• Defence Helicopter

  Iranian Army to begin operational trials of indigenously upgraded AH-1 Cobra

  25th May 2012

  Iran is to begin operational trials of an indigenously upgraded AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter, it has emerged. According to the Iranian FARS news agency, the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Enterprise Ventures wins MH-60S CSTRS contract

  25th May 2012

  Enterprise Ventures Corporation (EVC) has announced that it has been awarded a contract from Naval Surface Warfare Centre - Panama City Division (NSWC-PCD) to build …

• Defence Helicopter

  Eurocopter, Turbomeca open Mexican training centre

  24th May 2012

  Eurocopter de México and Turbomeca México have signed a cooperation agreement for the training of helicopter maintenance technicians and recently opened their first joint training …

• Defence Helicopter

  L-3 Wescam wins INGRESS EO/IR contract

  24th May 2012

  L-3 Wescam has announced that it has been awarded an in-service support contract from Public Works and Government Services Canada on behalf of the Canadian …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UV-Pacific 2012: Australian Navy to trial embarked UAVs

  24th May 2012

  The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has secured funding for flight trials of a number of embarked UAVs as it works towards its ambition of having …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UV-Pacific 2012: Australia mulls lessons of Shadow procurement

  24th May 2012

  The Australian Army is reflecting on the lessons learned after the first 1,000 hours of AAI RQ-7B Shadow 200 operations in Afghanistan. The service currently …

• Defence Helicopter

  Heli-Pacific 2012: Australia hoping to soon restart Tiger flights

  24th May 2012

  The Australian Army is hoping the Eurocopter Tiger Armed Reconnaissance helicopter will soon return to flying operations following the grounding of the fleet after fumes …

• Digital Battlespace

  SOFIC 2012: ITT awarded USAF encryption contract

  23rd May 2012

  USAF has awarded ITT Exelis a contract to develop a prototype of its self-encrypting drives for UAV and laptop applications. The company has developed 'trusted …

• Digital Battlespace

  SOFIC 2012: Thales announces development of MBITR 2

  23rd May 2012

  Thales has disclosed that is developing a second generation two-channel variant of its Multiband Inter/Intra team Radio (MBITR) expected to be released 'early next year'. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Boeing wins AWACS modernisation contract

  23rd May 2012

  Boeing has announced that it has received an Engineering, Manufacturing and Development (EMD) contract to develop a design that modernises the flight deck and avionics …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AeroVironment receives US Army order

  23rd May 2012

  AeroVironment has announced that it has received a contract modification effective March 20, 2012 from the US Army Close Combat Weapons Systems (CCWS), Programme Executive …

• Military Logistics

  5th C-17 delivered to UAE Air Force and Air Defence

  23rd May 2012

  Boeing has announced that it delivered the fifth C-17 Globemaster III airlifter to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Air Force and Air Defence earlier this …

• Defence Notes

  ITEC 2012: Saudi Arabia signs with BAE Systems to re-capitalise aircrew training fleet

  23rd May 2012

  BAE Systems has been awarded a £1.6 billion contract to support the future aircrew training needs of the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF).The deal, which …

• Defence Helicopter

  ITEC 2012: UK Defence Helicopter Flying School begins simulated gunnery training using new Virtalis system

  23rd May 2012

  Virtalis has delivered a new gunnery module for use by the UK's Defence Helicopter Flying School (DHFS).The module, being displayed at ITEC in London, is …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Zala Aero unveils Zala 421-16 UAS upgrade

  23rd May 2012

  Zala Aero has launched the latest version of its Zala 421-16 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a focus on civil sector aerial photography customers. The …

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: 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 - 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).