• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall Lynx aims for more customers

  8th December 2022

  With production now under way for launch customer Hungary, Rheinmetall is targeting a number of new market opportunities for its Lynx infantry fighting vehicle, including requirements in Greece and Italy.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UMS Skeldar UAS demos detect and avoid capabilities

  2nd November 2022

  Detect and avoid capabilities open doors to allowing UAS of all types to fly in unrestricted civilian airspace more freely.

• Training

  Spot the real enemy (Opinion)

  26th September 2022

  A sequence of damaging news stories emerged about the RAF in August while the UK was left without a functioning government. While all matters deserve scrutiny, issues with the pilot training pipeline are the ones that can truly affect UK security with no effective solutions on the horizon. Instead of blaming diversity for an inadequate training intake, the enduring problems should be examined.

• Air Warfare

  Russia developing home-grown Switchblade equivalent, footage suggests

  23rd November 2022

  Evidence suggests individual groups of Russian military advisers are circumventing traditional state procurement channels to get new weapon systems such as loitering munitions into the hands of Donbas militias.

• Defence Helicopter

  Northrop Grumman expands knowledge base for UH-60V digital helicopter cockpit

  24th November 2022

  Northrop Grumman will provide UH-60V Black Hawk engineering support services as part of a KBR-led contract awarded by the DoD Information Analysis Center.

• Land Warfare

  Germany orders TGS 8x4 vehicles for airfield refuelling

  20th September 2022

  Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles is supplying up to 53 airfield refuelling vehicles for the German Army and German Air Force.

• Air Warfare

  Paramount hails first orders for Mwari

  21st September 2022

  The Mwari turboprop ISR/light attack aircraft ‘has a critical role to play in the connected battlefield’, according to manufacturer Paramount.

• Defence Notes

  Raytheon and Northrop Grumman set out 'overmatch' blueprint for hypersonic cruise missile

  27th September 2022

  After jointly receiving a new hypersonic missile prototype contract, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman are confident the weapon can be developed and designed to provide USAF with overmatch capabilities.

• Naval Warfare

  Italy eyes naval drone carrier opportunities under Project Sciamano

  8th December 2022

  Italy has revealed details of a new programme to develop a naval vessel designed to act as a mothership for uncrewed systems.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SpearUAV unveils encapsulated Viper loitering munition

  7th October 2022

  SpearUAV has launched a Viper loitering munition designed to strike 'soft' targets and built within a 'smart' capsule.

• Training

  US awards helicopter training contracts for domestic and international programmes

  4th November 2022

  The US Navy has awarded contracts for training equipment to support the USMC's CH-53K programme and the Czech Republic's UH-1Y and AH-1Z fleets.

• Land Warfare

  Motorola Solutions takes over Australian radio firm Barrett Communications

  16th August 2022

  A well-established Australian radio manufacturer has been bought out by an American communications company.

• Training

  AUSA 2022: Cubic introduces new indirect fire training systems

  13th October 2022

  Appetite in the US – and elsewhere – to improve both direct and indirect fire training has grown. Cubic is closely engaged with the US Army to improve and expand simulations and training system on both areas.

• Air Warfare

  B-21 still makes ‘good progress’ towards possible first flight this year

  16th September 2022

  The USAF says the B-21 Raider bomber — currently in the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase — is on track for initial deliveries in the mid-2020s.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Final delivery of Danish autonomous MCM system imminent

  22nd September 2022

  The Royal Danish Navy is boosting its autonomous mine countermeasures capabilities by procuring new uncrewed underwater systems.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  PC-21 (Project Air 5428) [Australia]

  The new PTS, including aircraft, flight training simulators and learning environments is being acquired from a single capability contractor, Team 21, which consists of Lockheed ...

• Transport, Transport/tanker aircraft

  Project Air 7404 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement Australia is thinking ahead to an enlarged transport fleet to replace the current C-130Js. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was the second ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A (Project Air 6000 Phase 2A/B) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) took delivery of 18 F-35A aircraft as of March 2020 and the remaining aircraft are expected to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (5-6) [Australia]

  Background Four Contracted Units In the summer of 2020, Northrop Grumman announced that the Australian Government provided $333 million for three MQ-4C Tritons and associated GCS. ...

