• Digital Battlespace

  Rockwell’s ARC-210 passes DNH testing for MUOS

  16th February 2018

  Rockwell Collins' airborne V/UHF radio has passed military security requirements for operation with the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) new Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), …

• Special Operations

  Global SOF 2018: AFSOC revitalises 6th SOS

  21st February 2018

  The recently released US National Defense Strategy has added emphasis to ongoing Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) efforts to revitalise its 6th Special Operations …

• Digital Battlespace

  Swedish Navy orders Saab’s multi tactical data links

  15th February 2018

  Saab has been awarded an order from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration to provide tactical data links for the Swedish Navy’s surface warfare vessels, the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Spain kicks off tactical comms modernisation study

  19th February 2018

  The Spanish MoD has initiated a study to consider the future tactical communications capabilities for both the army and navy, defence sources have disclosed. According …

• Digital Battlespace

  ADECS 2018: CRFS making spectrum waves (video)

  31st January 2018

  CRFS is exhibiting for the first time at ADECS 2018, the RF spectrum monitoring solutions company already has a footprint in the Asia-Pacific region but …

• Digital Battlespace

  Finland’s Dragon Shield achieves FOC

  13th February 2018

  The Finnish Defence Forces’ Dragon Shield airborne surveillance system has achieved final operational capability (FOC) following the completion of flight testing, Lockheed Martin announced on …

• Special Operations

  DTC launches Special Role Radio

  7th February 2018

  Domo Tactical Communications (DTC) has developed a new Special Role Radio (SRR) for tactical and special operations, the company announced on 5 February. The SRR …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales awarded French sonar system work

  12th February 2018

  Thales has received a contract from the French defence procurement agency to conduct a set of studies and technological developments for a sonar system to …

• Digital Battlespace

  EO/IR Special Report: Controp delivers to Vietnam Navy

  15th February 2018

  Electro-optic specialists Controp has completed deliveries of its iSea-40HD maritime electro-optical/infrared payload to the Vietnamese Navy under the terms of a contract announced in November 2017. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  China improves cueing for Cloud Shadow UAV

  23rd February 2018

  China’s UAVs will reach farther, faster and hit the enemy harder, if current trends continue. Evidence of this was visible at the recent 2018 Singapore …

• Special Operations

  BIRD to support Mexican ASIO fleet

  14th February 2018

  BIRD Aerosystems has received a three year follow-on contract to provide maintenance and support services to the Mexican government’s Special Mission Aircraft Solutions (ASIO) Special …

• Digital Battlespace

  UAE F-16 fleet get HUD upgrade

  13th February 2018

  BAE Systems will modernise head-up displays (HUD) on the United Arab Emirates’ F-16 aircraft under a contract with Lockheed Martin. The HUD, which sits directly …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE demonstrates new DBM software

  15th February 2018

  BAE Systems is developing a semi-autonomous, on-board software to enhance shared situational awareness between operators and pilots during air-to-air and air-to-ground combat operations.The new approach …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army increases funding for Patriot radar replacement

  13th February 2018

  The US Army is seeking to boost funding as part of efforts to replace the legacy Patriot radar system in its lower-tier missile defence architecture. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Elbit’s in-fill radar and tower system certified

  6th February 2018

  Elbit Systems of America’s in-fill radar system and tower has been certified by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency for operational use, it …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Hybrid effector systems

  US Air Force Air Base Defence Missile Defence [US]

  Background The US Air Force's (USAF) Air Base Air Defence Missile Defence (ABAD MD) programme is part of the Air Force Physical Security System and sits ...

• CUAS - jammers

  NEROD RF [France]

  Background France has procured an unconfirmed number of MC2's NEROD RF C-UAS rifles ("fusils brouilleurs") for short-range counter-drone use. In a 2024 Senate report, it ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  Counter-Uncrewed Systems (C-UxS) Framework Agreement [UK]

  Background The UK intends to place a Closed Framework Agreement for the procurement of Counter Uncrewed Systems (C-UxS). It requires solutions to detect, track, identify, record/communicate, and ...

• Static/towed guns

  Ground-Based, Medium-Calibre Gun Weapon System [US]

  Background In September 2026, the USAF issued a request for information (RFI) for a ground-based air defence system (GBAD) centred on a medium-calibre gun. This RFI ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F -Kenya

  Crew transition training took place at the MD Helicopters headquarters in Mesa, Arizona, with field service support, armament, and gunnery training scheduled to occur at ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9A Reaper [USAF]

  Background First order Following a development that began in 1998, in October 2002, the USAF ordered the first four MQ-9s of the production series. In ...

