• Uncrewed Vehicles

  QinetiQ prepares to land its Zephyr solar powered unmanned aircraft

  23rd July 2010

  QinetiQ will today bring Zephyr, its solar powered high-altitude long endurance (HALE) Unmanned Air System (UAS) back to earth after two weeks in the air …

• Defence Helicopter

  Farnborough 2010: Work underway on Julius Chinooks

  20th July 2010

  Thales has delivered the first components for the Royal Air Force (RAF) CH-47 Chinook Project Julius cockpit upgrade programme. Two Chinook Mk2As, currently undergoing overhaul …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ASTRAEA drives forward on next steps to open the airspace to UAS

  19th July 2010

  A unique partnership of industry, public sector, regulatory and academic bodies has reconvened a programme to research, develop and validate the necessary technologies, systems, facilities …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  QinetiQ's Zephyr solar powered UAV soars to new world records

  18th July 2010

  QinetiQ today announced that Zephyr, the leading solar powered high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) Unmanned Air System (UAS) has been flying for the past week, smashing a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Taranis breaks cover

  12th July 2010

  The UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has unveiled a ‘futuristic’ concept demonstrator as part of its Taranis UCAV programme. In a ceremony at BAE Systems’ …

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2010: DGA reveals upgrades for Afghanistan-bound VBCI

  15th June 2010

  The French procurement agency (DGA) has upgraded its ten 8x8 VBCI (Véhicule blindé de combat d'infanterie) armoured infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) due to be deployed …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  General Dynamics Robotic Systems-led team awarded collaborative technology alliance agreement

  8th June 2010

  A General Dynamics Robotics Systems-led consortium of eight academic and corporate leaders in robotic technologies has been awarded a $63 million five-year research agreement by …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Watchkeeper makes first UK flight

  15th April 2010

  Thales UK today announces the maiden UK flight of the Watchkeeper unmanned air system (UAS). Watchkeeper flew for the first time in the UK on …

• Defence Helicopter

  Afghan Top Gun aircrews take to UK skies

  8th March 2010

  Twenty-seven Afghan Aircrew are being trained in Wiltshire as part of a two year programme run by the UK Joint Helicopter Command (JHC), supported throughout …

• Defence Helicopter

  Veil lifted on Afghan pilot training programme

  4th March 2010

  The UK Ministry of Defence and QinetiQ have lifted the lid on a secret programme to train Afghan helicopter pilots in the UK. Now in …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Astrium and EADS Defence & Security selected by the European Defence Agency (EDA) to study integration of UAVs into civil airspace

  11th February 2010

  The European Defence Agency (EDA) has selected an Astrium and EADS Defence & Security (DS) consortium to lead a six-month study to demonstrate that by …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Marine West : unmanned systems under the spotlight

  28th January 2010

  Several UGV and UAS development initiatives drew the spotlight at the 2010 edition of the ‘Marine West' military exposition, co-sponsored by Camp Pendleton, the Marine …

• Defence Helicopter

  QinetiQ brings Combined Aerial Target Service for Mirach online

  22nd December 2009

  QinetiQ has officially brought into service the Mirach advanced sub-sonic aerial target, as part of the Combined Aerial Target Service (CATS) contract for the UK's …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing Delivers 1st Mk3 Chinook to UK Royal Air Force

  18th December 2009

  Boeing Defence UK have confirmed the November 30 delivery of the first converted Chinook Mk3 helicopter to the Royal Air Force (RAF). Following the delivery, …

• Defence Helicopter

  QinetiQ fits satellite comms system to Merlin Mk3 fleet

  16th December 2009

  QinetiQ has successfully completed the integration of a beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) satellite communications system into each of the RAF’s fleet of 22 Mk3 Merlin’s in preparation …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Project Vampire [UK]

  Programme Background Prior RN Tests Project Vampire began in 2021, before the January 2022 Phase 1 tender announcement. In September 2021, as part of Vampire, a Banshee ...

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

  Carrier-UAV: Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) [UK]

  Background Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) Strategy Reflecting on lessons learned from the cancellation of the Mosquito programme, the Royal Air Force (RAF) redefined the role ...

