• Defence Notes

  DSEI 2019: UK capability 'confidence' masked by Brexit blind spot

  10th September 2019

  Drawing on a message to ‘take back confidence in our defence industry’ Anne-Marie Trevelyan, UK minister for defence procurement, announced a handful of contracts in …

• Digital Battlespace

  DSEI 2019: Spectra ventures into the Troposphere

  12th September 2019

  Spectra Group has agreed to partner with US company Comtech to provide a Troposcatter communications capability for end users demanding high capability and resilient connectivity …

• Digital Battlespace

  DSEI 2019: Eurofighter looks to stand out from Tempest’s shadow

  11th September 2019

  Not be to outdone by its future successor Tempest, the long-running Royal Air Force (RAF) Eurofighter Typhoon programme is moving through a series of airframe …

• Military Logistics

  First KC-390 delivered to Brazil

  6th September 2019

  Embraer has delivered the first KC-390 airlifter to the Brazilian air force (FAB). Handed over during a ceremony held at Anápolis air base in the …

• Land Warfare

  US approves JLTV sale to Lithuania

  30th August 2019

  The US State Department has approved the potential Foreign Military Sale of 500 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles to Lithuania.  Including support the deal would be …

• Land Warfare

  MSPO 2019: Weapons accord opens up Brimstone to Polish Destroyer

  4th September 2019

  A joint cooperation agreement signed between PGZ and pan-European missile manufacturer MBDA will provide manufacturers involved in Poland's Tank Destroyer programme an opportunity to integrate …

• Land Warfare

  Oshkosh and Flyer tasked with building two ISV prototypes

  27th August 2019

  Oshkosh Defense and Flyer Defense have been awarded a task assignment to build two prototypes of their joint offering for the US Army’s Infantry Squad …

• Land Warfare

  First Strykers hit home in Thailand

  30th August 2019

  The US military has delivered the first two M1126 Stryker 8x8 Infantry Carrier Vehicles (ICV) to the Royal Thai Army (RTA), according to US announcements …

• Defence Notes

  DSEI 2019: What to expect from the UK MoD

  4th September 2019

  With the UK government having already been through three defence secretaries over the course of 2019, this year’s DSEI brings much speculation about what the Ministry …

• Defence Notes

  SDB increases capability of RAAF F-35A

  21st August 2019

  The capability of the Royal Australian Air Force’s F-35A Joint Strike Fighters has quadrupled since the introduction of the GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb (SDB), according …

• Digital Battlespace

  Podcast: Five Eyes Connectivity - SATCOM

  26th September 2019

  Welcome to Shephard Studio’s special series on Five Eyes Connectivity, sponsored by our partner Viasat.  Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more. In the Five Eyes Connectivity podcast …

• Defence Notes

  First Brazilian Gripen takes flight

  28th August 2019

  Saab has carried out the maiden flight of the first Gripen E fighter for the Brazilian air force.  The 65min sortie of aircraft 39-6001 was …

• Land Warfare

  Australia begins distributing new 81mm mortars

  20th August 2019

  In August, new US-manufactured 81mm mortars began rolling out to the Australian Army, replacing F2 81mm mortars that have been in service since the 1960s …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UAVOS and ISR Unmanned Technologies launch new VTOL UAV

  22nd August 2019

  UAVOS and ISR Unmanned Technologies have jointly developed a new unmanned helicopter for commercial and security applications.  The ISR-350-5 is the result of the joint …

• Naval Warfare

  Erapsco awarded USN sonobuoy contract

  19th August 2019

  An Ultra Electronics and Sparton DeLeon Springs joint venture (JV) has been awarded a contract worth up to $1.04 billion for the manufacture of sonobuoys …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H-145M-Luxembourg

  With a MTOW of 3.7t, the H145M can be used for a wide range of tasks, including troop and passenger transport, surveillance, air rescue, reconnaissance ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  CLRV [Luxembourg]

  Programme Background Requirement The Luxembourg MoD wants to replace the Luxembourg Army's fleet of 42 AM General M1151 HMMWV Up-Armoured (UA) and 48 KMW Dingo ...

• AEW&C

  Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (1-6) [NATO]

  Programme Background NATO’s E-3A AWACS fleet is set to retire in 2035, after 50 years of service. To plan for the required follow-on capability, NATO's ...

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

  Patroller (Armed) [Greece]

  Background Unarmed Purchase The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) announced in June 2023 that Greece had contracted four unarmed Patroller MALE UAVs from Safran ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Poland]

  Programme Background Requirement Under the Gryf programme, the Polish MoD identified the need for an indigenously produced MALE UAV to provide ISTAR and strike capabilities at ...

