• Air Warfare

  Azerbaijan's integral role in Turkish TF-X Kaan fighter programme strengthens defence capabilities and strategic ties

  2nd August 2023

  'By involving Azerbaijan [in the TF-X Kaan programme], Türkiye can potentially share the financial burden of the project, leading to cost savings and economic advantages for both countries,' team lead for government contracting at Tusas Engine Industries tells Shephard.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  XLUUV towed array trials pave the way for autonomous anti-submarine warfare

  7th July 2023

  SEA, MSubs and Sonardyne conducted trials integrating uncrewed anti-submarine warfare systems using the MSubs Extra Large Uncrewed Vehicle and SEA KraitArray towed array, opening the door to potential autonomous ASW capabilities.

• Land Warfare

  Hensoldt releases containerised version of Twinvis passive radar

  7th August 2023

  Hensoldt has developed a mobile containerised version of its Twinvis passive radar system which provides long-range military airspace surveillance or, in the medium term, in civil air traffic control.

• Land Warfare

  Roketsan Burc mobile air defence system revealed at IDEF

  27th July 2023

  Roketsan's Burc mobile air defence system (MADS) is designed to defend against small and large targets such as UAVs and helicopters.

• Training

  Core collective training challenges – a British Army view

  4th August 2023

  The fundamental reason for an army’s existence is to be able to fight and win against its country’s enemies, in whatever form these are manifested.

• Defence Helicopter

  Updated: UK New Medium Helicopter bidders ready to move as soon as MoD confirms timeline

  23rd June 2023

  The lack of clearly defined acquisition targets for the UK New Medium Helicopter programme continues to pose challenges to the timeline of introducing the new rotorcraft into service by 2025.

• Air Warfare

  Saab receives new missile pylon for testing and evaluation on Gripen E

  20th July 2023

  Saab has taken delivery of MELP5 hardware for test-firing Meteor missiles on the Gripen E fighter aircraft.

• Air Warfare

  Metrea makes history with commercial air-to-air refueling for USAF

  14th July 2023

  Metrea achieved a milestone by providing commercial air-to-air refuelling to USAF RC-135 and E-3 aircraft during exercise Resolute Hunter, marking the first time the force has used commercial aerial tankers.

• Digital Battlespace

  Smartshooter seeks US military interest in remote control fire control stations

  30th June 2023

  Smartshooter has unveiled a remotely controlled fire control system (FCS) integrated with radar and is looking for US DoD interest.

• Air Warfare

  India receives first batch of ALS-50 loitering munitions from Tata

  16th May 2023

  The first ASL-50 loitering munitions from Tata have been delivered to the Indian military.

• Training

  Paraguay shows interest in Argentine Malvina trainer aircraft

  4th May 2023

  Paraguay’s Air Force is looking to renew its fixed-wing training fleet by turning to a neighbouring supplier, having signed a declaration of interest in the Argentinian IA-100 Malvina.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IMDEX 2023: Aeronautics sees growing interest in maritime UAV integration

  4th May 2023

  Israeli UAV maker Aeronautics, known for its Orbiter family of systems, has told Shephard that the company sees great potential in the maritime space and navies’ growing interest in integrating drones into the domain globally.

• Air Warfare

  UPDATED: Australia cements interest in AARGM-ER missile with FMS request

  1st March 2023

  The US has approved Australia's FMS request for supply of the upcoming AARGM-ER missile, but the weapon is appealing to other F-35 users as well.

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army awards MAG Aerospace and L3Harris contract for enhanced ISR aircraft

  24th August 2023

  The US Army has selected MAG Aerospace and L3Harris to deliver two enhanced ISR aircraft for the Army’s Theater-Level, High-Altitude Expeditionary Next Airborne ISR-Radar (ATHENA-R) programme, providing high-altitude intelligence capabilities to meet global requirements.

• Naval Warfare

  Turkish Navy to address capability gaps with new OPV launches

  26th September 2023

  Turkey is asserting it naval shipbuilding credentials and place as a major maritime power with the delivery of three ships in one day.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  PC-21 (Project Air 5428) [Australia]

  The new PTS, including aircraft, flight training simulators and learning environments is being acquired from a single capability contractor, Team 21, which consists of Lockheed ...

• Transport, Transport/tanker aircraft

  Project Air 7404 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement Australia is thinking ahead to an enlarged transport fleet to replace the current C-130Js. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was the second ...

