• Digital Battlespace

  Harris wins Asia C2 contract

  26th March 2018

  Harris Corporation will modernise and upgrade an unnamed Asian nation’s military communications network under a contract announced on 21 March. For the command and control …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army continues pursuit of robotic technologies

  4th April 2018

  The US Army continues to seek transition from several thousand unique robots to an enduring programme of record with a contract award for the engineering …

• Digital Battlespace

  Japan, China enhance recon satellite coverage

  1st March 2018

  The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries launched an optical reconnaissance satellite into orbit aboard an H-IIA launch vehicle from the Tanegashima …

• Special Operations

  AUSA Global: Profense unveils 5.56mm minigun

  28th March 2018

  Profense LLC has used this week’s AUSA Global Force exhibition and symposium to unveil its PF556 minigun, a new model system that fires linked 5.56x45mm …

• Digital Battlespace

  Insight: Deciphering China’s AI militarisation

  9th April 2018

  Even with Beijing’s recent announcement that artificial intelligence (AI) will rewrite the very nature of a revolution in military affairs (RMA), China faces as many …

• Digital Battlespace

  ViaSat-2 SATCOM launched

  15th March 2018

  Viasat has launched its new ViaSat-2 satellite communications (SATCOM) service for government, defence and military applications, the company announced on 12 March. The communications satellite, …

• Naval Warfare

  Ukraine naval mines ‘contributing factor’ in prevention of Mariupol takeover

  21st March 2018

  The use by Ukraine of naval mines in maritime areas around Mariupol has been described as a ‘contributing factor’ in stopping Russia and Russian-backed forces …

• Naval Warfare

  DIMDEX 2018: Regulations fail to match pace of HEL gun development

  12th March 2018

  Regulations determining the implementation and use of laser weapons are failing to keep pace with the development of such technologies, according to Rheinmetall Defence. Showcasing …

• Land Warfare

  Poland buys US Patriot anti-missile system for $4.8 billion

  28th March 2018

  Poland signed on Wednesday a $4.75 billion (€3.8 billion) contract to purchase a US-made Patriot anti-missile system, a move that is likely to irk Russia …

• Digital Battlespace

  SpaceX thrusts Spanish military satellite into orbit

  22nd February 2018

  Elon Musk's SpaceX sent a Spanish military satellite into orbit on 22 February in a day late liftoff from California, extending the private space company's …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Leonardo positions AWHERO for Australian market

  27th March 2018

  Leonardo is showcasing its AWHERO rotary UAS to national and local authorities in Australia through 30 March, the company announced on 22 March. The company …

• Military Logistics

  US Army looks to heavier airdrops

  26th March 2018

  The US Army is exploring options for a new heavy weight airdrop system. Under a RfI released on 23 March 2018, the army’s Natick Soldier …

• Special Operations

  US Army equips first unit with T2C2

  14th March 2018

  The US Army has equipped its first unit – the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division - with the new Transportable Tactical Command Communications …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA Global: Army moving out on high-energy laser development

  29th March 2018

  The US Army is moving forward with plans to field a 50 kW high-energy laser on a 8x8 Stryker vehicle in FY2023, if not quicker, and …

• Defence Notes

  NATO expels seven Russian diplomats

  27th March 2018

  NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said on 27 March that the alliance was expelling seven Russian diplomats to show that Moscow faces ‘costs and consequences’ over …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Medium-Range Loitering Munition with LEO Satellite Data Link [South Korea]

  Background New Project In April 2025, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) announced a new project titled “Development of Medium-Range ...

• Loitering munitions

  Long Range One-way Platforms [US]

  Solicitation In October 2024, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) released a solicitation for long-range, one-way platforms. The DIU noted recent conflicts highlighted the asymmetric impact of low-cost, ...

• Military UAS - small

  Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) GUARD [Ireland]

  Background Problem As stated on the project’s website in 2022, Ireland is the “softest target in the EU for smugglers” due to its 3,171 km ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Micro UAV [Argentina]

  Background Tender The EA and MoD in April 2021 announced Public Tender 0090/2021 (UOC: 84/135), which saw the General Directorate of Material begin the process of ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  CH-4 (First Batch) [Pakistan]

  Programme Background First Batch According to the Pakistan Exim Trade Info website, five aircraft were delivered to the country on 15 January 2021. According to a ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  BZK-005 [Sudan]

  Methodology PGO and programme status Defence Insight has assigned this programme a PGO of 100% since it is complete. Units required Defence Insight estimates that ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 [Pakistan]

  Programme Background Requirement Following a 2019 skirmish with India, Pakistan placed newfound importance on EW and ISR, primarily due to the significant advantage gained during that ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Seeker 400 (1-6) [UAE]

