• Air Warfare

  Updated: Sikorsky accepts FLRAA protest outcome, shifts focus to FARA competition

  19th April 2023

  Sikorsky has opted to take no further legal action over the US Government Accountability Office's rejection of its protest against Bell's V-280 Valor winning the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft competition.

• Air Warfare

  Royal Air Force begins training on new Protector remotely piloted aircraft system

  10th May 2023

  The Royal Air Force has started training its first cohort of pilots, sensor operators and mission intelligence coordinators on operating its new Protector at General Atomics' Flight Test & Training Centre in the US.

• Naval Warfare

  IMDEX 2023: New Chinese-built LPD arrives in Thailand

  4th May 2023

  A new Chinese-built LPD, HTMS Chang, arrived in Thailand in late April, having been collected by the Royal Thai Navy earlier that month.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IMDEX 2023: Aeronautics sees growing interest in maritime UAV integration

  4th May 2023

  Israeli UAV maker Aeronautics, known for its Orbiter family of systems, has told Shephard that the company sees great potential in the maritime space and navies’ growing interest in integrating drones into the domain globally.

• Air Warfare

  Aero Vodochody conducts L-39NG basic weapons tests

  13th April 2023

  The next-generation L-39 successfully passed weapons tests with missiles and bombs that included three different phases.

• Land Warfare

  Boeing Defence Australia completes deliveries for Project Currawong

  22nd February 2023

  Project Currawong continues to develop as a communications system, but all the hardware elements have been delivered to the Australian military.

• Naval Warfare

  Argentina seeks to rejuvenate submarine capabilities, but economic woes pose a challenge

  20th April 2023

  Argentina is seeking bids from European shipbuilders for new submarines but may struggle to sell the plan to the public due to economic difficulties.

• Defence Notes

  India makes multiple orders, with an emphasis on indigenous production

  13th April 2023

  India awards multiple contracts for desperately needed equipment for all three armed services.

• Land Warfare

  Paraguay receives new armoured vehicles to take fight to guerilla forces

  4th April 2023

  New armoured vehicles acquired by the Paraguayan military will protect personnel on operations against Paraguayan People’s Army (EPP) guerrillas.

• Naval Warfare

  India test-fires indigenous ER-ASR anti-submarine rocket

  11th April 2023

  The Indian Navy has successfully tested a new type of locally designed anti-submarine rocket.

• Land Warfare

  Australia orders EOD robots from L3Harris

  9th May 2023

  Australia has ordered dozens of medium-weight EOD robots from L3Harris Micreo.

• Digital Battlespace

  Elettronica joins space race with first electronic warfare satellite payload

  21st April 2023

  Italy's Elettronica has successfully orbited its first space-based electronic warfare payload to track terrestrial RF signals.

• Air Warfare

  BAE selected to develop Quicksink anti-shipping seeker further

  12th January 2023

  Quicksink aims to give US forces another way to defeat ships.

• Training

  Royal Air Force pilots to train in Italy to address UK aircrew pipeline issues

  17th May 2023

  In a bid to mitigate disruption to fast jet training, the Royal Air Force will begin using the International Flight Training School in Italy.

• Land Warfare

  Lack of African sales fuels Arquus's struggle over armoured vehicle exports

  11th April 2023

  Armoured vehicle manufacturer Arquus has cited France's changing geopolitical relationship with nations in Africa as a major factor contributing to a decline in its export sales.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Transport

  King Air 360 [Nigeria]

  Programme Background On 7 October 2021, Nigeria’s Budget Office published its proposed budget details. The Nigerian Air Force requested 10.86 billion Nigerian Naira (US$26.4 million) ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8 Poseidon [South Korea]

  Programme Background South Korea is facing an imminent submarine threat from North Korea. The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) is operating an aging fleet of P-3C ...

• ISR/special mission

  King Air 350ER ISR [Kuwait]

  Programme Background In February 2018, the US State Department has approved an estimated $259m potential foreign military sale of King Air 350ER intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance ...

• Loitering munitions

  HX-2 (Contracted) (Ukraine Aid) [Germany]

  Background HF-1 Readjustment In November 2024, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced in Schrobenhausen, Bavaria, that Germany would supply Ukraine with 4,000 HF-1 loitering munitions. ...

• Loitering munitions

  HX-2 (Uncontracted) (Ukraine Aid) [Germany]

  Background Contracted Drones In November 2024, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced in Schrobenhausen, Bavaria, that Germany would supply Ukraine with 4,000 HF-1 loitering munitions. ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-2 (Japan)

  Programme BackgroundKawasaki Heavy Industries developed the C-2 for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) to replace its Kawasaki C-1 and Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules fleets. ...

