• Air Warfare

  Lockheed Martin takes $172 million contract modification for F-35 Block 4 jets

  17th April 2023

  Lockheed Martin secures $172.1 million contract modification to increase manufacturing capacity and retrofit F-35 aircraft with advanced hardware and system modifications.

• Training

  Sweden starts largest military exercise in over 25 years

  20th April 2023

  Exercise Aurora 23 involves over 26,000 soldiers from 14 countries, including the US and European members of NATO.

• Defence Notes

  China cannot bring peace in Ukraine, Monsieur Macron! (Opinion)

  12th April 2023

  The French president has dangerously aligned himself with Chinese talking points, and seems willing to leave Taiwan to its own fate, according to his recent visit to China.

• Defence Notes

  US Congress warns: Pentagon's capabilities may not be ready to face future threats

  5th April 2023

  Legislators warn that the DoD has not been funding the right equipment and technology to succeed in tomorrow’s warfare.

• Training

  IT2EC 2023: Culture hampering adoption of virtual reality pilot trainers

  26th April 2023

  Portable mixed reality devices aim to augment expensive dome-based full mission simulators in military training but face lobbying and cultural resistance.

• Training

  IT2EC 2023: Western forces now have trained over 86,000 Ukrainians - what lessons have been learned?

  24th April 2023

  New doctrine, tactics, techniques and procedures are reducing casualty rates as Ukrainian forces move towards a more Western outlook.

• Air Warfare

  US to deploy A-10 Warthog attack planes in Middle East, contradicting earlier retirement plan in pursuit of deterrence against China and Russia

  31st March 2023

  As regional security concerns and the US focus shifts, the Pentagon plans to swap modern fighter jets for A-10 Warthog attack planes in the Middle East, starting in April.

• Land Warfare

  US Army taps Lockheed Martin to develop future long-range manoeuvrable missile

  28th March 2023

  The US Army has selected Lockheed Martin to develop an advanced propulsion Long Range Manoeuvrable Fires (LRMF) missile to be used with existing launchers.

• Naval Warfare

  Cairo adds more American ships to its fleet

  27th March 2023

  The Egyptian Navy recently has taken delivery of three former USN Cyclone-class patrol coastal ships.

• Naval Warfare

  IMDEX 2023: Two more Shaldag Mk V interceptors arrive in the Philippines

  2nd May 2023

  In April, two more Israel Shipyards-built Shaldag Mk V fast attack interdiction craft (FAIC) arrived in the Philippines.

• Naval Warfare

  IMDEX 2023: Italian PPA makes IMDEX debut

  2nd May 2023

  At IMDEX Asia 2023 in Singapore, the Italian Navy Pattugliatori Polivalenti d'Altura (PPA) class ship Francesco Morosini made its show debut.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy orders new San Antonio LPD as class's future remains uncertain

  3rd April 2023

  The USN has awarded HII a $1.3 billion contract for the detail design and construction of the third Flight II San Antonio-class LPD, LPD-32, while question marks loom over the future of the class.

• Air Warfare

  Bell makes move on FLRAA test lab construction despite ongoing Defiant protest

  27th March 2023

  Bell Textron began laying the foundations for a new testing facility for its V-280 Valor helicopter despite protest over its US Army Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) contract win.

• Training

  IT2EC 2023: Get ready to explore the future of military training and simulation in Rotterdam

  17th April 2023

  The IT2EC military training and simulation event returns to Rotterdam in April 2023. Sanjay Khetia, director of PLEXSYS and chairman of IT2EC told Shephard what attendees can expect when visiting the show this year.

• Training

  Improbable in talks to sell defence business following US closure as company follows Metaverse path

  29th March 2023

  Improbable is reportedly in talks to sell its Skyral battlefield simulation technology as the company focuses on its Metaverse business, following the closure of its US defence operations.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  MiG-35 (Russia)

  The MiG-35 is a new-generation derivative of the twin-engine MiG-29 (NATO code-name ‘Fulcrum’) featuring multi-role combat capabilities, significantly reworked airframe and a vastly expanded arsenal ...

• Data links

  Data links | M-345 (Future Procurement) [Italy]

  The Italian Air Force is planning to purchase 27 M-345 trainer aircraft in addition to the 18 aircraft on order (see separate M-345 Italy entry).  ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | M-345 (Future Procurement) [Italy]

  The Italian Air Force is planning to purchase 27 M-345 trainer aircraft in addition to the 18 aircraft on order (see separate M-345 Italy entry).  ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | M-345 (Future Procurement) [Italy]

  The Italian Air Force is planning to purchase 27 M-345 trainer aircraft in addition to the 18 aircraft on order (see separate M-345 Italy entry).  ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | M-345 (Future Procurement) [Italy]

  The Italian Air Force is planning to purchase 27 M-345 trainer aircraft in addition to the 18 aircraft on order (see separate M-345 Italy entry).  ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  M-SHORAD Increment 1 [USA]

  Background The US Army is developing a new maneuver short-range air defense system (M-SHORAD) to perform short-range air defense (SHORAD). Under this programme, there are ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  M-346 [Egypt]

  Background 2022 negotiations According to various media reports published throughout 2022, Egypt was expected to sign an agreement covering the production of 20 M-346 training ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Next Generation Trainer/Light Combat Aircraft [Austria]

  Austria will replace its Saab 105 training fleet, which was retired from service in 2020. On 27 August 2024, Austrian Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner announced that Austria ...

