• Air Warfare

  US seeks to approve F-16 sale to Argentina to trump Chinese JF-17 offer

  10th August 2023

  Argentina is evaluating choices including second-hand F-16 fighters from Denmark and Chengdu JF-17 Thunder Block III fighters offered by China. The potential deals come as the South American country seeks to replace its outdated aircraft, navigating obstacles such as arms embargoes, international partnerships and geopolitical considerations.

• Training

  First US Navy T-54A training aircraft delivery arrives

  23rd April 2024

  Arrival of the first two T-54A multi-engine training system aircraft will allow the US Navy to begin the decommissioning process of its ageing T-44C Pegasus aircraft on schedule.

• Naval Warfare

  Leonardo fires up small calibre naval gun development as Italy nears first Lionfish X-Gun handover

  19th April 2024

  Alongside progress on its Lionfish contracts, Leonardo emphasised its shift in focus from traditional larger calibre systems toward smaller calibre solutions, epitomised by the X-Gun’s inception in 2017.

• Naval Warfare

  BMT and DNV partner to meet Australia’s heavy landing craft requirement

  25th April 2024

  Under Project Land 8710 Phase 2, Australia has been seeking to acquire an undisclosed number of Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels to replace the Balikpapan-class. The programme has an estimated value of AU$1.4 billion (US$910 million), with IOC slated for 2032.

• Land Warfare

  NATO orders more 155mm ammunition

  17th April 2024

  The contract, in the triple-digit million euro range, includes high explosive extended range projectiles, modular charges, fuzes and primers.

• Air Warfare

  Fast, French and furious: DGA tests hypersonic glide vehicle

  27th June 2023

  Yesterday, the French DGA conducted the first tiring of its VMaX hypersonic glide vehicle demonstrator from Biscarrosse.

• Air Warfare

  Paris Air Show: MBDA open to commonality across European future fighter weapons

  22nd June 2023

  European missile-maker MBDA said it was open to commonality at the weapons layer between Europe’s two competing sixth-generation fighter projects.

• Land Warfare

  Germany increases armoured vehicle shipments supply as more Marders head for Ukraine and Greece

  23rd June 2023

  An additional 20 Marder IFVs will be shipped to Ukraine this summer under a new German government arrangement fulfilled by Rheinmetall.

• Air Warfare

  Australia decides to expunge entire MRH90 helicopter fleet

  2nd October 2023

  Australia has decided to withdraw its MRH90 helicopter fleet, even though the aircraft had another 14 years of life left in them.

• Naval Warfare

  New and improved landing craft to boost amphibious ops for Dutch marines

  19th September 2023

  The Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) is embarking on the upgrade and replacement of its existing amphibious landing craft to provide new capabilities for long-range transport and marine assault.

• Air Warfare

  Indonesia invests in Mirages to plug a fighter shortfall

  16th June 2023

  Indonesia's air force goes back in time to acquire ex-French, ex-Qatari Mirage fighter jets.

• Defence Helicopter

  US approves $203 million sale of Hellfire missiles for French Tiger helicopters

  10th July 2023

  The US State Department has approved the sale of AGM-114R2 Hellfire missiles to France for use on Tiger HAD attack helicopters.

• Air Warfare

  Portugal wants F-35s, but has no firm plans in place

  1st May 2024

  The Portuguese Air Force’s leader has outlined the importance of embracing the F-35 to maintain the country's air capabilities despite the absence of a formal procurement plan for the latest Lockheed Martin fighter.

• Air Warfare

  US Air Force Awards $13 billion Doomsday aircraft contract

  29th April 2024

  The deal included engineering and manufacturing development aircraft, ground systems, production aircraft and interim contractor support until 2036.

• Naval Warfare

  DSEI 2023: does the Royal Navy's surface combatant recapitalisation go far enough after a decade of neglect?

  6th September 2023

  The UK Royal Navy (RN) operates one of the world’s premier fleets with the ability to deploy high-end warships globally and retains key competencies in carrier aviation, amphibious and undersea warfare that few can boast. It also provides the UK’s nuclear deterrent submarines. Despite this potential, it needs to recover from a decade of neglect to sustain these capabilities.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Joint Light Helicopter (HIL) Programme

  Programme Background The French Ministry of the Armed Forces has elected to bring the launch of the French Armed Forces’ HIL programme forward to 2021. ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 TTH [France]

  Programme Background In 2001, the French government made its first purchase of 34 NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopters, followed by a second order in 2013 for ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - mini

  Micro & Mini Drones (France)

  Programme Background RequirementOn 23 April 2021, an RfP was published by the Direction de la Maintenance Aéronautique (DMAé) to supply around 500 micro and nano drones for the ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | OPV Procurement (1-2) [Montenegro]

