• Training

  KC-10 Training System moves forward

  23rd June 2020

  The USAF Life Cycle Management Center’s (AFLCMC) Air Mobility Organisation briefed delegates at last week’s virtual Training & Simulation Industry Symposium on four near-term requirements …

• Air Warfare

  Indonesian interest in Osprey wavers

  10th July 2020

  The 6 July announcement of a potential FMS deal for eight Bell-Boeing MV-22B Block C Ospreys to Indonesia took many by surprise. Including some in …

• Training

  USN sim updates generate rich pickings

  26th June 2020

  Although new platforms generate millions of dollars in revenue for the T&S; industry, the real money comes from updates to the synthetic training equipment (STE) …

• Air Warfare

  USN Super Hornet tests StormBreaker

  16th June 2020

  Raytheon Missiles & Defense announced on 15 June that it has completed the first guided release of the GBU-53/B StormBreaker precision-guided glide bomb from a …

• Land Warfare

  AVT wins DoD Imaging Systems contract

  9th June 2020

  Ascent Vision Technologies (AVT) on 9 June was awarded a $16 million contract by the US DoD to deliver its ground-based imaging systems. They include …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UAV Navigation tests autopilot software against C-UAS

  5th June 2020

  UAV Navigation reported on 4 June that it is testing its autopilot software against a C-UAS after a receiving a request from one of its …

• Naval Warfare

  US slam dunks Chinese claims in troubled waters

  15th July 2020

  Last week two USN aircraft carriers (USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan) began exercises in the South China Sea. This week the US government issued …

• Training

  Australia wants new simulators for M1A2 Abrams

  21st June 2020

  Australia is seeking to improve its training capabilities as the army prepares to upgrade its existing M1A1 AIM Abrams MBTs to M1A2 configuration. The Capability and …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Reaper demonstrates three ATLC improvements

  26th June 2020

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has demonstrated three expanded automatic takeoff and landing capability (ATLC) enhancements for the MQ-9A Reaper UAS, under a modernisation contract from …

• Air Warfare

  Rwanda joins the Grand Caravan club

  25th June 2020

  Cessna C-208 Grand Caravan EX aircraft are being supplied to the Rwandan Air Force by ATI Engineering Services in an FMS deal. The $10.1 million contract for …

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed to provide radar processor retrofits for Advanced Hawkeye

  24th June 2020

  US Naval Air Systems Command has awarded Lockheed Martin a firm-fixed-price order worth $22.43 million, to procure 12 retrofit advanced radar processor systems for Northrop …

• Defence Notes

  Ireland mulls a major leap forward in air capabilities

  3rd July 2020

  Ireland has raised the possibility of purchasing air combat interceptor aircraft, as a major increase in capability for the Air Corps if the proposal goes …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Denmark seeks new unmanned air capability

  16th June 2020

  The Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (DALO) is planning to acquire a new UAS capability to support the Danish Armed Forces. According to an EU-wide …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  General Atomics to supply two more Reapers

  23rd June 2020

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has received a $26.87 million contract from US Naval Air Systems Command to provide two MQ-9A Reaper unmanned air systems (UASs). The …

• Air Warfare

  Sweden hits deadlock over new defence spending plans

  26th June 2020

  Cross party political talks in Sweden addressing future defence funding have collapsed, following disagreement over whether additional money should be approved. The Swedish government will …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Directed energy weapons

  Project Dragonfire [UK]

  Background The UK Government's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has been working with MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ to develop a LASER Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) called ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Indirect Fire Protection Capability - Generation II – High-Power Microwave [US]

  Background In July 2025 Epirus received a US$43,551,060 contract from the US Army for two Generation II systems developed from the HPM (Leonidas). Previously, in ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Indirect Fire Protection Capability – High-Power Microwave [US]

  Background In May 2024, the US Army took delivery of four High-Powered Microwave (HPM) Directed-Energy Weapons (DEW) to fulfil its Indirect Fire Protection Capability – High-Power ...

• Military UAS - small

  Medium Range Reconnaissance (MRR) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an organic, ...

• Military UAS - mini

  U&C reconnaissance drones [US Army]

  Methodology PGO The programme has been assigned a PGO of 100%, as a contract has been awarded. Unit cost It has not been clarified what ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  C-UAS [Portugal]

  Background Portugal's Military Programming Law 2023–2034 includes $8.8724 million (€8.2 million) to acquire counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) by 2034. It is assumed that this acquisition requires ...

