• Training

  European Spartan 2019 C-27J exercise kicks off

  17th May 2019

  Five European C-27J Spartan military aircraft operators are participating in the fourth edition of the European Spartan exercise at Otopeni airbase in Romania, the European …

• Land Warfare

  US Army to attain laser weapon vehicle by 2022

  17th May 2019

  The US Army will have its hands on a 100kW laser weapon system as part of the High Energy Laser Tactical Vehicle Demonstrator (HEL TVD) …

• Naval Warfare

  Terma’s C-Series suite for Indonesian vessels

  15th May 2019

  Terma has received a contract to deliver a complete C-Series Combat Suite for four KCR-60 vessels of the Indonesian Navy, the company announced on 13 …

• Defence Notes

  Sweden seeks defence growth if budget demands met

  22nd May 2019

  With increased military activity in the Baltic Sea and Russia’s aggression in the air and on the ground, it is hardly surprising Sweden is looking …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Romania acquires Polish C-IED robots

  21st May 2019

  The Romanian Air Force has taken delivery of an unspecified number of counterterrorism Gryf UGVs designed and manufactured by the Polish Lukasiewicz-PIAP Institute. The deliveries …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky HH-60W makes first flight

  22nd May 2019

  The Sikorsky HH-60W combat rescue helicopter achieved its first flight at Sikorsky's West Palm Beach, Florida site on 17 May. The test flight, which lasted …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Terra Drone India completes aerial survey

  14th May 2019

  Terra Drone India has completed an aerial survey of 4,200 sq km of agricultural land for the Water Resources Department of the Maharashtra Krishna Valley …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy tweaks destroyer-based laser effort

  8th May 2019

  Lockheed Martin is moving ahead with developing a laser weapon system for the US Navy but in a different sequence than originally planned, according to …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  QinetiQ to deliver UAS for Canadian armed forces

  10th May 2019

  QinetiQ has received a CAD$51 million contract to deliver UAS services for the Canadian armed forces, the company announced on 7 May. The services will …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AeroVironment and Kratos team up

  10th May 2019

  AeroVironment and Kratos Defense & Security Systems have teamed up to develop and demonstrate highly integrated and operationally effective multi-domain UAS for peer/near-peer environments. The …

• Defence Notes

  USAF tests Minuteman III missile

  9th May 2019

  The US Air Force has launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) equipped with a test re-entry vehicle from Vandenberg AFB, California, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Raytheon’s GBDAA system to support UAS pilots

  8th May 2019

  Raytheon’s Ground-Based Detect and Avoid (GBDAA) system has been deployed at Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport, Ohio, to help pilots fly UAS beyond visual line-of-sight flight profiles, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Indra to supply deployable radar to RAF

  15th May 2019

  Indra has received a contract to supply the UK Royal Air Force with an advanced long-range air defence deployable radar, the company announced on 13 …

• Naval Warfare

  NRL gets UV-18 Twin Otter for airborne research

  17th May 2019

  The US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and the navy's science and technology research squadron, Scientific Development Squadron ONE (VXS-1), have introduced the UV-18 Twin Otter …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Parrot launches ANAFI Thermal UAS

  24th April 2019

  Parrot has launched ANAFI Thermal, an ultra-compact and lightweight UAS equipped with thermal imaging capabilities for civil operations, the company announced on 16 April. The …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - small

  Medium Range Reconnaissance (MRR) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an organic, ...

• Military UAS - mini

  U&C reconnaissance drones [US Army]

  Methodology PGO The programme has been assigned a PGO of 100%, as a contract has been awarded. Unit cost It has not been clarified what ...

• Transport

  C-27J [Azerbaijan]

  Programme Background The Azerbaijani Air Force signed a contract with Leonardo in June 2023 to procure the C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft. This move is ...

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

  Mini Reconnaissance Drones [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Planned Purchases On 14 September 2022, the Lithuanian MoD announced in a short statement on Twitter, now X, that it had begun organising ...

