• Special Operations

  AFSOC to procure additional A-29 Super Tucano

  12th May 2020

  USAF Special Operations Command (AFSOC) is to procure an additional A-29 Super Tucano from Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC). The aircraft will be used for Combat …

• Naval Warfare

  Hero-30 undergoes successful maritime trial

  23rd June 2020

  The Hero-30 portable loitering munition has completed a successful trial with an unnamed NATO navy. ‘Successfully withstanding all trial objectives, the system demonstrated compatibility [with] …

• Training

  Meggitt Training Systems wins Canadian training contract

  8th June 2020

  Meggitt Training Systems has won a $4.4 million contract extension to provide in-service support for its Small Arms Trainer (SAT) and Indirect Fire Trainer (IFT) …

• Land Warfare

  Germany to procure MG4 A3 from 2021

  19th June 2020

  Amid continued efforts to improve the lethality of the German armed forces, the Bundeswehr recently released images of paratroopers from Zweibrücken training with the new …

• Land Warfare

  Spanish Army will acquire new sniper rifles

  26th June 2020

  The Spanish Army is to procure 27 new semi-automatic sniper rifles, as it continues efforts to strengthen its small arms inventory. The service intends to …

• Air Warfare

  Sweden hits deadlock over new defence spending plans

  26th June 2020

  Cross party political talks in Sweden addressing future defence funding have collapsed, following disagreement over whether additional money should be approved. The Swedish government will …

• Training

  CAE helo training triggers protest

  14th May 2020

  The US Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command (MICC) in Fort Eustis, Virginia, has awarded Tampa-based CAE USA a $11.12 million contract for advanced helicopter …

• Digital Battlespace

  Leonardo IPSA 6 continues E-SCAN radar tests

  1st June 2020

  Leonardo’s ISPA (Instrumented Series Production Aircraft) 6 has joined other Eurofighter Typhoon test aircraft with the E-SCAN radar after a lay-up period in November 2019. …

• Naval Warfare

  BAE Systems to oversee USN identification and data link systems

  19th June 2020

  BAE Systems on 18 June was awarded a $85.91 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract by the USN Air Warfare Centre Aircraft Division. The contract …

• Defence Notes

  Pentagon confirms economic assistance for Ukraine

  12th June 2020

  The US DoD confirmed on 11 June that it plans to provide $250 million in FY2020 Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds. The package will …

• Training

  NATO holds Spring Storm exercise in Estonia

  11th May 2020

  NATO on 8 May concluded its latest Spring Storm exercise, which saw live-fire training take place at a firing range with co-operation between infantry and …

• Defence Notes

  Great power competition in the frozen North poses tough questions for UK

  12th June 2020

  The Arctic may be known for its freezing temperatures, but it is hard to escape the conclusion that in strategic terms, the temperature is rising …

• Land Warfare

  Czechs hold final S-10M2D firing drill

  19th June 2020

  The Army of the Czech Republic on 19 June announced it has conducted its last ever live-fire exercise involving the Cold War-vintage S-10M2D anti-aircraft missile …

• Defence Notes

  X-37B blasts off on latest mission

  18th May 2020

  The US Space Force (USSF) on 17 May completed the sixth mission launch of the Boeing-built X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), as part of the …

• Air Warfare

  Chemring Australia secures F-35 counter-measure flares contract

  28th May 2020

  Australia’s MoD confirmed on 27 May that Chemring Australia had recently secured a $US107.5 million contract for the production and delivery of countermeasure flares for …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15EX - USAF (Announced)

  Programme Background The F-15EX will be based on the 2-seat F-15QA (Qatar) configuration upgraded with USAF-only capabilities, including the Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15EX - USAF (Contracted)

  Programme Background USAF is looking to procure 144 F-15EX fighter aircraft, including two RDTE configurations and six low-rate initial production aircraft. F-15EX will replace ageing ...

• 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 ...

• AEW&C

  E-7A Wedgetail (USA - Forecast)

  Programme Background Speaking on 21 September 2021 during the annual Air Force Association (AFA) Meeting in Washington DC, USAF Chief of Staff Gen Charles Brown ...

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

  Loyal Wingman (Forecast) [Sweden]

  Programme Background Konceptet Framtidens Stridsflyg (KFS) In May 2024, Saab revealed the initial details of Sweden's Konceptet Framtidens Stridsflyg (KFS), translating to a future fighter aircraft ...

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

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) (Increment 2) [USAF]

  Background Requirements The baseline requirements for Increment 2 of the CCA effort are similar to Increment 1, which is covered in a separate entry on Defence ...

