• Defence Notes

  French Air Force fighter jet missing in mountains

  9th January 2019

  A search was underway for an Air Force Mirage 2000 fighter and its two pilots who went missing Wednesday in a mountainous region of eastern …

• Digital Battlespace

  A-50 early warning aircraft upgraded

  4th January 2019

  Rostec and the Beriev Aircraft Company have completed the upgrade of Russia's A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft to the A-50U version, Rostec announced …

• Digital Battlespace

  Japan to establish Space Monitoring Unit in 2022

  10th December 2018

  Japan’s MoD will establish a Space Monitoring Unit within the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) in FY2022, its mission to track space debris and hostile …

• Naval Warfare

  Mistral missile in new demonstration

  11th January 2019

  MBDA has successfully demonstrated the anti-surface capabilities of the Mistral missile against fast inshore attack craft using a SIMBAD-RC automated naval turret, the company announced …

• Naval Warfare

  Surface Navy 2019: CUSV looks to Milestone C and weaponisation

  16th January 2019

  Textron and Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) is looking forward to a Milestone C decision in 2019 for the Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle (CUSV), part …

• Defence Notes

  Russia starts production of a new-generation strategic bomber

  17th January 2019

  The first production works on the Russian PAK-DA new-generation strategic bomber programme are set to be given a go-ahead this year. According to the Russian military …

• Digital Battlespace

  Russia bolsters its long-range EW capabilities

  18th January 2019

  The Russian MoD has reported the completion of the first deployment phase of a multi-level early warning (EW) radar network.  The four newly-commissioned long-range radar …

• Defence Notes

  White House sought military strike against Iran

  14th January 2019

  The White House demanded that the military draft plans for strikes on Iran after attacks in Iraq last year, sparking concern at the Pentagon and …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing offered relief on CH-47F Block II

  11th January 2019

  Boeing has been issued with a new IDIQ low rate initial production notice by the US Army, which could see the service buy up to …

• Special Operations

  US Navy issues presolicitation for new SOF scope

  15th January 2019

  The US Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane (Indiana) has issued the presolicitation announcement for the SOF Precision-Variable Power Scope (P-VPS). The 14 January 2019 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Russia deploys a combat laser system

  9th January 2019

  The Russian MoD has revealed that on 1 December 2018 the so-called combat-experimental alert duty deployed its first ground-based combat laser system. Known as the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Russian military funds three advanced UAV systems

  14th January 2019

  The Russian MoD has accelerated its efforts to field three new long-endurance combat UAV systems, with the first of these slated for entering service in …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Navy launches nanosatellite

  26th November 2018

  The US Navy has launched a nanosatellite, designed to extend the range of ultra-high frequency (UHF) communications into the polar regions, from Vandenberg Air Force …

• Land Warfare

  Iron Fist Light proceeds to Phase II

  2nd January 2019

  The US Army Requirements Oversight Council has decided to proceed with IMI Systems’ Iron Fist Light (IFL) active protection system (APS) for its Bradley Fighting …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Airbus Helicopters VSR700 flies unmanned

  2nd January 2019

  Airbus Helicopters’ VSR700 demonstrator UAS completed a fully unmanned autonomous flight at the military airbase in Istres in the south of France in December. During …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Medium-Range Loitering Munition with LEO Satellite Data Link [South Korea]

  Background New Project In April 2025, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) announced a new project titled “Development of Medium-Range ...

• Loitering munitions

  Long Range One-way Platforms [US]

  Solicitation In October 2024, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) released a solicitation for long-range, one-way platforms. The DIU noted recent conflicts highlighted the asymmetric impact of low-cost, ...

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

  DTIF GUARD (Ireland)

  Programme Background The Problem As stated by the project's website, Ireland is the "softest target in EU for smugglers" due to its 3171km of coastline, ...

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

  Seeker 400 - First Batch (UAE)

  Programme Background The UAE has a long history of transactions with Denel Dynamics. The country has been purchasing various Seeker systems from as far back ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Arctic Frigates Procurement/Thetis Class Replacement (4-5) [Denmark]

  In January 2025, Denmark announced the acquisition of "three new Arctic ships, additional long-range drones with advanced image acquisition capacity" and "satellite capacity" worth over ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Arctic Frigates Procurement/Thetis Class Replacement (4-5) [Denmark]

  In January 2025, Denmark announced the acquisition of "three new Arctic ships, additional long-range drones with advanced image acquisition capacity" and "satellite capacity" worth over ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Arctic Frigates Procurement/Thetis Class Replacement (1-3) [Denmark]

  On 18 August 2022, the Danish MoD announced a plan to invest up to $5.5 billion to replace a large number of platforms of the ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Arctic Frigates Procurement/Thetis Class Replacement (1-3) [Denmark]

  On 18 August 2022, the Danish MoD announced a plan to invest up to $5.5 billion to replace a large number of platforms of the ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  NH90 NFH-Italy

  Programme Background  The Italian Navy has taken delivery of its first NH90 NFH helicopter in Full Operational Capability (or Step B) configuration in November 2013. ...

