• Digital Battlespace

  Thales sonar for Type 26 frigates

  17th July 2017

  Thales has received a contract from BAE Systems to equip the Royal Navy’s first three Type 26 frigates with its anti-submarine warfare sonar, the company …

• Special Operations

  ​SOFIC 2017: Cubic expands C4ISR footprint

  8th May 2017

  Cubic Corporation will use this year's Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC) in Tampa to highlight its growing range of C4ISR solutions for the SOF …

• Digital Battlespace

  Hensoldt details Spexer radar orders

  11th May 2017

  Hensoldt has received orders worth around $43 million for the Spexer 2000 ground surveillance radar from unnamed customers in the Middle East and North Africa …

• Military Logistics

  Metro Aerospace Microvanes available for C-130

  18th July 2017

  Metro Aerospace’s Microvanes, a drag-reduction and performance enhancement technology, is now available for Lockheed Martin C-130 and L-100 Hercules transport aircraft, the company announced on 12 …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2017: SOCOM releases helmet RfP

  9th May 2017

  US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has published its Request For Proposals (RfP) for the Special Operations Forces Personal Equipment Advanced Requirements (SPEAR) Family of Tactical …

• Military Logistics

  Fincantieri cuts steel for Italian Navy LHD

  17th July 2017

  Fincantieri has cut first steel for the Italian Navy’s Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) at its Castellammare di Stabia shipyard in Italy, the company announced on 12 …

• Defence Notes

  Air Power 2017: USAF relearning peer capabilities

  14th July 2017

  The US Air Force is having to relearn capabilities required for operations against peer or near-peer opposition following extended operations over Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. …

• Military Logistics

  Rotational units ‘new norm’ for US Army NIEs

  14th July 2017

  One significant aspect of the US Army’s Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) 17.2, now underway on the desert ranges of Fort Bliss, Texas, and White Sands …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2017: RIV roll-out ready

  8th May 2017

  Engineering specialist Mira is finalising tests for its Rapid Intervention Vehicle (RIV) and getting production ready after recent successes partnering with UAE based NIMR.The RIV, …

• Training

  Australia requests tank ammunition from US

  14th July 2017

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale of 120mm tank ammunition to Australia, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency …

• Defence Helicopter

  ITEC 2017: Fire Blade training lights up

  8th May 2017

  The European Defence Agency is in the midst of the 11th exercise Fire Blade which will provide tactical training under the agency's Helicopter Exercise Programme …

• Special Operations

  Analysis: The evolution of French Special Forces

  13th April 2017

  In recent years, the French Special Forces (SF) have found themselves under the spotlight in several occasions.

• Defence Helicopter

  Netherlands requests AGM-114R Hellfire missiles

  17th July 2017

  The US is considering a potential foreign military sale (FMS) of AGM-114R Hellfire missiles and Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM) to the Netherlands, the Defense …

• Naval Warfare

  Damen, Metal Shark partner for NCPVs

  14th July 2017

  Damen Shipyards has entered into a partnership with Metal Shark to construct up to 13 Damen SPa 2606 patrol boats, Damen announced on 12 July. …

• Land Warfare

  Schiebel receives NATO mine detector order

  14th July 2017

  Schiebel has received a contact from the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) to deliver 700 units of the AN-19/2 Mine Detecting Set, the company …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Joint Light Helicopter (HIL) Programme

  Programme Background The French Ministry of the Armed Forces has elected to bring the launch of the French Armed Forces’ HIL programme forward to 2021. ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 TTH [France]

  Programme Background In 2001, the French government made its first purchase of 34 NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopters, followed by a second order in 2013 for ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - mini

  Micro & Mini Drones (France)

  Programme Background RequirementOn 23 April 2021, an RfP was published by the Direction de la Maintenance Aéronautique (DMAé) to supply around 500 micro and nano drones for the ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | OPV Procurement (1-2) [Montenegro]

  During Euronaval 2024, the French Ministry of Armed Forces and Veterans announced that Montenegro signed a contract for the acquisition of two OPV 60. Both ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | OPV Procurement (1-2) [Montenegro]

  During Euronaval 2024, the French Ministry of Armed Forces and Veterans announced that Montenegro signed a contract for the acquisition of two OPV 60. Both ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (13-15) [France]

  In June 2020, The French government has pledged to buy new military heavy-lift helicopters and accelerate plans for naval drone, ISTAR and tanker aircraft programmes as ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 300 [France]

  Programme Background Plans to Purchase At Eurosatory 2022, Col. Arnaud Goujon, the French Army's chief of plans, told the media that the French Army was ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 Special Forces [France]

  Programme Background In French service, advanced H225M Caracals with aerial refuelling capabilities are used by SOF units of the French Air Force (FAF) and French ...

