• Defence Notes

  Raytheon and United Technologies announce merger

  10th June 2019

  Raytheon and United Technologies announced on 9 June that they will merge, creating a behemoth American aeronautics and defence company.  The new company, Raytheon Technologies …

• Naval Warfare

  Ukraine to create new maritime security structure

  5th June 2019

  The Ukrainian State Border Guard Service will create a new structure by 2022 to assist in Ukraine’s maritime security operations, according to recent statements from …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Marine Corps tunes into narrowband network

  13th June 2019

  The USMC  has now begun rolling out its next-generation narrowband SATCOM system to replace its legacy SATCOM networks. Thousands of antenna kits for the AN/PRC-117G …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy orders Mk 46 Gun Weapon Systems

  7th June 2019

  The US Navy announced on 5 June 2019 that it had awarded a contract worth $25.5 million to General Dynamics Land Systems for six Mk …

• Land Warfare

  Summer award date for US hypersonics launcher contract

  6th June 2019

  A contract will be awarded ‘later this summer’ for a transporter erect launcher (TEL) from which the US Army will conduct its first ever erect …

• Defence Notes

  New Zealand Defence Force gets major budget boost

  5th June 2019

  The New Zealand government revealed its budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year on 30 May with a large chunk of additional funds being allocated to …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Nightwarden absent as Textron Systems detail unmanned focus

  10th June 2019

  Unveiled two years ago under a blazing solar spotlight and no little attention on the ground, Textron Systems’ Nightwarden UAS will not be on display …

• Land Warfare

  Sensory solutions to update UK Fuchs

  13th June 2019

  The first delivery of the Fuchs 1A8 vehicle, an armoured survey and reconnaissance vehicle which is used to detect, identify and monitor chemical and radiological sources, took place …

• Land Warfare

  Angola received upgraded SA-6 systems

  11th June 2019

  The Angolan military has received a number of upgraded 2K12 Kub (SA-6 Gainful) surface-to-air missile systems, improving the country's low-to-medium aerial defence capability. The upgraded …

• Defence Helicopter

  Austrian AB212s get new caution panels

  4th June 2019

  The Austrian Air Force’s AB212 helicopter fleet will be fitted with AEM's MCP01 next-generation master caution panel.The plug-and-play replacement of the panel will help extend …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  2019 AlphaPilot teams announced

  28th May 2019

  Lockheed Martin and Drone Racing League (DRL) have announced the nine teams that have been accepted into the 2019 AlphaPilot Innovation Challenge. The teams have …

• Training

  Kratos missile targets used in Formidable Shield

  31st May 2019

  Kratos Defense and Security Solutions’ Space and Missile Defense Systems supported Exercise Formidable Shield 2019 at the UK Ministry of Defence’s Hebrides Range in Scotland. …

• Special Operations

  SOF looks to Gesture Control Technology

  13th June 2019

  US special operations forces could soon benefit from Gesture Control Technology (GCT), allowing personnel to interact with connected platforms, devices and sensors with simple hand …

• Land Warfare

  Japan fires howitzers in Australia

  5th June 2019

  The Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) has fired two FH-70 howitzers at the Australian Defence Force’s Shoalwater Bay Training Area during Exercise Southern Jackaroo.Southern …

• Naval Warfare

  Sri Lankan Navy receives ships from regional rivals

  13th June 2019

  The strategic importance of Sri Lanka in South Asia was underlined this week when the Sri Lankan Navy (SLN) took delivery of vessels from the …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• ISR/special mission

  Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (1-3) [Germany]

  Programme Background Requirement The Pegasus (Persistent German Airborne Surveillance System) project aims to fulfil a SIGINT capability which has been missing in the German Armed ...

• Fighter - electronic warfare

  Jamming and Escort Electronic Attack Aircraft (luWES) [Germany]

  Programme Background According to earlier reports, Berlin had earlier decided to procure 15 EA-18G Growlers over the Eurofighter Typhoon ECR concept, which is expected to be ...

• ISR/special mission

  Stand-off Jammer Aircraft (luWES) [Germany]

  Programme Background These large stand-off aircraft will be equipped with various EW systems capable of operating from a safe distance from the mission target. A400M ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Tornado Replacement (F-35A) [Germany]

  Programme Background In March 2020, it emerged that the German government was considering  30 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets to replace 45 nuclear-capable Tornados, although contracts have yet ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 (Pre-War) [Ukraine Army]

  Programme Background The Ukraine Army purchased 12 TB2 units in January 2019 for a reported $69 million. The units were reportedly delivered from June 2019 ...

