• Naval Warfare

  Italy’s U212 Near Future Submarine production builds pace as upgrade plans mature

  21st April 2026

  Andrea Simone Pinna, OCCAR-EA combat system officer for the U212 NFS programme, outlined production progress, new capabilities and plans for the Italian Navy’s next-generation conventional submarine.

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2026: As MGCS stalls, has Europe’s new MBT been unveiled?

  24th June 2026

  Eurosatory 2026 saw a number of main battle tanks on display, including two new platforms which could be the future of European tanks.

• Defence Notes

  Leonardo unveils plans for Michelangelo air defence dome

  28th November 2025

  The new multi-layered defence system will harness AI to neutralise airborne threats and protect Europe from Russian aggression.

• Land Warfare

  Europe’s future tank hits targets as MARTE programme gains momentum

  25th March 2026

  An effort to develop a new European main battle tank has passed several milestones on the road to a Preliminary Design Review which is expected within two years.

• Air Warfare

  Leonardo’s Proteus concludes ground tests with maiden flight on horizon

  3rd December 2025

  The technology demonstrator forms part of a wider effort to help the Royal Navy explore the potential of uncrewed systems supporting its existing crewed aviation platforms.

• Land Warfare

  June land forces roundup: Eurosatory shapes month amid Canada’s HIMARS buy and US JLTV progress

  29th June 2026

  This month’s land forces highlights were dominated by the eventful Eurosatory exhibition, particularly in the area of tanks, while separately the JLTV programme took another twist and Canada opted for HIMARS.

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2026: IDV expands with new Viking and CL2X UGV

  18th June 2026

  At Eurosatory 2026, uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs) are front and centre of IDV’s display, with a new variant of the Viking and the new CL2X on show.

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2026: Advanced fire control systems to the fore as industry powers digital solutions

  12th June 2026

  BAE Systems is presenting its Next Generation Indirect Fire Control System at Eurosatory 2026. It is designed to connect large calibre guns with wider sensor and effector networks to provide targeting information more quickly.

• Naval Warfare

  As uncrewed naval systems advance, capabilities to counter them are emerging

  28th April 2026

  Research programmes and system procurement efforts to counter uncrewed surface and underwater vehicle threats are accelerating as naval drone uptake spreads.

• Naval Warfare

  Turkey targets Italian market with strategic partnership on USVs and hybrid platforms

  19th February 2026

  Havelsan, VN Maritime and Piloda Defence will collaborate to develop and integrate a range of maritime solutions with a view to secure a first procurement contract in Italy in the first half of this year.

• Defence Notes

  As the new year starts, the UK defence spending delay continues

  6th January 2026

  The UK’s defence spending commitments remain uncertain as the government’s Defence Investment Plan, which had been due by the end of 2025, is yet to be published.

• Naval Warfare

  UK and France signal shift to autonomous helicopters to boost naval power

  16th January 2026

  Recent developments in France and the UK highlight how autonomous helicopters are becoming central to naval force design as navies seek to integrate crewed and uncrewed systems at sea.

• Air Warfare

  British Army’s Project Nyx progress reflects MoD investment in autonomous system

  20th May 2026

  The UK MoD said it would narrow down the competitors from four to two later in the year, with those selected going on to develop the prototype drone that will operate as loyal wingman to the British Army’s Apache AH-64E helicopters.

• Air Warfare

  AUSA 2025: Boeing and Leonardo partner to pursue US Army rotary training contract

  14th October 2025

  Leonardo’s AW119T helicopter will be offered as a solution for the Flight School Next contract, an initiative which aims to overhaul the US Army’s Initial Entry Rotary Wing training.

• Air Warfare

  Canadian observer status reinforces GCAP’s strength in emerging ‘middle power’ bloc

  17th July 2026

  The significant setback seen by FCAS earlier this year has secured GCAP’s position as Europe’s future sixth-generation fighter, while Canada’s potential observer status could push the programme into the next stage.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-73 Advanced Helicopter Training System (AHTS) (TH-57 Replacement)

  Programme Background Contenders for the competition included the Leonardo single engine TH-119 – a military variant of the AW119Kx – and Bell’s newly upgraded single ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW189 - Egypt

  Leonardo and Egypt have never officially confirmed the order and it was not mentioned by the manufacturer when it released full-year FY2019 financial results in ...

