• Land Warfare

  UK to test active protection

  7th December 2016

  The UK MoD has set 2018 as the date it will carry out live-fire tests of an active protection system (APS). It is a part of …

• Military Logistics

  QinetiQ Australian DASR accredited

  4th October 2016

  QinetiQ has been cleared to approve structural design changes for all Australian Defence Force (ADF) aircraft following the company’s 21 Subpart-J accreditation under Australia’s new …

• Military Logistics

  RN combat systems integration contract extended

  11th October 2016

  BAE Systems will provide combat systems integration services for Royal Navy vessels for the next decade under a contract extension announced on 10 October. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  Wearable combat sensors in development

  23rd September 2016

  Wearable sensor solutions are being developed by the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and a number of industry partners with the aim of …

• Land Warfare

  UK to assess laser weapon potential

  19th September 2016

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is set to embark on a high energy laser demonstration programme, with a £30 million contract being finalised with …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Hell Bay 4 third phase awarded

  18th August 2016

  Qinetiq has been selected to provide the UK component of a multinational demonstration of unmanned vehicles under a contract with the UK's Defence Science and …

• Training

  Farnborough 2016: UK’s ASDOT takes shape

  13th July 2016

  Competition for the UK Ministry of Defence’s Air Support to Defence Operational Training (ASDOT) programme is beginning to take shape following a teaming arrangement between …

• Land Warfare

  QinetiQ to evaluate APS for Dstl

  6th July 2016

  QinetiQ has been awarded a £7.6 million contract by the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) to evaluate an active protection system (APS) for …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Unmanned Capability demo in Portsmouth

  7th July 2016

  An unmanned systems demonstration called ‘Unmanned Capability’ has taken place in the Solent and Portsmouth harbour to show how the technology could support naval operations …

• Defence Helicopter

  Farnborough 2016: MGB failure ‘likely’ cause of H225 crash

  29th June 2016

  The investigation into the 29 April crash of an Airbus Helicopters H225 has taken a fresh twist, after it was discovered the aircraft’s main gearbox …

• Defence Notes

  Eurosatory: Dropping SF boats from the sky

  22nd June 2016

  European Special Forces are set to benefit from enhanced airborne insertion of maritime vessels with several test programmes now underway across the Continent, Shephard Media …

• Defence Helicopter

  Cobham to support ETPS, RWTES

  6th June 2016

  Cobham Helicopter Services has received a £2 million contract from QinetiQ to provide helicopter support to the UK's Empire Test Pilots' School (ETPS) and Rotary …

• Training

  Inzpire looks forward

  10th June 2016

  The UK’s Air Battlespace Training Centre (ABTC) at RAF Waddington is probably the foremost synthetic training-based research and training provision facility in the UK. Developed …

• Defence Notes

  Material advances for QinetiQ

  27th May 2016

  QinetiQ and the UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) have signed a renewed £10 million, five-year contract to develop advanced defence materials, it announced …

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory: BAE chases Challenger 2 as GD withdraws as prime

  3rd June 2016

  BAE Systems Land UK has announced its strategic partnership plan for the Challenger 2 Life Extension Project (LEP), which will remove General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Project Vampire [UK]

  Programme Background Prior RN Tests Project Vampire began in 2021, before the January 2022 Phase 1 tender announcement. In September 2021, as part of Vampire, a Banshee ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Carrier-UAV: Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) [UK]

  Background Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) Strategy Reflecting on lessons learned from the cancellation of the Mosquito programme, the Royal Air Force (RAF) redefined the role ...

