• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Kongsberg and team develop C-UAS system

  30th April 2018

  Kongsberg Geospatial, Echodyne Corp and uAvionix have joined forces to develop a new counter-UAS (C-UAS) system called Argus, Kongsberg Geospatial announced on 26 April. The …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: AeroVironment receives Switchblade for USMC

  22nd May 2018

  The US Army has awarded AeroVironment a procurement contract for its Switchblade Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System (LMAMS). At SOFIC 2018, the company announced that …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ASV Global to lead offshore windfarm project

  16th May 2018

  ASV Global will lead the Windfarm Autonomous Ship Project that aims to develop a timeline for the phased introduction of autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) to …

• Naval Warfare

  Austal misses out on Australian OPV project

  15th May 2018

  Prime contractor Luerssen Australia announced on 11 May that it had concluded commercial negotiations with several partners for the Project Sea 1180 OPV programme, but …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Russian MoD to receive Eleron-3 UAS

  11th May 2018

  The Russian Ministry of Defence is set to receive 30 Eleron-3 UAS in May 2018, it was announced on 7 May. Technical acceptance of the …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: JSOC to reveal technology interest areas

  16th May 2018

  The US Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) has revealed a hit-list of technology interest areas due to be exploited over the course of 2018 in …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: EaglePicher looks to power SOF warriors

  18th May 2018

  One company exploring SOF applications for its underlying technologies and resulting product designs is EaglePicher Technologies. The company, which currently provides approximately 85% of the …

• Defence Notes

  Beijing's South China Sea bombers fly in face of protests

  22nd May 2018

  China's brazen landing of nuclear-capable bombers on anisland in the disputed South China Sea is a bold power play to bolster its territorial claims while …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Insitu continues ties with Royal Navy on ScanEagle

  16th May 2018

  While the UK’s Royal Navy ceased using the Insitu ScanEagle in 2017, the company has suggested that it is still working with the service on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Raytheon to support UAS airspace test corridor

  8th May 2018

  Raytheon has been selected as a partner by Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research (NUAIR) in the development of a UAS-testing airspace corridor in New York …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Germany acquires Puma UAS

  9th May 2018

  The German Navy has acquired AeroVironment’s Puma UAS with Mantis i45 sensor, AeroVironment announced on 7 May. AeroVironment partnered with Germany's ESG to fulfill the …

• Land Warfare

  IDE delivers upgraded M109 to Hellenic Army

  8th May 2018

  Intracom Defense Electronics (IDE) has delivered the first M109s upgraded with Hybrid GenAirCon to the Hellenic Army following successful live firings, the company announced on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Guardian begins demo flights in Japan

  10th May 2018

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has begun demonstration flights of the Guardian UAS on Iki Island in Japan, the company announced on 9 May. Intended …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: 3D Perception to deliver visual display upgrades

  16th May 2018

  Norwegian visual display specialists, 3D Perception, is to deliver upgraded visual display systems to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) for the retrofit of four …

• Defence Notes

  Government change likely to impact Malaysian defence procurements

  23rd May 2018

  The discovery by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed’s newly elected government that Malaysia has a MYR1 trillion ($251.7 billion) debt is likely to impact ongoing and …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Medium Range Reconnaissance (MRR) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  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, on-demand ...

• 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 ...

• Main battle tanks

  NGCV: DLP

  Programme Background Requirement The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in ...

• 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 ...

• OPVs

  Harry DeWolf Class (AOPS) Coast Guard (7-8) [Canada]

  Programme 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, ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Multirole Underwater Seabed Surveillance Ship (MU3S) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirements According to the presentation provided by the Italian Navy, the MultiroleUnderwater Seabed Surveillance Ship (MU3S) will:operate a wide range of uncrewed systems, ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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, 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Guorong-1 Anti Drone System

  Guorong-1 is an anti-drone system developed by China. The system is jointly developed by the Chinese Electronics Technology Group (CETG), Guorong Technology, and the Chinese public ...