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

  CH-4 (First Batch) [Pakistan]

  Programme Background First Batch According to the Pakistan Exim Trade Info website, five aircraft were delivered to the country on 15 January 2021. According to a ...

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

  Micro UAV [Argentina]

  Programme Background Tender The EA and MoD in April 2021 announced Public Tender 0090/2021 (UOC: 84/135), which saw the General Directorate of Material begin the process ...

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

  CH-4 (Second Batch) [Pakistan]

  Programme Background First Batch According to the Pakistan Exim Trade Info website, five aircraft were delivered to the country on 15 January 2021. According to ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  According to the FY2021 Base funding, the HH-60W helicopter unit cost is $43.2 million. The HH-60W will be capable of employment day or night, in ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Pakistan]

  Programme Background Requirement Following a 2019 skirmish with India, Pakistan placed newfound importance on EW and ISR, primarily due to the significant advantage gained during that ...

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

  Wing Loong II (Pakistan)

  Programme Background Negotiations On 6 October 2018, the Pakistani Air Force (PAF) announced it would acquire 48 Wing Loong II UAVs in a social media post. ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Space: radar systems

  RISAT-1

  Radar Satellite-1 (RISAT-1) is a microwave remote-sensing satellite carrying an SAR payload operating in C band (5.35GHz), which enables imaging of surface features during both ...

• Naval: Radio and SATCOM

  OceanTRx 4MIL

  The OceanTRx 4MIL is a ruggedised maritime SATCOM solution featuring simultaneous multi-band communication and advanced antenna management capabilities.  It was introduced at the Euronaval 2022 ...

• Major networking projects

  Skynet 6 SATCOM

  Skynet 6 is designed to replace Skynet 5. The PFI contract for Skynet 5,  held by Paradigm Secure Communications and Airbus DS, ends in 2022. As ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Osprey u8 HGL

  Launched in 2023, Kymeta Osprey u8 HGL is a hybrid Geostationary/Low-Earth Orbit terminal that provides satellite communications on the move. Notably, it can be mounted ...

• Naval: Radio and SATCOM, UAS: communication systems

  Multi-Purpose Terminal (MPT)

  Orbit's Multi-Purpose Terminal (MPT) is a family of stabilised VSAT systems suitable for installation on smaller vessels and airborne platforms including uncrewed vehicles. 

• Military Satellites - ISR

  Radarsat-2

  Owned and operated by MDA, Radarsat-2 was launched in late 2007 as a follow-on radar satellite to Canada’s Radarsat-1. The satellite's resolution ranges from a ...

• Naval: Radio and SATCOM

  SURFSAT-L

  Produced by Thales, SURFSAT-L is a SATCOM terminal designed for medium to large surface vessels. According to the manufacturer, it is designed to achieve a ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MONDO Satellite Terminal

  The Multi Orbit Network, Dual Operation (MONDO) Satellite Terminal is a developmental SATCOM solution that provides continuous communication links on GEO, LEO and MEO networks. ...

• Military Satellites - ISR

  Helios

  The Helios system consists of the Helios 2A and Helios 2B satellites, the latter of which was launched in December 2009, five years after Helios ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Multi-Orbit Tactical Terminal

  Intelsat Multi-Orbit Tactical Terminal (MOTT) is a ruggedised terminal with a low-profile design. The vehicle-mountable terminal features an electronically steered array antenna, edge computing capabilities ...

• Data links

  GSNC

  Global Secure Network Connection (GSNC) provides a global data communications solution for military aircraft, including bomber, refuelling and transport aircraft. The GSNC system uses Iridium ...

• Space: radar systems

  ESA Sentinel-1

  Sentinel-1 is a planned constellation of four satellites with two already in orbit and two on order. They carry a payload of a C-band SAR ...

• Space: radar systems

  NISAR

  The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) is a joint programme between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to build and launch an observation ...

• Space: radar systems

  TerraSAR-X and ​TanDEM-X

  TerraSAR-X and the more advanced TanDEM-X (TerraSAR-X add-on for digital elevation measurement) are designed to operate closely together to generate an accurate 3D image of ...

• Military Satellites - ISR

  KH-11

  The first of 16 KH-11 satellites was launched in 1976, and five remain in service, with the latest launch believed to have been in August ...