• Defence Helicopter

  Netherlands retires AB-412 helicopters

  21st January 2015

  As of 1 January, the Netherlands' Ministry of Defence has taken its characteristic yellow AB-412 search and rescue (SAR) helicopters out of service. These helicopters, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  New RPAS regulations go live

  21st January 2015

  The UK's new regulations for Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) went live on 19 January, according to the Ministry of Defence. The Military Aviation Authority …

• Digital Battlespace

  Indra to develop Eurofighter radar

  21st January 2015

  Indra has closed a €90 million ($104.22 million) deal to work on developing the new radar system Captor-E for the Eurofighter, the company announced on …

• Defence Notes

  US Navy launches MUOS-3 satellite

  21st January 2015

  The US Navy and Lockheed Martin launched the third Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite, MUOS-3, the company announced on 20 January. MUOS operates like …

• Naval Warfare

  BAE Systems wins US Navy Aegis contract

  21st January 2015

  BAE Systems has won a five-year contract from the US Navy, the company announced on 19 January. Under the contract, the company will supply critical …

• Land Warfare

  SilencerCo releases shorter silencers

  21st January 2015

  SilencerCo has released the shortest possible hearing-safe versions of the Octane and Osprey pistol silencers for the US Military, the company announced on 19 January. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UAV Propulsion Tech collaborates with MicroPilot

  21st January 2015

  UAV Propulsion Tech announced on 19 January that it has signed a representative agreement with MicroPilot that will see MicroPilot market UAV Propulsion Tech’s family …

• Digital Battlespace

  UK should mirror US GEOINT approach

  20th January 2015

  The UK must adopt a national structure for geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) similar to the current US approach, the director of cyber, intelligence and information integration …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Air Force to update missile systems

  20th January 2015

  The US Air Force will update its Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) communication systems in Launch Control Centers (LCC), it reported on 14 January. The operational …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop to support ICBM subsystems

  20th January 2015

  The US Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman a contract for the support of Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Ground Subsystems, the company reported …

• Defence Helicopter

  Elbit receives new DIRCM systems order

  20th January 2015

  Elbit Systems has won a contract from an Asian army to provide the mini Music IR MWS based DIRCM systems for the customer's Black Hawk …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Japan selects Hawkeye and Global Hawk aircraft

  20th January 2015

  Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system (UAS) and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft have been selected by Japan to enhance its intelligence, …

• Military Logistics

  NATO extends SALIS airlift

  20th January 2015

  NATO’s Support Agency (NSPA) has renewed its contract with Ruslan SALIS GmbH, a Leipzig-based subsidiary of Russian airfreight carriers Volga-Dnepr Group. The agreement, made on …

• Digital Battlespace

  Boeing to deliver CSEL radios to USAF

  20th January 2015

  Boeing will deliver an additional 336 Combat Survivor Evader Locator (CSEL) radios, and upgrade the system’s global base station network for the US Air Force, …

• Land Warfare

  BAE offers India M777 build

  20th January 2015

  BAE Systems is offering to relocate its M777 lightweight howitzer production line to India to meet Indian Army artillery requirements. A statement from BAE Systems …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Latvia]

  Programme Background In August 2018, the Latvian government approved the acquisition of four UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters. The UH-60Ms are intended for both military and ...

• Transport

  C-130J [USA]

  Programme Background The C-130J Super Hercules is a four-engine turboprop transport aircraft developed by Lockheed Martin to replace aging C-130 variants. The US and foreign ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A Joint Strike Fighter - USAF

  Background The programme’s early competitive phase included three different airframe designs. Boeing submitted one design, Lockheed Martin submitted another, and McDonnell Douglas submitted a third ...

• Transport

  King Air 360 [Nigeria]

  Programme Background On 7 October 2021, Nigeria’s Budget Office published its proposed budget details. The Nigerian Air Force requested 10.86 billion Nigerian Naira (US$26.4 million) ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Light Attack/Trainer Aircraft - Ghana

  In 2013, the Chief of Ghana Air Force stated that A-29 is their preferred platform and this position was also submitted to the Government. In ...

• Bomber

  B-21 Raider [USA]

  Programme Background Development The US DoD is developing a new long-range bomber called the B-21 Raider, previously known as LRS-B. At least 100 units are ...

• Trainer

  Trainer Aircraft (1-12) [Vietnam]

  Programme Background After years of operating Russian-built military equipment, Vietnam is more willing to procure US-supplied equipment following the lifting of the arms embargo in ...

