• Uncrewed Vehicles

  CH-5 ready for series production

  18th July 2017

  The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) flew its first serial production version of the CH-5 UAV on 14 July, the flight occurring in …

• Land Warfare

  India test fires QRSAM

  6th July 2017

  India has successfully test-fired the indigenously-developed Quick Reaction Surface-To-Air Missile (QRSAM) at the Chandipur integrated test range off the Odisha coast, the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced …

• Defence Notes

  First firing for MBDA’s Sea Venom

  7th July 2017

  MBDA’s Sea Venom/ANL anti-ship missile has successfully completed its first firing at the Île du Levant test range in France, the company announced on 4 …

• Defence Notes

  Paris Air Show: Kenya close to ‘Longsword’ contract

  23rd June 2017

  L3 Technologies expects to receive a contract to supply 12 new AT-802L ‘Longsword’ light-attack aircraft to Kenya later this year, after an FMS case was …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Unmanned MCM capabilities showcased

  21st June 2017

  A complete unmanned mine counter measure (MCM) detect-to-engage mission has been demonstrated at the Belgium Navy’s North Sea Unmanned MCM Trials (BE NSU). The 11 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australia set for Wasp infestation

  1st June 2017

  Australia is investing A$101 million (US$75 million) in AeroVironment Wasp AE UAVs, with this money allocated for the first of two tranches to be acquired …

• Naval Warfare

  IAI to deliver LRSAM systems to India

  23rd May 2017

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will supply the Barak-8 Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile System (LRSAM) for four Indian Navy ships under a $630 million contract announced …

• Naval Warfare

  IMDEX Asia: Kairos assembles marine product potpourri

  18th May 2017

  Kairos Singapore Holdings, a maritime equipment distributor within Southeast Asia, is promoting several products at IMDEX Asia 2017. One is the Splashdrone III, described by its …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2017: Lessons to learn from manned aviation

  10th May 2017

  Commercial unmanned operations could benefit by analysing safety and regulatory requirements of manned aviation and incorporating some process into their business, according to Jon Damush, …

• Military Logistics

  First Pegasus delivery and Japanese contract before year end

  17th May 2017

  Boeing expects to deliver the first of its KC-46A PegasusKC-46A Pegasus multi-role tankers to the US Air Force (USAF) by the end of 2017 as …

• Naval Warfare

  Singapore commissions first LMV

  5th May 2017

  The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) commissioned its first Independence-class Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV) on 5 May, with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong performing the …

• Land Warfare

  MoD tests Thermoteknix night vision kit

  26th April 2017

  Thermoteknix Systems' night vision and thermal imaging equipment has been tested by the UK defence forces during the Army Warfighting Experiment (AWE) 2017.Products tested included …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Singpost comes onboard for Skyways

  19th April 2017

  Airbus Helicopters has signed Singapore Post (SingPost) as its logistics partner for its Skyways aerial unmanned parcel delivery system, the company announced on 18 April.Airbus …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MQ-8C undertakes first flight aboard LCS

  17th April 2017

  Northrop Grumman's MQ-8C Fire Scout has successfully completed its first flight aboard a US Navy Independence class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), USS Montgomery (LCS-8), the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Predator B flies with radar warning receiver

  12th April 2017

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA‑ASI) has demonstrated a Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) on the Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper Block 5 UAS in a flight trial from …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Project Vixen [UK]

  Programme 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 ...

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

  Akinci [Pakistan]

  Programme Background 'Brotherly Ties'  On 14 January 2022, the Pakistan government unveiled its first-ever National Security Policy. As reported by Shephard, the policy emphasised 'brotherly ties' with ...

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

  V-Bat 128 [Canada]

  Programme Background Requirement Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) was seeking a platform for the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) that would significantly expand its surveillance range ...

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

  Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) Project [Japan]

  Programme Background Requirement The Japanese Coast Guard (JCG) operated a few dozen Chinese-made UAVs that conducted SAR and surveillance activities. The drones performed well and ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Camcopter S-100 [Greece]

  Programme Background Trails A 2 August 2021 Schiebel press release announced the company had demonstrated the Camcopter S-100's capabilities to the Hellenic Navy. The UAV was ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Multi-Purpose Vessels (MPVs) (1-2) [India]

  Programme Background Requirements The units will perform multi-role support functions such as maritime surveillance & patrol, launching/recovery of torpedoes and operation of various types of ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Multi-Role Vehicle (Protected) (MRV-P) Package 1 (UK)

  Programme Background Requirement The MRV-P programme was intended to procure replacements for a diverse fleet of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles purchased during the wars in Iraq ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  RQ-7B Shadow v2 Block III (USA)

  Programme Background The first iteration of the Shadow UAS, the Shadow 600, was first introduced in 1992 and since then Textron has had a longstanding ...

