• Naval Warfare

  BAE Systems wins £1.2 billion for fourth Astute submarine

  10th December 2012

  BAE Systems has been awarded a contract by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) worth £1.2bn for Audacious, the fourth submarine in the Astute class. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Saab Sensis makes progress on German HADR upgrade

  10th December 2012

  Saab Sensis has announced that it has successfully completed Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) of the hardware modernisation programme currently being carried out on four Hughes …

• Military Logistics

  A400M completes F&R flight-test phase

  10th December 2012

  Airbus Military has announced that the A400M airlifter has successfully completed 300 hours of Function & Reliability (F&R) flight-testing, marking an important milestone of the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  First Centaur OPA delivered to Swiss DoD

  7th December 2012

  The Swiss Department of Defence (DoD) has taken delivery of the world’s first production Centaur Optionally-Piloted Aircraft (OPA) system from Aurora Flight Sciences. The Centaur …

• Naval Warfare

  BAE Systems awarded UK MoD submarine contract

  7th December 2012

  BAE Systems will support and maintain a new sophisticated combat system across the Royal Navy’s (RN’s) submarine fleet under a new contract awarded by the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Danish government signs for MH-60R Seahawk helicopter

  7th December 2012

  The government of Denmark has signed an official letter of offer and acceptance formalising its intent to buy MH-60R Seahawk helicopters for its Maritime Helicopter …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales Link 16 satcom solution successfully deployed

  7th December 2012

  The Thales solution for long-range Link 16 transmission of tactical data via satellite has been successfully deployed by French soldiers for the first time. The …

• Military Logistics

  DynCorp selected for US Army base support contract

  6th December 2012

  DynCorp International (DI) will provide base operation support services for the US Army at Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras under a new contract announced …

• Digital Battlespace

  Sofradir takes on Sagem and Thales IR technologies

  6th December 2012

  Sofradir has signed an agreement with Thales and Sagem to acquire the companies’ infrared (IR) detector technology development and manufacturing facilities. Sofradir, a joint subsidiary …

• Defence Helicopter

  CH-47F to join IAF fleet

  6th December 2012

  India has confirmed its purchase of 15 Boeing CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters for the Indian Air Force (IAF), sealing the fate of the Russian Mi-26T. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  JLENS demonstrates tracking capabilities

  6th December 2012

  The JLENS elevated, persistent over-the-horizon sensor system being developed by Raytheon has demonstrated its ability to simultaneously track swarming boats hundreds of cars and trucks, …

• Defence Notes

  I/ITSEC 2012: UK extends DSALT contract

  6th December 2012

  QinetiQ used the I/ITSEC conference in Orlando, Florida, to announce that it has been awarded an 18-month extension to its Distributed Synthetic Air Land Training …

• Digital Battlespace

  I/ITSEC 2012: SAIC unveils GPS tracking system

  6th December 2012

  Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) used the I/ITSEC conference in Orlando, Florida to show its new position location and tracking device for airborne applications. Al …

• Defence Notes

  I/ITSEC 2012: Israeli flight training centre nears opening

  6th December 2012

  Elbit is currently undergoing the final integration and testing of its Mission Training Centre (MTC) for the Israeli Air Force (IAF), which is due to …

• Military Logistics

  Boeing wins US Navy maintenance contract

  6th December 2012

  Boeing has been issued a contract that will see it maintain US Navy aircrew training devices for six aircraft types under a new contract announced …

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 ...

• 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

  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 ...

• 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 ...