• Special Operations

  ​SOFIC 2017: Underground Analysis

  8th May 2017

  According to the Naval Postgraduate School's Defense Analysis Department and the US Army Asymmetric Warfare Group's (AWG's) Subterranean Working Group, the proliferation of subterranean structures …

• Special Operations

  ​SOFIC 2017: Cubic expands C4ISR footprint

  8th May 2017

  Cubic Corporation will use this year's Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC) in Tampa to highlight its growing range of C4ISR solutions for the SOF …

• Military Logistics

  First KC-10 CLS returned to USAF service

  8th May 2017

  L3 Technologies has returned to service the first KC-10 aircraft under the US Air Force's (USAF) contractor logistics support (CLS) programme, the company announced on …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus to study Syracuse IV ground segment

  5th May 2017

  Airbus has received a contract from the French defence procurement agency to carry out preparatory studies and definition work for the future ground segment of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Mind the drone

  5th May 2017

  Drone detection and countermeasures were abundant in their design and capability at the Counter-Terror and Security Expo at the Olympia in London this week, as …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon fires up EW for Australia

  4th May 2017

  Fresh from a successful test demonstrating a single-ship geolocation capability, Raytheon is promoting its upgraded AN/ALR-69A(V) aircraft radar warning receiver (RWR) to export markets such …

• Military Logistics

  Updated ALIS for F-35 sites

  3rd May 2017

  Lockheed Martin has received approval to install the updated version of the F-35's Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) software at US Air Force (USAF) and …

• Digital Battlespace

  German battle managers line up

  2nd May 2017

  The German Army's next-generation communications and battle management system (BMS) solutions must be capable of providing the armed forces with IP-based and continuous information, a …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Navy’s EASR completes PDR

  2nd May 2017

  The Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR) under development for the US Navy's aircraft carriers and amphibious warfare ships has completed its preliminary design review (PDR), …

• Military Logistics

  US Navy works on P-8A aerial refuelling

  2nd May 2017

  The US Air Force (USAF) has carried out the first operational aerial refuelling of the navy's P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft with its KC-135 tanker.Establishing …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon to upgrade USAF’s AOC WS

  2nd May 2017

  Raytheon has received a contract from the US Air Force (USAF) to sustain and modernise its Air and Space Operations Centre Weapon System (AOC WS), …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Navy gets BAMS C2 facility

  28th April 2017

  Burns and McDonnell has delivered a new command and control facility that will support the US Navy's Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) operations at Naval …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A 2017: AN/ARC-201D radio recertified

  28th April 2017

  The Harris AN/ARC-201D airborne radio has been recertified for use in US Army helicopters, the company announced on 26 April. The airworthiness release was issued …

• Digital Battlespace

  Additional AN/TPQ-53 radars ordered

  27th April 2017

  Lockheed Martin has received a $1.6 billion order-dependent contract from the US Army to provide additional AN/TPQ-53 counterfire radar systems, the company announced on 24 …

• Military Logistics

  Travis AFB receives final upgraded KC-10

  26th April 2017

  Travis Air Force Base (AFB) in California has received the 59th and final upgraded KC-10 Extender aerial refuelling tanker aircraft, bringing the six-year upgrade project …

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. ...