• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MSPO 2017: Watching brief for Thales in Polish UAS programme

  7th September 2017

  Patience is the name of the game for Thales as it awaits a final decision by Poland’s government for the provision of the Watchkeeper X …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russia wants high-speed combat helicopter

  29th August 2017

  Russian Helicopters has been contracted by the Russian Ministry of Defence to work on a new high-speed combat helicopter concept, the company announced on 24 …

• Defence Helicopter

  GD-OTS receives rocket contract modification

  1st September 2017

  General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS) has received a $60 million contract modification from the US Army Contracting Command to produce the 2.75"/70mm Hydra …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Armed AV500W flies as new designs surprise

  18th September 2017

  Last month the AV500W rotary-winged UAV from the AVIC Helicopter Research and Development Institute in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province performed its maiden flight and conducted a …

• Defence Helicopter

  First Mi-38T helicopter in build

  28th August 2017

  Kazan Helicopters, part of Russian Helicopters, has started assembling the first prototype of the Mi-38T helicopter, Russian Helicopters announced on 23 August. Under the terms …

• Defence Helicopter

  MSPO 2017: Poland’s slow helicopter purchases continue

  29th August 2017

  The second iteration of the Polish tender to meet urgent requirements for new helicopters for ASW/SAR and special operations forces (SOF) support missions is proving …

• Defence Helicopter

  Pakistan receives Mi-35M quartet

  29th August 2017

  The Pakistan Army Aviation Corps has received four Mil Mi-35M attack helicopters, the Defence Export Promotion Organisation (DEPO) confirmed in late August. A statement issued …

• Defence Helicopter

  Ka-52K set for electromagnetic testing

  30th August 2017

  Russian Helicopters is set to begin testing of the Ka-52K maritime reconnaissance and combat helicopter for resistance to electromagnetic interference, the company announced on 26 …

• Defence Helicopter

  DSEI 2017: Sea Venom firing well on all cylinders

  7th September 2017

  European missile manufacturer MBDA is continuing its Sea Venom anti-ship missile trials and Shephard has learnt that all firings so far have been successful.  The first …

• Defence Helicopter

  Kongsberg wins Sea King maintenance contract

  25th August 2017

  Kongsberg Defence Systems has signed a framework agreement with the Norwegian Defence Logistics Organisation for gearbox maintenance on Norway's Sea King helicopters, the company announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Modernised Ka-27Ms set for delivery

  25th August 2017

  Russian Helicopters is set to begin delivery of modernised Ka-27M helicopters to the Russian Ministry of Defence, with the first aircraft having completed factory testing, the …

• Defence Helicopter

  First batch of Mi-28UB helicopters produced

  24th August 2017

  Russian Helicopters has completed production of the first batch of Mi-28UB helicopters for the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD), the company announced on 22 August.  …

• Defence Helicopter

  MDHI, Robertson partner for fuel systems

  4th August 2017

  MD Helicopters (MDHI) has a partnered with Robertson Fuel Systems to develop next-generation Ballistic Tolerant Crashworthy Fuel Systems (BTCWFS) for MDHI’s family of military helicopters. …

• Defence Helicopter

  HAL begins production of LCH

  31st August 2017

  The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has launched the production of the Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), HAL announced on 28 August. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  India launches quest for naval multirole helicopters

  23rd August 2017

  India has kicked off a global search for naval multi-role helicopters (NMRH) to boost the Indian Navy’s (IN) anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and electronic warfare …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  MD 530G - Malaysia

  Procured for an urgent operational requirement for gunships to support Eastern Sabah Security Command operations, helicopter deliveries had to slip from a planned delivery of ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530G Lebanon

  The Armed MD 530G Scout Attack Helicopter features next-generation all-glass cockpit that includes: two Genesys Aerosystems IDU-680 6” x 9” LCD primary displays, Tek Fusion ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Uncrewed MD 500 Replacement [South Korea]

  Background Uncrewed Replacement of the MD 500 Throughout the 2010s, South Korea appeared interested in replacing its fleet of crewed MD 500 helicopters that were manufactured under licence ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Project Land 2097 Phase 4 [Australia]

  Programme Background According to the RfI, under Project Land 2097 Phase 4, the selected helicopter must comprise a commercial or military off-the-shelf solution that is ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) First Batch (South Korea)

