• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2017: MUM-T first up at opening conference

  9th May 2017

  Among the key challenges for future integration of unmanned technology with manned platforms is the risk of saturating pilots and operators with additional tasks, resulting …

• Defence Helicopter

  ITEC 2017: Fire Blade training lights up

  8th May 2017

  The European Defence Agency is in the midst of the 11th exercise Fire Blade which will provide tactical training under the agency's Helicopter Exercise Programme …

• Defence Helicopter

  DST ensures safe MRH90 operations

  8th May 2017

  A team of forensic engineers from Australia's Defence Science and Technology (DST) organisation is using forensic engineering techniques and computational fluid analyses of airflow to …

• Defence Helicopter

  ​Ka-52K first phase of sea testing completed

  5th May 2017

  The shipborne Ka-52K has successfully completed the first phase of its naval testing programme. It involved the participation of two aircraft.The aircraft were then transferred …

• Defence Helicopter

  Curtiss-Wright Fortress for Canadian CH-146

  4th May 2017

  Curtiss-Wright will supply its cockpit voice and flight recorder technology for the upgrade of the Canadian armed forces' fleet of Bell CH-146 Griffon multi-role utility …

• Defence Helicopter

  Slovakia seeking Bell 429 helicopters

  4th May 2017

  The Slovakian government has requested Bell 429 light utility helicopters from the US government under a foreign military sales programme. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency …

• Defence Helicopter

  Greece requests CH-47D helicopters

  3rd May 2017

  The US State Department is considering a potential $80 million foreign military sale of CH-47D helicopters to Greece, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2017: FAA evaluates UAS detection systems

  3rd May 2017

  The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and its partners are continuing to conduct detection research into UAS with a number of recent evaluations of detection systems …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army Apaches train to counter-North Korean maritime SOF

  2nd May 2017

  US Army Apache helicopters are conducting training operations designed to counter the threat of North Korean maritime special operations forces. Designated 'maritime counter-SOF', the operations …

• Defence Helicopter

  GE Aviation to produce more T700 engines

  1st May 2017

  GE Aviation has announced an indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract from the US Army for the continued production of T700 turboshaft engines.The contract was awarded …

• Defence Helicopter

  Geo-lock feature for Epsilon gimbals

  28th April 2017

  Octopus ISR Systems has introduced a precision geo-pointing feature for its miniature Epsilon series of gyro-stabilized gimbals, the company announced on 25 April. The precision …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A 2017: AN/ARC-201D radio recertified

  28th April 2017

  The Harris AN/ARC-201D airborne radio has been recertified for use in US Army helicopters, the company announced on 26 April. The airworthiness release was issued …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A: Apache turret replacement develops

  28th April 2017

  Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control is currently anticipating receipt of a producibility contract for its High Reliability Turret (HRT). According to Thomas Eldredge, director …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A: Arnold finds launcher sweet spot

  28th April 2017

  Arnold Defense is seeking to expand on both special operations and conventional aviation interest in its 12-shot rocket pod. Designated LWL-12A by the company, the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A: ITEP funding shutdown looming?

  28th April 2017

  One point of agreement among Army leaders at this week's Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA) Mission Summit has been the critical importance of the …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F -Kenya

  Crew transition training took place at the MD Helicopters headquarters in Mesa, Arizona, with field service support, armament, and gunnery training scheduled to occur at ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  MD 530G - Malaysia

  Procured for an urgent operational requirement for gunships to support Eastern Sabah Security Command operations, helicopter deliveries had to slip from a planned delivery of ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Uncrewed MD 500 Replacement [South Korea]

  Background Uncrewed Replacement of the MD 500 Throughout the 2010s, South Korea appeared interested in replacing its fleet of crewed MD 500 helicopters that were manufactured under licence ...

