• Defence Notes

  US military foresees growing use of 3D printing

  13th November 2025

  Advanced manufacturing has evolved to meet military requirements and now supports multiple US critical assets, including Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, F-18, F-22, F-35, Bradley, HMMWV and Patriot.

• Naval Warfare

  Maritime defence in the Mediterranean faces challenges from vulnerable land power

  24th December 2025

  As an indispensable energy crossroads, the Mediterranean is at serious risk from grey zone disruption. As navies increasingly employ AI data centres, what happens when cutting-edge defence technologies rely on the very infrastructure most susceptible to hybrid tactics?

• Air Warfare

  Northrop Grumman’s completes flight tests of new EW system for F-16s

  1st May 2025

  The two aircraft flew more than 70 sorties in seven months and tested the system in various conditions and mission scenarios.

• Air Warfare

  USAF conducts first F-16 Block 70 flight of L3Harris’ Viper Shield

  5th February 2025

  The Viper Shield electronic warfare suite was tested by the US Air Force’s 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base, with L3Harris aiming for deliveries of the system to international customers by late 2025.

• Naval Warfare

  What capabilities has the US deployed in the Caribbean and South America to engage “drug boats”?

  7th November 2025

  The US arsenal includes amphibious assault and littoral combat ships, cutters, destroyers, landing platform docks, a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine, drones, ISR aircraft, helicopters and fighters.

• Land Warfare

  Next-generation gun set to boost US Army combat vehicle capabilities

  8th January 2026

  The 50mm main weapon on the XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle currently being competed for by industry will offer a step-change in firepower and targeting over the in-service M2 Bradley.

• Air Warfare

  Boeing’s T-7A poised to meet UK fast jet trainer requirements

  22nd October 2025

  The company is in active discussions with its supply chain to meet any potential near-term UK requirements as it gears up to replace the RAF’s ageing Hawk trainer aircraft.

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales looks to boost DigitalCrew system through AI and human-machine teaming trials

  22nd January 2026

  The Thales DigitalCrew package, first unveiled at last year’s Defence IQ International Armoured Vehicles conference, is designed to merge imaging and apply a layer of decision-making and observation algorithms to support crew and other personnel.

• Air Warfare

  World Defense Show 2026: L3Harris to achieve full-rate production of Viper Shield soon

  9th February 2026

  L3Harris has completed the production candidate software load for its Viper Shield airborne electronic warfare system and is conducting sea trials with its VAMPIRE counter-drone system.

• Land Warfare

  Unlocking the potential of Light Forces in modern warfare (Studio)

  4th December 2025

  The Ukraine conflict has highlighted the strategic importance of “Light Forces” – rapidly deployable dispersed units, able to conduct an expanding range of mission sets. What technologies and equipment are needed to ensure their success in combat?

• Air Warfare

  Why SCAF and GCAP should seek common ground

  23rd April 2025

  Can international industrial collaboration to develop common technologies applicable to different future aircraft programmes – like GCAP or SCAF – prevail in the face of politics?

• Air Warfare

  What might next-generation military aircrew training look like?

  26th December 2025

  Changing roles for combat aircraft fleets, the rise of simulation and LVC technologies, and the increasing cost of flight hours could all be leading to a paradigm shift in military pilot training.

• Air Warfare

  Taiwan receives first F-16 Block 70/72 aircraft

  1st April 2025

  The aircraft is the first of 66 to be delivered to Taiwan from Lockheed Martin.

• Digital Battlespace

  AUSA 2025: Israel’s Asio Technologies to supply hundreds of improved Taurus tactical systems

  23rd October 2025

  Taurus operates alongside the Israel Defense Forces’ Orion system which supports mission management across tens of thousands of manoeuvring forces, from squad leaders to battalion commanders.

• Air Warfare

  BAE Systems reveals new GCAP demonstrator design with plans to fly by 2027

  17th July 2025

  A key part in the trinational Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), this is the first crewed supersonic aircraft demonstrator to be built and developed in the UK in more than 40 years.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW101-Norway

  AgustaWestland is also providing initial support and training services, including spares at each of the operating bases and aircrew training. It will then provide performance ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  IAR-99 Replacement (Romania)

  On 29 August 2017, Leonardo announced that the IAR-99 trainer technology demonstrator (TD) will be fitted with company's Vixen 500E AESA radar. The Vixen 500E AESA ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk-USA

  The UH-60M Black Hawk is a digitally networked platform with greater range and lift to support maneuver commanders through air assault, general support, command and ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-35M

  Serbia became the 10th export customer of the Mi-35M helicopter, a new-generation Hind derivative, launched in production since 2007, featuring an improved armour protection, more ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  OC-135B Replacement (USAF- Cancelled)

  Programme Background The modification and Treaty Certification works include Digital Visual Imaging System kits, design and development for mission system integration (structural design, interphone communications systems, ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 - Montenegro

  The deal between Montenegro and export agency Canadian Commercial Cooperation will see aircraft production take place at Bell’s Mirabel facility before being transited to the ...

