• Defence Notes

  Ukraine relies on commercial technology to face up to Russian forces

  23rd June 2022

  Ukraine has been using drones, AI tools and secure communications capabilities as well as relying on remote sensing and satellite imagery to face Russia's 20th century-based capabilities.

• Naval Warfare

  Dreadnought nuclear deterrent submarine programme progresses with new contracts

  9th May 2022

  HMS Dreadnought is scheduled to enter service in the early 2030s as the first of a new generation of SSBNs for the RN.

• Digital Battlespace

  USN seeks more surface vessel EW suites

  28th June 2022

  NAVSEA is exercising options under the SEWIP programme.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Loitering munitions in Ukraine: not game-changing, but headache-inducing

  26th May 2022

  In terms of the emerging capabilities of loitering munitions, the Russo-Ukrainian war is serving as a proving ground before our eyes.

• Training

  Last Red Hawk test aircraft handed over as Saab shifts manufacturing to US

  21st June 2022

  The last T-7A Red Hawk development jet received its aft section from Sweden and was joined with the forward fuselage. All future subassembly production work will now take place at Saab’s new facility in Indiana.

• Air Warfare

  Singapore’s MRTT fleet to receive A3R capability

  11th July 2022

  Singapore’s full fleet of six MRTTs will receive an automated aerial refuelling system, with the first aircraft to be delivered in the months ahead.

• Naval Warfare

  Incumbent loses out as Austal USA wins follow-on Offshore Patrol Cutter contract

  4th July 2022

  Austal will leverage its new steel shipbuilding facility to build up to 11 Heritage-class OPCs for the US Coast Guard.

• Land Warfare

  Former Secretary of Defense claims US Army is in a ‘budget crunch’

  19th July 2022

  Former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said the US Army is being forced ‘to pay the bills’ for other services that did not reform themselves internally.

• Naval Warfare

  Farnborough 2022: Germany, Japan, Australia interested in Raytheon AN/SPY-6 radars

  21st July 2022

  Raytheon Missiles & Defense is holding talks with Japan to potentially equip its future ships with its AN/SPY-6 radars

• Naval Warfare

  Harland & Wolff to revamp ex-Royal Navy MCMV for Lithuania

  15th July 2022

  Harland & Wolff has won a £55 million ($65 million) contract to revamp the former RN MCMV HMS Quorn for the Lithuanian Navy at its Appledore shipyard.

• Naval Warfare

  Tiger Shark torpedo ready for production in South Korea

  26th May 2022

  After a delay in the Tiger Shark programme, South Korean submarines will soon be armed with a new type of heavyweight torpedo manufactured in-country — and manufacturer LIG Nex1 may also target the export market.

• Defence Helicopter

  Farnborough 2022: Swedish Air Force loses patience with NH90, considers going the ‘way of Norway’

  18th July 2022

  Will Sweden follow in the footsteps of Norway and prematurely end NH90 operations?

• Land Warfare

  Five interoperability challenges NATO armies must overcome in the short term

  14th July 2022

  What are the interoperability obstacles preventing NATO countries from operating together?

• Land Warfare

  Russia claims combat debut in Ukraine for Koalitsiya SPH

  21st July 2022

  Russian forces have reportedly employed the Koalitsiya SPH in Ukraine. If true, this marks the first combat use of the most modern and sophisticated artillery system in Moscow’s arsenal.

• Naval Warfare

  Saab lays keel for first A26 submarine

  6th July 2022

  Saab Kockums in Sweden has laid the keel for the country’s first Blekinge-class A26 submarine at its shipyard in Karlskrona.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Elbit Systems UAVs [Israel]

  Background Various Contracts On 3 December 2024, the Israeli Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced it had purchased "advanced drones and autonomous systems" from Elbit Systems in various ...

• Maritime patrol

  Long Range Patrol Aircraft [The Philippines]

  Programme Background On 10 July 2023, Elbit Systems announced that it had secured a contract for two long-range patrol aircraft. Although the customer was not ...

• Trainer

  M-346 [Greece]

  Programme Background In April 2021, Elbit Systems was awarded a $1.65 billion contract to set up Hellenic Air Force International Flight Training Centre. The deal includes ...

