• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Russia tries to close MALE UAV gap

  9th September 2020

  Russian manufacturer Kronstadt Group unveiled important developments in domestic UAV technology in late August, during the Army 2020 exhibition near Moscow. In particular, three platforms …

• Digital Battlespace

  Blue Bear adds SATCOM to swarming C2 system

  11th August 2020

  UK technology company Blue Bear Systems Research has worked with Inmarsat and Cobham to add a SATCOM capability to its Centurion multi-domain swarming C2 system. ‘We have …

• Digital Battlespace

  US polar SATCOM programme passes critical design review milestone

  4th August 2020

  Northrop Grumman announced on 4 August that it has successfully completed a delta Critical Design Review (dCDR) with the US Space Force for the Enhanced …

• Digital Battlespace

  USSOCOM orders SATCOM equipment from GATR

  4th August 2020

  Cubic Corporation subsidiary GATR Technologies has received a $172 million contract with five one-year ordering periods, to provide US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) with SATCOM …

• Digital Battlespace

  VectorNav claims disruptive development with new miniature inertial products

  11th August 2020

  VectorNav Technologies on 11 August launched a new line of inertial products called VectorNav Tactical Embedded. The product range includes VN-110E IMU/AHRS, the VN-210E GNSS-Aided …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Japan may renege on its Global Hawk acquisition

  18th August 2020

  Domestic media in Japan reported on 13 August that Tokyo is considering cancelling its purchase of the RQ-4B Block 30(I) Global Hawk. The Japan Air …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army seeks to move with the times on satellite hardware

  10th July 2020

  The US is adapting to the changing nature of communications and reconnaissance satellite hardware, as the space industry moves towards smaller and cheaper systems in low …

• Defence Helicopter

  Details emerge of CH-47Fs for Singapore

  27th July 2020

  Photos have emerged on the internet of the first Boeing CH-47F Chinook destined for the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), with new features such …

• Land Warfare

  MBDA to lead industry team on LynkEUs

  1st July 2020

  MBDA is spearheading the development of a European BLoS network-enabled battlefield engagement capability, the manufacturer announced on 1 July. MBDA joins 13 partners and subcontractors …

• Military Logistics

  IoT to enhance US military logistics

  23rd July 2020

  Savi has received a $45 million contract from US Army Contracting Command to provide Internet of Things asset tracking and in-transit visibility across the global …

• Digital Battlespace

  New RAN patrol boats to include R&S comms equipment

  13th July 2020

  The six new Cape-class  patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) will include communications equipment from Rohde & Schwarz (R&S;), after the German company …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus DS gains Skynet 6A contract

  22nd July 2020

  The UK MoD on 19 July confirmed a £500 million ($637.34 million) contract with Airbus Defence and Space (DS) for the Skynet 6A SATCOM platform. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Amplifier offers affordable upgrades for EW, radar and SATCOM

  9th July 2020

  Empower has developed a new 90KW C band, liquid-cooled and hot-swappable power amplifier called the RF Systems Model 2225. The Model 2225 is a long …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Belgian researchers examine potential of swarming UGVs

  8th July 2020

  The Robotics & Autonomous Systems (RAS) unit of the Royal Military School (ERM) in Belgium is leading the Swarming sub-project within the framework of the …

• Land Warfare

  German Army seeks home for disbanded SOF unit's equipment

  21st July 2020

  Having disbanded the 2nd Commando Company of Special Forces Command (KSK) without replacing it, the German Army is evaluating how to redistribute the unit’s equipment …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Dominator XP [Thailand]

  Programme Background Purchase As reported by Shephard, in September 2023, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) inducted three Dominator XPs. The RTAF purchased the trio ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook (Singapore)

  Programme Background In July 2020, photos have emerged on the internet of the first Boeing CH-47F Chinook destined for the Republic of Singapore Air Force ...

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

  MALE Combat Drones [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events ...

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

  Anka-S (Second Batch) [Turkey]

  Programme Background First Batch Based on comments by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Turkish media in 2018, Shephard believes that Türkiye acquired 26 Anka-S drones ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  New Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (NWJFAC) (1-31) [India]

  Programme Background Requirements The Indian Navy is seeking replacements for a large proportion of its 19 46-49m-long waterjet-powered fast attack craft, several of which are approaching ...

