• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Central Asian drones: land of opportunity or saturated market?

  1st February 2023

  As Central Asian countries have bolstered their UAV fleets, states have been keen to localise production (and in some cases cut ties with Russia) through deals with Turkey, Iran and Belarus.

• Air Warfare

  RAF Typhoon fitted with Leonardo radar designed to enhance capabilities

  17th January 2024

  The ECRS Mk 2 radar set to take the Royal Air Force Typhoon's capabilities beyond traditional radar functions has been fitted onto an aircraft in preparation for flight tests.

• Naval Warfare

  Aurora Engineering wins Royal Navy support contract

  6th February 2024

  A partnership between QinetiQ, BMT and AtkinsRéalis has been selected to ensure that the Royal Navy and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary receive support and service during operations.

• Air Warfare

  Indian Army receives its first swarm of UAVs

  8th March 2023

  NewSpace Research and Technologies has completed delivery of a UAV swarm to India's army.

• Naval Warfare

  Houthi militants target US commercial and military vessels

  15th January 2024

  The non-state military group launched missiles towards the USS Laboon and the US-owned-and-operated container ship Gibraltar Eagle.

• Air Warfare

  Second known test flight of B-21 confirmed by US Air Force

  19th January 2024

  US Air Force awarded the B-21 Engineering and Manufacturing Development contract to Northrop Grumman in 2015. The design was unveiled to the public in February 2016 under the LRS-B programme and has been scheduled to enter service within the next few years.

• Land Warfare

  MDI solution offers to solve power and data issues for dismounted soldiers

  29th March 2024

  Ultra Precision Control Systems’ Mounted/Dismounted Interface (MDI) was unveiled in London this month with the offer of enhancing situational awareness and communication for dismounted soldiers.

• Air Warfare

  Skydio launches AI-powered X10D small reconnaissance UAV

  17th January 2024

  Skydio has introduced the X10D, an AI-enhanced UAV boasting 10 times the computing power of its predecessors.

• Air Warfare

  Sky high diplomacy: Saudi Arabia's fighter jet puzzle entangles Eurofighter, Rafale and global alliances

  16th January 2024

  Saudi Arabia faces a juncture in aerial diplomacy as Germany's approval of a potential Eurofighter Typhoon deal introduces fresh possibilities and uncertainties, prompting the kingdom to weigh the Eurofighter against the appealing alternative of the Dassault Rafale.

• Defence Notes

  ‘Balloongate’ lays bare Chinese hypocrisy over military surveillance (Opinion)

  13th February 2023

  China pretends that it does not spy on others. The recent balloon saga showed up that it not only conducts surveillance of multiple countries, but that it is willing to violate their airspace to do so.

• Land Warfare

  Bradley IFV shows its worth as Russian ‘tank killer’ in Ukraine

  16th January 2024

  The US began supplying Bradley IFVs to Ukraine in early 2023 for its war against Russia, with up to 168 vehicles delivered to the country by September 2023 last year and even more expected to follow in 2024.

• Defence Notes

  Why China's surveillance balloon is more intriguing than alarming

  3rd February 2023

  While capturing headlines, the intelligence-collection capabilities of the Chinese balloon currently floating over the US are likely limited.

• Naval Warfare

  Europe plans progress on semi-autonomous modular naval vessel

  18th January 2024

  The pan-European project plans to develop a a new vessel architecture, create and test the physical prototype of the vessel by the end of 2027, and develop a data-centric autonomous ship architecture.

• Land Warfare

  Rafael successfully tests SPYDER All-In-One missile defence system

  15th January 2024

  The all-weather, network-centric, self-propelled, multi-launch, quick-reaction air defence system SPYDER (Surface-to-air PYthon and DERby) All-in-One (AIO) has been equipped with Python and Derby missiles.

• Air Warfare

  Canada commits $1.7 billion to CH-146 helicopter support

  18th January 2024

  The Royal Canadian Air Force has been operating 82 CH-146 Griffon helicopters out of 11 locations across Canada. In May 2022, C$800 million was awarded for the service life extension of the fleet which will keep the aircraft in service until at least the mid-2030s.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Joint Light Helicopter (HIL) Programme

  Programme BackgroundThe French Ministry of the Armed Forces has elected to bring the launch of the French Armed Forces’ HIL programme forward to 2021. The ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 TTH [France]

  Programme Background In 2001, the French government made its first purchase of 34 NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopters, followed by a second order in 2013 for ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - mini

  Micro & Mini Drones (France)

  Programme Background RequirementOn 23 April 2021, an RfP was published by the Direction de la Maintenance Aéronautique (DMAé) to supply around 500 micro and nano drones for the ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | OPV Procurement (1-2) [Montenegro]

  During Euronaval 2024, the French Ministry of Armed Forces and Veterans announced that Montenegro signed a contract for the acquisition of two OPV 60. Both ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | OPV Procurement (1-2) [Montenegro]

  During Euronaval 2024, the French Ministry of Armed Forces and Veterans announced that Montenegro signed a contract for the acquisition of two OPV 60. Both ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (13-15) [France]

  In June 2020, The French government has pledged to buy new military heavy-lift helicopters and accelerate plans for naval drone, ISTAR and tanker aircraft programmes as ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 300 [France]

  Programme Background Plans to Purchase At Eurosatory 2022, Col. Arnaud Goujon, the French Army's chief of plans, told the media that the French Army was ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 Special Forces [France]

  Programme Background In French service, advanced H225M Caracals with aerial refuelling capabilities are used by SOF units of the French Air Force (FAF) and French ...

