• Naval Warfare

  GHOST ship sign of things to come

  16th November 2015

  It seems like the shape of a fighting vessel's hull had found the perfect combination of form and function, remaining aesthetically relatively unchanged through generations …

• Training

  GA-ASI’s RPA training facility breaks ground

  13th November 2015

  Construction is now underway for General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ (GA-ASI’s) new RPA training facility at Grand Sky Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) business and aviation park …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Dubai 2015: Sky’s the limit for UAE start-up

  13th November 2015

  A new UAS start-up is looking to push its unmanned concepts into the UAE market in the next couple of years, in a bid to …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  China tests ‘military’ paragliding UAV

  12th November 2015

  In another innovation in the unmanned field from China, news emerged this week of a paragliding UAV that has recently concluded tests in Tibet. Chinese …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Dubai 2015: 3D printed UAV turns heads

  11th November 2015

  Constructed almost entirely out of 3D printed materials, the Stratasys and Aurora Flight Sciences’ UAV technology demonstrator equally turned and baffled heads. Taking pride of …

• Digital Battlespace

  NORINCO reinforces China's borders

  10th November 2015

  China’s borders are receiving high-tech protection through a newly introduced integrated C4ISR system. The system is being provided by a subsidiary of China North Industries (NORINCO) featuring radars, electro-optical cameras, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Dubai 2015: Aeroland sign LoI for up to 200 systems

  9th November 2015

  Aeroland UAV and an unnamed Middle Eastern company have inked a letter of intent for the potential purchase of up to 200 unmanned systems currently …

• Military Logistics

  LikeAbird releases UV smart battery manager

  5th November 2015

  LikeAbird has introduced a new off-the-shelf smart battery pack manager called QSBMS for unmanned air, land and sea systems, the company announced on 4 November. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  New team for firefighting demo

  5th November 2015

  Lockheed Martin has switched its unmanned firefighting team around as the K-MAX optionally-piloted vehicle and Stalker UAS line up to conduct a combined capability demonstration …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Funding for canister-launched UAS

  4th November 2015

  Lockheed Martin has received US military funding to continue development of a maritime canister-launched small Unmanned Aircraft System (SUAS), the company announced on 3 November.  …

• Land Warfare

  D&S 2015: Black Widow Spider grows up

  4th November 2015

  The Black Widow Spider, an effort by Thailand’s Defence Technology Institute (DTI) to create an 8x8 armoured vehicle, has grown from a mock-up two years …

• Military Logistics

  Expansion of C295 capabilities planned

  2nd November 2015

  Trials will begin next year to add aerial refuelling (AR) and extremely short take-off and landing (XTOL) capabilities to the Airbus Defence and Space (DS) …

• Land Warfare

  Vietnam chooses Israeli SAM

  30th October 2015

  In the latest sales success for Rafael’s SPYDER surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, Vietnam has emerged as a buyer of the Israeli weapon. Confirmation of Vietnam’s …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Insitu UAS conducts railway monitoring

  30th October 2015

  Insitu conducted a commercial beyond visual line of sight operation with its ScanEagle unmanned aerial system (UAS) on 25 October for railway safety and infrastructure …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Aerosonde sees fee-for-service growth

  29th October 2015

  Textron Systems Unmanned Systems is performing 4,000 hours of fee-for-service operations with the Aerosonde UAS each month, it has been revealed. The OEM is currently …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior [India]

  Programme Background Make In India The 'Make In India' is an initiative by the Indian government to grow the domestic manufacturing industry. In the context ...

• Military UAS - small

  Black Hornet 3 PRS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army operated approximately 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS between 2013 and 2017, when the decision was made to retire ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Ajax IFV [UK]

  Programme Background Prior to commencing development of the Ajax the UK utilised the Warrior was its primary IFV. However, the Warrior entered service in 1987 making ...