• Transport

  C-27J [Azerbaijan]

  Programme Background The Azerbaijani Air Force signed a contract with Leonardo in June 2023 to procure the C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft. This move is ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  Border C-UAS Defence [Latvia]

  Background Latvia's long-term blueprint for its armed forces lists a comprehensive C-UAS element with an approximate range of three to four km. This programme is ...

• CUAS - jammers

  NEROD RF [France]

  Background France has procured an unconfirmed number of MC2's NEROD RF C-UAS rifles ("fusils brouilleurs") for short-range counter-drone use. In a 2024 Senate report, it ...

• CUAS - jammers

  C-UAS [Taiwan]

  Background Taiwan announced a requirement for portable C-UAS systems with capabilities that include passive detection, takeover, spoofing and jamming. The systems are planned to strengthen ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  Finnish Border Guard C-UAS Capability

  Background In response to the growing UAS threat, the Finnish Border Guard was given €44 million for procurements to strengthen drone detection, identification, and countering capabilities. ...

• CUAS - jammers

  C-UAS [Australia]

  Background The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is accelerating the acquisition of state-of-the-art counter-drone technologies through Project LAND 156. The ADF signed a contract with HighCom ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  SAN C-UAS [Poland]

  Background In January 2026, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and its Polish partner Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) signed a contract with the Polish Armaments Agency for the delivery ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  US SOF CUxS (Static) [US]

  Background The US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is procuring a Family of Systems (FoS) design to defeat drones. The programme includes development, integration, prototyping, and test of ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  US SOF CUxS (Mounted) [US]

  Background The US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is procuring a Family of Systems (FoS) design to defeat drones. The programme includes development, integration, prototyping, and test of ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  MEHEL 2.0

  The Mobile Expeditionary High-Energy Laser (MEHEL) is a C-UAS-capable vehicle that employs directed energy to neutralise targets. MEHEL 2.0 was first seen at AUSA 2016, ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Fractl:2

  Fractl:2, developed and manufactured by AIM Defence, is an Australian laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). The high-powered portable system is Australia's first acquisition of a directed ...

• CUAS - jammers

  DroneDefender

  DroneDefender is a directed-energy UAS countermeasure that disrupts the adversary's control of the aircraft, neutralising it so that no remote action (including detonation) can occur, ...

• CUAS - jammers

  EJDERHA HPEM System

  The EJDERHA is a high power electromagnetic system manufactured by Aselsan. It generates high-amplitude electromagnetic fields and directs them to potential targets such as IEDs ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Apollo

  Apollo is a High-Energy Laser Weapon System manufactured by Electro Optic Systems (EOS). Apollo's laser utilises directed energy to disable or destroy aerial targets without ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  SCATA Mk1

  The SCATA Mk1 is the first military vehicle developed by Finland's SCATA.

• Directed energy weapons

  Leonidas High-Powered Microwave DEW

  Leonardo's US-based subsidiary Epirus has received funding from both the US and Singapore to develop its Leonidas High-Powered Microwave (HPM) directed-energy weapon (DEW).

• Directed energy weapons

  GÖKBERK 10 Laser DEW

  Turkish company ASELSAN's GÖKBERK 10 laser directed-energy weapon (DEW) is designed to destroy cheap, class-I drones. The system is designed to work with other components ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Locust

  BlueHalo's Locust is a laser weapon system. The system delivers a complete kill chain, providing a layered and broadband detection capability that is coupled with electronic ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Minotaur

  Minotaur, developed by Soukos Robots, is a Greek laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). Minotaur is an anti-drone platform with the ability to shoot down unmanned ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  SkyRanger 30

  SkyRanger 30 is a mobile ground-based air defence (GBAD) laser directed energy weapon (LDEW) system designed by Rheinmetall. The system comprises automatic cannons, guided missiles, and a ...

• OPVs

  PPA/MultiPurpose Combat Ship (MPCS) EVO

  The PPA/MultiPurpose Combat Ship (MPCS) EVO is an enhanced version of the Thaon di Revel-class PPAs unveiled at Euronaval 2024. The PPA/MPCS EVO retains the core platform ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Royal Thai Army Laser DEW

  Under Government instructions, the Royal Thai Army is developing a Laser-based Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) to counter drones in its border regions. The unit cost ...

• Directed energy weapons

  CROSSBOW MINI

  CROSSBOW MINI, developed by IPG Photonics, is a laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW). The LDEW has multiple deployable configurations and is a part of the manufacturers ...

• Directed energy weapons

  DIAL

  The Laser Weapon Instrumental Demonstrator (DIAL), in joint development with Indra and Escribano Mechanical Engineering, is a Spanish laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). The system ...