with the company’s chief operations officer Mark Panton …

• Defence Notes

  Ukraine, Baltics to get more UK support

  12th October 2015

  Michael Fallon, UK Defence Secretary, has announced more support for the Baltic States and greater training for Ukrainian armed forces, the Ministry of Defence announced …

• Digital Battlespace

  Sub combat system lab for Australia

  12th October 2015

  As Australia edges painfully closer to selecting a platform for its future Sea 1000 submarine requirement, Lockheed Martin Australia is taking the step of opening …

• Digital Battlespace

  US reconnaissance payload launched

  12th October 2015

  The United Launch Alliance (ULA) launched an Atlas V rocket with a payload for the US National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) on 8 October. The designated …

• Land Warfare

  Nordic artillery drama continues

  12th October 2015

  As the closure date for proposals for Norway’s new artillery programme draws near, Sweden has finally received the first of 24 new pieces. After pulling …

• Defence Helicopter

  Helitech 2015: FastFin tail mod on display

  9th October 2015

  BLR Aerospace showcased its FastFin system for the Bell Helicopter 412 at this year’s Helitech International show held at the ExCel Centre. FastFin – which …

• Naval Warfare

  L-3 wins USCG C-130J work

  9th October 2015

  The US Coast Guard has awarded L-3 Communications a five-year contract worth $30 million to install new mission systems on two C-130J aircraft, the company …

• Defence Helicopter

  Taiwan training UH-60M rescue crews

  9th October 2015

  Taiwan’s National Airborne Service Corps (NASC) has started transition training on its new Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters. Twenty crewmembers – 12 pilots and eight …

• Naval Warfare

  Robbery, piracy threats growing

  9th October 2015

  Indonesia would need a fleet of 300 ships simultaneously at sea to adequately monitor its archipelago against maritime crime, said one speaker at the Pacific …

• Digital Battlespace

  ManTech wins cyber range service contract

  8th October 2015

  ManTech International has been awarded a cyber-range services contract for the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and US Marine Corps (USMC), the company announced on …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales IFF equipment for Canadian OPVs

  8th October 2015

  Lockheed Martin Canada has selected Thales to supply long range Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) interrogators and transponders for the six Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US considers Spain MQ-9 sale

  8th October 2015

  The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale of MQ-9 Block 5 aircraft and associated parts, equipment, and logistical support to the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Queen Elizabeth gets 3D radar

  8th October 2015

  The future Royal Navy's HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier has been fitted with the Artisan 3D radar system, BAE Systems announced on 6 October, marking …

• Digital Battlespace

  Australia gears up for Aegis trainer

  8th October 2015

  Preparations are under way for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) to train crewmen to command its three new Aegis-equipped Air Warfare Destroyers (AWD), the first of …

• Digital Battlespace

  Mini towed array for USVs

  8th October 2015

  British firm SEA was promoting an innovative, small-diameter, digital towed array sonar at the Pacific 2015 International Maritime Exposition in Sydney from 6-8 October. Following …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Latvia]

  Programme Background In August 2018, the Latvian government approved the acquisition of four UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters. The UH-60Ms are intended for both military and ...

• Transport

  C-130J [USA]

  Programme Background The C-130J Super Hercules is a four-engine turboprop transport aircraft developed by Lockheed Martin to replace aging C-130 variants. The US and foreign ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A Joint Strike Fighter - USAF

  Background The programme’s early competitive phase included three different airframe designs. Boeing submitted one design, Lockheed Martin submitted another, and McDonnell Douglas submitted a third ...

• Transport

  King Air 360 [Nigeria]

  Programme Background On 7 October 2021, Nigeria’s Budget Office published its proposed budget details. The Nigerian Air Force requested 10.86 billion Nigerian Naira (US$26.4 million) ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Light Attack/Trainer Aircraft - Ghana

  In 2013, the Chief of Ghana Air Force stated that A-29 is their preferred platform and this position was also submitted to the Government. In ...

• Bomber

  B-21 Raider [USA]

  Programme Background Development The US DoD is developing a new long-range bomber called the B-21 Raider, previously known as LRS-B. At least 100 units are ...

• Trainer

  Trainer Aircraft (1-12) [Vietnam]

  Programme Background After years of operating Russian-built military equipment, Vietnam is more willing to procure US-supplied equipment following the lifting of the arms embargo in ...

