• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Clouds gather over SDAM rotary-wing drone programme for French Navy

  3rd August 2022

  Is time running out for the SDAM programme to prove its utility to French decision-makers?

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Farnborough 2022: Airbus launches Auto'Mate programme to test autonomous tanker tech

  20th July 2022

  Airbus has launched a demonstrator programme to explore autonomous air-to-air refuelling technology using an A310 tanker testbed and DT-25 target drone receivers.

• Training

  Farnborough 2022: Morocco orders H135 for primary training missions

  20th July 2022

  The Royal Moroccan Air Force will use the fleet of H135s for utility and SAR training missions.

• Air Warfare

  Farnborough 2022: Airbus A330 MRTT gains certification for automatic refuelling

  19th July 2022

  The Airbus A330 MRTT has become the world's first aerial tanker certified for automatic refuelling after testing with the Republic of Singapore Air Force.

• Defence Helicopter

  Leonardo offers up four-point AW149 survivability plan to sweeten NMH bid

  2nd September 2022

  Leonardo hopes to persuade the UK MoD that a range of AW149 survivability-related items makes the helicopter the best fit for the New Medium Helicopter programme.

• Defence Notes

  Canada picks Airbus for multirole tanker transport requirement

  15th July 2022

  The first pair of A330-200s to meet the six-aircraft Canadian Strategic Tanker Transport Capability requirement will arrive in late 2023.

• Digital Battlespace

  Systematic enhances SitaWare with new updates, touts naval applications

  19th August 2022

  Open-architecture military software developer and integrator Systematic has released a series of updates to its scalable SitaWare suite, while the company is also exploring the use of AI technology for situational awareness in the maritime domain.

• Training

  Thailand receives final H135 training helicopters

  11th July 2022

  Thailand's air force is now in receipt of all six training helicopters purchased in 2019.

• Air Warfare

  USAF tanker force nearly 200 aircraft short for conflict with China

  2nd August 2022

  Problems with the USAF's tanker fleet are such that it risks being unable to effectively fight a war with China, according to a leading defence expert.

• Defence Helicopter

  Leonardo on verge of securing new Merlin and Wildcat helicopter exports

  5th August 2022

  Leonardo has said that it expects to finalise export contracts for both the AW101 and AW159 helicopters from new customers before the end of 2022.

• Air Warfare

  Pakistan Navy pushes forward with maritime patrol aircraft project

  27th July 2022

  Pakistan is relying on converted commercial aircraft for its ongoing requirement for maritime patrol aircraft.

• Air Warfare

  India desperately needs more transport aircraft

  30th June 2022

  How can the Indian Air Force fill major gaps in its airlift fleet, since few new transport aircraft types are available?

• Defence Helicopter

  Skytrac SATCOM solution climbs aboard French H160Ms

  13th July 2022

  The SDL-700 SATCOM system will equip 169 new H160M helicopters for the French armed forces.

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus tight-lipped on Cypriot H145M helicopter order

  24th June 2022

  The Cypriot government is reportedly close to ordering H145M helicopters from Airbus, replacing Mi-35s due to be sold to Serbia.

• Defence Helicopter

  Farnborough 2022: Sikorsky reveals plan to develop new X2 helicopter for Europe

  18th July 2022

  Sikorsky has opened up about an ambitious plan to develop a third X2 technology-based helicopter to meet European demand.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Data links

  Data links | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Transport

  A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  Programme Background At IDEX 2025, two Airbus representatives shared insights into a possible offer from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

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

  Sistema RPAS Táctico de Altas Prestaciones (SiRTAP) [Spain]

  Background MoU In 2017, it was announced that Spain was jointly developing a MALE UAV with Colombia to meet the ISR requirement of both armed ...

• Transport

  A400M (Kazakhstan)

  Programme Background In September 2021, it was announced that Kazakhstan ordered two Airbus A400M aircraft. According to Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, ‘The A400M ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M - France

  Programme Background In April 2021, the French government signed a deal for the purchase of eight H225M Airbus helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of SA330 ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT [Singapore]

  In February 2020, Airbus and the Singapore government announced an agreement to collaborate on the development of an A330 Smart Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). One Singaporean ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

• Data links

  Data links | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

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

  Eurodrone [Spain]

  Programme Background Inception (Stage One) The European MALE RPAS programme was launched in September 2016. Germany, Spain, France, and Italy negotiated and agreed, in collaboration ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Maritime Operations Helicopters

  The three maritime operations helicopters will be used for logistics and personnel transport, alongside transportation of PASKAL naval special forces in operations in the area. ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  Strategic Tanker Transport [Canada]

  Programme Background This project will replace the existing fleet capability, including strategic airlift, air-to-air refuelling, Aeromedical Evacuations and Strategic Government of Canada transport. The Strategic ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  MQ-72C Lakota Connector

  The MQ-72C Lakota Connector is an uncrewed version of Airbus' UH-72B, primarily designed to provide contested logistics in austere expeditionary environments. Airbus has partnered with L3Harris, Shield AI, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H175M

  The Airbus H175M is the military variant of the H175, a seven-tonne class aircraft powered by twin PT6C 67E engines. The civilian variants produced by Airbus ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Flexrotor

  Flexrotor is a VTOL small UAS manufactured by Aerovel. It can integrate different types of payloads, including electro-optical systems and advanced sensors, to suit customers’ ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  H145

  The light, twin-engine EC145 began as an initiative to increase the cabin size of the BK 117 C1 aircraft, involving Kawasaki of Japan and Airbus ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAS

  The Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAV, or cargo copter, is a rotary-wing cargo-carrying platform that Airbus is developing. The platform has yet to be formally named. The ...

• Transport

  C295

  The C295 is the largest member of Airbus Defence and Space’s family of medium tactical airlifters and surveillance aircraft. It is a development of the ...

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

  Wingman

  The Wingman is an Airbus concept drone unveiled at ILA Berlin in June 2024. The loyal wingman-type fixed-wing UAV is designed to accompany crewed fighters, ...

• Helicopter engines

  LTS101

  The LTS101 was first certified in 1975. Since then, over 2,100 engines have been delivered to customers worldwide, logging over 11 million service hours. The ...

• Air: mission management systems

  Helionix

  The Helionix digital avionics suite was developed from the need for a more powerful avionics system with greater functions and computing capacity, alongside a user-friendly interface. ...

• Military helicopters - light/training, Military helicopters - multirole

  H135M

  The H135M (formerly known as the EC635 and also designated as H135) is a light utility variant of the EC135 twin-engine, multipurpose 3t helicopter. In ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  A400M Training

  Thales is the principal training provider for the Airbus A400M with a contract to provide FFSs and flat-panel trainers. Four A400M FFS and two flat-panel ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Bo 105

  The Bo 105 is a twin-engine, multipurpose, light helicopter that was developed in 1963-68. Approximately 37% of the more than 1,400 aircraft built before production ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H215M

  The H215M (formerly the AS532 ALe) is the most recent addition to the Cougar family.  It is a medium-weight (9t-class), twin-engine helicopter, combining the AS532's ...

• Transport

  A400M Atlas

  Developed to meet European military airlift requirements, the A400M Atlas combines tactical and strategic/logistic mission capabilities. The platform's cargo hold is designed to carry outsize ...