• Naval Warfare

  Iran announces 3-day navy drill from Gulf to Indian Ocean

  21st February 2019

  Iran is to launch a three-day annual navy drill from 22 February 2019 in a vast area of the Gulf and the Indian Ocean including …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Insitu conducts first commercial UAS operations in PNG

  18th February 2019

  Insitu Commercial Solutions-Australia has conducted a series of aerial data collection operations in Papua New Guinea (PNG) after obtaining its first approval to carry out …

• Defence Helicopter

  GE told to freeze all EMD activity on ITEP contract (Updated)

  22nd February 2019

  The US Army has directed General Electric to indefinitely stop all work associated with its recently awarded $517 million EMD contract issued as part of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  GA-ASI continues MQ-9B development

  28th February 2019

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) is continuing with the ontime development of its new remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), the MQ-9B, the company announced on 24 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  HiDRON completes flights tests at 82,000ft

  12th February 2019

  UAVOS and Stratodynamics Aviation have successfully completed the next stage of flights tests of the HiDRON earth observation platform to an altitude of 82,000ft, UAVOS …

• Digital Battlespace

  Textron Systems, IMSAR integrate NSP-3 into Aerosonde

  21st February 2019

  Textron Systems and IMSAR have successfully demonstrated the capability of the NSP-3 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) integrated on the Aerosonde small UAS, Textron announced on …

• Land Warfare

  AFRL research targets advanced AAA weaponry

  27th February 2019

  The Air Force Research Laboratory Sensors Directorate and the National Museum of the US Air Force Collection Management Division are teaming up to help address …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Global UAV completes geothermal energy survey

  30th January 2019

  Global UAV Technologies has completed a UAS-based geothermal energy exploration survey for Borealis GeoPower in northern British Columbia, Canada, the company announced on 24 January. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  FlightSafety develops UAS training programme

  13th February 2019

  FlightSafety International, in conjunction with Praxis Aerospace Concepts, has developed a practical UAS flight training programme that will help commercial UAS operators improve safety levels …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Planck Aerosystems tests Shearwater at MCAS Miramar

  14th February 2019

  Planck Aerosystems has received authorisation from the US Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar, Air Traffic Control, to test its Shearwater UAS in controlled airspace …

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2019: Rheinmetall’s new protection module on show

  16th February 2019

  Rheinmetall is set to exhibit its new Hybrid Protection Module at IDEX 2019. The Module can either be deployed in standalone mode or retrofitted into …

• Military Logistics

  C-5 Super Galaxy gets 3D printed parts

  13th February 2019

  The US Air Force has had 17 3D printed parts in both polymer and metal installed on a C-5 Super Galaxy transport aircraft, the air …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  OSRL offers oil spill response UAS service

  15th February 2019

  Oil Spill Response (OSRL) has launched a UAS service to enhance response capabilities for its members in the event of an oil spill, the company …

• Naval Warfare

  MBDA unveils SPIMM

  20th February 2019

  MBDA has introduced the Self-Protection Integrated Mistral Module (SPIMM), an all-in-one air defence module designed for to equip all type of ships, the company announced …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  First test flights conducted for NBEC

  14th February 2019

  Cranfield University and Blue Bear Systems Research have successfully conducted the first test flights to establish the principles for the National Beyond visual line of …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

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

  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, on-demand ...

• 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 ...

• Main battle tanks

  NGCV: DLP

  Programme Background Requirement The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in ...

• 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 ...

• OPVs

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

  Programme 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, ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Multirole Underwater Seabed Surveillance Ship (MU3S) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirements According to the presentation provided by the Italian Navy, the MultiroleUnderwater Seabed Surveillance Ship (MU3S) will:operate a wide range of uncrewed systems, ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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, 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Guorong-1 Anti Drone System

  Guorong-1 is an anti-drone system developed by China. The system is jointly developed by the Chinese Electronics Technology Group (CETG), Guorong Technology, and the Chinese public ...