• OPVs

  OPV Procurement (1-2) [Montenegro]

  Programme Background Timeline During Euronaval 2024, the French Ministry of Armed Forces and Veterans announced that Montenegro signed a contract for the acquisition of two ...

• OPVs

  OPV 58 S [Senegal]

  Programme Background Senegal ordered three OPV 58 S patrol vessels on 17 November 2019. A procurement contract was signed between the Ministry of Armed Forces ...

• Loitering munitions

  Colibri [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated in a press conference in May 2022 that the Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA) and ...

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

  French MALE UAVs [France]

  Background Requirements The French Ministry of the Armed Forces wishes to develop a French MALE offering comparable to the MQ-9 Reaper, which would, it is hoped, promote ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  UX11 (Ukraine Aid) [France]

  Programme Background First Batch On 6 September 2023, Sébastien Lecornu, the French Minister of Defence, announced Delair was providing Ukraine with more than 150 drones. ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  PLFS [France]

  Programme Background The Sabre, then known as the Sherpa FS, was developed as a response to a 2014 requirement for three types of new vehicles ...

• Loitering munitions

  Larinae [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated in a press conference in May 2022 that the Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA) ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Counter-UAS systems

  Boreades

  Boreades is a modular anti-UAV system developed by CS. This suite combines multi-sensors and multi-effectors in order to enable the detection, identification and neutralisation of rogue ...

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

  UAS 100

  The UAS 100 is an autonomous, three-engined platform, modular UAS manufactured by Thales in partnership with Issoire Aviation, Hionos and with the support of the ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Vespa-15

  The Vespa-15 is a first-person view (FPV) rotary-wing UAV manufactured by a Ukrainian company.  In May 2025, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Ukraine announced it ...

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

  Tundra 2

  The Tundra 2 is a rotary-wing UAV from Hexadrone. It is described as a new, modular, plug-and-play, and multi-trade drone. Hexadrone's website states that the French Armed ...

• OPVs

  OPV 60

  The OPV 60 is designed to conduct surveillance missions in coastal and EEZ waters. The ship can be armed with a 40mm naval gun and ...

• EO/IR systems

  Euroflir 350

  The Euroflir 350 is an out-of-production gyro-stabilised optronic system. According to Safran, it is effective at long ranges, can track mobile targets, designate important areas for ...

• Military helicopters - light/training, Military helicopters - multirole, Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  H160M

  Airbus is developing the H160M to meet the requirements of the French military for the Joint Light Helicopter (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger, or HIL) programme. It ...

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

  Lanner

  Unveiled at Eurosatory 2024, the Lenner is a modified variant of the Pengion C VTOL drone, specifically modified to meet the SDTL (Light Tactical Drone System) program ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 TTH

  Developed as a multinational programme between France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, the European NH90 was designed to meet NATO requirements for multirole capability from ...

• Land: handheld NV devices

  O-NYX

  The Thales O-NYX is a Ultra-Compact Night Vision Goggle used by the French armed forces. They have an enlarged field of vision to 51° compared ...

• Pistols

  Glock Pistol

  The Glock family of pistols have been in widespread service since the Glock 17 was selected for Austrian military and police service in 1982. The company's ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Mistral 2

  MISTRAL is a man-portable, fully digital, heat-seeking missile designed to meet the requirements of all branches of the armed forces to defend against air threats. ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  TDS-FA/-TA/-H

  Thales’ TDS family is comprised of Radar Warning Receivers (RWRs) designed to equip a range of fixed-wing aircraft. The product series includes the TDS-FA designed ...

• Loitering munitions

  Toutatis

  The Toutatis is an in-development loitering munition from Thales. According to Thales, the platform is effective against groups of fighters and unarmored and light-armoured vehicles. Unveiled at ...

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

  Sky Keeper

  The Sky Keeper is a rotary-wing UAV from Milton International.  The UAV is capable of carrying a 10kg payload and features a modular gimbal, meaning ...