• Defence Helicopter

  US still working Pakistani helicopter deals says Mullen

  5th May 2009

  The United States is committed to supporting the upgrade of Pakistan’s Bell AH-1F Cobra helicopters but the deal is being slowed down by complications associated …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Rockwell Collins awarded new damage tolarance contract from DARPA

  5th May 2009

  Rockwell Collins has been awarded the third phase of a damage tolerance contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Under the contract, Rockwell …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad-A 2009 - The Hidden Message: US Army Aviation Heading for Challenging, Leaner Times

  5th May 2009

  “US Army Aviation has now flown over 3 million combat hours,” declared MG James Barclay III, Aviation Branch chief and Ft. Rucker Commander during his …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Lockheed Martin successfully tests signals intelligence capability and improved wing design on Desert Hawk III

  5th May 2009

  Lockheed Martin has successfully completed flight testing of a new signals intelligence (SIGINT) payload and a next generation wing design that will provide enhanced capabilities …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad-A 2009 - Industry Challenges DoD With Tempting ARH Alternatives Bringing Fleet Synergies

  4th May 2009

  Both EADS/Lockheed Martin and Boeing upped the stakes on the future of the US Army’s stated requirement for an Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter post Bell’s ARH-70A …

• Defence Helicopter

  EADS North America selects Lockheed Martin as Mission Equipment Package integrator for new Armed Scout Helicopter

  4th May 2009

  EADS North America announced today it has assembled a world-class industry team comprised of Lockheed Martin and American Eurocopter that will offer a new armed …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky unveils X2 Light Tactical Helicopter concept

  4th May 2009

  Sikorsky Aircraft has unveiled its X2 Light Tactical Helicopter (LTH) design at the Army Aviation Association of America annual convention. The new mockup reflects Sikorsky's …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Helicopters Train with Korean Flat Top

  4th May 2009

  Two MH-53E "Sea Dragon" helicopters from Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 14, Detachment One (HM-14 Det 1) practiced operating with the Republic of Korea ship DOKDO …

• Defence Helicopter

  ASaC Sea Kings to provide election overwatch

  2nd May 2009

  The Royal Navy's Airborne Surveillance and Area Control (ASaC) Sea Kings are to be deployed to Afghanistan for the country's elections this summer. The deployment, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Australian Seahawk replacement now urgent says new defence white paper

  2nd May 2009

  Australia's planned acquisition of a replacement fleet of maritime combat helicopters will be baselined on 24 new aircraft with acquisition to occur as a "matter …

• Defence Helicopter

  Australian Chinook buy to replace not augment existing army fleet

  2nd May 2009

  Australia's proposed $US560 million acquisition of seven new Boeing CH-47F helicopters will be as a replacement for existing CH-47D aircraft rather than augment that fleet …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australia to pursue multi-tier tactical UAS acquisition

  2nd May 2009

  Australia has signalled a potential acquisition of tier II tactical unmanned air systems for use by its land forces as part of an anticipated fleet …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  RAN embarked UAS plans shift to future frigate and OPV

  2nd May 2009

  The Royal Australian Navy will continue to explore potential acquisition of embarked maritime unmanned air systems but as part of a proposed new flotilla of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australia to proceed with HALE UAS

  2nd May 2009

  Australia's new defence white paper has given the green light to proceeding with the acquisition of high altitude long endurance unmanned air systems (UAS), but …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Raytheon Purchases Rights to KillerBee Unmanned Aircraft System

  1st May 2009

  Raytheon Company has purchased rights to the technology and name of the KillerBee unmanned aircraft system from Northrop Grumman. Under the agreement, Raytheon will submit …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  PC-21 (Project Air 5428) [Australia]

  The new PTS, including aircraft, flight training simulators and learning environments is being acquired from a single capability contractor, Team 21, which consists of Lockheed ...

• Transport, Transport/tanker aircraft

  Project Air 7404 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement Australia is thinking ahead to an enlarged transport fleet to replace the current C-130Js. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was the second ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A (Project Air 6000 Phase 2A/B) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) took delivery of 18 F-35A aircraft as of March 2020 and the remaining aircraft are expected to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (5-6) [Australia]

  Background Four Contracted Units In the summer of 2020, Northrop Grumman announced that the Australian Government provided $333 million for three MQ-4C Tritons and associated GCS. ...