• 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 helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD-530G [Lebanon]

  Background Order context The Lebanese MD-530 order was placed during a visit of US Central Command Commander General Joseph Votel in December 2017.  MD 530F ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  US Air Force Air Base Defence Missile Defence [US]

  Background The US Air Force's (USAF) Air Base Air Defence Missile Defence (ABAD MD) programme is part of the Air Force Physical Security System and sits ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) First Batch (South Korea)

  Programme Background The LAH is the first time that the South Korean OEM has developed an armed helicopter. The project kicked off in June 2015, ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 (South Korea - Navy)

  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 ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Light Armed Helicopter (Second Batch) [South Korea]

  Programme Background The LAH is the first time that the South Korean OEM has developed an armed helicopter. The project kicked off in June 2015, ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton [Germany]

  Background Global Hawk Early in the development of the Global Hawk, the German MoD also expressed interest in procuring the aircraft as a replacement for ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow-On [USA]

  Programme Background In March 2019, Airbus stated that it expected orders from the US Army for between 12 and 15 UH-72A helicopters. In March 2020, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Multirole Helicopters [Poland]

  Programme Background In 2020, Poland announced the launch of the Perkoz programme to acquire 32 support helicopters to replace its fleet of Mi-2 aircraft stationed ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H145 Helicopter [Honduras]

  Programme Background  The Honduran Government has purchased a total of four H145 Helicopters manufactured by Airbus to develop the armed forces preparedness against natural disasters ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M [France]

  Background In April 2021, the French government signed a deal for the purchase of eight H225M Airbus helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of SA330 Puma ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F Cayuse Warrior

  An evolution of the OH-6 Cayuse light observation helicopter, the MD 530F was initially Federal Aviation Administration-certified in July 1985 as the Model 369FF. It ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  MDHI Glass Cockpit

  The American aerospace manufacturer MD Helicopters Inc. (MDHI) has designed and developed a glass cockpit specifically for MD 500E AND MD 520N aircraft. It is ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 500

  US-based MD Helicopters' MD 500 is a single-engine light helicopter derived from the Hughes OH-6A Cayuse developed for the US Army in the early 1960s and ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  IDU-680

  The IDU-680 is Genesys Aerosystems’ 3D synthetic vision integrated Electronic Flight Instrument System. The system includes a Highway in the Sky navigation system, geo-referenced hover ...

• Helicopter guns

  FN HMP

  The FN HMP (Heavy Machine Gun Pod) is a self-contained airborne weapon system armed with a 50cal FN M3P heavy machine gun. It is available ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530G

  The MD 530G is the newest addition to the MD Helicopters (MDHI) line of light scout attack platforms. It has increased-capacity landing gear and a ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  KUS-VH

  The Korean Air Korean Air Unmanned System-Vertical Helicopter (KUS-VH) is a large, rotary-wing UAV based on the MD 500. The first flight of the platform ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  6XX

  Publicly unveiled at Heli-Expo in March 2017, the MD Helicopters 6XX is the next evolution in the MD 500 series and is a redesigned, single-engine ...

• Helicopter engines

  M250-C30

  The M250-C30 and -C30P are the exclusive powerplants for the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger and the MD Helicopters MD 530F and MD 530G. In addition, the AH-6i is ...

• EO/IR systems

  LEO-III

  The LEO-III, or LEO-III HD, was an airborne observation system with HD sensors and video outputs. It was a COTS, gyro-stabilised platform containing a multi-sensor HD ...

• Airborne rockets - unguided

  Aculeus MD-36 and MD-432

  The Aculeus MD-36 unguided multi-dart rocket provides 36 darts for the neutralisation of columns of light armoured vehicles. The Aculeus MD-432 provides 432 darts to ...

• Helicopter engines

  M250-C47E

  The C47E is the latest growth variant of the C47B/8 engine. In addition to a hot-and-high Value Improvement Package Kit, the C47E also includes dual-channel ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MD-1366 EBEM

  The US government selected the MD-1366 Enhanced Bandwidth Efficient Modem (EBEM) from ViaSat to set the DoD standard for high-speed, high-performance,flexibility and compatibility in a ...

• EO/IR systems

  Wescam MX-10

  The Wescam MX-10 EO/IR low-weight imaging system is designed for low-altitude tactical surveillance and reconnaissance missions from crewed and uncrewed aircraft. The MX-10 has had a close ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Night Intruder 600 Vertical Take-Off (NI-600VT)

  The Night Intruder 600 Vertical Take-Off (NI-600VT) is an in-development UAV from Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) based on an MD 500 twin-seat American commercial helicopter airframe. With the ...