• Military UAS - small

  Mini RPAS (High Altitude)

  Programme Background The Indian Army has initiated several tenders aiming to procure micro UAVs, but there has been little progress in following through with these ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Portugal VTLB

  Programme Background The Portuguese Army planned to allocate funds for the procurement of 167 VTLBs during the Military Programming Law running from 2015 until 2026. ...

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

  Akinci [Turkey]

  Programme Background Unveiling & Testing Unveiled at TEKOFEST Istanbul Aviation, Space and Technology Festival in September 2019, the Akinci completed its first flight in December 2019. In June 2021, ...

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

  AdvaNced airCraft Infrastructure-Less Launch And RecoverY (ANCILLARY) [US]

  Programme Background Aims & Timeline As stated by DARPA, the ANCILLARY programme aims to develop and fly an X-plane that will provide a "leap-ahead" in long-endurance, ...

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

  Tactical-Level Armed Drone [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (Japan)

  Programme Background Selection & Contract AwardIn 2015, Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft were selected by Japan to ...

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

  DTIF GUARD (Ireland)

  Programme Background The Problem As stated by the project's website, Ireland is the "softest target in EU for smugglers" due to its 3171km of coastline, ...

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

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian [Belgium]

  Programme Background FMS Contract On 26 March 2019, the US State Department announced that it had approved a possible FMS of four MQ-9B SkyGuardians for an estimated ...

• 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 - small

  Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirement & Objective The RN identified a requirement to acquire an RPAS to transport cargo and supplies between ships and personnel. When mature, it ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• UAS: communication systems

  Aviator UAV 200

  Cobham’s UAV 200 is a satcom solution designed to enhance a tactical UAV’s performance, range and payload flexibility in a number of applications.This including SAR, ...

• USV-450

  The SeaRobotics USV-450 is a lightweight USV designed for survey/surveillance, hydrographic data-gathering and general-purpose sensor transport. 

• Military - USVs

  USV-11000

  The SeaRobotics USV-11000 is a long-endurance USV that can be used for military and civil missions. This includes coastal and offshore surveys, hydrographic data-gathering, harbour security ...

• UAS: communication systems

  BlackRay 1000

  The BlackRay 1000 is a ruggedised two-way SATCOM terminal for the UAV market with built-in modem and ACU. It is customisable to meet most UAS ...

• Military - USVs

  USV-550

  The SeaRobotics USV-550 can be used for shallow-water survey and surveillance, hydrographic data-gathering, general-purpose sensor transport and small ROV deployment. 

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

  Shadow M2

  The Shadow M2 builds on the Shadow 200, but has greater endurance and payload capability, quieter and more reliable propulsion and an optional SATCOM capability ...

• UAS: communication systems

  LAISR ULW

  Developed by Inmarsat Government, the Lightweight Airborne ISR System - Ultra Lightweight (LAISR ULW) is an L-Band SATCOM terminal providing beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) connectivity for SWaP-constrained ...

• Maritime patrol, Trainer

  DA42 MPP Pandion

  The DA42 MultiPurpose Platform (MPP) Pandion is a lightweight MPA, designed to carry out various missions, including coastal surveillance, training, anti-piracy, oil spill detection and ...

• UAS: communication systems

  Airborne Broadband SATCOM

  ViaSat’s airborne SATCOM services offer worldwide access and a range of service levels, providing connectivity and performance options tailored to meet a variety of needs. ...

• Military - USVs

  USV-Collapsible

  The USV-Collapsible can be used for surveying, hydrographic data-gathering, harbour security/surveillance and general-purpose sensor transport. It can also be collapsed into a small shipping crate ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  ELK-1882T NC2

  Produced by Elta Systems (a subsidiary of IAI), ELK-1882T NC2 SATCOM terminals provide secure BLOS communications for fighter and special mission aircraft. The terminals utilise software-defined ...

• Land: battle management systems

  SCC Titan

  The server-based Situational Command and Control (SCC) Titan system is broken down into an HQ and a field-ready tactical satellite package, both designed to offer ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  RF-7800B-VU104

  This land mobile broadband global area network (BGAN) SATCOM terminal provides a tactical radio network capability within the Falcon III multi-band radio family. The RF-7800B-VU104 ...

• Data links

  VDC-550/-555/-850

  ViaSat Data Controllers (VDCs) work with combat net radios to deliver networking, including over severely degraded channels. Using a tactical radio, computer and VDC, notes ...

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

  F100 Karma

  The F100 Karma is a fixed-wing UAV from WEDRONES. It is designed to detect, track, and mitigate the threats posed by other drones. The drone is ...