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

  Hermes 900 (Uganda)

  Programme Background In September 2018, The East African reported that Uganda had received 24 Hermes 900 platforms from Elbit Systems. Evidence of the platform being ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Kenya]

  Programme Background Training On 23 August 2024, Baykar posted on social media that trainees from Kenya had completed their Bayraktar TB2 training at the Baykar Flight ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Project [UK]

  Programme Background Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Project The British Army launched the RAS project to provide the "direction required to exploit emerging technologies to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Watchkeeper X (Contracted) [Romania]

  Programme Background 2021 In mid-2021, the Romanian manufacturer Aerostar signed a collaboration with U-TacS to potentially produce the Watchkeeper X in Romania. U-TacS is a ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Watchkeeper X (Uncontracted) [Romania]

  Programme Background 2021 In mid-2021, the Romanian manufacturer Aerostar signed a collaboration with U-TacS to potentially produce the Watchkeeper X in Romania. U-TacS is a ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Thailand]

  Programme Background Requirement The Naval Acquisition Management Office (NAMO) of the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) announced its intention to acquire one MALE UAV system comprising three ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Matrice 300 (Ukraine)

  Programme Background On 11 December 2021, Ukrainian media reported that the Administration of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine had acquired  60 Matrice 300 rotary-wing ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Kondor Naval Helicopters (Poland)

  Programme Background In 2018, the Polish MoD announced its requirement to purchase up to eight naval helicopters to replace in-service SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopters. Polish ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  IAR-99 Replacement (Romania)

  On 29 August 2017, Leonardo announced that the IAR-99 trainer technology demonstrator (TD) will be fitted with company's Vixen 500E AESA radar. The Vixen 500E AESA ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F -Kenya

  Crew transition training took place at the MD Helicopters headquarters in Mesa, Arizona, with field service support, armament, and gunnery training scheduled to occur at ...

• 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Land 400 Phase 2 - Boxer CRV [Australia]

  Programme Background History The Land 400 Phase 2 programme will procure a replacement for the ASLAV, a derivative of the General Dynamics Land Systems Light Armoured Vehicle ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air combat Training Centers

  Training centres and networked simulation devices for collective training in a realistic operational context at various levels (squadron, distant, joint, coalition) – Rafale Simulation Center, ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  UAV Simulators

  Elbit Systems has developed simulation systems to train personnel in UAV operation, from generic UAV training for initial screening procedures up to full mission, high-fidelity ...

• 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.

• Air: Displays

  F-16 Center Pedestal Display

  Produced by Elbit Systems of America, the F-16 Center Pedestal Display (CPD) provides a high-resolution colour display that replaces several legacy instruments on F-16 aircraft. 

• Air: air combat simulators

  USAF F-16 Training System

  L3Harris Technologies is supporting approximately 180 F-16 pilot and maintenance trainers as part of the USAF’s F-16 Training System. Programme contract options extend through 2019. ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  SkyBreaker

  Elbit Systems' SkyBreaker is an airborne Mission Training Centre that enables networked training between various trainees and platforms, including a range of air force platforms. ...

• Land: C2 simulators

  BGSC

  The Battle Group Simulation Center (BGSC) is a commander’s open training tool for doctrine and tactics. BGSC uses AI-based, adaptive-behaviour CGF. Applications include: conventional and ...

• Air: mission management systems

  Naval Command Center

  The Elbit Systems Naval Command Center (NCC) provides the infrastructure, systems and functionality required to achieve maritime domain awareness in conjunction with applicable means, evaluating ...

• Land: air defence simulators

  Live Training System for Air Defence

  Elbit Systems' Live Training System for Air Defence is integrated on various short- and medium-range air defence systems. The Live Training System provides networked and ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  VMTS

  Elbit Systems' Virtual Mission Training System (VMTS) provides realistic training at a reduced cost in a fighter-like environment, claims the company. Using a data link, ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  Instrumented Ground Combat Training Systems

  Cubic supplies combat training systems for CTCs, homestations and forward-deployed environments. The systems are designed to support missions including force-on-force, urban operations, joint, combined arms ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  F-35 Training System

  BAE Systems is involved in F-35 Lightning II Training System design and sustainment, working with prime contractor Lockheed Martin. BAE Systems leads the instructional systems ...

• Major networking projects

  DAP

  Israel’s Digital Army Program (DAP) offers interoperability of tri-service (air, land, sea) platforms and sensors for force-wide collaboration. The system is implemented in the IDF ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  Tzofit Training Centre

  In June 2009, Elbit inaugurated the Beechcraft King Air B200 Tzofit Training Centre for IDF pilots. Elbit Systems serves as the project’s prime contractor, while ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72A/B Lakota

  In 2006, the US Army selected a version of the medium-sized, twin-engine H145, designated the UH-72A Lakota,  to meet its requirement for a new Light ...