• Military Logistics

  Airbus to continue support for RAAF C-130Js

  27th December 2018

  Airbus has received an AUD$175 million contract extension to continue providing through life support (TLS) services for the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF's) fleet of …

• Military Logistics

  USAF accepts first KC-46A despite developmental testing deficiencies

  10th January 2019

  The USAF has accepted its first Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker with the signing of a DD250 inspection and receiving report it was announced on 10 January …

• Land Warfare

  Raytheon to produce Patriot for Sweden

  4th January 2019

  Raytheon received a contract from the US Army in December to produce Patriot Integrated Air and Missile Defense Systems for Sweden.   The $692.9 million …

• Special Operations

  USASOC conducts AI/ML workshop

  17th December 2018

  The US Army Special Operations Command has completed a workshop focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), in an effort to better understand …

• Land Warfare

  US Army explores enhanced lethality possibilities on Stryker

  12th December 2018

  The US Army continues to explore counter-UAS (C-UAS) capabilities and new gun possibilities for its Stryker armoured vehicle. In November 2018 Northrop Grumman successfully demonstrated …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  RT LTA secures SkyStar 180 order in India

  2nd January 2019

  RT LTA Systems has been selected to provide its SkyStar 180 aerostat system, together with a small tactical UAS, to a state police service in …

• Training

  ADECS 2019: PLA emphasises force-on-force training

  22nd January 2019

  The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is investing a lot of effort to improve the training of personnel, with the overarching goal to make combat training …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DroneShield receives order from Zain Group

  28th December 2018

  DroneShield has received an order from Kuwait’s Zain Group for its counter-UAS equipment, the company announced on 18 December. The order follows DroneShield’s announcement of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Regulation disappointment for Thales at Autonomous Warrior

  13th December 2018

  Despite flying high in France, the Thales Spyranger was left stuck in the Salisbury mud during the Autonomous Warrior Land exercises (AW(L)18) after coming up …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Spanish Army acquires two Alpha 800 UAS

  21st December 2018

  The Spanish armed forces has acquired two Alpha 800 UAS from Alpha Unmanned Systems, the company announced on 17 December.   The 14kg gasoline-powered Alpha …

• Defence Notes

  AOC 2018: Directed energy solutions for high-tech threats

  30th November 2018

  Directed energy (DE) weapons, such as high-energy lasers (HEL) and high-power microwaves, are possible solutions to higher technology asymmetric threats.  While the latter has been …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Airbus to continue Heron 1 operations support

  18th December 2018

  Airbus DS Airborne Solutions has received contract extensions from the German armed forces to continue supporting Heron 1 UAS operations in Afghanistan and Mali. Under …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  GA-ASI’s C-GCS in first flight test

  3rd December 2018

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has successfully completed the first test of its Certifiable Ground Control Station (C-GCS), the company announced on 28 November. The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DroneShield, Thales enter agreement

  17th December 2018

  DroneShield has entered into a teaming agreement with Thales to promote its products in the Spanish market. Under the agreement, Thales Programas De Electronica Y …

• Digital Battlespace

  Elta’s Drone Guard delivered to Argentina

  4th December 2018

  ELTA Systems has supplied its Drone Guard C-UAS system to Argentina for the detection, identification and disruption of malicious UAS during large-scale international events, IAI …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - small

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

  Background 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, ...

• Military UAS - mini

  U&C reconnaissance drones [US Army]

  Methodology PGO The programme has been assigned a PGO of 100%, as a contract has been awarded. Unit cost It has not been clarified what ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• OPVs

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

  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, a ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [Germany]

  Programme Background Germany originally said it would but 60 A400Ms, but when the program was re-baselined in 2010 reduced its planed off take to 53, ...

• 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 ...

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 ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  SCATA Mk1

  The SCATA Mk1 is the first military vehicle developed by Finland's SCATA.

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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

  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 ...