• Land Warfare

  Belgian army battalions fire first Spikes

  4th November 2016

  Operators from Belgian army manoeuvre battalions fired their Spike anti-tank missiles for the first time on 27 October on the Bergen-Höhne training area in northern …

• Defence Notes

  Malaysia slashes 2017 defence budget

  25th October 2016

  The defence budget announced by Malaysia on 21 October has taken a serious slash compared to a year earlier. The amount allocated to the Ministry …

• Naval Warfare

  Qatar seek fast patrol boats

  23rd August 2016

  The US State Department has approved a possible foreign military sale (FMS) to Qatar for an undisclosed number of Mk V fast patrol boats in …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  nEUROn UAV demos in France

  7th June 2016

  The nEUROn unmanned combat air vehicle demonstrator successfully flew at an air demonstration organised by the French Air Force at Istres, France, Dassault Aviation announced …

• Defence Notes

  OIS-AT to build AASM Hammer

  22nd April 2016

  India-based OIS Advanced Technology (OIS-AT) and Sagem have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up a joint venture in India for the production …

• Training

  Exercise Griffin Strike kicks off

  12th April 2016

  Over 5,000 French and British armed forces personnel are set to participate in Exercise Griffin Strike, to test the nations' Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF) …

• Naval Warfare

  DIMDEX 2016: Qatar spending spree

  30th March 2016

  Additional maintenance, equipment and training MoU’s were signed for the Qatar Emiri Armed Forces on 30 March. The contracts were with companies such as MBDA, Thales …

• Defence Helicopter

  Belgium to invest €9.2 billion in defence

  22nd January 2016

  The new strategic defence plan for 2030 agreed by the Belgian government on 22 December foresees 9.2 billion euros being invested in its armed forces. …

• Defence Notes

  DSEI 2015: Bigger export role for UK MoD

  16th September 2015

  The UK’s defence minister has set out plans for the country's Ministry of Defence (MoD) to take a greater responsibility in promoting exports in a …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: What’s in store?

  12th June 2015

  Although the biennial air show in Paris has become increasingly dominated by the commercial airline sector, much like its British counterpart at Farnborough, there will …

• Defence Notes

  LAAD 2015: Embraer and Saab sign ‘historic’ Gripen agreement

  15th April 2015

  Embraer and Saab have signed an agreement at the LAAD exhibition in Rio de Janeiro establishing a partnership for the joint management of the Brazilian …

• Defence Notes

  India fast tracks Rafale purchase

  14th April 2015

  India’s new government has put its sluggish defense procurement on track by ordering two squadrons for 36 Dassault Rafales. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced …

• Naval Warfare

  LIMA 2015: Thales focusing on regional naval and air defence sectors

  23rd March 2015

  Thales announced at LIMA 2015 that it has delivered the first of two further Airborne Maritime Situation and Control System (AMASCOS) mission systems to the …

• Defence Notes

  IDEX 2015: UAE shows ‘readiness to use force’ in Syria

  21st February 2015

  Fresh airstrikes carried out by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Syria in late February have signalled its continued willingness to use military force to …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales unveils Searchmaster ‘5-in-1’ (video)

  5th November 2014

  Thales launched its new Searchmaster multirole surveillance radar with active electronic scanning antenna (AESA) technology at the Euronaval exhibition in Paris. Speaking to Shephard Media, …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale (Greece)

  Programme Background Greece is mounting a procurement surge amid renewed tension with Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean. In announcing the Rafale deal, Greek Prime Minister ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale - Follow-On (Greece)

  Programme Background Referring to the rearmament programme for 2020-2025, Greek defence minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos said in parliament on 7 October 2021 that up to 48 new multi-role ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale Follow-On [India]

  Programme background The Indian Air Force has requested the procurement of 114 Rafale fighter aircraft. The ask comes shortly after the plane was used successfully ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale [Egypt]

  Methodology PGO As this programme is contracted and fully delivered, the PGO is 100%. Units required A total of 24 Rafale were ordered through this ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale Tranche 5 [France]

  Background  The 2023 order includes 12 replacement aircraft for Rafale sold to Croatia. The tranche 5 order will be designed to evolve toward the F5 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale Follow-On (Egypt)

  Background Follow-on order The Egyptian order of 30 Rafale in 2021 is a follow-on order to a 2015 order of 24 Rafale. The initial order ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale Procurement (1-36) [Qatar]

  Methodology PGO As this programme is complete, the PGO is 100%. Units required A total of 36 units were required through this programme. This was ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale (1-12) [Serbia]

  Programme Background Timeline The military aviation capabilities of the Serbian Armed Forces have been actively expanded — and Belgrade was confirmed to be negotiating with ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale [Iraq]

  Programme Background Requirement Lt Gen Juma Anad Saadoun, the Iraqi Minister of Defence, said in a 10 November 2020 statement that the Iraqi Air Force ...