• Military UAS - mini

  RQ-20B Puma [USAF]

  Background Requirement According to Trace Stevenson, the AeroVironment (AV) Vice President and product line general manager, the USAF Security Forces required a small UAV to ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Bell 407GX [Iraq]

  Programme Background Between 2009 and 2015 Iraq was supplied with at 26 Bell 407s as part of the reconstruction of the Iraqi Air Force. The ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (USAF) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Baclground As of November 2020, the US DoD had signed 14 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) (Increment 1) [USAF]

  Background Requirements The programme’s requirements are based on the USAF’s belief that mass is necessary to compete effectively against an adversary in symmetrical warfare. However, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  Background In 2010, the USAF announced the replacement of the HH-60G with a new Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH), and in 2012, the request for proposals ...

• AEW&C

  E-7A Wedgetail (1-2) [USA]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that this entry covers the two rapid-prototype E-7 aircraft, whose contract was signed in August 2024. A second programme entry covers the ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-Y tanker aircraft [USA]

  Programme Background The USAF is replacing its fleet of 396 KC-135 Stratotanker refuelling aircraft, built in the 1950s and 60s, and 59 KC-10 Extenders, which entered service ...

• 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 ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-46A (USA)

  Programme Background The first five Low Rate Initial Production lots were contracted for a total of 67 aircraft for $10.94 billion. The initial contract signed ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• ISR/special mission

  RF-4C

  The RF-4C is a tactical reconnaissance aircraft developed based on the F-4 Phantom II by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) to meet the requirements of the USAF ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-4 Phantom II family

  The F-4 Phantom II is a two-seat multirole fighter developed originally by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) to meet USN interceptor requirements. It soon became a unified ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  SurSAR

  The Surveillance Synthetic Aperture Radar (SurSAR) is a coherent surveillance and imaging radar developed by Array Systems Computing in Canada. It is derived from UPD-8/9 systems ...

• EW test systems

  CEESIM

  The Combat Electromagnetic Environment Simulator (CEESIM) family of simulators is designed for use in development, T&E;, maintenance and training support of airborne, land, shipboard and ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  F-15 Tactical Electronic Warfare Suite (TEWS)

  The F-15 Tactical Electronic Warfare Suite (TEWS) is an integrated defence system manufactured by Northrop Grumman. It is designed for the F-15, F-15K and F-15E ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  SECT

  The Simulator for Electronic Combat Training (SECT) is a device that blends high-fidelity equipment, environmental and EW simulation with a computer-based training engine, auto-evaluation and scoring ...

• Data links

  MIDS LVT-3 FDL

  For the MIDS LVT-3 Fighter Data Link (FDL) the USAF sought lower volume and cost than Class 1 and 2 JTIDS. The contract was awarded ...

• Land: battle management systems

  C4I Connect

  C4I Connect is a voice communications system for battlefield C2. It is a large-scale, divisional/regional system that manages voice sessions in the tactical battle area, ...

• Air: mission management systems

  9Air C4I

  9Air C4I provides an air C2 capability ranging from air operations level to real-time execution in a mobile environment. It is a net-centric system that ...

• 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 ...

• Bomber

  B-2 Spirit

  The B-2 Spirit is a multirole stealth bomber manufactured by Northrop Grumman for the USAF. The Spirit is a flying wing aircraft, meaning that it ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  AN/ALR-56C

  The AN/ALR-56C is a radar warning receiver manufactured by BAE Systems. It is designed to share data regarding radar threats with the aircraft's BAE Systems' ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/ALQ-165 ASPJ

  Northrop Grumman’s AN/ALQ-165(V) Airborne Self Protection Jammer (ASPJ) is a widely used radar jammer and is deployed on an array of combat aircraft. The system ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  RF-7800W

  The RF-7800W-OU440 high-capacity LoS radio has an IP design that operates from 4.4-5GHz. This provides connectivity at distances over 50km and extending WANs and LANs ...

• Air: mission management systems

  DACCS

  Divisional Artillery Command and Control System (DACCS) integrates division artillery C4I with battalion C4I, making fire control an integral part of the C4I distribution network. ...