• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Global Hawk demos expanded SATCOM capability

  4th April 2014

  A US Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system (UAS) has demonstrated its ability to use an additional Satellite Communications (SATCOM) link to improve …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Facebook details high-flying connectivity solution

  31st March 2014

  Social networking site Facebook intends to build and deploy HALE UAVs in an effort to provide basic broadband connectivity to remote areas of the world, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DIMDEX: Qatar Armed Forces pursue OPV design

  28th March 2014

  Thales and the Qatar Armed Forces (QAF) have agreed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to pursue the development of an 'optionally piloted vehicle - aircraft' …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Brazilian Air Force selects Hermes 900 UAV

  26th March 2014

  Elbit Systems will supply a Hermes 900 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) under a new contract announced on 26 March. …

• Naval Warfare

  DIMDEX: Saab promotes maritime surveillance

  26th March 2014

  Offering up its maritime surveillance capabilities to the Middle-East at DIMDEX, Saab has described a ‘complex’ maritime environment in the Arabian Gulf. Speaking to Shephard …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Triton completes initial envelope expansion testing

  24th March 2014

  The MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system (UAS) under development by Northrop Grumman for the US Navy has completed its initial envelope expansion test programme, with …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Global Hawk Block 40 UAV delivered to USAF

  20th March 2014

  A second Global Hawk Block 40 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) ordered under Northrop Grumman’s Lot 10 contract has been delivered to the US Air Force …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Army to increase Gray Eagle flight hours

  19th March 2014

  The US Army’s MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAS will be subject to a surge in flight hours upon its return from operations in Afghanistan to maintain …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Watchkeeper achieves UK MoD Release to Service

  5th March 2014

  Watchkeeper has become the first UAV to be given a full Release to Service (RTS) by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), clearing the way …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  International UAV test site consortium launched

  28th February 2014

  Four international UAV test centres have joined forces to form the International Consortium of Aeronautical Test Sites, it has been revealed. The organisation was officially …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Denel’s Seeker 400 UAV completes first flights

  27th February 2014

  The Seeker 400 unmanned aircraft system in development with Denel has completed its first flight tests at the Alkantpan range in the Northern Cape, South …

• Defence Helicopter

  Slowdown in bookings for Airbus Helicopters

  27th February 2014

  Net bookings for Airbus Helicopters dropped from 469 units in 2012 to 422 in 2013 while annual revenues remained stable with a marginal increase to …

• Digital Battlespace

  RWUAS targets long range maritime surveillance role

  18th February 2014

  The Royal Navy’s Rotary Wing UAS (RWUAS) capability concept demonstrator (CCD) will be equipped with a variety of sensor payloads for a ‘long range maritime …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Insitu introduces new version of UAV C2 system

  13th February 2014

  Insitu has released a new version of its small-footprint common command and control system called ICOMC2, designed to enhance the capabilities of the UAV control …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AFCEA West 2014: Industry positions for CCS programme

  13th February 2014

  The US Navy is expected to release an RfP for its Common Control System (CCS) within the next two months, according to industry sources. According …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  DEF129 (Nano UAS) [Australia]

  Programme Background DEF129 The Australian Ground Service has combined various army procurement efforts under the DEF129 programme to increase the abundance and proliferation of UAVs ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Aeromobila A Pilotaggio Remoto (Mini) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirement Released on 5 August 2021, the Italian MoD's Multi-Year Defence Programme Document for 2021-2023 announced a programme aimed at acquiring a mini-UAS capable ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Aeromobila A Pilotaggio Remoto (Micro) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirement Released on 5 August 2021, the Italian MoD's Multi-Year Defence Programme Document for 2021-2023 announced a programme aimed at acquiring a micro-UAS capable ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  RQ-20 Puma (Belgium)

  Programme Background Requirement The Belgian MoD outlined plans to procure more mini and tactical UAS in its Strategic Vision for Defence published in 2016. According ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

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

  Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Goal The Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) programme stems from the Military Sealift Command and Fleet Forces Command identifying, in 2018, a ...