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

  Patroller (Unarmed) [Greece]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 20 June 2023, the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) announced at the Paris Air Show that Greece had signed a contract with ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (1-9) [NATO]

  Programme Background Following operations in Libya and extensive analyses by the European Defence Agency (EDA), it was agreed at the NATO Summit in 2012 that ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT Follow-On [NATO]

  Programme Background Following operations in Libya and extensive analyses by the European Defence Agency (EDA), it was agreed at the NATO Summit in 2012 that ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Portugal VTLB

  Programme Background The Portuguese Army planned to allocate funds for the procurement of 167 VTLBs during the Military Programming Law running from 2015 until 2026. ...

• Patrol boats

  Coastal Patrol Vessels (NPC) [Portugal]

  Programme Background Requirements As part of its modernisation plan that spans until 2035, the Portuguese Navy aims to procure new Coastal Patrol Vessels (Navio de ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  NRE+ (Navio Reabastecedor de Esquadra e Logístico) (1-2) [Portugal]

  Programme Background Requirements Portugal urges to replace NRP Bérrio, a fleet support tanker which was decommissioned in 2020. Since Bérrio was decommissioned, the Portuguese Navy has ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Joint Maritime Multi-Mission System (J3MS)/SIGINT Ship [Italy]

  The Italian Navy is now conducting de-risk studies to replace Elettra with a new Joint Maritime Multi-Mission System (J3MS) ship. The vessel will feature a ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Joint Maritime Multi-Mission System (J3MS)/SIGINT Ship [Italy]

  The Italian Navy is now conducting de-risk studies to replace Elettra with a new Joint Maritime Multi-Mission System (J3MS) ship. The vessel will feature a ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Joint Maritime Multi-Mission System (J3MS)/SIGINT Ship (1) [Italy]

  The Italian Navy is now conducting de-risk studies to replace Elettra with a new Joint Maritime Multi-Mission System (J3MS) ship. The vessel will feature a ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Joint Maritime Multi-Mission System (J3MS)/SIGINT Ship (1) [Italy]

  The Italian Navy is now conducting de-risk studies to replace Elettra with a new Joint Maritime Multi-Mission System (J3MS) ship. The vessel will feature a ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Surface-to-air missiles

  MIM-104E PAC-2 Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical ballistic missile (GEM-T)

  An upgrade to the PAC-2 missile, the Guidance Enhanced Missile TBM (GEM-T) is designed to defeat tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles or enemy aircraft in ...

• Major networking projects

  JBMC2

  Formerly overseen by US Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM), Joint Battle Management Command and Control (JBMC2) brings together several different programmes and initiatives to support improved ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  Deployable Joint Fires Trainer (DJFT)

  MVRsimulation’s DJFT is a portable joint fires training solution designed to provide a quick deploy capability for Joint Terminal Attack Controllers and Forward Observers to train ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships, Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Joint Support Ship

  Navantia Australia's Joint Support Ship design was unveiled at Pacific 2019. The platform is intended to fulfil the Royal Australian Navy's requirements for new multirole ...

• Data links

  Joint Tactical Terminal

  Leonardo's Joint Tactical Terminal (JTT) family of products provides Integrated Broadcast Service (IBS) capability to air, land and naval platforms. According to the manufacturer, over 1,200 ...

• EO/IR systems

  Mantis i23

  AeroVironment's Mantis i23 EO/IR payload is designed to conduct ISR from the Raven UAV. The system features a laser illuminator in addition to its 5MP daylight ...

• Patrol boats

  Coastal Patrol Vessel

  In March 2024, Vera Navis unveiled a trimaran vessel design concept, which is being developed as a solution for the future class of Coastal Patrol Vessels ...

• ISR/special mission

  E-8C Joint STARS

  The E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (STARS) is an ISR aircraft based on the 707-300 airliner. It is fitted with an 8-meter-long, canoe-shaped radome ...

• Major networking projects

  ACT

  Allied Command Transformation (ACT) is leading at strategic command level the transformation of NATO’s military structure, forces, capabilities and doctrine. It is working to enhance ...

• Land: fire support simulators

  IDF

  Development of the CFFT system in support of the US Army led to the Indirect Fires Training (IDF) line of products focusing on joint fires ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey

  The V-22 Osprey is a joint-service multirole combat aircraft manufactured by Bell and Boeing in a joint venture. The platform has tiltrotor technology to combine a helicopter's vertical performance with ...

• Major networking projects

  DIB

  The Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) Integration Backbone (DIB) is being established as common infrastructure for DCGS to provide a cost-effective, interoperable, net-centric enterprise solution ...

• Logistic Support Bridge

  The Mabey Logistic Support Bridge (LSB) is the lighter, stronger, modern successor of the original Bailey bridge used in World War II, says the company. ...

• Land: C2 simulators

  Joint Warfare Training Center

  This system provides multi-level simulation of joint forces operations (Air Force, Army and Navy) for training of tactical proficiency of divisions', brigades' and battalions' commanding ...

• Land: long-range observation/surveillance/targeting systems

  Joint Fires Support System

  Safran Electronics and Defence unveiled the Joint Fires Support System at DSEI 2017 in London. Against the backdrop of an increasingly digital battlefield, the ISTAR ...