• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUSA 2016: Textron unveils Synturian

  4th October 2016

  Textron Systems used this week’s AUSA 2016 event to debut and launch its new ‘Synturian’ family of unmanned system support products.  The Synturian family is …

• Digital Battlespace

  US CBP orders Multi-Role Enforcement Aircraft

  21st September 2016

  Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has been awarded a $280 million contract by US Customs and Border Protection to engineer and integrate 12 Multi-Role Enforcement Aircraft …

• Land Warfare

  Canadian Army receives first TAPVs

  22nd August 2016

  The Canadian Army received its first Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicles (TAPV) from Textron Systems Canada on 19 August. The vehicles will be fielded to 5th …

• Land Warfare

  Canada’s TAPV in initial acceptance

  26th July 2016

  The first batch of Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicles (TAPV) for the Canadian Army are on track to be delivered next month, with the Department of …

• Training

  Farnborough 2016: UK’s ASDOT takes shape

  13th July 2016

  Competition for the UK Ministry of Defence’s Air Support to Defence Operational Training (ASDOT) programme is beginning to take shape following a teaming arrangement between …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Farnborough 2016: Fury seeks moving target

  12th July 2016

  The Fury guided munition, designed for use by small and medium sized UAS and special mission aircraft, will undergo final moving target testing in Q3 …

• Training

  Farnborough 2016: Textron buys ATAC

  11th July 2016

  There is much talk within the training and simulation community about the live and virtual balance. Although increasing amounts of training are moving into the …

• Land Warfare

  QinetiQ to evaluate APS for Dstl

  6th July 2016

  QinetiQ has been awarded a £7.6 million contract by the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) to evaluate an active protection system (APS) for …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SOCOM extends Aerosonde ops

  2nd July 2016

  The US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has awarded a contract extension for the provision of small and medium UAS operations to AAI Corporation, according to …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  One in a million

  6th June 2016

  The Shadow has become the first UAS of its size to achieve one million flight hours, more than 85% of which have taken place during …

• Training

  Canada selects Textron NEWTS

  3rd June 2016

  Textron Systems Electronic Systems has been selected by Canada to provide the New Electronic Warfare Threat Simulator (NEWTS), an implementation of its Advanced Architecture Phase …

• Training

  Textron wins JSECST, retrofit kit orders

  27th May 2016

  AAI Corporation, operating as Textron Systems Electronic Systems, has been awarded two delivery orders worth $11.5 million for Joint Service Electronic Combat Systems Testers (JSECST) …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bell reorganises manufacturing

  23rd May 2016

  Bell plans to relocate several manufacturing programmes to 'optimise' the manufacturing capabilities at its various facilities, its parent company Textron announced on 19 May. The …

• Land Warfare

  SOFEX 2016: Centurion re-born

  13th May 2016

  A prototype tracked armoured personnel carrier called Al-Dawsar (Lion) was displayed at SOFEX for the first time. Built by Jordan’s King Abdullah II Design and …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Textron opens UAS service centre

  12th May 2016

  Textron Systems Unmanned Systems has opened an UA) training and maintenance facility, the Unmanned Systems Service & Support Center, in Blackstone, Virginia, the company announced …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - tactical

  Nightwarden (Qatar)

  Programme Background The Qatar MoD has established the Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center to carry out ISR missions for the Qatar Armed Forces. Among its roles ...

• Trainer

  Beechcraft King Air 260 [Canada]

  Programme Background  The Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) programme was developed by the Royal Canadian Airforce to renew aircrew training services to help maintain a multi-purpose and ...

• Military UAS - small

  Aerosonde (Qatar)

  Programme Background The Qatar MoD has established the Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center to carry out ISR missions for the Qatar Armed Forces. Among its roles ...

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

  RQ-7 Shadow Replacement / Post Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) [US Army]

  Background Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) The US Army planned to procure an FTUAS to replace the Textron Systems RQ-7Bv2 Shadow tactical UAV in service with ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCAC 100 Class (SSC) [USN]

  Programme Background Timeline The major role of the SSC will be deployment from landing ships in support of USN and USMC operations and the transport ...

