• Uncrewed Vehicles

  China parcels out deliveries to UAS

  1st June 2018

  Beihang Unmanned Aircraft System Technology is developing a new super-sized UAS for the transportation of cargo and parcels throughout Chinese airspace. The new UAS design …

• Defence Helicopter

  Pakistan Army fields new trainer helicopters

  13th June 2018

  It has been confirmed that the Pakistan Army Aviation Corps now has a quartet of Enstrom 280FX helicopters that will be used for pilot training …

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2018: GDELS unveils new configurations for ASCOD

  11th June 2018

  General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) is showcasing two new configurations for its ASCOD tracked platform at this year’s Eurosatory, including a new 120mm ‘tank …

• Defence Notes

  Thai junta seeks $10 billion in new security budget

  7th June 2018

  The Thai junta is seeking a new $10 billion defence and security budget, in what may be its final opportunity to allocate funds to the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Telesat eyes Canada's future SATCOM project

  5th June 2018

  Ottawa-based satellite firm Telesat has indicated that the company’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation of satellites will feature as part of a bid for Canada’s …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Coast Guard ultimately selects ScanEagle for cutters

  7th June 2018

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) has finally announced that the Insitu ScanEagle will be used to fulfil the small UAS requirement for its National Security …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Silent Hunter counter-UAS laser showcased

  31st May 2018

  China's Poly Technologies has shown off its Silent Hunter counter-UAS laser weapon at an exhibition in Kazakhstan, China’s Ministry of National Defence announced on 30 …

• Training

  Rockwell Collins receives order from CAE

  7th June 2018

  Rockwell Collins’ Panorama Collimated Display has been selected by CAE for the CC-295 full-flight simulator (FFS) it is supplying for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: Dry Combat Submersible moves to production

  24th May 2018

  With receipt of a successful “Milestone C” acquisition decision in mid-April, USSOCOM and its industry partners are now moving into production for a total of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  GA-ASI, P&W carry out MQ-25 engine test

  5th June 2018

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI)  has carried out a successful powered run of the Pratt & Whitney (P&W;) PW815 engine that will power its proposed …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UMS, QinetiQ partner for Canadian market

  30th May 2018

  UMS Skeldar has partnered with QinetiQ Target Systems to offer joint platforms and solutions for Canadian maritime UAS programmes. The new partnership will work to …

• Special Operations

  Wearable C-UAS for special ops forces

  16th May 2018

  MyDefence has developed a wearable UAS detection platform for Special Operations Forces, the company announced on 14 May. Called Wingman 103, the counter-UAS solution has …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Black Hornets create buzz in Australia

  29th May 2018

  The Australian Army marked the onset of ‘widespread proliferation’ of the FLIR Systems Black Hornet 3 micro-UAV on 23 May, as the programme progressed from …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Tactical Robotics demos Cormorant UAS to IDF

  28th May 2018

  Tactical Robotics has demonstrated its Cormorant multirole UAS to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), the company announced on 22 May. During the demonstration, which took …

• Defence Notes

  US Missile Defense Agency told to step up its communication game

  31st May 2018

  The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has given the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) mixed grades for its testing and delivery goals for last year, and …

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 ...