• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australian navy creates new UAV squadron

  25th October 2018

  The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) stood up a new UAV squadron – christened 822X Squadron – at HMAS Albatross on 25 October. It marks a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AWHero’s communications trials with Wildcat

  29th October 2018

  Leonardo has disclosed efforts to extend the communications range and manned/unmanned teaming capabilities of the AWHero VTOL UAS, a company official has said. Addressing delegates …

• Defence Helicopter

  Indo Defence 2018: Delivering the goods (Insight)

  31st October 2018

  Six years after placing an order for eight Boeing AH-64E Apaches in September 2012, the Indonesian Army received its final aircraft this year. The first …

• Land Warfare

  Ukroboronprom develops BМ-21 UМ Berest

  23rd October 2018

  Ukroboronprom has developed a new 122mm multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) combat vehicle, the BМ-21 Berest. Based on the Kraz 4X4 off-road cabover chassis, the …

• Military Logistics

  AAR to support Ontic’s military MRO business

  22nd October 2018

  AAR has been appointed by Ontic as an authorised inventory management partner and exclusive distributor in support of its UK military maintenance, repair and overhaul …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MSAB and URSA unveil XRY Drone

  16th October 2018

  MSAB and URSA have introduced a new system called XRY Drone that extracts and analyses data from malicious UAS, MSAB announced on 10 October. The …

• Defence Notes

  China to do 'whatever it takes' to retain Taiwan

  25th October 2018

  China's defence minister warned Thursday that the military would do "whatever it takes" to stop any attempt to "split" Taiwan from the mainland, days after …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Poland examines new UAS possibilities

  15th October 2018

  AeroVironment (AV) is looking to make inroads in Poland as it held a series of demonstration flights of its small unmanned aerial systems in early …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Commercial UAV Expo 2018: SCI casts net over drone threats

  3rd October 2018

  Defence and aerospace company SCI Technologies is closing in on the end of development of its drone capture system and is looking to bring the …

• Training

  RCAF students prepare for new sim

  18th October 2018

  KF Aerospace is currently completing the final preparations on its Frasca International Bell 206 Level 7 Flight Training Device (FTD) at Southport near Portage la Prairie, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Kratos waveforms for Harris’ HH-VDL radios

  19th October 2018

  Kratos Defense & Security Solutions’ subsidiary Kratos RT Logic has licensed its common data link (CDL) waveforms to Harris Corporation for use in Harris’ nanoSVDL …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army CIRCM system ready for production

  28th September 2018

  The Northrop Grumman-built Common Infrared Countermeasure (CIRCM) system for the US Army has achieved Milestone C after completing testing, the company announced on 24 September. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Naval Group, ECA Group team for unmanned MCM

  17th October 2018

  Naval Group has established a technological and commercial partnership with ECA Group to offer unmanned mine-hunting solutions for Belgian and Dutch naval forces, the company …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  e2E launches comms terminal for UAS

  10th October 2018

  e2E has launched a low-cost, low power, compact and lightweight satellite communication terminal, e2Eaccess UAS-I, to enhance communications connectivity for small UAS. The e2Eaccess UAS-I …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  OpenWorks, Liteye partner for C-UAS

  27th September 2018

  OpenWorks Engineering has partnered with Liteye Systems to integrate a physical UAS defeat capability into Liteye’s C-UAS systems.Liteye’s C-UAS products and systems are designed to …

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 ...