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

  DEF129 (Small UAS Plus) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The army wanted up to 17 SUAS+ systems with a life of six years. The tender said the UAV would be issued ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  4x4 Armoured Vehicle (Unknown)

  Programme Background The Estonian military wants to replace its fleet of soft-skin troop transports with 4x4 and 6x6 armoured vehicles. This will improve the survivability ...

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

  Hermes 900 StarLiner [Switzerland]

  Background Contract Information In September 2015, under the Reconnaissance Drone System 15 (ADS 15), the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (VBS) awarded Elbit ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [Japan]

  Programme Background Appreciation of Loitering Munitions After years of not operating loitering munitions and armed UAVs, Japan's position towards them has changed. Belatedly, the MoD realised ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Heavy IFV [Poland]

  Programme Background Requirement Due to the perceived threat from Russia and the conflict in Ukraine, Poland has accelerated and expanded its plans to modernise its ...

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

  Project Vampire [UK]

  Programme Background Prior RN Tests Project Vampire began in 2021, before the January 2022 Phase 1 tender announcement. In September 2021, as part of Vampire, a Banshee ...

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

  Indian-Made MALE UAV [India]

  Programme Background Requirements As of late 2023, the Indian tri-service plan was reportedly to acquire 155 indigenously produced MALE UAVs alongside 31 MQ-9B drones from General Atomics (GA-ASI), ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Medium UGVs

  Mission Master XT

  Part of Rheinmetall's Mission Master family, The Mission Mater Extreme Terrain, or Mission Master XT, is a rugged UGV designed to accompany troops in challenging environments ...

• Matternet M2

  The Matternet M2 quadcopter UAV has been certified by the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation for full logistics operations over cities. The platform is ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Tigon

  Hanwha Defense Systems selected DSA 2018 in Kuala Lumpur as the location to unveil its Tigon 6x6 armoured wheeled vehicle. The company conducted a fortnight-long ...

• Military - USVs

  Sentinel - Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT)

  Sentinel is an autonomous uncrewed surface vessel (USV) built from the decommissioned HMAS Maitland , a former Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Armidale-class Patrol Boat.

• LTVs - 4x4

  VOS-APP

  The Arquus VOS-APP is a 6x6 support vehicle currently under trial with the French SOF. Acting as a replacement for the 1970s-vintage ACMAT VLRA, the VOS-APP is the ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  KUS-VT tiltrotor

  The KUS-VT is a tiltrotor UAV that first flew in October 2013 and was exhibited at ADEX 2013. The aircraft is designed to have a ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  M1150 ABV

  The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) project, launched by the USMC in 2002, is a joint programme to meet the requirements of both the US ...

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

  HQ-60

  Similarly to other platforms in the L3 Technologies Hybrid Quadrotor (HQ) and Fixed-Wing Rotator family (see separate entries) of VTOL fixed-wing UAVs, the HQ-60 has ...

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

  Gray Eagle STOL / Mojave

  Unveiled in December 2021, the Mojave is a MALE UAV demonstrator aircraft. The Gray Eagle STOL, or GE STOL, is a production variant of the demonstrator. It ...

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

  Archer

  The Archer is a short-range UAV being developed for India by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).  Based on the Rustom I and inspired by Bayrakar's ...

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

  Flamingo Mk3

  The Flamingo Mk3 entered production in July 2017 and is based on the Flamingo Mk2. The Mk3 has been designed to provide a 65% increase ...

• Loitering munitions

  Mace

  Mace is a loitering munition developed by UAC, a Czech-Ukrainian company that is a subsidiary of DeViro. The electric-powered, catapult-launched UAV can host various warheads, including HEAT, thermobaric and ...

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

  United 40 Block-5

  The United 40 was unveiled at the Dubai Airshow 2011 and is a MALE UAV with a twin-wing configuration and a hybrid turbine-electric engine. The ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Samarthak Class

  The Samarthak-class consists of two Multi-Purpose Vessels (MPVs) being built by Larsen & Toubro for the Indian Navy. The ships will perform multi-role support functions such as maritime ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Phantom 380-X1

  The Phantom 380-X1 is a 4x4 multipurpose armoured vehicle produced by Thailand's Panus. It is powered by a six-cylinder turbo engine with an undercarriage capable ...