• Digital Battlespace

  US Army programme blends cyber with traditional EW

  3rd May 2020

  Lockheed Martin is set to expand its work on the US Army’s Multi-Function Electronic Warfare Air Large (MFEW-AL) programme, with the aim of combining EW …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Loyal Wingman takes up position

  5th May 2020

  Boeing has handed over the first prototype of a Loyal Wingman large multirole UAV to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), with the first flight expected …

• Defence Notes

  Germany's new law will allow faster defence procurement

  15th April 2020

  The German Armed Forces are counting on a new ally to help them overcome problems in buying urgently needed military equipment: the 'Law on Accelerated …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Elbit Systems to upgrade Latin American Hermes 900 UAS

  15th April 2020

  Israel-based Elbit Systems has, on 12 April, confirmed that it secured a $20 million contract from two Latin American customers to upgrade their Hermes 900 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Saab hails X-band AESA trial

  24th April 2020

  Saab completed the first flight trial of its new X-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) fighter radar on 8 April. The company stated on 24 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AeroVironment unveils Quantix Recon

  24th April 2020

  AeroVironment on 23 April launched a military variant of its Quantix crop-surveying UAV. Quantix Recon is a fully-automated hybrid VTOL UAS, designed to deliver high-resolution …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Orbital UAV and Northrop Grumman launch new partnership

  23rd April 2020

  Australia-based Orbital UAV on 23 April announced that it is teaming up with Northrop Grumman to develop a new hybrid UAV propulsion system. The system …

• Digital Battlespace

  Huneed Technologies delivers MILDS AN/AAR-60 to KAI

  22nd April 2020

  Hensoldt’s South Korean partner, Huneed Technologies, has delivered eight MILDS AN/AAR-60 to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). The missile warning system will be integrated into KAI’s …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  FlyEye may join battle against COVID-19

  22nd April 2020

  Polish company WB Group is offering its FlyEye 3.0 miniature UAS to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. The offer was made last …

• Air Warfare

  Chadian Su-25 accidentally fires missile at airbase

  20th April 2020

  A Chadian Air Force Su-25 (NATO: Frogfoot) aircraft accidentally fired a missile at Base Aérienne Kossei in Ndjamena, Chad. The missile narrowly missed a French …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Russia accepts Orion MALE UAV

  27th April 2020

  The Russian MoD has completed the acceptance process for the Orion MALE UAV, according to Nikolay Dolzhenkov, chief designer at St Petersburg-based manufacturer Kronstadt Group. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  CTTSO embraces counter-drone capabilities

  7th April 2020

  Reporting to the US Assistant Secretary of Defense Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict (ASD SO/LIC), the Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office (CTTSO) is tasked with identifying and developing …

• Naval Warfare

  Latest pieces fit into the Type 31 frigate jigsaw

  29th April 2020

  The award by Babcock of the second batch of supply chain contracts for the Royal Navy’s planned Type 31 frigates has provided additional details and insight into …

• Air Warfare

  USMC adjusts its air power priorities

  4th May 2020

  In issuing the Force Design 2030 report into the future direction of the USMC, the corps is attempting to steer the course of its development, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  X-61A made to wait for first recoverable flight test

  8th April 2020

  Dynetics has revealed that the reshaping of flight test activities at the US Army’s Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, has led to a delay of a …

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 ...