• Defence Notes

  China intimidates Philippine reconstruction on Thitu Island

  8th February 2019

  The Philippines has been constructing a new beaching ramp on Thitu Island in the South China Sea, a move that has drawn firm resistance from …

• Training

  Collective training for British Army moves forward

  14th February 2019

  The British Army has now held its third market engagement day for its Collective Training Transformation Programme (CTTP). Launched at DSEI 2017 by Maj Gen …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed to continue upgrading GPS ground systems

  14th January 2019

  Lockheed Martin has received the GPS Control Segment Sustainment II (GCS II) contract to continue to sustain and modernise the GPS satellite constellation’s ground control …

• Special Operations

  SOFWERX to rapidly review industry ideas

  11th February 2019

  SOFWERX, a Tampa, Florida-based experimentation hub that collaborates with U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), has announced plans to host its first-ever ‘Collider Event’ from April …

• Digital Battlespace

  Spectra Group to demo SlingShot at AEWE

  22nd January 2019

  Spectra Group will demonstrate its SlingShot communication system at the US Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiments (AEWE) 2019 in Fort Benning, Georgia, the company announced on …

• Defence Helicopter

  NH90 MTT ready for the high seas

  8th February 2019

  Although there are numerous NH90 sub-variants, more than there are customer nations, there are currently two main variants, the Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) and NATO …

• Defence Notes

  Moscow beefing up its MiG-31 fleet

  8th February 2019

  The Russian military has extended the scope of its MiG-31BM/BSM upgrade programme by placing a new contract for overhauled and deeply upgraded aircraft. The works, …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM touts ‘successes’ from high-tech suit project

  12th February 2019

  The Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS), an effort by US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to develop wearable technology that dramatically increases the survivability and …

• Land Warfare

  Ukraine launches Vilkha rocket production

  29th January 2019

  Ukraine has begun the serial production of the new 300mm Vilkha (also known as Olkha) guided rocket launched by the Soviet-era 9K58 Smerch MLRS. This …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris to upgrade USMC tactical radios

  16th January 2019

  Harris Corporation will provide Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) narrowband satellite communication upgrades for the US Marine Corps’ Falcon III AN/PRC-117G manpack radios, the company …

• Digital Battlespace

  SpaceX launches final ten satellites for Iridium

  11th January 2019

  SpaceX on Friday blasted off a payload of global communications satellites for Iridium, marking the first launch of 2019 for the California-based company headed by …

• Special Operations

  SO/LIC 2019: Industry to demonstrate loitering missiles for USSOCOM

  10th February 2019

  US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is gearing up to host a series of loitering missile demonstrations conducted by industry, according to command officials. Six companies …

• Land Warfare

  Full rate production delay for JLTV

  6th February 2019

  There will now be a delay in the full-rate production (FRP) decision for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) which was originally planned for December 2018, Shephard has …

• Naval Warfare

  GSL to construct additional Project 1135.6 ships

  4th February 2019

  Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) has received a contract for the construction of two additional Project 1135.6 follow-on ships for the Indian Navy, the Indian Ministry …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Silvus radios to support Aerovel’s FTUAS bid

  21st January 2019

  Silvus Technologies’ StreamCaster (SC4200) radios have been selected by Aerovel for its Flexrotor UAS in pursuit of the US Army Family of Tactical UAS (FTUAS) …

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 - small

  Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) GUARD [Ireland]

  Background Problem As stated on the project’s website in 2022, Ireland is the “softest target in the EU for smugglers” due to its 3171km of ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Micro UAV [Argentina]

  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 of ...

• 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 - MALE

  BZK-005 [Sudan]

  Methodology PGO and programme status Defence Insight has assigned this programme a PGO of 100% since it is complete. Units required Defence Insight estimates that ...

• 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 - tactical

  Seeker 400 (1-6) [UAE]

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

• Military UAS - MALE

  CH-4 (Second Batch) [Pakistan]

  Background First Batch According to the Pakistan Exim Trade Info website, five CH-4 aircraft were delivered to the country on 15 January 2021. According to a satellite ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Wing Loong II [Pakistan]

  Background Original Effort On 6 October 2018, the Pakistani Air Force (PAF) announced on social media that it would acquire 48 Wing Loong II UAVs. ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  NH90 - NFH [Italy]

  Background  Programme history The Italian Navy took delivery of its first NH90 NFH helicopter in Full Operational Capability (or Step B) configuration in 2011. The ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9A Reaper [Spain]

  Programme Background First Contract The US State Department approved a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of MQ-9 Block 5 aircraft and associated parts, equipment, and logistical ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Turkish UCAV [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Desired Procurement Saudi Arabia reportedly began negotiations to procure six Anka UAVs in 2013. It had not been disclosed which Anka variant was requested, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk (Second Contract) [Croatia]

  Programme Background Western Technology With the help of the US, Croatia has attempted to improve its military technology, replacing Soviet equipment, such as the Mi-8/Mi-17. ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  Long-Endurance UAV [US AFRICOM]

  Programme Background Ageing MQ-9A Reapers In November 2022, Shephard reported that GA-ASI would continue supporting contractor SMX with its MQ-9A after winning a $2.3 billion task ...

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 - USVs

  USV-12

  The USV-12 is an uncrewed surface vessel (USV) developed by HAVELSAN and VN Maritime Technologies. The modular platform is designed for defence, maritime security, and search ...