• Tanks

  Future Ground Combat System MBT (UK)

  Programme Background The UK MoD is understood to be in the process of determining the capabilities of a notional next-generation armoured vehicle fleet that could ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Skeldar V-200 (ASW) [Canada]

  Programme Background Contract Award At Euronaval 2022, Shephard reported that UMS Skeldar and Ultra had been awarded a Phase 2 contract on 19 October to provide ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Project Land 2097 Phase 4 [Australia]

  Programme Background According to the RfI, under Project Land 2097 Phase 4, the selected helicopter must comprise a commercial or military off-the-shelf solution that is ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Project Tiquila [UK]

  Programme Background Tender Notice On 18 September 2020, the MoD Combat Air Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) Team published a tender notice for a system integrator ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme [UK]

  Programme Background The next-generation platform concept is part of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, which sought to deliver a Future Combat Air System ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) [USA]

  Programme Background US Army's Future Vertical Lift Programme The FLRAA is one of three strands of a broader army programme. The others are the Future ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The OMFV programme is the latest of several attempts to develop a Bradley replacement.  Designed to be capable of operating with or without ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Jackdaw

  At DSEI 2023, QinetiQ unveiled the Jackdaw, a low-cost, high-performance, attritable fixed-wing UAV. QinetiQ has stated it is designed for swarming and collaborative autonomous operations, including crewed-uncrewed teaming. The ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Delta B15

  The Delta B15 is a target drone developed by QinetiQ Germany and Rheinmetall. QinetiQ Germany showcased the drone in 2024, as part of the initial phase of ...

• Military UGVs

  SPUR

  The Squad Packable Utility Robot (SPUR) is QinitiQ's newest tactical land UGV. Designed to be backpackable, the drone can be deployed rapidly from its stowed state.  It ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Mosquito UHV-T

  The Mosquito UHV-T, manufactured by QinetiQ, is a cost-effective unmanned helicopter target designed primarily for military training exercises. It is powered by a two-cylinder, two-stroke 60hp engine. ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Vindicator II UAV-T

  QinietQ, the manufacturer of the Vindicator II UAV-T, describe it as a cost-effective, recoverable, remotely piloted, basic training target. It is designed to simulate the threat ...

• Sea: weapon training, Military - USVs

  Sprite

  The Sprite is a USV developed by QinetiQ and designed for live-fire training exercises. 

• Air: aerial targets

  Banshee Jet 40 / Jet 40+

  The Banshee Jet 40 and Jet 40+ are aerial target drones developed by QinetiQ.  Part of the Banshee series, transonic systems that travel at or faster ...

• Air: aerial targets, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Banshee Jet 80+

  Released in 2018, the Banshee Jet 80+, also known as the MQM-185B, is an autonomous aerial target manufactured by QinetiQ Target Systems.  The Banshee target can simulate an ...

• Air: aerial targets, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Banshee NG

  The Banshee Next Generation (NG) is an aerial target manufactured by QinetiQ. It offers interoperability with other Banshee series equipment, and a twin-gas turbine engine powers it, ...

• Air: mission management systems

  MissionGrid

  Hensoldt MissionGrid is a mission system that integrates radar and electro-optic sensors using a mission computer, mission management software and data links. The system is ...

• Sea: weapon training, Military - USVs

  Hammerhead USV-T

  Hammerhead USV-T is an expendable uncrewed surface vessel target designed for simulating a multi-vehicle swarm threat. It is developed by QinetiQ Target Systems.

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  WAE-342

  The WAE-342 is a twin-cylinder, two-stroke engine developed by QinetiQ Target Systems (formerly Meggitt Target Systems) for integration on unmanned systems. 

• Air: aerial targets

  Banshee Jet 80

  Manufactured by QinetiQ Target Systems, the Banshee Jet 80 is an autonomous aerial target developed from previous versions.  It features a twin 40kg thrust gas turbine engine ...

• Military UGVs

  Dragon Runner

  The Dragon Runner UGV, manufactured by QinitiQ, has two versions: the Dragon Runner 10 (DR10) and the slightly larger Dragon Runner 20 (DR20). All Dragon ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Banshee Whirlwind

  Originally made by Meggitt Target Systems, a company QinetiQ acquired in 2016, the Banshee is an aerial target and the first drone in the Banshee series.  ...