• Death Adder RTV 2 (Options)

  Programme Background The 2nd Commando Regiment currently operates an RTV designed and manufactured by Australia's Bale Defence. These were delivered between 2014 and 2015. Intended ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Teal 2 (Customs and Border Protection Force) [US]

  Programme Background First Order Global News Wire reported that Red Cat had filled an order for 54 Teal 2 units from the US Customs and ...

• Death Adder RTV 2

  Programme Background The 2nd Commando Regiment currently operates an RTV designed and manufactured by Australia's Bale Defence. These were delivered between 2014 and 2015. Intended ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Ara 2 (Chad - Options)

  Programme Background The Chadian Armed Forces have a requirement for mine-resistant armoured vehicles to provide protected mobility to troops deployed on operations against hostile forces. ...

• Loitering munitions

  HF-1 (Ukraine Aid) [Germany]

  Background 4000 Drones In November 2024, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced in Schrobenhausen, Bavaria, that Germany would supply Ukraine with 4,000 HF-1 loitering munitions. Deliveries ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Fuchs 2 Local Assembly

  The Fuchs 2 will replace a variety of legacy APCs currently in service with the Algerian Army including the Panhard M3 VTT, the BTR-60 and ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) (Tranche 2) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Programme 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 ...

• OPVs

  River Class Batch 2

  Programme Background BAE Systems developed an improved version at the River class Batch 1 ships (which first entered service in 2003), to be dubbed the ...

• ISR/special mission

  RC-2 - Japan

  Programme Background Japan has decided to develop its own EW aircraft to oppose China and Russia, countries that are already reinforcing their own EW capabilities. ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• EO/IR systems

  AN/AAQ-14

  The AN/AAQ-14 LANTIRN (Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night) targeting pod is a crucial component of the LANTIRN system, developed by Martin Marietta ...

• EO/IR systems

  AN/AAQ-27A

  In production for USMC MV-22 Osprey tiltrotors, the AAQ-27A allows pilots to see through darkness, smoke, haze and adverse weather. The third-generation medium-wave IR system ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/AAQ-24(V)

  Northrop Grumman’s AN/AAQ-24(V) is a Directional Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) designed to protect large fixed-wing and small rotary wing aircrafts. The system has been installed in ...

• EO/IR systems

  AN/AAQ-13

  The AN/AAQ-13 is a navigation pod developed by Martin Marietta (now part of Lockheed Martin) for the U.S. Air Force. It is a key component ...

• Air: EO/IR – Jamming Systems

  AN/AAQ-45

  Leonardo’s AN/AAQ-45 Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasures is designed to equip rotorcraft. The system is being installed on Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk medium-lift utility helicopters used ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - MLDS, EO/IR systems

  AN/AAQ-37 DAS

  The AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System (DAS) comprises six high-resolution infrared sensors mounted around the aircraft's airframe to provide seamless, spherical coverage (4π steradians).  The DAS ...

• EO/IR systems

  AN/AAQ-29A

  In production for USMC CH-53E and USAF HH-60G platforms, the medium-wave IR AAQ-29A is similar to the AN/AAQ-27A, the difference being its incorporation of an ...

• EO/IR systems

  LITENING

  The LITENING Advanced Targeting Pod is an electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) system designed to detect, acquire, identify, and track targets over extended ranges.  It supports diverse mission ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: Electronic Attack - Pod, Air: EO/IR – Jamming Systems

  Guardian

  Northrop Grumman’s Guardian Directional Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) is intended to product airliners and large aircraft against IR-guided missiles, principally surface-to-air missiles fired from Man-Portable Air ...

• EO/IR systems

  LANTIRN

  The Low-Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) system increases the combat effectiveness of fighter aircraft, allowing them to fly at low altitudes, at night ...

• Combat Search and Rescue

  Saab 340B+ / SAR-200

  The Saab 340B+, known also as SAR-200, is a search and rescue aircraft based on the Saab 340 regional airliner.  It is powered by two CT7-9B turboprop ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  SISCM

  The Suite of Integrated Sensors and Countermeasures (SISCM), also known as the AN/APR-39B, is designed to provide an integrated, multi-sensor threat warning and countermeasures capability using ...

• EW test systems

  Meon v3

  Developed as an end-to-end confidence flight-line test set for stimulation and radiometric measurement of MWS/IRCM systems. It is compatible with ALQ-144, ALQ-157, ALQ-204 Matador, AAQ-24 ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - MLDS

  AN/AAR-54(V)

  Northrop Grumman’s AN/AAR-54(V) is a Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS) designed for fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. The MAWS employs ultraviolet sensing to detect the hot ...

• Combat Search and Rescue

  HC-130P/N

  HC-130P/N is a SAR aircraft developed as extended-range version of C-130 Hercules transport airframe to execute all weather personnel recovery operations from austere airfields and ...