• Data links

  Data links | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

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

  Loyal Wingman [Australia]

  Background Older Efforts On 23 April 2021, the US State Department's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) approval announcement revealed that Australia had requested to buy up ...

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

  Project Air 7003 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

• OPVs

  Arafura Class (Project SEA 1180) (1-6) [Australia]

  Programme Background Australia's new class of Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), the Arafura-class, will replace the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) fleet of Armidale and Cape-class patrol ...

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

  MQ-28 Ghost Bat [Australia]

  Background Goal As stated by the Head of Air Force Capability, Air Vice-Marshal Robert Denney, in March 2022, the Ghost Bat will be an "operational system ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (11-12) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

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

  Project Vixen [UK]

  Background Project Goal The Royal Navy uses Leonardo crewed Merlin (AW101) helicopters fitted with CROWSNEST pods to provide airborne early warning capabilities for carriers. An early 2021 Royal ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Project SEA 3000 [Australia]

  The February 2024 Enhanced Lethality Surface Combatant Fleet review recommends that the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) acquire at least seven, and optimally 11, Tier 2 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Air-5416 Project Echidna

  Air-5416 Project Echidna was an initiative launched in 2001 by BAE Systems for the Australian DoD. Its goal was to overhaul the self protection systems ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Australian Defence Force MRH90 Training

  As prime contractor for the ADF's MRH90 training programme, CAE has provided two MRH90 full-flight mission simulators (FFMS), training facilities and engineering and support services. ...

• Trainer

  King Air trainer

  Textron / Beechcraft King Air trainers are a family twin-engine aircraft based on King Air 90, 100, 200 and 350 utility aircraft. The King Air ...

• AMAS

  AMAS – Australian Minesweeping System – was developed with the assistance of the Defence Science & Technology Organisation and the Royal Australian Navy. It adopts ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  RAAF Hawk Mk 127 FMS

  Under subcontract to BAE Systems, CAE is designing and manufacturing three Hawk Mk 127 full-mission simulators (FMS) for the Royal Australian Air Force that will ...

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

  Wanderer

  The Wanderer is a low-altitude, low-cost, long-endurance UAV produced in-house by the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) Jericho Disruptive Innovation Group and the Australian Government's Defense Science ...

• Light attack

  Hawk 200

  The Hawk 200 is a single-seat light attack iteration of the Hawk 100 (see separate entry) and Advanced Jet Trainer or AJT (see separate entry). ...

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

  MQ-28A Ghost Bat

  The MQ-28A Ghost Bat is a loyal wingman type MALE fixed-wing drone being developed by Boeing Defence Australia. Its development began in 2013 and took its first ...

• Maritime patrol

  Challenger 604

  Bombardier Challenger CL-604 MPAs are in service with the Royal Danish Air Force and the Korea Coast Guard. The first of three Danish aircraft entered ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  Predator Mission Trainer (PMT)

  The CAE Predator Mission Trainer (PMT) is an integrated platform that combines the features of CAE's UAS mission trainer with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' Predator-specific ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  AN/ALR-2001

  BAE Systems’ AN/ALR-2001 Electronic Support Measure (ESM) is thought to be based on Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Elta Systems division’s EL/M-8382 ESM. The AN/ALR-2001 is ...

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

  Phantom 4 (Series)

  Designed for aerial photograph applications by DJI, the Phantom 4 series of UAVs includes the Phantom 4 Pro, Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, Phantom 4 Advanced ...

• Submarine-launched torpedoes

  Mk 48 Mod 7AT CBASS

  The MK 48 MOD 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) is the latest variant of the Mk 48 torpedo family manufactured by Lockheed Martin and ...

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

  M Solar-X

  First revealed in August 2020, in February 2024, at its symposium, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) showcased the M Solar-X. This solar-powered fixed-wing drone was ...

• Military - USVs

  Bluebottle

  Bluebottle is a persistent, autonomous, uncrewed surface vessel from Ocius Technology in service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).