• Fighter - naval

  Multi-Role Carrier Borne Fighters (MRCBF) [India]

  Programme Background RFI / Requirments In January 2017, India issued an RFI for the procurement of 57 multirole naval fighters. The RFI for the Indian Navy ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale [UAE]

  Programme Background Abu Dhabi has a long-standing interest in two squadrons of F-35, which had been refused until 2017 when it was reported that the ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [French Air Force]

  Background Rafale F5 companion During a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the French Strategic Air Forces (FAS) at Saint-Dizier Air Base in October 2024, France’s Minister of ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale [France]

  Background The 40 aircraft ordered as part of Tranche 4 are part of a wider French procurement of the Rafale. The order includes plans to ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Rafale [Iraq]

  Iraqi Air Force is planning to procure Rafale combat aircraft from France. The Iraqi Minister of Defence announced in November 2020 that Baghdad is in ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Rafale [Iraq]

  Iraqi Air Force is planning to procure Rafale combat aircraft from France. The Iraqi Minister of Defence announced in November 2020 that Baghdad is in ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - naval

  Rafale M

  The Rafale M is a single-seat, twin-engine, delta-wing aircraft with forward canards. It is the carrier version of the Rafale B/C, which is in service ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale

  The Rafale is a delta-wing agile aircraft with forward canards, which allow for short landing and slower speeds, powered by two Snecma M88 engines. The ...

• EO/IR systems

  AREOS

  The Airborne Recce Observation System (AREOS), known as Reco NG in France, is a standoff reconnaissance system designed for tactical and strategic missions.  The pod integrates ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - MLDS

  DDM-NG

  MBDA’s DDM-NG is a Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS) which equips Thales’ Spectra integrated self-protection system used by the Dassault Rafale-F3B/C/M combat aircraft. Official documentation ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  CSR

  As part of a wider consortium including its parent company Dassault Aviation, Sogitec Industries delivered the two Rafale Simulation Centres (Centres de simulation Rafale/CSR) in ...

• Fixed wing aircraft engines

  M88

  The M88 powers Dassault's Rafale multirole fighter. The engine is manufactured by Safron and can develop 16,500lb of thrust with an afterburner.  Safran is working ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Stealth UCAV (nEUROn Successor)

  At the Paris Air Show 2025, Dassault Aviation showcased a stealthy UCAV, the successor of the nEUROn aircraft. A Safran M88 engine will power the ...

• Air: maintenance simulators

  VMT

  Virtual Maintenance Trainers (VMTs) present trainees with interactive virtual walkaround lessons, providing views of component locations and inspection areas around the aircraft, along with descriptions ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  Rafale Simulator

  Thales, Sogitec and Dassault Aviation have together developed two pilot training centres to support the training of Rafale fighter pilots. The Saint-Dizier Rafale simulation centre ...

• EO/IR systems

  TALIOS

  The TArgeting Long-range Identification Optronic System (TALIOS) is a targeting pod from Thales.  It is equipped with top-down and bottom-up datalinks and can scan a large area, identify ...

• Air-to-air missiles

  MICA RF

  Developed by MBDA, the MICA is a multi-mission, air-to-air missile system for the Rafale and the latest versions of the Mirage 2000 combat aircraft. The MICA ...

• Air-to-air missiles

  MICA IR

  Developed by MBDA, the MICA is a multi-mission, air-to-air missile system for the Rafale and the latest versions of the Mirage 2000 combat aircraft. The MICA ...

• Air: mission management systems

  SLPRM

  Mission planning and debriefing system used by the French Air Force to program missions for its fighter jets. The SLPRM (Système local de préparation et ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  VL MICA NG IR

  The VL MICA NG missile is the second iteration of MBDA's existing VL MICA system, designed to enhance air defence capabilities for both naval and land-based ...

• EO/IR systems

  Front Sector Optronics (FSO)

  The Safran Front Sector Optronics (FSO) is an out-of-production EO system for Rafale fighters. It was used for air-to-air and air-to-surface missions.  It had an infrared search and track thermal ...