• Military UAS - mini

  RemoEye-006A [Bolivia]

  Background Ceremony In June 2013, the Bolivian air force inducted its first two UAVs into service, with the models, FAB 0001 and FAB 0002, being ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  Barak MX [Thailand]

  Background Thailand is procuring the Barak MX air defence system, which will be operated by the Anti-Aircraft Regiment of the Security Force Command. The system ...

• CUAS - jammers

  Airbase Air Defence Systems CUAS [US]

  Background The US Air Force's Budget Documentation for FY 2027 included $1.529 billion for Air Base Air Defence, part of which was to be used for ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 [Jordan]

  Background Requirement The Jordanian Air Force has a requirement for training helicopters that are to be used in the King Hussein Air College. The country currently ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  US Air Force Air Base Defence Missile Defence [US]

  Background The US Air Force's (USAF) Air Base Air Defence Missile Defence (ABAD MD) programme is part of the Air Force Physical Security System and sits ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Tornado Replacement (F-35A) [Germany]

  Background Requirement In March 2020, it emerged that the German government was considering  30 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets to replace 45 nuclear-capable Tornados. The remaining 40 Tornados ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V (1-8) [Bulgaria]

  Programme Background Requirement Bulgarian MoD plans to procure 16 new-built fighter aircraft to replace its fleet of 15 Russian-manufactured MiG-29 fighters. Lockheed Martin’s F-16 Block ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-47 Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  Background Requirement Originally conceived as a replacement for the F-22, the PCA was designed to counter various air threats, including integrated air defence systems and ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: EO/IR – Jamming Systems

  AN/AAQ-45

  Leonardo’s AN/AAQ-45 Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasures is designed to equip rotorcraft. The system is being installed on Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk medium-lift utility helicopters used ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  J/ALQ-8

  Like Israel, Japan elected to outfit its McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F-15J/DJ combat aircraft with an indigenous self-protection system. This takes the form of Mitsubishi Electric’s J/ALQ-8 ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  FAB-T Force Element Terminal

  The Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals - Force Element Terminal (FAB-T FET) is a nuclear-hardened SATCOM solution designed for airborne applications. Produced by Raytheon, ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  25mm PGU-48/B

  The 25mm PGU-48/B is a medium-calibre armour-penetrating round manufactured by American Rheinmetall. The US Air Force uses the PGU-48/B with its F-35 aircraft.

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  25mm PGU-23/U

  The 25mm PGU-23/U is a medium-calibre training round manufactured by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems. The US Air Force utilises it with its AC-130 and ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Warrior Systems

  General Dynamics Mission Systems is prime contractor and system integrator for the US Army’s Warrior soldier systems, which include Air Warrior, Future Force Warrior, Land Warrior ...

• Air: mission management systems

  TBMCS

  Theater Battle Management Core Systems (TBMCS) is a US joint C2 integrated BMS used to plan and execute air campaigns in theatres of operations worldwide. ...

• Fighter - air superiority

  F-5E/F Tiger II

  The F-5E (single-seat)/F (twin-seat) Tiger II is an air superiority fighter developed by Northrop Grumman based on the original F-5 Freedom Fighter. Production of the ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  30mm PGU-13B High Explosive Incendiary

  The 30mm 30mm PGU-13B High Explosive Incendiary (HEI) is a medium-calibre munition manufactured by Northrop Grumman. The US Air Force uses the PGU-13B HEI with ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  CLS-200

  The CLS-200 is part of the Yates Electrospace Corporation Silent Arrow family. It is a powered cargo-carrying one-use UAV, based on the company's GD-2000 glider.  In ...

• Trainer

  T-6A/B Texan II

  The T-6 Texan II is a single-engine trainer aircraft, which was developed from the Pilatus PC-9 to meet the training requirements of USAF and USN ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-4 Phantom II family

  The F-4 Phantom II is a two-seat multirole fighter developed originally by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) to meet USN interceptor requirements. It soon became a unified ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  EMB-312 Tucano

  The EMB-312 Tucano (Brazilian designation T-27) is a trainer and light attack aircraft developed by Embraer to meet the training requirements of the Brazilian Air ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/ALQ-213(V) DAC

  Terma’s AN/ALQ-213(V) electronic warfare management unit is used extensively on General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon series combat aircraft around the world. The AN/ALQ-213(V) is ...