• Defence Notes

  Singapore hedges its bets with F-35 decision

  22nd January 2019

  Catching few by surprise, Singapore’s Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen announced in a terse statement on 18 January that his country had identified the F-35 …

• Defence Notes

  From Yerevan to Yangon Su-30SM is in global demand

  7th February 2019

  Armenia has emerged as the latest customer for the Russian-made Su-30SM heavyweight fighter. This was officially confirmed on 5 February by the Armenian MoD. A …

• Training

  New trainers, old problems

  21st January 2019

  Boeing has been awarded a $91.72 million contract for the procurement of new aircrew and maintenance training systems, as well as upgrades and modifications to …

• Naval Warfare

  Raytheon receives Aegis fire control system order

  25th January 2019

  Raytheon has received a $72.4 million contract to produce MK 99 fire control systems for the Aegis weapon system, the company announced on 22 January. …

• Defence Notes

  Raytheon’s JPALS flies in desert demo for US military

  23rd January 2019

  Raytheon’s Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) has been demonstrated to US services in Yuma, Arizona on 16 January, Shephard has learnt. The trial flight …

• Training

  New fast jet training for RAF

  4th February 2019

  The UK Royal Air Force has officially opened its new £44 million centrifuge at RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire. The project has been headed by Thales and this …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE receives contract from NGA

  25th January 2019

  BAE Systems has received a $250 million, five-year contract to continue providing advanced full-motion video (FMV) analytics, training and intelligence production support for the National …

• Military Logistics

  Babcock expands Portsmouth footprint

  25th January 2019

  Babcock has opened a new office in Portsmouth to support work on the UK Ministry of Defence’s five year Marine Systems Support Partner (MSSP) contract, …

• Naval Warfare

  Global Type 26 fleet will reach 32 vessels as Canada awards design contract

  8th February 2019

  Irving Shipbuilding has awarded a contract to finalise design work for the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) programme, the latest milestone in the long-running effort to …

• Defence Helicopter

  Textron to 'roll back' V-280 funding without renewed DoD investment

  24th January 2019

  The prospect of Textron reducing V-280 Valor funding is one certain to happen should the US president's forthcoming budget submission not offer the programme, or its …

• Defence Notes

  Singapore picks US F-35 fighter jet over Europe, China rivals

  18th January 2019

  Singapore has chosen the F-35 warplane to replace its ageing fighter jets, opting for the US aircraft over European and Chinese models, the defence ministry …

• Defence Helicopter

  India gets its hands on first Chinooks

  6th February 2019

  The Indian Air Force (IAF) is to receive 15 CH-47F Chinook helicopters from Boeing, and the first was formally handed over during a ceremony at …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army operator training on WASP ERS concluded

  24th January 2019

  Drone Aviation has concluded US Army operator training on the Winch Aerostat Small Platform (WASP) elevated relay system (ERS) at the army’s base in Pacific …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Nine teams to participate in DARPA’s STIX

  25th January 2019

  Nine teams have qualified to take part in the SubT Integration Exercise (STIX) in preparation for the Circuits Stage of the SubT Challenge later in …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon receives radar systems repair contract

  24th January 2019

  Raytheon has received a contract to repair radar systems on the US Navy’s F/A-18 aircraft, the company announced on 21 January. Under the $24.4 million …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  F-5E/F Adversary Trainer US Navy

  The F-5N is a single seat, dual engine supersonic land based fighter. It is designed to a service life of 9000 flight hours. The aircraft ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  On 12 April 2024, General João Cartaxo Alves, the Chief of Staff of the Portugese Air Force, revealed that Portugal would replace its fleet of F-16A/B ...