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

  ISTAR UAS project [Canada]

  Programme Background Objective The Royal Canadian Navy's (RCN) main significant UAV project is the RCN Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Unmanned Aircraft System (RCN ...

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

  Small Reconnaissance Drones [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Planned Purchases On 14 September 2022, the Lithuanian MoD announced in a short statement on Twitter, now X, that it had begun organising ...

• Frigates

  European Combat Vessel [Spain]

  Programme Background Requirements The European Combat Vessel (ECV) is currently a conceptual project that seeks to design a European collaborative multi-mission, modular warship. As of ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Data links

  Data links | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• OPVs

  Harry DeWolf Class (AOPS) Coast Guard (7-8) [Canada]

  Background Requirements The new vessels will replace the CCGS Leonard J Cowley, an ice-strengthened fisheries patrol vessel that entered service in 1984 and CCGS Cygnus, a ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [Germany]

  Programme Background Germany originally said it would but 60 A400Ms, but when the program was re-baselined in 2010 reduced its planed off take to 53, ...

• Destroyers

  Next-Generation Large Surface Combatants (LSC) - DDG(X) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) is acknowledging a need to move away from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer design, which is slowly outgrowing. Flight III ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Counter-UAS systems

  MEHEL 2.0

  The Mobile Expeditionary High-Energy Laser (MEHEL) is a C-UAS-capable vehicle that employs directed energy to neutralise targets. MEHEL 2.0 was first seen at AUSA 2016, ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Fractl:2

  Fractl:2, developed and manufactured by AIM Defence, is an Australian laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). The high-powered portable system is Australia's first acquisition of a directed ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  DroneDefender

  DroneDefender is a directed-energy UAS countermeasure that disrupts the adversary's control of the aircraft, neutralising it so that no remote action (including detonation) can occur, ...

• Counter-UAS systems, Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  EJDERHA HPEM System

  The EJDERHA is a high power electromagnetic system manufactured by Aselsan. It generates high-amplitude electromagnetic fields and directs them to potential targets such as IEDs ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Apollo

  Apollo is a High-Energy Laser Weapon System manufactured by Electro Optic Systems (EOS). Apollo's laser utilises directed energy to disable or destroy aerial targets without ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  SCATA Mk1

  The SCATA Mk1 is the first military vehicle developed by Finland's SCATA.

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Locust

  BlueHalo's Locust is a laser weapon system. The system delivers a complete kill chain, providing a layered and broadband detection capability that is coupled with electronic ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Minotaur

  Minotaur, developed by Soukos Robots, is a Greek laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). Minotaur is an anti-drone platform with the ability to shoot down unmanned ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons, Self-propelled guns, Self-propelled missile systems

  SkyRanger 30

  SkyRanger 30 is a mobile ground-based air defence (GBAD) laser directed energy weapon (LDEW) system designed by Rheinmetall. The system comprises automatic cannons, guided missiles, and a ...

• OPVs

  PPA/MultiPurpose Combat Ship (MPCS) EVO

  The PPA/MultiPurpose Combat Ship (MPCS) EVO is an enhanced version of the Thaon di Revel-class PPAs unveiled at Euronaval 2024. The PPA/MPCS EVO retains the core platform ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  CROSSBOW MINI

  CROSSBOW MINI, developed by IPG Photonics, is a laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW). The LDEW has multiple deployable configurations and is a part of the manufacturers ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  DIAL

  The Laser Weapon Instrumental Demonstrator (DIAL), in joint development with Indra and Escribano Mechanical Engineering, is a Spanish laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). The system ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Archimedes

  Archimedes, developed by Aurelius Systems, is a laser-directed energy weapon designed to stop drones at scale. The system is still in development, though Aurelius received ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  ALKA-KAPLAN

  ALKA-KAPLAN is a collaborative effort between Turkish manufacturers ROKETSAN and FNSS. The system is a mobile armoured anti-drone system, which integrates the ALKA directed energy-weapon ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Italian LDEW (Leonardo/MBDA)

  As announced in December 2024, Leonardo and MBDA are collaborating to produce a Fire Unit Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) for the Italian Navy. The ...