  Background Long history The UAE has a long history of transactions with Denel Dynamics. The country has been purchasing various Seeker systems from as far ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  CH-4 (Second Batch) [Pakistan]

  Background First Batch According to the Pakistan Exim Trade Info website, five CH-4 aircraft were delivered to the country on 15 January 2021. According to a satellite ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Wing Loong II [Pakistan]

  Background Original Effort On 6 October 2018, the Pakistani Air Force (PAF) announced on social media that it would acquire 48 Wing Loong II UAVs. ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  NH90 - NFH [Italy]

  Background  Programme history The Italian Navy took delivery of its first NH90 NFH helicopter in Full Operational Capability (or Step B) configuration in 2011. The ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9A Reaper [Spain]

  Programme Background First Contract The US State Department approved a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of MQ-9 Block 5 aircraft and associated parts, equipment, and logistical ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Turkish UCAV [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Desired Procurement Saudi Arabia reportedly began negotiations to procure six Anka UAVs in 2013. It had not been disclosed which Anka variant was requested, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk (Second Contract) [Croatia]

  Programme Background Western Technology With the help of the US, Croatia has attempted to improve its military technology, replacing Soviet equipment, such as the Mi-8/Mi-17. ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  Long-Endurance UAV [US AFRICOM]

  Programme Background Ageing MQ-9A Reapers In November 2022, Shephard reported that GA-ASI would continue supporting contractor SMX with its MQ-9A after winning a $2.3 billion task ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Space: radar systems

  RISAT-1

  Radar Satellite-1 (RISAT-1) is a microwave remote-sensing satellite carrying an SAR payload operating in C band (5.35GHz), which enables imaging of surface features during both ...

• Naval: Radio and SATCOM

  OceanTRx 4MIL

  The OceanTRx 4MIL is a ruggedised maritime SATCOM solution featuring simultaneous multi-band communication and advanced antenna management capabilities.  It was introduced at the Euronaval 2022 ...

• Major networking projects

  Skynet 6 SATCOM

  Skynet 6 is designed to replace Skynet 5. The PFI contract for Skynet 5,  held by Paradigm Secure Communications and Airbus DS, ends in 2022. As ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Osprey u8 HGL

  Launched in 2023, Kymeta Osprey u8 HGL is a hybrid Geostationary/Low-Earth Orbit terminal that provides satellite communications on the move. Notably, it can be mounted ...

• Naval: Radio and SATCOM, UAS: communication systems

  Multi-Purpose Terminal (MPT)

  Orbit's Multi-Purpose Terminal (MPT) is a family of stabilised VSAT systems suitable for installation on smaller vessels and airborne platforms including uncrewed vehicles. 

• Military Satellites - ISR

  Radarsat-2

  Owned and operated by MDA, Radarsat-2 was launched in late 2007 as a follow-on radar satellite to Canada’s Radarsat-1. The satellite's resolution ranges from a ...

• Naval: Radio and SATCOM

  SURFSAT-L

  Produced by Thales, SURFSAT-L is a SATCOM terminal designed for medium to large surface vessels. According to the manufacturer, it is designed to achieve a ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MONDO Satellite Terminal

  The Multi Orbit Network, Dual Operation (MONDO) Satellite Terminal is a developmental SATCOM solution that provides continuous communication links on GEO, LEO and MEO networks. ...

• Military Satellites - ISR

  Helios

  The Helios system consists of the Helios 2A and Helios 2B satellites, the latter of which was launched in December 2009, five years after Helios ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Multi-Orbit Tactical Terminal

  Intelsat Multi-Orbit Tactical Terminal (MOTT) is a ruggedised terminal with a low-profile design. The vehicle-mountable terminal features an electronically steered array antenna, edge computing capabilities ...

• Data links

  GSNC

  Global Secure Network Connection (GSNC) provides a global data communications solution for military aircraft, including bomber, refuelling and transport aircraft. The GSNC system uses Iridium ...

• Space: radar systems

  ESA Sentinel-1

  Sentinel-1 is a planned constellation of four satellites with two already in orbit and two on order. They carry a payload of a C-band SAR ...

• Space: radar systems

  NISAR

  The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) is a joint programme between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to build and launch an observation ...

• Space: radar systems

  TerraSAR-X and ​TanDEM-X

  TerraSAR-X and the more advanced TanDEM-X (TerraSAR-X add-on for digital elevation measurement) are designed to operate closely together to generate an accurate 3D image of ...

• Military - USVs

  USV-12

  The USV-12 is an uncrewed surface vessel (USV) developed by HAVELSAN and VN Maritime Technologies. The modular platform is designed for defence, maritime security, and search ...