• Data links

  Data links | F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  On 12 April 2024, General João Cartaxo Alves, the Chief of Staff of the Portugese Air Force, revealed that Portugal would replace its fleet of F-16A/B ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  On 12 April 2024, General João Cartaxo Alves, the Chief of Staff of the Portugese Air Force, revealed that Portugal would replace its fleet of F-16A/B ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  On 12 April 2024, General João Cartaxo Alves, the Chief of Staff of the Portugese Air Force, revealed that Portugal would replace its fleet of F-16A/B ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  On 12 April 2024, General João Cartaxo Alves, the Chief of Staff of the Portugese Air Force, revealed that Portugal would replace its fleet of F-16A/B ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  Programme Background At the Portuguese National Defense Conference on April 22, 2025, General João Cartaxo Alves reaffirmed that the F-35A remains the sole viable successor ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Hawk Mk 165 Advanced Jet Trainer- Saudi Arabia

  The fleet will be used to train Saudi pilots before they transition to the Eurofighter Typhoon and F-15 in service with RSAF.  Under the Saudi-British Defence Cooperation Programme, ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Next Generation Fighter Aircraft (Vietnam)

  Programme Background Requirement The Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) operates an ageing fleet of Su-22 aircraft as well as Su-27s and Su-30s. According to expert commentary, ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) [Japan]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that GCAP's Japanese, British and Italian components are tracked in separate entries. Programme Timeline 2020: The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency of Japan issued ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement Turkish Air Force ordered 100 F-35A aircraft as a partner nation, however, the country was removed from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  Programme 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 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  H-X Fighter Programme (Finland)

  Programme Background In June 2020, Finnish MoD announced that the Hornet fleet life extension programme is neither cost-effective solution nor sufficient in terms of Finland’s ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey (USN)

  Programme Background Requirement According to USN FY2023 Budget Estimate documentation, the V-22 programme provides an aircraft to meet the amphibious and vertical assault needs of ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Phoenix Ghost (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (21 April 2022) Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, on 21 April 2022, President Biden announced an $800 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: air combat simulators

  Air Combat Training

  Boeing has experience in delivering training for fixed-wing air combat platforms including F-15C/E, F-16, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G, F-22 and MV/CV-22.

• Training Services

  Boeing’s training systems and services provide a full range of training activities, including mission planning systems; aircrew and maintenance training devices; training centres; and training ...

• Fighter - air superiority

  F-22A Raptor

  F-22A Raptor is a fifth-generation stealth air superiority fighter with air-to-ground attack capability. It was developed by Lockheed Martin to meet the requirement of the USAF ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Collective Training

  Boeing has delivered and operates three USAF F-15C Mission Training Centers (MTCs), three F-15E MTCs and three F-16 MTCs. The F-22 platform was added into ...

• Subsystems: hardware

  Flight Simulation Products

  Bugeye Technologies (BT) manufactures simulated-grade flight grips, controls and avionic displays for fixed-wing, rotary-wing and unmanned crafts. BT's full line of products includes replicated control ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  DACTS

  The DRS Air Combat Training System (DACTS) has been delivered to military customers worldwide. Customised versions have supported coalition training for the US government and ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-77

  The AN/APG-77 is a low-probability-of-intercept fire control radar for the F-22 Raptor. It is designed to significantly improve capability in air-to-air combat, allowing the pilot ...

• Air: chaff, flare and decoy systems

  IRCM Flares

  Kilgore develops and manufactures a range of airborne IR decoy flares. These are compatible with most available dispenser systems. Standard flare products manufactured include: MJU-7A/B, ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-81

  AN/APG-81 is operating in the X-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar designed by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems for the F-35 “Lightning” all-weather ...

• EW test systems

  CRIIS

  The Common Range Integrated Instrumentation System (CRIIS) provides time, space and position information (TSPI) as well as systems evaluation data to support testing for a ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-83 SABR

  The AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) is an active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar being developed by Northrop Grumman using its own ...

• Data links

  Multifunction Advanced Data Link

  Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) is a Ku-band data link designed for fifth-generation aircraft. The directional, interflight system is integrated into all F-35 variants, allowing ...

• 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.

• Fixed wing aircraft engines

  F100-PW-229

  The F100 family of engines, selected by 23 air forces globally, power all of the USAF's F-15 Eagles and a substantial proportion of the global ...

• Subsystems: visual

  SpectraView Front Projection Display System

  Designed to support a variety of training requirements, SpectraView systems provide cost-effective, scalable and flexible options for single, tandem and side-by-side seating configurations. Standard and ...