• Military UAS - small

  Puma 2 AE (Germany)

  Programme Background The Germany navy had an urgent requirement for three UAS required for reconnaissance and identification in maritime operations. A platform was required that ...

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

  Class 2 Tactical UAS [Ireland]

  Background EU Tender On 13 March 2024, the Irish Department of Defence released a planning notice on the EU tenders website, confirming that the Irish ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Mini UAS [Spain]

  Programme Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational ...

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

  General-Purpose UAS [Australia]

  Programme Background Banned As reported by Shephard in August 2023, in the past, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) used commercial UAS from companies such as DJI for ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Long Range Reconnaissance (LRR) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Under its Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) programme, the US Army plans to procure a Family of Small UAS (FoSUAS) to provide an organic ISR capability ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Long Range Reconnaissance (LRR) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Under its Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) programme, the US Army plans to procure a Family of Small UAS (FoSUAS) to provide an organic ISR capability ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Indigenous UAS (South Korea)

  Programme Background South Korea's Total UAS Budget The government of South Korea wants to grow its domestic UAS industry. To do this, it was reported in ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Anafi [Sweden]

  Programme Background Sweden announced on 7 February 2024 that Defence Material Works had procured drones for the Home Guard on behalf of the Armed Forces. ...

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

  MALE UAV (Finland)

  Programme Background Defence Report 2017 The Government's Defence Report 2017 stated that Finland's fighter capability could not be replaced wholesale by UAVs. Therefore, the FDF ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Maveric UAS

  The Maveric is a small, lightweight UAS designed to perform covert ISR missions at the tactical level. In order to camouflage the drone, its profile ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  UAS Academy

  IAI has established a UAS Academy for training and certification of operators and technicians. The academy was established to meet a perceived need for skilled ...

• Lynx UAS

  The Lynx is an sUAS used for large-area precision agriculture and surveying and has an endurance of 3h with the standard mapping payload. Its hand-launched ...

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

  UAS 100

  The UAS 100 is an autonomous, three-engined platform, modular UAS manufactured by Thales in partnership with Issoire Aviation, Hionos and with the support of the ...

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

  Heavy UAS

  The Heavy UAS, or Cargo Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, is, as its name suggests, a cargo-carrying UAV.  Manufactured by Honeywell Aerospace, the VTOL capable UAV's horizontal flight ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  MAUI

  The Mobile Application for UAS Identification (MAUI) is an acoustic sensor that operates on smartphones using the microphone to detect Group 1 (small, lightweight) UAVs, ...

• Hex Mini UAS

  The Hex Mini is a hexacopter UAS capable of autonomous operation. Launched in under 10min, the system is constructed of sturdy materials and supports gyrostabilised ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  UAS Operator Training

  To help in the development of training applications for UAS pilots, Presagis offers a suite of integrated COTS software that can be used for the ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  UAS Mission Trainer

  The UAS Mission Trainer combines an open architecture with COTS hardware and simulation software that minimises the use of proprietary designs to provide a platform-agnostic ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Howler C-UAS

  Developed by Raytheon, the Howler is a counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS), which includes a Ku-band Radio Frequency Sensor (KuRFS), a command-and-control system, and a Coyote ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Grenade Launching UAS

  Manufactured by Korea CNO Tech Co, the as-yet-unnamed developmental UAS has been selected by the Republic of Korea Army for trials scheduled for 2022.  The hexacopter ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Cobham C-UAS

  Unveiled at the AUVSI 2017 trade show in Dallas, Texas, the Cobham C-UAS primarily consists of wideband omnidirectional, directional helix (single- or dual-band), directional flat ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Skylock C-UAS

  Skylock, an Avnon Group company, has developed a C-UAS system that is intended to bring sensors, jammers and a laser effector into a single deployable ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Small UAS CISR

  Cubic's Secure ISR Radio (SCISR) for small unmanned aerial systems is a rugged common data link (CDL) multi-band (L, S, and C) full-duplex transceiver for ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  AsteRx-m2 UAS

  The AsteRx-m2 UAS is a GNSS receiver designed to be easily integrated into UAS applications to provide centimetre-level RTK positioning. The system’s standard connectors enable ...