• Data links

  Data links | Next Generation Trainer/Light Combat Aircraft [Austria]

  Austria will replace its Saab 105 training fleet, which was retired from service in 2020. On 27 August 2024, Austrian Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner announced that Austria ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Next Generation Trainer/Light Combat Aircraft [Austria]

  Austria will replace its Saab 105 training fleet, which was retired from service in 2020. On 27 August 2024, Austrian Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner announced that Austria ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Next Generation Trainer/Light Combat Aircraft [Austria]

  Austria will replace its Saab 105 training fleet, which was retired from service in 2020. On 27 August 2024, Austrian Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner announced that Austria ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Next Generation Trainer/Light Combat Aircraft [Austria]

  Austria will replace its Saab 105 training fleet, which was retired from service in 2020. On 27 August 2024, Austrian Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner announced that Austria ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  M-SHORAD Increment 3 [USA]

  Background The US Army is upgrading its maneuver short-range air defense system (M-SHORAD). Under the overal programme, there are three increments. Increment 1 vehicles are ...

• OPVs

  Taepyungyang Class (14) [South Korea]

  The South Korean Coast Guard (KGC) currently operates 13 Taepyungyang-class large patrol vessels or also referred to as an offshore patrol vessel (OPV) but the Eastern ...

• Light attack

  M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirement Brazil operates several A-1 (AMX) light attack aircraft, which were produced by Embraer in partnership with Leonardo in the 1980s. Similarly, the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  NavStorm-M

  BAE Systems' NavStorm-M is a gun-hardened, integrated anti-jamming and Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for artillery rounds, bombs, missiles, and uncrewed systems. It was revealed ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  LN-251

  Northrop Grumman's LN-251 is an Inertial Navigation System/Global Positioning System (INS/GPS) solution. It is an integrated navigation system with an embedded 12/24 channel, All-In-View, Selective Availability/Anti-Spoofing Module ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  KN-4074ED SAASM P(Y) Code INS/GPS

  The KN-4074EB SAASM P(Y) Code INS/GPS has an enhanced capability for the KN4074E with P(Y) code equivalent DGPS corrections.

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Common Open Reuse Environment

  The Lockheed Martin Common Open Reuse Environment (CORE) is an integrated glass cockpit and avionics solution that can interact with both civilian and military systems. ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  ADA Anti-Jamming System

  The ADA is an airborne GNSS anti-jamming solution manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). It is designed to protect avionics systems from GPS jamming by using digital ...

• UAS: communication systems

  N-100-6 GPS Antenna

  The N100-6 GPS antenna offers a polarimetric solution for multiple element outputs, and has been designed to provide a significantly reduced size aperture for anti-jam ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  PRC-434G/CS

  The PRC-434G/CS personal survival radio is a handheld, lightweight transceiver that is capable of responding to interrogations transmitted by the airborne location system. Short-burst transmissions ...

• Subsystems: visual

  EuroSim

  EuroSim is a configurable simulator tool used to support all phases of space and non-space programmes through real-time simulations with a person and/or hardware-in-the-loop, and ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  KN-4074E

  Produced by Kearfott, the KN-4074E SAASM P(Y) Code INS/GPS is a lightweight navigation system that can be used on various uncrewed or crewed applications, including fixed- and rotary-wing ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: UAS radar

  Lynx

  The Lynx (AN/APY-8) is a synthetic aperture radar manufactured by General Atomics. It is designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance for manned and unmanned aircraft. According to ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  M-ATV

  The Oshkosh 4x4 MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) family of vehicles is designed to provide high levels of protection and mobility in off-road combat environments such ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  KN-4075 High Performance INS/GPS

  Kearfott’s KN-4075 High Performance INS/GPS system offers a low weight and small-size navigation system for a variety of rotary- and fixed-wing unmanned and manned aircraft ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  TESS

  The Tactical Engagement Simulation System (TESS) is a transparent training instrumentation system designed for the AH-64 Apache Longbow Force-on-Force collective training for live aerial gunnery ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  KN-4073C SAASM P(Y) Code INS/GPS

  The KN-4073C SAASM P(Y) Code INS/GPS is a lightweight navigation system that can be used on a range of manned aircraft applications, fixed- and rotary-wing ...

• Maritime patrol

  US-2

  The ShinMaywa US-2 is an amphibious short take-off and landing aircraft used primarily by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) for SAR.