• Data links

  Data links | T-6 Texan II [Japan]

  In December 2024, reports indicated that the Japanese Government selected the T-6C Texan II as the new trainer aircraft for the Japanese Air Self-Defence Forces. ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | T-6 Texan II [Japan]

  In December 2024, reports indicated that the Japanese Government selected the T-6C Texan II as the new trainer aircraft for the Japanese Air Self-Defence Forces. ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | T-6 Texan II [Japan]

  In December 2024, reports indicated that the Japanese Government selected the T-6C Texan II as the new trainer aircraft for the Japanese Air Self-Defence Forces. ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | T-6 Texan II [Japan]

  In December 2024, reports indicated that the Japanese Government selected the T-6C Texan II as the new trainer aircraft for the Japanese Air Self-Defence Forces. ...

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

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 1) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was ...

• Trainer

  Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS)/T-45 Replacement [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy’s (USN) Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) programme is intended to replace the troubled T-45 Goshhawk trainer. The June 2024 RFI includes ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-6C (Tunisia)

  Programme Background Requirement The Tunisian Air Force has a requirement for light aircraft in order to replace its ageing SF-206 and L-59T trainers. The country ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Iraq Federal Police 4x4 Patrol Vehicle

  The failure of this Iraqi Federal Police requirement for an additional 300 vehicles to translate into a contract may be related to issues encountered with ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 (Jordan)

  Programme Background Requirement The Jordanian Air Force has a requirement for training helicopters that are to be used in the King Hussein Air College. The country ...

• 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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

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

  Aerosonde HQ SUAS

  The Aerosonde Hybrid Quadcopter (HQ) SUAS is the VTOL version of the Aerosonde SUAS. It combines the capabilities of a multi-rotor platform with the efficiency ...

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

  Aerosonde Mk 4.7

  Jointly developed by AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems, a unit of Textron Systems, and Aerosonde, the Aerosonde Mk 4.7 is a fixed-wing UAV.  First demonstrated in 2009, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Cottonmouth

  The Cottonmouth is a purpose-built 6x6 amphibious reconnaissance vehicle designed by Textron Systems to meet the requirements of the USMC's Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) programme. It ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Damocles

  Unveiled in October 2025, the Damocles launched effect (LE) is a rotary-wing coaxial UAV designed to operate in peer warfare environments. Its primary role is as ...

• Air: mission management systems

  iCommand 2.5

  The iCommand 2.5 is the latest version of the iCommand integrated command suite, designed by Textron Systems Advanced Information Solutions. The system has been designed ...

• Medium/general-purpose machine guns

  7.62mm CT MMG

  Since June 2014, the US Army has awarded contracts totalling $7.7 million to Textron Systems to develop a 7.62mm version of the 5.56mm light machine ...

• Heavy UGVs

  Ripsaw M3

  The Ripsaw M3 is a tracked UGV developed by Textron Systems in partnership with Howe & Howe and Teledyne FLIR Systems. The vehicle has been developed ...

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

  Aerosonde Mk 4.8 HQ FTUAS

  From the Texton family of Aerosonde UAS, the Aerosonde Mk 4.8 Hybrid Quad (HQ) FTUAS is a tactical drone purpose-built to meet the US Army's Future Vertical Lift ...

• Guided munitions

  Fury

  The Fury is a lightweight, precision-guided glide munition developed collaboratively by Textron Systems and Thales UK. Weighing approximately 6kg, with a length of 68cm and a ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCAC 100 Class (SSC)

  The LCAC 100-class Ship-to-Shore Connector (SSC) is an amphibious landing craft designed to replace the USN's existing Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) vessels. Nine have ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505

  The Bell 505 is a light, single-engine helicopter initially designed for the utility, executive/passenger and law enforcement markets produced by Bell Textron. The Montenegrin Air ...

• Maritime patrol

  Cessna Maritime Patrol

  The Cessna 'special mission' Maritime Patrol Aircraft is a variant of the Cessna Citation Longitude business jet developed by Textron aviation. Textron has stated the onboard systems, ...

• EW test systems, Air: air combat simulators

  PRTS

  The Portable Range Threat Simulator (PRTS) is a modular package that adds long-range capabilities to Textron Systems' Radar Signal Simulator. 

• Heavy UGVs

  Ripsaw M5

  The Ripsaw M5 has been developed to meet the requirements of the US Army's Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) programme for a family of new UGVs. ...

• Trainer

  Beechcraft King Air 260 (T-54A)

  The Beechcraft King Air 260 is a twin-engine turboprop which the USN has selected as part of the Multi-Engine Training System (METS) programme. Ten aircraft were ...