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

  Naval Collaborative Combat Air Vehicle (N-CCAV) [India]

  Programme Background CATS Warrior The Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) is a planned, uncrewed and crewed family of aircraft in development by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

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

  MQ-1 Gray Eagle [US Army]

  Background Required Quantity Although the US Army first envisioned a requirement for 132 MQ-1C Gray Eagles, the US Army's Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) was increased ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Orbiter 3 (Croatia)

  Programme Background The Croatian government launched a competitive tender for the procurement of a short-range UAV in October 2017. Although the tender was opened on ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  AR100-H [Germany]

  Programme Background In May 2022, it was announced that 145 AR100-H drones would be supplied to the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). At the time of ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (MIV) [UK]

  Programme Background History The UK MoD announced in March 2018 that it would re-join the Boxer programme and pursue a sole-source acquisition of the 8x8 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Larger UAVs [Estonia]

  2026-2029 Defence Investment On 30 July 2025, the Republic of Estonia’s Minister of Defence, Hanno Pevkur, announced an approved development plan, allocating more than €10 billion ($11.42 ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | New Generation Minehunters/Offshore (NGM/A) (1-4) [Italy]

  The Italian Navy is procuring twelve new multi-purpose mine countermeasures (MCM) vessels under the Cacciamine Nuova Generazione (CNG) programme. The programme includes coastal-going units (NGM/C) ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | New Generation Minehunters/Offshore (NGM/A) (1-4) [Italy]

  The Italian Navy is procuring twelve new multi-purpose mine countermeasures (MCM) vessels under the Cacciamine Nuova Generazione (CNG) programme. The programme includes coastal-going units (NGM/C) ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Ermine (Ukraine Aid) [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Western governments have sought to provide as much assistance as possible to the Ukrainian ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | New Generation Minehunters/Coastal (NGM/C) (1-5) [Italy]

  The Italian Navy is procuring twelve new multi-purpose mine countermeasures (MCM) vessels under the Cacciamine Nuova Generazione (CNG) programme. The programme includes coastal-going units (NGM/C) ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-X [Japan]

  There is no mention of the AH-X in the 2019-2023 Medium Term Defence Plan, so it is possible that the requirement has quietly been postponed. ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military - USVs

  SHARC

  The Sensor Hosting Autonomous Remote Craft (SHARC) wave glider platform is a JV developed between Boeing and Liquid Robotics. The SHARC is able to deliver ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Warrior Systems

  General Dynamics Mission Systems is prime contractor and system integrator for the US Army’s Warrior soldier systems, which include Air Warrior, Future Force Warrior, Land Warrior ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  NRQ-21

  Insitu displayed the NRQ-21 Integrator at the Unmanned Warrior 2016 event in Wales. The aircraft has been designed to carry out tasks on land and ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Outlaw SeaHunter

  Outlaw UAVs are used by military and research agencies for training, testing, data collection and system development. In the 114-137kg maximum take-off weight class, SeaHunter ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Mounted Warrior

  Mounted Warrior will provide an integrated system-of-systems ensemble designed to improve the survivability, lethality and combat effectiveness of armoured vehicle crewmen. The system leverages capabilities ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Warrior

  The Warrior IFV entered service with the British Army in mid-1987. A total of 789 vehicles were delivered in IFV, infantry command, anti-tank, recovery, repair, ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  MIHDS

  The Modular Integrated Helmet Display System (MIHDS) is designed and developed jointly by General Dynamics Mission Systems, USA and Microvision Inc. The system's SD2500 design ...

• Military - USVs

  MAST

  The Maritime Autonomy Surface Testbed (MAST) was developed by ASV Global and Roke Manor Research under funding from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. It ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  Warrior 2020

  Finland’s Warrior 2020 programme is focused on improving individual soldier equipment in the five capability areas defined by NATO: C4I, lethality, mobility, survivability and sustainability. Warrior ...

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

  CATS Warrior

  Manufactured by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior is a medium-altitude long-endurance UAS part of the CATS family ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MUBC

  The Modular Universal Battery Charger (MUBC) is a scalable charging system for a range of military and commercial batteries. It provides for the addition of ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58D Kiowa Warrior

  The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior is a two-person, light scout helicopter with a day/night mast-mounted sight, glass cockpit and four-bladed rotor system. Following the retirement of ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F Cayuse Warrior

  An evolution of the OH-6 Cayuse light observation helicopter, the MD 530F was initially Federal Aviation Administration-certified in July 1985 as the Model 369FF. It ...

• Land: RWS

  Unmanned T40

  Nexter is developed an unmanned variant of its T40 two-man turret to meet the growing demand for these types of systems. Like the standard T40, ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  Athena 511

  The Athena 511 is a compact all-in-one GPS-aided INS air data system. The system’s integrated inertial sensing uses a tactical grade, ring-laser gyro IMU, with ...