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

  EVO Max 4T [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Ukraine On 6 October 2023, Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's Miniter of Digital Transformation, announced that the Army of Drones sent nearly 2,000 EVO Max ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Hürkuş-C Advanced Armed Trainer (Turkey)

  The Hurjet-C development programme funding was included in the Hurkus-B procurement contract awarded by  the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defence Industries in December 2013.  The Hurjet will ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15SA Saudi Arabia

  The aircraft deal includes 170 APG-63(v)3 AESA radar sets, 193 F-110-GE-129 Improved Performance Engines, 100 M61 Vulcan Cannons, 338 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems amongst ...

• AEW&C

  AEW&C Aircraft [India]

  Programme Background India is planning to increase its AEW&C; capabilities with indigenous radar systems.  A330 Bid In 2015, the IAF has requested to procure six ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47ER Chinook [UK]

  Programme Background Formally known as the Chinook Capability Sustainment Program the UK is planning to replace its 14 oldest CH-47s with 14 new-build CH-47F (ER). ...

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

  Black Hornet 4 [Switzerland]

  Background Announcment Teledyne FLIR Defense announced on 2 February 2026 that it had received a $17.5 million contract from armasuisse, the Swiss Federal Office of ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) [Japan]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that GCAP's Japanese, British and Italian components are tracked in separate entries. Programme Timeline 2020: The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency of Japan issued ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F -Kenya

  Crew transition training took place at the MD Helicopters headquarters in Mesa, Arizona, with field service support, armament, and gunnery training scheduled to occur at ...

• ISR/special mission

  King Air 350ER ISR [Kuwait]

  Programme Background In February 2018, the US State Department has approved an estimated $259m potential foreign military sale of King Air 350ER intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Vixen-1000E

  The Vixen 1000E is an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar designed for fighter and interceptor aircraft, incorporating a roll-repositionable antenna with a ±100º field ...

• Land: air defence radar

  KRONOS Power Shield Land

  This system is an L-band digital AESA anti-TBM radar. It is the land-based version of the naval KRONOS Power Shield, also known as KRONOS Ground ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Smart-L MM/F

  The SMART-L MM/F (Multi-Mission Fixed) is a next-generation, long-range, multi-mission radar developed by Thales for air and space surveillance and ballistic missile detection. It features ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  KRONOS Power Shield

  The KRONOS Power Shield is an early warning naval radar manufactured by Leonardo. It is primarily designed for ballistic missile defence and surveillance. The main ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Nebo-SVU

  The Nebo-SVU is an air defence radar distributed by Rosoboronexport in Russia and is currently used by the Russian Army and the Iranian Army. It ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  Ground Fire Radar

  Thales unveiled its Ground Fire Radar family, a range of multifunction ground radars, on 19 June 2017 at the Paris Air Show. Using AESA technology, ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Viper Shield AN/ALQ-254(V)1

  L3Harris, in partnership with Lockheed Martin and the USAF, are developing an all-digital EW suite, which is custom design to be the baseline on advanced ...

• Land: air defence radar, Sea: naval fire control radar

  All-Threat Tactical Air-Surveillance radar

  RADA’s All-Threat Tactical Air Surveillance radar systems, which include the RPS-12, RPS-42, RPS-72 and RPS-82, detect all types of aerial vehicles (including UAVs of all ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-63(V)2

  The AN/APG-63(V)2 is a significant radar upgrade for the U.S. Air Force F-15C aircraft. This upgrade replaces the mechanically-scanned antenna (MSA) with an AESA antenna,  ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Raven ES-05

  The Raven ES-05 is an AESA fire-control radar developed by Leonardo in close collaboration with Saab for the Gripen E/F. It features a repositionable AESA ...

• Air: surveillance radar, Sea: naval fire control radar

  SF 500

  Sea Fire 500 (SF 500) is a multifunction radar providing simultaneous long-range air and surface surveillance, target acquisition and tracking and fire control (ASTER missiles ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  CENK 600-N

  The CENK 600-N is a two-dimensional long-range volume search radar manufactured by Aselsan. The radar is part of Aselsan’s Multi-Function Radar Systems Suite.

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-73

  The AN/APG-73 is an X-band multimode radar system designed for both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, featuring programmable digital processors, memory capacity, and electronic countermeasures capabilities ...

• Fighter - electronic warfare

  Eurofighter EK (Electronic Combat)

  The Eurofighter EK is the  jamming and escort electronic attack version of the Eurofighter fighter jet. Developed by Airbus and incorporating Saab's Arexis EW suite ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Grifo E

  The Grifo-E is an advanced fire-control radar developed by Leonardo, featuring Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology for enhanced situational awareness. It employs Active Electronically Scanned ...