• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Global Hawk flies record mission hours

  9th January 2015

  According to a 7 January release by Northrop Grumman, its US Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk and other High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Unmanned Aircraft …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  More UAS exemptions on the way, says FAA

  9th January 2015

  THE US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) says the two exemptions granted to commercial UAV companies this week are a sign of things to come. An …

• Digital Battlespace

  Textron enters R&D agreement with US Army

  8th January 2015

  Textron Systems announced on 6 January that its Advanced Information Solutions business has entered a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the US Army's …

• Digital Battlespace

  DARPA awards Aurora ALIAS programme contract

  8th January 2015

  According to a press release on 5 January 2015 by Aurora Flight Sciences, the company has won a $6 million contract for the first phase …

• Military Logistics

  US Army seeks frontline water solutions

  8th January 2015

  The US Army is looking for technical solutions to bring water supplies further into the tactical environment. Following a prototype development phase the Army’s Rapid …

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed Martin to modernise US Army's ATACMS

  8th January 2015

  Lockheed Martin will carry out upgrade work on the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) for the US Army under a $78 million contract announced on …

• Defence Helicopter

  Z-18A undergoes high-altitude testing

  8th January 2015

  Pictures of the new Z-18A troop-carrying helicopter undergoing high-altitude testing have emerged on the Chinese internet as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) looks for a …

• Defence Notes

  Cubic selected to enhance F-35 fighter jet ACTS

  7th January 2015

  Lockheed Martin Aeronautics has awarded Cubic Corporation a series of contracts for creating and adding enhancements to the Air Combat Training System (ACTS) of its …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army focuses on sensor research for situational awareness

  7th January 2015

  US Army scientists and engineers are advancing sensor technology research to enhance the situational awareness of soldiers in the battlefield. The army reported the latest …

• Digital Battlespace

  Second BMD radar for Japan

  7th January 2015

  The US has deployed a second X-band Raytheon AN/TPY-2 radar system to Japan. The US DoD announced on 29 December that the radar, which is …

• Land Warfare

  Cubic receives Italian Army training award

  7th January 2015

  Cubic Defense Applications will provide equipment to enhance the Italian Army’s full spectrum training capacity under a $6.5 million follow-on option announced on 6 January. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales fire control system selected for French Navy

  7th January 2015

  Thales has received a contract to upgrade the anti-air missile fire control system on the French Navy’s Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, the company announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russia accelerates rotorcraft fleet renewal

  6th January 2015

  Around 135 new helicopters were delivered to the Russian military in 2014, as the country continues a wide-ranging modernisation of its rotorcraft fleet. The majority …

• Military Logistics

  K2 Energy wins electromagnetic rail gun contract

  6th January 2015

  The electromagnetic rail gun in development for the US Navy will be powered by an intermediate energy storage battery system to be supplied by K2 …

• Land Warfare

  Logos Technologies to continue motorcycle development

  6th January 2015

  Logos Technologies has received funding to continue development of the SilentHawk military motorcycle under a DARPA Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award announced …

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 ...