• Military UAS - mini

  RemoEye-006A [Bolivia]

  Background Ceremony In June 2013, the Bolivian air force inducted its first two UAVs into service, with the models, FAB 0001 and FAB 0002, being ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  Barak MX [Thailand]

  Background Thailand is procuring the Barak MX air defence system, which will be operated by the Anti-Aircraft Regiment of the Security Force Command. The system ...

• CUAS - jammers

  Airbase Air Defence Systems CUAS [US]

  Background The US Air Force's Budget Documentation for FY 2027 included $1.529 billion for Air Base Air Defence, part of which was to be used for ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 [Jordan]

  Background Requirement The Jordanian Air Force has a requirement for training helicopters that are to be used in the King Hussein Air College. The country currently ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  US Air Force Air Base Defence Missile Defence [US]

  Background The US Air Force's (USAF) Air Base Air Defence Missile Defence (ABAD MD) programme is part of the Air Force Physical Security System and sits ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Tornado Replacement (F-35A) [Germany]

  Background Requirement In March 2020, it emerged that the German government was considering  30 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets to replace 45 nuclear-capable Tornados. The remaining 40 Tornados ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V (1-8) [Bulgaria]

  Programme Background Requirement Bulgarian MoD plans to procure 16 new-built fighter aircraft to replace its fleet of 15 Russian-manufactured MiG-29 fighters. Lockheed Martin’s F-16 Block ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-47 Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  Background Requirement Originally conceived as a replacement for the F-22, the PCA was designed to counter various air threats, including integrated air defence systems and ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: EO/IR – Jamming Systems

  AN/AAQ-45

  Leonardo’s AN/AAQ-45 Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasures is designed to equip rotorcraft. The system is being installed on Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk medium-lift utility helicopters used ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  J/ALQ-8

  Like Israel, Japan elected to outfit its McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F-15J/DJ combat aircraft with an indigenous self-protection system. This takes the form of Mitsubishi Electric’s J/ALQ-8 ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  FAB-T Force Element Terminal

  The Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals - Force Element Terminal (FAB-T FET) is a nuclear-hardened SATCOM solution designed for airborne applications. Produced by Raytheon, ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  25mm PGU-48/B

  The 25mm PGU-48/B is a medium-calibre armour-penetrating round manufactured by American Rheinmetall. The US Air Force uses the PGU-48/B with its F-35 aircraft.

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  25mm PGU-23/U

  The 25mm PGU-23/U is a medium-calibre training round manufactured by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems. The US Air Force utilises it with its AC-130 and ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Warrior Systems

  General Dynamics Mission Systems is prime contractor and system integrator for the US Army’s Warrior soldier systems, which include Air Warrior, Future Force Warrior, Land Warrior ...

• Air: mission management systems

  TBMCS

  Theater Battle Management Core Systems (TBMCS) is a US joint C2 integrated BMS used to plan and execute air campaigns in theatres of operations worldwide. ...

• Fighter - air superiority

  F-5E/F Tiger II

  The F-5E (single-seat)/F (twin-seat) Tiger II is an air superiority fighter developed by Northrop Grumman based on the original F-5 Freedom Fighter. Production of the ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  30mm PGU-13B High Explosive Incendiary

  The 30mm 30mm PGU-13B High Explosive Incendiary (HEI) is a medium-calibre munition manufactured by Northrop Grumman. The US Air Force uses the PGU-13B HEI with ...

• Trainer

  King Air trainer

  Textron / Beechcraft King Air trainers are a family twin-engine aircraft based on King Air 90, 100, 200 and 350 utility aircraft. The King Air ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  CLS-200

  The CLS-200 is part of the Yates Electrospace Corporation Silent Arrow family. It is a powered cargo-carrying one-use UAV, based on the company's GD-2000 glider.  In ...

• Trainer

  T-6A/B Texan II

  The T-6 Texan II is a single-engine trainer aircraft, which was developed from the Pilatus PC-9 to meet the training requirements of USAF and USN ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-4 Phantom II family

  The F-4 Phantom II is a two-seat multirole fighter developed originally by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) to meet USN interceptor requirements. It soon became a unified ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  EMB-312 Tucano

  The EMB-312 Tucano (Brazilian designation T-27) is a trainer and light attack aircraft developed by Embraer to meet the training requirements of the Brazilian Air ...

• Loitering munitions

  Sureshastra

  The Sureshastra, or Smart Unmanned Munitions System (S-UMS), is a jet-powered, catapult-launched loitering munition manufactured by Veda Aeronautics.  In 2023, the Indian Air Force (IAF) acquired ...