• Data links

  Data links | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (13-14) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [Australia]

  Background Older Efforts On 23 April 2021, the US State Department's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) approval announcement revealed that Australia had requested to buy up ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Project Air 7003 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

• OPVs

  Arafura Class (Project SEA 1180) (1-6) [Australia]

  Programme Background Australia's new class of Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), the Arafura-class, will replace the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) fleet of Armidale and Cape-class patrol ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (11-12) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-28 Ghost Bat [Australia]

  Background Goal As stated by the Head of Air Force Capability, Air Vice-Marshal Robert Denney, in March 2022, the Ghost Bat will be an "operational system ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Project Vixen [UK]

  Background Project Goal The Royal Navy uses Leonardo crewed Merlin (AW101) helicopters fitted with CROWSNEST pods to provide airborne early warning capabilities for carriers. An early 2021 Royal ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Air-5416 Project Echidna

  Air-5416 Project Echidna was an initiative launched in 2001 by BAE Systems for the Australian DoD. Its goal was to overhaul the self protection systems ...

• Trainer

  King Air trainer

  Textron / Beechcraft King Air trainers are a family twin-engine aircraft based on King Air 90, 100, 200 and 350 utility aircraft. The King Air ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Australian Defence Force MRH90 Training

  As prime contractor for the ADF's MRH90 training programme, CAE has provided two MRH90 full-flight mission simulators (FFMS), training facilities and engineering and support services. ...

• AMAS

  AMAS – Australian Minesweeping System – was developed with the assistance of the Defence Science & Technology Organisation and the Royal Australian Navy. It adopts ...

• Military - USVs

  Bluebottle

  Bluebottle is a persistent, autonomous, uncrewed surface vessel from Ocius Technology in service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF).

• Air: air combat simulators

  RAAF Hawk Mk 127 FMS

  Under subcontract to BAE Systems, CAE is designing and manufacturing three Hawk Mk 127 full-mission simulators (FMS) for the Royal Australian Air Force that will ...

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

  Wanderer

  The Wanderer is a low-altitude, low-cost, long-endurance UAV produced in-house by the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) Jericho Disruptive Innovation Group and the Australian Government's Defense Science ...

• Light attack

  Hawk 200

  The Hawk 200 is a single-seat light attack iteration of the Hawk 100 (see separate entry) and Advanced Jet Trainer or AJT (see separate entry). ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-28A Ghost Bat

  The MQ-28A Ghost Bat is a loyal wingman-type, Collobrative Combat Aircraft (CCA), MALE fixed-wing drone being developed by Boeing Defence Australia. Its development began in 2013 and took its ...

• Maritime patrol

  Challenger 604

  Bombardier Challenger CL-604 MPAs are in service with the Royal Danish Air Force and the Korea Coast Guard. The first of three Danish aircraft entered ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  Predator Mission Trainer (PMT)

  The CAE Predator Mission Trainer (PMT) is an integrated platform that combines the features of CAE's UAS mission trainer with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' Predator-specific ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  AN/ALR-2001

  BAE Systems’ AN/ALR-2001 Electronic Support Measure (ESM) is thought to be based on Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Elta Systems division’s EL/M-8382 ESM. The AN/ALR-2001 is ...

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

  M Solar-X

  First revealed in August 2020, in February 2024, at its symposium, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) showcased the M Solar-X. This solar-powered fixed-wing drone was ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Phantom 4 (Series)

  Designed for aerial photograph applications by DJI, the Phantom 4 series of UAVs includes the Phantom 4 Pro, Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, Phantom 4 Advanced ...

• Submarine-launched torpedoes

  Mk 48 Mod 7AT CBASS

  The MK 48 MOD 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) is the latest variant of the Mk 48 torpedo family manufactured by Lockheed Martin and ...