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

  Harpii Szpon (Loyal Wingman) [Poland]

  Programme Background Market Evaluation On 6 November 2023, speaking at the IQPC International Fighter Conference (IFC) 2023 in Madrid, Major General Cezary Wiśniewski, the Deputy General Commander of ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A (Project Air 6000 Phase 2A/B) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) took delivery of 18 F-35A aircraft as of March 2020 and the remaining aircraft are expected to ...

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

  Loyal Wingman [Australia]

  Background Older Efforts On 23 April 2021, the US State Department's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) approval announcement revealed that Australia had requested to buy up ...

• Data links

  Data links | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

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

  Project Air 7003 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirement The USN wants to acquire carrier-capable loyal wingman drones. These drones will have a high level of autonomy, allowing them to work alongside crewed ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (11-12) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

• OPVs

  Arafura Class (Project SEA 1180) (1-6) [Australia]

  Programme Background Australia's new class of Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), the Arafura-class, will replace the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) fleet of Armidale and Cape-class patrol ...

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

  Project Vixen [UK]

  Programme Background Project Goal The Royal Navy uses Leonardo crewed Merlin (AW101) helicopters fitted with CROWSNEST pods to provide airborne early warning capabilities for carriers. An early ...

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

  MQ-28 Ghost Bat [Australia]

  Programme Background Goal As stated by the Head of Air Force Capability, Air Vice-Marshal Robert Denney, in March 2022, the Ghost Bat will be an "operational ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Australian Defence Force MRH90 Training

  As prime contractor for the ADF's MRH90 training programme, CAE has provided two MRH90 full-flight mission simulators (FFMS), training facilities and engineering and support services. ...

• 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 ...

• AMAS

  AMAS – Australian Minesweeping System – was developed with the assistance of the Defence Science & Technology Organisation and the Royal Australian Navy. It adopts ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  RAAF Hawk Mk 127 FMS

  Under subcontract to BAE Systems, CAE is designing and manufacturing three Hawk Mk 127 full-mission simulators (FMS) for the Royal Australian Air Force that will ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  NGJ

  Raytheon's Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) was selected by the USN in 2013 to replace the legacy ALQ-99 systems used on the EA-18G electronic attack aircraft. ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  AN/ALQ-210

  Lockheed Martin’s AN/ALQ-210 is an Electronic Support Measure (ESM) outfitting the Sikorsky MH-60R Romeo naval support helicopter. The manufacturer’s official literature says that the product ...

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

  Wanderer

  The Wanderer is a low-altitude, low-cost, long-endurance UAV produced in-house by the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) Jericho Disruptive Innovation Group and the Australian Government's Defense Science ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Air-5416 Project Echidna

  BAE Systems’ commenced its work on the Australian Department of Defence’s Air-5416 Project Echidna initiative in 2001. The rationale of the programme was to overhaul ...

• Light attack

  Hawk 200

  The Hawk 200 is a single-seat light attack iteration of the Hawk 100 (see separate entry) and Advanced Jet Trainer or AJT (see separate entry). ...

• Air: chaff, flare and decoy systems

  Vicon-XF

  Thales’ Vicon-XF is a countermeasure dispensing system which can equip an array of platforms, primarily large aircraft and rotorcraft, according to the manufacturer’s official literature. ...

• Maritime patrol

  Challenger 604

  Bombardier Challenger CL-604 MPAs are in service with the Royal Danish Air Force and the Korea Coast Guard. The first of three Danish aircraft entered ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  Predator Mission Trainer (PMT)

  The CAE Predator Mission Trainer (PMT) is an integrated platform that combines the features of CAE's UAS mission trainer with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' Predator-specific ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  AN/ALR-2001

  BAE Systems’ AN/ALR-2001 Electronic Support Measure (ESM) is thought to be based on Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Elta Systems division’s EL/M-8382 ESM. The AN/ALR-2001 is ...

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

  Phantom 4 (Series)

  Designed for aerial photograph applications by DJI, the Phantom 4 series of UAVs includes the Phantom 4 Pro, Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, Phantom 4 Advanced ...

• Submarine-launched torpedoes

  Mk 48 Mod 7AT CBASS

  The MK 48 MOD 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) is the latest variant of the Mk 48 torpedo family manufactured by Lockheed Martin and ...