• Patrol boats

  UNPAV - Angelo Cabrini Class

  The Angelo Cabrini class consists of two high-speed multipurpose patrol boats (UNPAV) intended for the Italian Navy special forces. The vessels were built by Intermarine, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Nauru 1000C [Brazil]

  Programme Background The Logistics Command (COLOG) of the Brazilian Army purchased three Nauru 1000C UAVs, training, 36-month interested logistics support, two EO/MWIR XSIS 222A gimbals, two ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  WanderB or ThunderB [Colombia]

  Programme Background Expodefensa 2019 During Colombia's Expodefensa 2019 exhibition, BlueBird Aero Systems displayed its ThunderB VTOL small UAV. Reportedly, the Colombian Army requested information on ...

• Ateş Armoured Border Security Vehicle

  The Ateş is equipped with several sensors developed by Aselsan including the Acar ground detection radar,  FalconEye EO system on an extendable mast, and Seda ...

• Amphibious assault ships

  TCG Anadolu LHD [Turkey]

  Programme Background TCG Anadolu is a Multipurpose Assault Ship (LHD) built by Sedef in Tuzla for the Turkish Navy. The vessel, which is the single ...

• Anaconda

  Four variants of the Anaconda were purchased by the RNMC: general support; patrol; command; and training. In addition to 46 vehicles, the contract also included ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-S (Saudi Arabia)

  Programme Background Desired Procurement Saudi Arabia has reportedly been in negotiations to procure six Anka UAVs since 2013. It has not been disclosed which Anka ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  MiSu 6X6 PMPVs [Finland]

  In June 2019, Protolab announced that the first of the four PMPVs had been delivered to the FDF. According to a company spokesman, deliveries of ...

• Destroyers

  Hobart Class (Sea 4000)

  Programme Background The Hobart-class consists of three air warfare destroyers (AWDs) for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The ships replaced the Adelaide-class frigates. Built by a ...

• Military UAS - small

  Penguin C (Latvia)

  Programme Background In 2018, the Latvian MoD signed an agreement with Latvian companies UAV Factory and Atlas Aerospace to procure UAVs for the LNAF. Under ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: COMINT and ELINT systems

  SEWS-DV

  The Shipborne EW Suite (SEWS-DV) combines the C-Pearl-DV ESM and Digital Shark ECM subsystems. SEWS-DV is based on digital receivers and digital technique generators, designed ...

• Naval: COMINT and ELINT systems

  Naval RESM-CESM

  Rohde and Schwarz Radar Electronic Support Measures (RESM) and Communications Electronic Support Measures (CESM) are passive electromagnetic sensor systems. It monitors and performs direction finding ...

• Frigates

  HCX-19

  The HCX-19 concept vessel was first revealed by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) at MADEX 2019, standing for Hyundai Combatant eXperimental 2019. It was created to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Odysseus

  The Aurora Flight Sciences Odysseus fixed-wing UAV is a solar-powered, pseudo-satellite platform, which is designed to remain on station in the stratosphere for months at ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Super Swift

  The Super Swift series by ST Engineering is designed for homeland security as a range of ultra-high speed, fast patrol boats first revealed in May ...

• Naval guns

  Gökdeniz

  Gökdeniz, also known as Korkut-D, is a 35mm Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) developed by Turkish Aselsan. It was unveiled for the first time at IDEF ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Aselsan 9681 V/UHF

  Aselsan 9681 V/UHF is a software-defined radio with frequency hopping and encryption capabilities. Designed for air platforms, it has been in service with the Turkish ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  Piccolo Elite

  Produced by Collins Aerospace, the Piccolo Elite is an autopilot architecture solution for advanced UAS applications. Unveiled in 2019, it is provided in five configurations ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  ADVENT

  Havelsan ADVENT is a naval combat management system (CMS) that focuses on fleet-wide communications, building on Havelsan's previous experience providing CMS capability to surface vessels. ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Su-57

  The Su-57, previously known also as the T-50, is a fifth-generation single-seat stealth multirole fighter developed under the Russian PAK FA (Future Air Complex for ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Megawatt-Scale LDEW (nLIGHT)

  nLIGHT's megawatt-scale laser weapon is currently under development as a part of the United States High Energy Laser Scaling Initiative (HELSI). The high-energy laser (HEL) has ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Bell 412EPX

  The Bell 412EPX is a utility helicopter manufactured by Subaru. This platform improves upon the UH-1J/412-series helicopters. It has enhanced safety, performance, visibility, maintainability and ...

• Searcher

  Searcher is a fixed-wing low- and medium-altitude UAV manufactured by Elytron Aeronautica. The tandem-wing UAV is designed long-endurance reconnaissance missions and was unveiled in May ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Ajban 447A

  The Ajban 447A is a seven-crew military tactical vehicle featuring a configurable armoured cabin designed for different missions, including tactical response, border patrol, reconnaissance, COIN ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  GJ-11 Sharp Sword

  The Hongdu Aviation Industry Group (HAIG) developed the GJ-11 Sharp Sword, a stealth reconnaissance and strike UAS.  First displayed during an October 2019 parade, evidence ...