  Programme Background The LAH is the first time that the South Korean OEM has developed an armed helicopter. The project kicked off in June 2015, ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 (South Korea - Army)

  Programme Background Requirement South Korea operates an ageing fleet of Bell UH-1s and MD 500s for training purposes. The country has already replaced a part of ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 (South Korea - Navy)

  Programme Background Requirement South Korea operates an ageing fleet of Bell UH-1s and MD 500s for training purposes. The country has already replaced a part of ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Light Armed Helicopter (Second Batch) [South Korea]

  Programme Background The LAH is the first time that the South Korean OEM has developed an armed helicopter. The project kicked off in June 2015, ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton - Germany (Cancelled)

  Programme Background Germany requested to buy four MQ-4C Triton HALE UAVs from Northrop Grumman. On 5 April 2018, the US State Department announced that it ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8, Tanks

  Tracked & Wheeled Light Tank (Philippines)

  Programme Background The decision to split the programme into a wheeled and a tracked element follows the belief of the Philippine Army that this will ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M - France

  Programme Background In April 2021, the French government signed a deal for the purchase of eight H225M Airbus helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of SA330 ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60A [Portugal]

  Programme Background At the end of February 2025, the Portuguese Minister of National Defence said that as part of the Portuguese Army's Support, Protection & ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H145 Helicopter [Honduras]

  Programme Background  The Honduran Government has purchased a total of four H145 Helicopters manufactured by Airbus to develop the armed forces preparedness against natural disasters ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H145M (Contracted) [Germany]

  Programme Background Previous Usage The German Armed Forces ordered 15 H145M helicopters, with the initial two delivered in December 2015, for the Kommando Spezialkräfte. These ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530G

  The MD 530G is the newest addition to the MD Helicopters line of light scout attack platforms. It has increased-capacity landing gear and a mission-configurable ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  MDHI Glass Cockpit

  The American aerospace manufacturer MD Helicopters Inc. (MDHI) has designed and developed a glass cockpit specifically for MD 500E AND MD 520N aircraft. It is ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  IDU-680

  The IDU-680 is Genesys Aerosystems’ 3D synthetic vision integrated Electronic Flight Instrument System. The system includes a Highway in the Sky navigation system, geo-referenced hover ...

• Helicopter guns

  FN HMP

  The FN HMP (Heavy Machine Gun Pod) is a self-contained airborne weapon system armed with a 50cal FN M3P heavy machine gun. It is available ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  KUS-VH

  The Korean Air Korean Air Unmanned System-Vertical Helicopter (KUS-VH) is a large, rotary-wing UAV based on the MD 500. The first flight of the platform ...

• Helicopter Armour

  Armor of America (AoA) produces custom armour kits for any rotary-wing aircraft. AoA helicopter armour protects areas such as the cockpit floor and doors, cabin ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  6XX

  Publicly unveiled at Heli-Expo in March 2017, the MD Helicopters 6XX is the next evolution in the MD 500 series and is a redesigned, single-engine ...

• Helicopter engines

  M250-C30

  The M250-C30 and -C30P are the exclusive powerplants for the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger and the MD Helicopters MD 530F and MD 530G. In addition, the AH-6i is ...

• HEMS Completions

  RSG has been providing modification, retrofit, completion services and component overhaul to the air medical industry for over 38 years on aircraft produced by Airbus ...

• HS-16600

  Breeze-Eastern's HS-16600 external electric hoist system is operational on the Leonardo Helicopters AW109 and AW119, Bell Helicopter 206 and 222, and MD 500. It is ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 500

  The MD 500 is a single-engine light helicopter derived from the Hughes OH-6A Cayuse developed for the US Army in the early 1960s and the ...

• EO/IR systems

  LEO-III

  The LEO-III, or LEO-III HD, was an airborne observation system with HD sensors and video outputs. It was a COTS, gyro-stabilised platform containing a multi-sensor HD ...

• Airborne rockets - unguided

  Aculeus MD-36 and MD-432

  The Aculeus MD-36 unguided multi-dart rocket provides 36 darts for the neutralisation of columns of light armoured vehicles. The Aculeus MD-432 provides 432 darts to ...

• Helicopter engines

  M250-C47E

  The C47E is the latest growth variant of the C47B/8 engine. In addition to a hot-and-high Value Improvement Package Kit, the C47E also includes dual-channel ...