• Tanks

  Future Ground Combat System MBT (UK)

  Programme Background The UK MoD is understood to be in the process of determining the capabilities of a notional next-generation armoured vehicle fleet that could ...

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

  Skeldar V-200 (ASW) [Canada]

  Programme Background Contract Award At Euronaval 2022, Shephard reported that UMS Skeldar and Ultra had been awarded a Phase 2 contract on 19 October to provide ...

• 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 UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Project Tiquila [UK]

  Programme Background Tender Notice On 18 September 2020, the MoD Combat Air Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) Team published a tender notice for a system integrator ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme [UK]

  Programme Background The next-generation platform concept is part of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, which sought to deliver a Future Combat Air System ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) [USA]

  Programme Background US Army's Future Vertical Lift Programme The FLRAA is one of three strands of a broader army programme. The others are the Future ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The OMFV programme is the latest of several attempts to develop a Bradley replacement.  Designed to be capable of operating with or without ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Jackdaw

  At DSEI 2023, QinetiQ unveiled the Jackdaw, a low-cost, high-performance, attritable fixed-wing UAV. QinetiQ has stated it is designed for swarming and collaborative autonomous operations, including crewed-uncrewed teaming. The ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Delta B15

  The Delta B15 is a target drone developed by QinetiQ Germany and Rheinmetall. QinetiQ Germany showcased the drone in 2024, as part of the initial phase of ...

• Military UGVs

  SPUR

  The Squad Packable Utility Robot (SPUR) is QinitiQ's newest tactical land UGV. Designed to be backpackable, the drone can be deployed rapidly from its stowed state.  It ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Mosquito UHV-T

  The Mosquito UHV-T, manufactured by QinetiQ, is a cost-effective unmanned helicopter target designed primarily for military training exercises. It is powered by a two-cylinder, two-stroke 60hp engine. ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Vindicator II UAV-T

  QinietQ, the manufacturer of the Vindicator II UAV-T, describe it as a cost-effective, recoverable, remotely piloted, basic training target. It is designed to simulate the threat ...

• Sea: weapon training, Military - USVs

  Sprite

  The Sprite is a USV developed by QinetiQ and designed for live-fire training exercises. 

• Air: aerial targets

  Banshee Jet 40 / Jet 40+

  The Banshee Jet 40 and Jet 40+ are aerial target drones developed by QinetiQ.  Part of the Banshee series, transonic systems that travel at or faster ...

• Air: aerial targets, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Banshee Jet 80+

  Released in 2018, the Banshee Jet 80+, also known as the MQM-185B, is an autonomous aerial target manufactured by QinetiQ Target Systems.  The Banshee target can simulate an ...

• Air: aerial targets, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Banshee NG

  The Banshee Next Generation (NG) is an aerial target manufactured by QinetiQ. It offers interoperability with other Banshee series equipment, and a twin-gas turbine engine powers it, ...

• Air: mission management systems

  MissionGrid

  Hensoldt MissionGrid is a mission system that integrates radar and electro-optic sensors using a mission computer, mission management software and data links. The system is ...

• Sea: weapon training, Military - USVs

  Hammerhead USV-T

  Hammerhead USV-T is an expendable uncrewed surface vessel target designed for simulating a multi-vehicle swarm threat. It is developed by QinetiQ Target Systems.

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  WAE-342

  The WAE-342 is a twin-cylinder, two-stroke engine developed by QinetiQ Target Systems (formerly Meggitt Target Systems) for integration on unmanned systems. 

• Air: aerial targets

  Banshee Jet 80

  Manufactured by QinetiQ Target Systems, the Banshee Jet 80 is an autonomous aerial target developed from previous versions.  It features a twin 40kg thrust gas turbine engine ...

• Military UGVs

  Dragon Runner

  The Dragon Runner UGV, manufactured by QinitiQ, has two versions: the Dragon Runner 10 (DR10) and the slightly larger Dragon Runner 20 (DR20). All Dragon ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Banshee Whirlwind

  Originally made by Meggitt Target Systems, a company QinetiQ acquired in 2016, the Banshee is an aerial target and the first drone in the Banshee series.  ...