• Training

  Farewell QF-4, hello QF-16

  29th September 2016

  The re-use of redundant fighter aircraft to act as full-scale aerial targets (FSAT) has a certain symmetry with the hunter becoming the hunted. In August, …

• Training

  Lockheed to supply F-16 trainers for Jordan

  28th September 2016

  Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $40 million contract to deliver a simulation-based F-16 aircraft training environment to the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF), the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DSTL outlines future armoured concepts

  28th September 2016

  Concept designs outlining the next generation of combat UGVs from the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) indicate engineering potential but there were no plans …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Navy to participate in Unmanned Warrior

  27th September 2016

  A US Navy contingent led by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) will experiment with ten technology projects at the upcoming Unmanned Warrior joint exercise …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Triton UAS achieves milestone C

  27th September 2016

  The US Navy has received milestone C approval for the MQ-4C Triton UAS programme, it was announced on 22 September. The approval clears the way for …

• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA 2016: V-247 to provide pivotal vigilance

  27th September 2016

  Bell Helicopter has unveiled its unmanned VTOL concept, the V-247 Vigilant tiltrotor, which it hopes will meet the US Marine Corps’ (USCM) requirement for a …

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems signs Danish CV90 contract

  26th September 2016

  BAE Systems Hägglunds has been awarded a contract by the Danish government to provide systems integration, capability upgrades and support for long-term sustainment of Denmark’s …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing aids Korean unmanned MD 500s

  23rd September 2016

  Via a memorandum of agreement signed on 22 September, Boeing will renew cooperation with Korean Air Lines (KAL) to convert South Korean military MD 500D …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE delivers 250th F-35 EW suite

  22nd September 2016

  BAE Systems has manufactured and delivered the 250th AN/ASQ-239 electronic warfare (EW) suite for the F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft programme, the company announced on …

• Defence Notes

  Netherlands to invest more in defence

  21st September 2016

  More money will be spent on security, including the armed forces, ‘because of the security situation, nearby and elsewhere in the world’, the King of …

• Defence Helicopter

  Spain gets first NH90 helicopters

  16th September 2016

  The Spanish Army has taken the delivery of the first two NH90 tactical transport helicopters from the Airbus Helicopters, it was announced on 14 September. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus opens H215 production in Romania

  16th September 2016

  Airbus Helicopters has opened a production unit for its H215 medium-size utility helicopter in Ghimbav, Romania, it was announced on 13 September. The company plans …

• Naval Warfare

  USS John F Kennedy on schedule

  14th September 2016

  Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding division has placed a 900-ton superlift into dry dock as part of construction of the future USS John …

• Land Warfare

  MSPO 2016: T-72/PT-91 upgrades proposed (video)

  13th September 2016

  Polish industry has put forward proposals that would see the army’s ageing T-72 and PT-91 ‘Twardy’ main battle tanks modernised with new weapons and equipment.  …

• Land Warfare

  MSPO 2016: New missile touted for SA-8

  9th September 2016

  Polish defence company WZU and Diehl BGT Defence are working together to integrate the latter’s IRIS-T surface-to-air missile on an upgraded version of the 9K33 …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  F-5E/F ADVERSARY TRAINER [USA]

  Programme Background  The F-5N is a single seat, dual engine supersonic land based fighter. It is designed for a service life of 9000 flight hours. ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15EX (2025-2026) [USA]

  Methodology Units required Based off the FY2027 USAF budget request, between FY2025 and FY2026, the U.S. Air Force received funding for 40 F-15EX platforms. Congress ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  On 12 April 2024, General João Cartaxo Alves, the Chief of Staff of the Portugese Air Force, revealed that Portugal would replace its fleet of F-16A/B ...

