• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Smart city integration key stage of unmanned journey

  13th April 2018

  While industries such as agriculture, energy and mining have embraced the use of drones the next stage of the unmanned journey will be integrating the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Airbus outlines unmanned strategies

  12th April 2018

  As drones become more commonplace Airbus is continuing to explore the use of unmanned technologies throughout a variety of different applications. During the Commercial UAV …

• Digital Battlespace

  Systel servers for Fire Scout programme

  11th April 2018

  Systel will supply computing servers for the US Navy’s MQ-8C Fire Scout programme, the company announced on 9 April.The MQ-8C Fire Scout UAS is designed …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM seeks aviation maintenance collaboration

  11th April 2018

  USSOCOM is seeking industry collaboration in the modernization of its aviation maintenance capabilities.  Interest in a possible collaborative effort was outlined in a 10 April …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UAVOS introduces Borey-10 UAS

  4th April 2018

  UAVOS has introduced a new fixed-wing UAS called the Borey-10, the company announced on 29 March. The Borey-10 can carry payloads including photo camera, a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Autonomous resupply effort concludes phase one

  12th April 2018

  The Defence Science Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has concluded phase one of its Autonomous Last Mile Resupply programme, QinetiQ announced on 9 April. The programme challenged …

• Military Logistics

  India seals contract for final C-17A

  5th April 2018

  India has finally inked a $262 million contract for the final ‘white tail’ Boeing C-17A Globemaster III transport aircraft, with notification occurring on 30 March. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DDC to develop 400lbs cargo delivery UAS

  3rd April 2018

  Drone Delivery Canada (DDC) has commenced the development of a new cargo delivery UAS, the Condor, with a payload lifting capability estimated at 400lbs. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lithuania orders air surveillance radars

  4th April 2018

  The Lithuanian armed forces have signed a $3.4 million contract with Elta Systems for five short-range air surveillance radars, the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence announced …

• Land Warfare

  DSA 2018: Malaysia buys LG1 howitzers

  19th April 2018

  The DSA 2018 exhibition in Kuala Lumpur witnessed a rarity on 19 April, an actual purchase contract, on this occasion for 18 LG1 Mk III 105mm …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AeroVironment expands Puma UAS family

  3rd April 2018

  AeroVironment has introduced a new version of its Puma UAS, the Puma 3 small UAS, at the AUSA Global Force Symposium 2018. The new UAS …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Sea-Air-Space 2018: Manned-unmanned aircraft integration underway

  10th April 2018

  Integration testing between the US Navy's manned P-8A Poseidon aircraft and its MQ-4C Triton UAS is underway with plans to ramp up efforts in the …

• Defence Notes

  Algerian military transport crash leaves 257 dead

  11th April 2018

  At least 257 people, mostly soldiers and members of their families, were killed in an Algerian military plane crash 11 April the defence ministry said. …

• Digital Battlespace

  DSA 2018: China’s Orwellian nightmare comes true

  19th April 2018

  George Orwell would have déjà vu if the late author of 1984 attended this week’s DSA exhibition in Kuala Lumpur. Beijing-based Yitu Technology showcased its artificial …

• Military Logistics

  UK requests support for MQ-9 Reapers

  9th April 2018

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale of follow-on support for the MQ-9 Reaper UAS programme, the Defense …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Directed energy weapons

  Project Dragonfire [UK]

  Background The UK Government's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has been working with MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ to develop a LASER Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) called ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Indirect Fire Protection Capability - Generation II – High-Power Microwave [US]

  Background In July 2025 Epirus received a US$43,551,060 contract from the US Army for two Generation II systems developed from the HPM (Leonidas). Previously, in ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Indirect Fire Protection Capability – High-Power Microwave [US]

  Background In May 2024, the US Army took delivery of four High-Powered Microwave (HPM) Directed-Energy Weapons (DEW) to fulfil its Indirect Fire Protection Capability – High-Power ...

• 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 ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  C-UAS [Portugal]

  Background Portugal's Military Programming Law 2023–2034 includes $8.8724 million (€8.2 million) to acquire counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) by 2034. It is assumed that this acquisition requires ...

• 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 ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  Border C-UAS Defence [Latvia]

  Background Latvia's long-term blueprint for its armed forces lists a comprehensive C-UAS element with an approximate range of three to four km. This programme is ...

• 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 - jammers

  C-UAS [Taiwan]

  Background Taiwan announced a requirement for portable C-UAS systems with capabilities that include passive detection, takeover, spoofing and jamming. The systems are planned to strengthen ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  Finnish Border Guard C-UAS Capability

  Background In response to the growing UAS threat, the Finnish Border Guard was given €44 million for procurements to strengthen drone detection, identification, and countering capabilities. ...

• CUAS - jammers

  C-UAS [Australia]

  Background The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is accelerating the acquisition of state-of-the-art counter-drone technologies through Project LAND 156. The ADF signed a contract with HighCom ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  SAN C-UAS [Poland]

  Background In January 2026, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and its Polish partner Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) signed a contract with the Polish Armaments Agency for the delivery ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  US SOF CUxS (Static) [US]

  Background The US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is procuring a Family of Systems (FoS) design to defeat drones. The programme includes development, integration, prototyping, and test of ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  US SOF CUxS (Mounted) [US]

  Background The US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is procuring a Family of Systems (FoS) design to defeat drones. The programme includes development, integration, prototyping, and test of ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• CUAS - hybrid effector 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, ...

• 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 ...

• CUAS - jammers

  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, ...

• CUAS - jammers

  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 ...

• 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.

• Directed energy weapons

  Leonidas High-Powered Microwave DEW

  Leonardo's US-based subsidiary Epirus has received funding from both the US and Singapore to develop its Leonidas High-Powered Microwave (HPM) directed-energy weapon (DEW).

• Directed energy weapons

  GÖKBERK 10 Laser DEW

  Turkish company ASELSAN's GÖKBERK 10 laser directed-energy weapon (DEW) is designed to destroy cheap, class-I drones. The system is designed to work with other components ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Hybrid effector 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 ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Royal Thai Army Laser DEW

  Under Government instructions, the Royal Thai Army is developing a Laser-based Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) to counter drones in its border regions. The unit cost ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...