  During Euronaval 2024, the French Ministry of Armed Forces and Veterans announced that Montenegro signed a contract for the acquisition of two OPV 60. Both ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | OPV Procurement (1-2) [Montenegro]

  During Euronaval 2024, the French Ministry of Armed Forces and Veterans announced that Montenegro signed a contract for the acquisition of two OPV 60. Both ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (13-15) [France]

  In June 2020, The French government has pledged to buy new military heavy-lift helicopters and accelerate plans for naval drone, ISTAR and tanker aircraft programmes as ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 300 [France]

  Programme Background Plans to Purchase At Eurosatory 2022, Col. Arnaud Goujon, the French Army's chief of plans, told the media that the French Army was ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 Special Forces [France]

  Programme Background In French service, advanced H225M Caracals with aerial refuelling capabilities are used by SOF units of the French Air Force (FAF) and French ...

• OPVs

  OPV Procurement (1-2) [Montenegro]

  Programme Background Timeline During Euronaval 2024, the French Ministry of Armed Forces and Veterans announced that Montenegro signed a contract for the acquisition of two ...

• OPVs

  OPV 58 S [Senegal]

  Programme Background Senegal ordered three OPV 58 S patrol vessels on 17 November 2019. A procurement contract was signed between the Ministry of Armed Forces ...

• Loitering munitions

  Colibri [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated in a press conference in May 2022 that the Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA) and ...

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

  French MALE UAVs [France]

  Background Requirements The French Ministry of the Armed Forces wishes to develop a French MALE offering comparable to the MQ-9 Reaper, which would, it is hoped, promote ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  UX11 (Ukraine Aid) [France]

  Programme Background First Batch On 6 September 2023, Sébastien Lecornu, the French Minister of Defence, announced Delair was providing Ukraine with more than 150 drones. ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  PLFS [France]

  Programme Background The Sabre, then known as the Sherpa FS, was developed as a response to a 2014 requirement for three types of new vehicles ...

• Loitering munitions

  Larinae [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated in a press conference in May 2022 that the Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA) ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Counter-UAS systems

  Boreades

  Boreades is a modular anti-UAV system developed by CS. This suite combines multi-sensors and multi-effectors in order to enable the detection, identification and neutralisation of rogue ...

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

  UAS 100

  The UAS 100 is an autonomous, three-engined platform, modular UAS manufactured by Thales in partnership with Issoire Aviation, Hionos and with the support of the ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Vespa-15

  The Vespa-15 is a first-person view (FPV) rotary-wing UAV manufactured by a Ukrainian company.  In May 2025, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Ukraine announced it ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Tundra 2

  The Tundra 2 is a rotary-wing UAV from Hexadrone. It is described as a new, modular, plug-and-play, and multi-trade drone. Hexadrone's website states that the French Armed ...

• OPVs

  OPV 60

  The OPV 60 is designed to conduct surveillance missions in coastal and EEZ waters. The ship can be armed with a 40mm naval gun and ...

• EO/IR systems

  Euroflir 350

  The Euroflir 350 is an out-of-production gyro-stabilised optronic system. According to Safran, it is effective at long ranges, can track mobile targets, designate important areas for ...

• Military helicopters - light/training, Military helicopters - multirole, Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  H160M

  Airbus is developing the H160M to meet the requirements of the French military for the Joint Light Helicopter (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger, or HIL) programme. It ...

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

  Lanner

  Unveiled at Eurosatory 2024, the Lenner is a modified variant of the Pengion C VTOL drone, specifically modified to meet the SDTL (Light Tactical Drone System) program ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 TTH

  Developed as a multinational programme between France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, the European NH90 was designed to meet NATO requirements for multirole capability from ...

• Land: handheld NV devices

  O-NYX

  The Thales O-NYX is a Ultra-Compact Night Vision Goggle used by the French armed forces. They have an enlarged field of vision to 51° compared ...

• Pistols

  Glock Pistol

  The Glock family of pistols have been in widespread service since the Glock 17 was selected for Austrian military and police service in 1982. The company's ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Mistral 2

  MISTRAL is a man-portable, fully digital, heat-seeking missile designed to meet the requirements of all branches of the armed forces to defend against air threats. ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  TDS-FA/-TA/-H

  Thales’ TDS family is comprised of Radar Warning Receivers (RWRs) designed to equip a range of fixed-wing aircraft. The product series includes the TDS-FA designed ...

• Loitering munitions

  Toutatis

  The Toutatis is an in-development loitering munition from Thales. According to Thales, the platform is effective against groups of fighters and unarmored and light-armoured vehicles. Unveiled at ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Sky Keeper

  The Sky Keeper is a rotary-wing UAV from Milton International.  The UAV is capable of carrying a 10kg payload and features a modular gimbal, meaning ...