• Data links

  Data links | F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  On 12 April 2024, General João Cartaxo Alves, the Chief of Staff of the Portugese Air Force, revealed that Portugal would replace its fleet of F-16A/B ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  On 12 April 2024, General João Cartaxo Alves, the Chief of Staff of the Portugese Air Force, revealed that Portugal would replace its fleet of F-16A/B ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  On 12 April 2024, General João Cartaxo Alves, the Chief of Staff of the Portugese Air Force, revealed that Portugal would replace its fleet of F-16A/B ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  On 12 April 2024, General João Cartaxo Alves, the Chief of Staff of the Portugese Air Force, revealed that Portugal would replace its fleet of F-16A/B ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  Programme Background At the Portuguese National Defense Conference on April 22, 2025, General João Cartaxo Alves reaffirmed that the F-35A remains the sole viable successor ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-47 [Israel]

  Background 2026 RFI In August 2026, Israel issued a request for information (RFI) to the United States regarding the secretive Boeing F-47 sixth-generation fighter programme. The ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-47 Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  Background Requirement Originally conceived as a replacement for the F-22, the PCA was designed to counter various air threats, including integrated air defence systems and ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Next Generation Fighter Aircraft (Vietnam)

  Programme Background Requirement The Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) operates an ageing fleet of Su-22 aircraft as well as Su-27s and Su-30s. According to expert commentary, ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Hawk Mk 165 Advanced Jet Trainer- Saudi Arabia

  Background Requirement The Hawk Mk 165 fleet will be used to train Saudi pilots before they transition to the Eurofighter Typhoon and F-15 in service with RSAF.  Under ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement Turkish Air Force ordered 100 F-35A aircraft as a partner nation, however, the country was removed from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme ...

• Fighter - multirole

  H-X Fighter Programme [Finland]

  Programme Background In June 2020, Finnish MoD announced that the Hornet fleet life extension programme is neither cost-effective solution nor sufficient in terms of Finland’s ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) [Japan]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that GCAP's Japanese, British and Italian components are tracked in separate entries. Programme Timeline 2020: The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency of Japan issued ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: air combat simulators

  Air Combat Training

  Boeing has experience in delivering training for fixed-wing air combat platforms including F-15C/E, F-16, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G, F-22 and MV/CV-22.

• Fighter - air superiority

  F-22A Raptor

  F-22A Raptor is a fifth-generation stealth air superiority fighter with air-to-ground attack capability. It was developed by Lockheed Martin to meet the requirement of the USAF ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Collective Training

  Boeing has delivered and operates three USAF F-15C Mission Training Centers (MTCs), three F-15E MTCs and three F-16 MTCs. The F-22 platform was added into ...

• Subsystems: hardware

  Flight Simulation Products

  Bugeye Technologies (BT) manufactures simulated-grade flight grips, controls and avionic displays for fixed-wing, rotary-wing and unmanned crafts. BT's full line of products includes replicated control ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  DACTS

  The DRS Air Combat Training System (DACTS) has been delivered to military customers worldwide. Customised versions have supported coalition training for the US government and ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-77

  The AN/APG-77 is a low-probability-of-intercept fire control radar for the F-22 Raptor. It is designed to significantly improve capability in air-to-air combat, allowing the pilot ...

• Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  IRCM Flares

  Kilgore develops and manufactures a range of airborne IR decoy flares. These are compatible with most available dispenser systems. Standard flare products manufactured include: MJU-7A/B, ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-81

  AN/APG-81 is operating in the X-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar designed by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems for the F-35 “Lightning” all-weather ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/ALR-94

  BAE Systems’ AN/ALR-94 electronic countermeasures (ECM) system forms a key part of the self-protection suite of the US Air Force’s Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor combat ...

• EW test systems

  CRIIS

  The Common Range Integrated Instrumentation System (CRIIS) provides time, space and position information (TSPI) as well as systems evaluation data to support testing for a ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-83 SABR

  The AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) is an active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar being developed by Northrop Grumman using its own ...

• Data links

  Multifunction Advanced Data Link

  Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) is a Ku-band data link designed for fifth-generation aircraft. The directional, interflight system is integrated into all F-35 variants, allowing ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  25mm PGU-48/B

  The 25mm PGU-48/B is a medium-calibre armour-penetrating round manufactured by American Rheinmetall. The US Air Force uses the PGU-48/B with its F-35 aircraft.

• Fixed wing aircraft engines

  F100-PW-229

  The F100 family of engines, selected by 23 air forces globally, power all of the USAF's F-15 Eagles and a substantial proportion of the global ...

• Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  AN/ALE-52

  BAE Systems’ AN/ALE-52 countermeasures dispensing system was developed for the United States Air Force Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor air superiority fighter. The AN/ALE-52 can launch ...