• OPVs

  OPV Procurement (1-2) [Montenegro]

  Programme Background Timeline During Euronaval 2024, the French Ministry of Armed Forces and Veterans announced that Montenegro signed a contract for the acquisition of two ...

• OPVs

  OPV 58 S [Senegal]

  Programme Background Senegal ordered three OPV 58 S patrol vessels on 17 November 2019. A procurement contract was signed between the Ministry of Armed Forces ...

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

  French MALE UAVs [France]

  Programme Background Requirements The French Ministry of the Armed Forces wishes to develop a French MALE offering comparable with the MQ-9 Reaper, the Eurodrone and the ...

• Loitering munitions

  Colibri [France]

  Programme Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated in a press conference in May 2022 that the Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA) ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  UX11 (Ukraine Aid) [France]

  Programme Background First Batch On 6 September 2023, Sébastien Lecornu, the French Minister of Defence, announced Delair was providing Ukraine with more than 150 drones. ...

• Loitering munitions

  Larinae [France]

  Programme Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated in a press conference in May 2022 that the Direction Générale de l'Armement ...

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

  Tactical Drone System Light (SDTL) [France]

  Programme Background The French 2024-2030 military programme unveiled the SDTL for the special forces and the French Army. According to reports, the requirement would cover 30 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Counter-UAS systems

  Boreades

  Boreades is a modular anti-UAV system developed by CS. This suite combines multi-sensors and multi-effectors in order to enable the detection, identification and neutralisation of rogue ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  UAS 100

  The UAS 100 is an autonomous, three-engined platform, modular UAS manufactured by Thales in partnership with Issoire Aviation, Hionos and with the support of the ...

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

  Vespa-15

  The Vespa-15 is a first-person view (FPV) rotary-wing UAV manufactured by a Ukrainian company.  In May 2025, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Ukraine announced it ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 TTH

  Developed as a multinational programme between France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, the European NH90 was designed to meet NATO requirements for multirole capability from ...

• EO/IR systems

  Euroflir 350

  The Euroflir 350 is an out-of-production gyro-stabilised optronic system. According to Safran, it is effective at long ranges, can track mobile targets, designate important areas for ...

• OPVs

  OPV 60

  The OPV 60 is designed to conduct surveillance missions in coastal and EEZ waters. The ship can be armed with a 40mm naval gun and ...

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

  Lanner

  Unveiled at Eurosatory 2024, the Lenner is a modified variant of the Pengion C VTOL drone, specifically modified to meet the SDTL (Light Tactical Drone System) program ...

• Military helicopters - light/training, Military helicopters - multirole, Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  H160M

  Airbus is developing the H160M to meet the requirements of the French military for the Joint Light Helicopter (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger, or HIL) programme. It ...

• Land: handheld NV devices

  O-NYX

  The Thales O-NYX is a Ultra-Compact Night Vision Goggle used by the French armed forces. They have an enlarged field of vision to 51° compared ...

• Pistols

  Glock Pistol

  The Glock family of pistols have been in widespread service since the Glock 17 was selected for Austrian military and police service in 1982. The company's ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Mistral 2

  MISTRAL is a man-portable, fully digital, heat-seeking missile designed to meet the requirements of all branches of the armed forces to defend against air threats. ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  TDS-FA/-TA/-H

  Thales’ TDS family is comprised of Radar Warning Receivers (RWRs) designed to equip a range of fixed-wing aircraft. The product series includes the TDS-FA designed ...

• Loitering munitions

  Toutatis

  The Toutatis is an in-development loitering munition from Thales. According to Thales, the platform is effective against groups of fighters and unarmored and light-armoured vehicles. Unveiled at ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Trapper VT4

  A militarised version of the commercial Ford Everest 4x4 sports utility vehicle, the Trapper VT4 light all-terrain vehicle has been selected as the French Army's ...

• Trucks and utility vehicles - 4x4, Trucks and utility vehicles - 6x6, Trucks and utility vehicles - 8x8

  Kerax Family

  The Kerax family consists of off-road trucks available in 4x4, 6x6, and 8x8 configurations, designed to meet the specific requirements of armed forces while utilizing ...