• Defence Helicopter

  UK gets final upgraded Merlin Mk2

  1st August 2016

  The UK Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) Merlin Capability Sustainment Programme (MCSP) has marked a significant milestone with the handover of the final upgraded Merlin Mk2 …

• Defence Notes

  BAE bags gun contract for Type 26 ships

  29th July 2016

  BAE Systems will supply the Maritime Indirect Fires System (MIFS) for the Type 26 Global Combat Ship under a $245 million contract from the UK …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UK ScanEagles to be refurbed, redeployed

  27th July 2016

  Some of the ScanEagle systems operated in recent years for the UK Royal Navy (RN) will be refurbished by manufacturer Insitu and made available to …

• Naval Warfare

  LDP, training teams required for EU mission

  28th July 2016

  The EU Naval Force to the Mediterranean (EUNAVFORMED) could require additional warships and training teams to fulfil new tasks identified by the mission following the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Sea Hunter in new performance trials

  27th July 2016

  Leidos has completed initial performance trials of Sea Hunter, a technology demonstration vessel being developed for DARPA's Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) programme, …

• Naval Warfare

  Philippines awaits new cutter and frigates

  26th July 2016

  Documents were signed at Coast Guard Base Alameda, California on 21 July to hand over a decommissioned Hamilton-class cutter to the Philippine Navy (PN).  Boutwell …

• Naval Warfare

  Incidents of maritime crime drop

  25th July 2016

  Global piracy and armed robbery at sea have fallen to their lowest levels since 1995 according to the latest report from the International Chamber of …

• Naval Warfare

  Russia in Baltic naval command change

  25th July 2016

  The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) earlier in July decided to remove more than 50 senior officers of the Baltic Fleet from their posts, which …

• Naval Warfare

  China rolls out AG600 amphibian

  25th July 2016

  The AG600, a new amphibian aircraft from the China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Company (CAIGA), enjoyed its official rollout from a factory in Zhuhai, southern …

• Defence Helicopter

  UK’s HMS Ocean trains in ASW exercise

  22nd July 2016

  The Royal Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities have been put through their paces during Exercise Deep Blue II in the Mediterranean in July. HMS Ocean took …

• Naval Warfare

  Hong Kong modernises maritime monitoring

  22nd July 2016

  Hong Kong has beefed up its ability to monitor maritime traffic thanks to the installation of a new third-generation vessel traffic services (VTS) system. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  OSI to supply NZ frigate upgrade radar

  27th July 2016

  OSI Maritime Systems (OSI) has signed a contract for the supply of a new radar system as part of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) …

• Naval Warfare

  Taiwan rejects South China Sea ruling

  25th July 2016

  Taiwan expressed disappointment over the ruling handed down on 12 July by the Permanent Court of Arbitration concerning territorial disputes in the South China Sea. …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Navy swing loads MH-60R Seahawk

  22nd July 2016

  The US Navy has swing loaded an MH-60R Seahawk with both AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) in an …

• Defence Notes

  US approves SM-2 Block IIIB sale to Japan

  21st July 2016

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale of Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) Block IIIB missiles, equipment, and support to …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  AR3 (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Background £270 Million investment On 15 September 2025, the UK MoD noted that, since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the UK ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Intra-Theatre Lift [UK]

  Programme Background  Relationship to the Heavy Lift Challange The Royal Navy (RN) embarked on the Heavy Lift Challenge, now called the Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC), to explore ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Project Vanquish: Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) [UK]

  Background Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) Strategy Reflecting on lessons learned from the cancellation of the Mosquito programme, the Royal Air Force (RAF) redefined the role ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  StormShroud: Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) [UK]

  Background Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) Strategy Reflecting on lessons learned from the cancellation of the Mosquito programme, the Royal Air Force (RAF) redefined the role ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

• Data links

  Data links | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

• Maritime patrol

  C295 MPAs [India]

  Programme Background In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Maritime Patrol Aircraft [Singapore]

  Singapore requires a replacement platform for five Fokker 50 Maritime Enforcer Mk.2 aircraft. The total programme cost for five long-range maritime patrol aircraft is estimated to be ...