• Light attack

  M-346 Procurement (1-24) [Nigeria]

  Programme Background On 9 December 2023, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Chief of Air Staff Marshal Amao said the country expects delivery of 54 new ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  SW4 Puszczyk Replacement [Poland]

  Programme Background  In 2002, Poland order 47 SW4 training helicopters from Italian manufacturer Leonardo; as of Spring 2025, the Ministry of Defence is looking to ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  New Medium Helicopter (NMH) [UK]

  Background NMH Market Interest Day On 11 November 2021, the MoD communicated the requirements of the £1 billion ($1.34 billion) New Medium Helicopter (NMH) programme ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Maritime Operations Helicopters

  The three maritime operations helicopters will be used for logistics and personnel transport, alongside transportation of PASKAL naval special forces in operations in the area. ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AW139 [Greece]

  Programme Background Reportedly, during a December 2023 meeting of the Greek Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) proposed the purchase of 14 ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Project Proteus [UK]

  Project Proteus is an RN and Leonardo effort to design and develop an uncrewed helicopter demonstrator that could provide an innovative alternative to existing crewed ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Project Proteus [UK]

  Project Proteus is an RN and Leonardo effort to design and develop an uncrewed helicopter demonstrator that could provide an innovative alternative to existing crewed ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Next Generation Trainer/Light Combat Aircraft [Austria]

  Programme Background Requirements Austria will replace its Saab 105 training fleet, which was retired from service in 2020. Austria's 2019 White paper calls for replacing it with ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  MH-139 (UH-1N Huey Replacement)

  Background  Competing bids In competition with the Boeing/Leonardo bid was Sikorsky with a HH-60U offer, and Sierra Nevada with an upgrading offer of UH-60As to ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 TTH Qatar

  The NH90 helicopter programme is managed by NH Industries, a joint-venture owned by Airbus Helicopters (62.5%), Leonardo (32%), and Fokker (5.5%). In September 2019, Qatar ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AW139M (1-7) [Algeria]

  Programme Background In 2016, Leonardo partnered with the Algerian National Defence Ministry to establish a second international production line for AW139 helicopters. By March 2025, ...

• Main battle tanks

  C1 Ariete Replacement [Italy]

  Background Following nearly 20 years of service within the Italian Army, the C1 Ariete MBT is due for an upgrade or replacement. Suffering from poor ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  NH90 NFH Qatar

  The NH90 helicopter programme is managed by NH Industries, a joint-venture owned by Airbus Helicopters (62.5%), Leonardo (32%), and Fokker (5.5%). In September 2019, Qatar ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Rotorsim

  Rotorsim, the joint venture equally owned by Leonardo and CAE, provides training solutions on Leonardo Helicopters platforms through high-fidelity simulator systems. Rotorsim currently operates in ...

• Naval guns

  Leonardo 76/62 Sovraponte

  The 76/62 Sovraponte (Overdeck) is a medium-calibre gun developed by Leonardo that weighs 30% less than the legacy OTO 76/62 Super Rapid and does not penetrate below decks. ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Italian LDEW (Leonardo/MBDA)

  As announced in December 2024, Leonardo and MBDA are collaborating to produce a Fire Unit Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) for the Italian Navy. The ...

• Major networking projects

  MARS Communications Suite

  Leonardo has been contracted by South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) to supply a suite of communications systems for the UK RN's ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-119 (TH-73A Thrasher )

  The US Navy announced on 13 January 2020 that Leonardo had been awarded a US$176.5 million contract for the production of 32 TH-119 helicopters in ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  IVCS

  The Integrated Voice Communications System (IVCS) is a shipboard communications system that combines naval telephones and intercom equipment into one system. It consists of terminals, ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Proteus

  Proteus is a technology demonstrator that Leonardo is developing in collaboration with the UK MoD's Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S;) Future Capabilities Group and the ...

• Trainer

  M-346

  The M-346 is a Lead In Fighter Trainer (LIFT), developed by Alenia in partnership with Yakovlev as the Yak/AEM-130 before the partnership was disbanded. The first ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AW169M

  The AW169M is the customised military version of the multirole AW169. The 4.5t-class helicopter is designed to perform a range of light utility and armed ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  Seaspray 7300E V2

  The Seaspray 7300E V2 radar is an airborne, maritime, multi-mode surveillance radar manufactured by Leonardo. It is designed for the detection of small maritime targets in ...

• Land: battle management systems

  MFoCS

  Mounted Family of Computing Systems (MFoCS) is a modular family which is designed to integrate existing FBCB2, future JBC-P and WIN-T capability into a modular ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  AW119Kx

  The AW119Kx is a light, single-engine multirole helicopter. Launched in October 2012, it is available in civil and military variants, with the military version designated AW119M. ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AW139M

  As the military variant, the AW139M includes FLIR, self-protection equipment (including IR detection and countermeasures) and heavy-duty landing gear. The helicopter features a digital avionics ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  WAH-64 Apache

  The WAH-64/AH1 Apache is a variant of the Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow, developed and built by Leonardo from 1996 to meet British Army requirements. One ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  MCSP

  Merlin Capability Sustainment Programme (MCSP) was a contract awarded to Lockheed Martin UK – Integrated Systems in 2006 to ‘future-proof’ the RN’s Merlin Mk 1 ...