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

  Teal 2 [USAF]

  Programme Background On 8 August 2023, Teal Drones announced it had received a $2.6 million deal for 172 Teal 2 UAVs, spare parts and training from ...

• ISR/special mission

  P-1 EW [Japan]

  Programme Background Requirement Japan has operated the EP-3, a COMINT/SIGINT/ELINT configuration of the P-3 Orion, since 1993. As of 2024, the Japanese MoD maintains that these aircraft ...

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

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) (Increment 1) [USAF]

  Background Requirements The programme's requirements are based on the USAF's belief that it requires mass to compete effectively with an adversary in symmetrical warfare. However, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  MH-139 (UH-1N Huey Replacement)

  Other bidders included Sikorsky with HH-60U offer and Sierra Nevada with upgrading offer of UH-60As to UH-60L configuration.In February 2018, Leonardo filed a protest to ...

• 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 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15QA Qatar

  Programme BackgroundOn 17 November 2016, the US State Department announced that it has approved a possible FMS of 72 F-15QA aircraft to Qatar for an ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | P-1 EW [Japan]

  Japan is advancing its electronic warfare (EW) capabilities through the development of an EW version of the domestically produced Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft. The ...

• Data links

  Data links | P-1 EW [Japan]

  Japan is advancing its electronic warfare (EW) capabilities through the development of an EW version of the domestically produced Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft. The ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | P-1 EW [Japan]

  Japan is advancing its electronic warfare (EW) capabilities through the development of an EW version of the domestically produced Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft. The ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: maintenance simulators

  F-22 Training Devices

  TRU Simulation + Training F-22 MTD programme includes three training devices that provide USAF students at Sheppard AFB, Texas, with maintenance training on landing gear, ...

• EW Training Support System (Battlelab)

  EW Training Support System is a Training & Simulation Center a leading-edge training facility dedicated to teaching and training personnel in the Electronic Warfare field. ...

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

  EX-3 Revenant

  The EX-3 Revenant is a developmental fixed-wing aircraft being developed by Exosonic. It is a Mach 1.2 supersonic UAV designed to be a 5th-generation representative, modular, autonomous ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  USAF KC-135 ATS

  The KC-135 Aircrew Training System (ATS) programme delivers initial qualification, requalification, continuation and upgrades training for USAF KC-135 aircrews, including pilots, co-pilots and boom operators. ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  T-1 Jayhawk

  FlightSafety operates and maintains T-1 training devices as part of its CLS contract. Air Education and Training Command uses these high-fidelity simulators and part-task trainers ...

• Training Services

  GFD (Gesellschaft für Flugzieldarstellung) is an Airbus subsidiary providing target demonstration, live EW training, forward air controller training, test and evaluation flights. GFD trains German ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Air Combat Training

  Boeing has experience in delivering training for fixed-wing air combat platforms including F-15C/E, F-16, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G, F-22 and MV/CV-22.

• ISR/special mission

  EA-37B Compass Call

  The EA-37B (also known as EC-37B) is a Compass Call EW aircraft based on the commercial G550 platform. The USAF is now transitioning the EW capabilities previously ...

• EW test systems

  JTE

  The Joint Threat Emitter (JTE) is a multi-threat, high-fidelity simulator with realistic ERP levels, which simulates single- and double-digit surface-to-air and anti-aircraft artillery radar systems. ...

• ISR/special mission

  EC-130H Compass Call

  The EC-130H is an EW aircraft based on the modified C-130H transport aircraft. It is used by the USAF to disrupt enemy command and control communications ...

• Naval: COMINT and ELINT systems

  EW Center

  The Electronic Warfare Center is an operational support system for pre-and post-mission activities. The system handles various types of EW functions (ESM, ECM etc), for ...

• Trainer

  T-38 Talon

  Developed by Northrop Grumman, the T-38 Talon is an advanced trainer aircraft introduced into service in 1961. The T-38 has the same basic airframe as ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  JPRWRS

  The Joint Portable Radar Warning Receiver Stimulator (JPRWRS) has been developed as a method of providing fixed- and rotary-wing aircrews with a low-cost, open-air threat ...

• EW test systems

  ELT A62

  ELT A62 product family deals with multiple sensors of EW equipment suites. ELT A62 is a training system for EW personnel that can be sea-, ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  T-38C Talon

  FlightSafety supports nearly 40 T-38 training devices as part of its contract for logistics support for the T-38. The T-38C is a converted T-38A/B that ...