• Data links

  Data links | Maritime Patrol Aircraft [Singapore]

  Singapore requires a replacement platform for five Fokker 50 Maritime Enforcer Mk.2 aircraft. The total programme cost for five long-range maritime patrol aircraft is estimated to be ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Maritime Patrol Aircraft [Singapore]

  Singapore requires a replacement platform for five Fokker 50 Maritime Enforcer Mk.2 aircraft. The total programme cost for five long-range maritime patrol aircraft is estimated to be ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Maritime Patrol Aircraft [Singapore]

  Singapore requires a replacement platform for five Fokker 50 Maritime Enforcer Mk.2 aircraft. The total programme cost for five long-range maritime patrol aircraft is estimated to be ...

• Maritime patrol

  C295 MPA [Angola]

  Programme Background Requirement Angola uses a mix of Dornier Do-28s, A-29s and EMB-312 Tucanos for maritime surveillance duties. The country's dedicated maritime patrol capability was ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Israel Heron Lease

  Programme BackgroundIn February 2018, Greece announced that it would lease seven Heron drones from Israel. The lease contract, worth €35.5 million ($44m), will cover a ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  AR5

  First announced in October 2012, the AR5 is a MALE UAS designed for SAR, surveillance and maritime patrol missions. The AR5 can be flown manually or commanded ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  AR3

  The AR3, or AR3 Net Ray, is an autonomous small-UAS designed to support land-based and maritime missions.  In May 2025, the Royal Air Force announced ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  AR3 EVO

  Unveiled at DSEI 2025, the AR3 EVO is a small fixed-wing UAV from Tekever. The system is highly modular and can be configured in a ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  ARX

  Unveiled at Xponential 2024, the ARX is a fixed-wing drone developed by Tekever.  It features common electronics and software with other Tekever drones. Unlike those ...

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8DN

  The PT-8DN is a versatile day-night payload from Overwatch Imaging.  It has dual RGB sensors of different focal lengths and an HD LWIR sensor. It also ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  AR2 Carcará

  The AR2 Carcará is a hand- or catapult-launched mini-UAV designed to support search and rescue, surveillance and patrol operations in amphibious and maritime environments. It is ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  AR4

  The AR4 is a hand-launched mini-UAS designed for rapid mobile deployment. Manufactured by Tekever, the UAS is suitable for both military and commercial ISTAR applications.  A ...

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8N

  The PT-8D is an IR system from Overwatch Imaging. It is fitted with multiple HD thermal cameras and has been designed to conduct missions at dusk ...

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8D

  Marketed as a cost-effective solution, the PT-8D is a wide-area search and ISR payload from Overwatch Imaging. It features an RGB colour camera and a ...

• Subsystems: hardware

  Maritime Console

  The Discovery Machine Maritime Console can create highly intelligent entities for use in simulated training events. It is designed to work with the USN Joint ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  FlyingFish Maritime

  The FlyingFish Maritime SIGINT system is one of several derivatives of the FlyingFish Airborne Satellite Monitoring System developed by Horizon Technologies. Designed to be mounted ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  SitaWare Maritime

  Developed by Systematic, SitaWare Maritime is a C4ISR system that emphasises interoperability, the ability to provide a recognised maritime picture, and data-led decision-making aids. According ...

• Maritime patrol

  Cessna Maritime Patrol

  The Cessna 'special mission' Maritime Patrol Aircraft is a variant of the Cessna Citation Longitude business jet developed by Textron aviation. Textron has stated the onboard systems, ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Torch-X Maritime

  Produced by Elbit Systems, the Torch-X Maritime is a combat management system which combines mature COTS components into an open-architecture C4I suite. Notably, the system ...

• Data links

  Maritime Tactical Data Link

  The Maritime Tactical Data Link (MTDL) is a developmental tactical data link by Hanwha Systems. Offered in 16 configurations, the system is based on the ...