• Digital Battlespace

  Podcast: Five Eyes Connectivity - Tactical data links

  26th September 2019

  Welcome to Shephard Studio’s special series on Five Eyes Connectivity, sponsored by our partner Viasat.  Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more. In the Five Eyes Connectivity podcast …

• Training

  Taiwan rolls out jet trainer prototype

  25th September 2019

  The Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) rolled out a prototype of Taiwan’s new advanced jet trainer (AJT) on 24 September, in a ceremony witnessed by …

• Naval Warfare

  Carrier Strike Group forms for the first time

  30th September 2019

  The UK's HMS Queen Elizabeth Carrier Strike Group has formed for the first time on the Westlant 19 deployment, the Royal Navy announced on 26 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Leidos to provide US Army ISR aircraft support

  18th September 2019

  Leidos will provide aircraft ISR support services to the US Army under a new task order announced on 16 September. The single award task order, …

• Defence Notes

  A-Darter missile issued type certificate

  1st October 2019

  A type certificate for the South African/Brazilian A-Darter infrared short-range air-to-air missile has been granted, marking the completion of development of the system.  The certification …

• Land Warfare

  ADEX 2019: Hanwha unveils first prototype of deadly Redback

  16th October 2019

  On the opening day of Seoul ADEX 2019, Hanwha Defense unveiled its first AS21 Redback IFV to the public. Such is the prestige of the …

• Digital Battlespace

  More ALR-69A radar receivers for KC-46A

  25th September 2019

  Raytheon will supply 111 ALR-69A systems, including spares, for installation on the US Air Force's KC-46 Pegasus tanker, the company announced on 24 September. Under …

• Naval Warfare

  Taiwan upgrades old submarine ahead of new-build project

  2nd October 2019

  The Republic of China Navy (ROCN) showed its submarine ROCS Hai Shih to media at a Keelung naval base in late September after a significant …

• Digital Battlespace

  Advanced EOTS development continues

  18th September 2019

  Lockheed Martin is continuing development of the Advanced Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) for the F-35 Lightning II aircraft. Advanced EOTS is designed with a larger aperture …

• Naval Warfare

  Bangladesh receives final Indonesian-designed patrol boats

  16th September 2019

  North Sea Boats, the trading name for the Indonesian shipbuilder PT Lundin, has completed delivery of the final examples of 18 fast patrol boats for …

• Land Warfare

  Switzerland completes GBAD sensor assessments

  3rd October 2019

  Switzerland has completed sensor evaluation testing of the two downselected systems that are competing for the nation’s long-range ground-based air defence system programme.  Conducted at …

• Naval Warfare

  Pacific 2019: Australian frigates sit in a timing ‘sweet spot’

  9th October 2019

  The Project Sea 5000 Phase 1 programme delivering nine Future Frigates to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is in something of a sweet spot in …

• Naval Warfare

  Thai navy’s new OPV enters service

  3rd October 2019

  A new OPV entered Royal Thai Navy (RTN) service on 27 September, with the modernised design giving more punch and performance. As well as being …

• Defence Notes

  LCA edges towards preferred choice for Indian carriers

  18th September 2019

  The first arrested landing of a Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) technology demonstrator without a payload at the shore-based test facility at Goa proved successful. This …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Pacific 2019: Skeldar looks farther ahead in Australia

  10th October 2019

  UMS Skeldar exhibited a Skeldar V-200 UAV fitted with an eight-camera ViDAR optical radar from Sentient Vision Systems at the Pacific International Maritime Exhibition in …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  IAR-99 Replacement (Romania)

  On 29 August 2017, Leonardo announced that the IAR-99 trainer technology demonstrator (TD) will be fitted with company's Vixen 500E AESA radar. The Vixen 500E AESA ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Multirole Fighter [Morocco]

  Programme Background 2019 In March 2019, the US State Department announced that it had approved a possible FMS of 25 F-16V Block 72 aircraft to ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement Turkish Air Force ordered 100 F-35A aircraft as a partner nation, however, the country was removed from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW101-Norway

  AgustaWestland is also providing initial support and training services, including spares at each of the operating bases and aircrew training. It will then provide performance ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Horizon 2 - Multirole Fighter Programme [Philippines]

  Programme Background Requirement The Philippines wants a fighter able to perform score missions such as air-to-air combat, air-to-ground tasks and reconnaissance, including over water. It ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Project Halcon I [Spain]

  Programme Background The Spanish Air Force began requirements assessments, although potential suppliers including Boeing (F/A-18E/F), Lockheed Martin (F-35), Airbus-BAE-Leonardo (Eurofighter Typhoon) are already engaged with ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15SA Saudi Arabia

  The aircraft deal includes 170 APG-63(v)3 AESA radar sets, 193 F-110-GE-129 Improved Performance Engines, 100 M61 Vulcan Cannons, 338 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems amongst ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Multi Role Combat Aircraft [Bangladesh]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) continues its quest to acquire a new multirole combat aircraft. Under the country’s Forces Goal 2030 plan, which ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V (9-16) [Bulgaria]

  Programme Background In April 2022, the US State Department approved a potential FMS worth $1.673 million to procure eight F-16Vs to Bulgaria. The aircraft are ...

• Fighter - multirole

  H-X Fighter Programme [Finland]

  Programme Background In June 2020, Finnish MoD announced that the Hornet fleet life extension programme is neither cost-effective solution nor sufficient in terms of Finland’s ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A [Denmark]

  Programme Background  Denmark joined the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program in 2002 during the System Development and Demonstration phase and has influenced technical elements ...

• AEW&C

  AEW&C Aircraft [India]

  Programme Background India is planning to increase its AEW&C; capabilities with indigenous radar systems.  A330 Bid In 2015, the IAF has requested to procure six ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  M-SHORAD Increment 1 [USA]

  Background The US Army is developing a new maneuver short-range air defense system (M-SHORAD) to perform short-range air defense (SHORAD). Under this programme, there are ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Project Quadriga [Germany]

  Programme Background Under Project Quadriga, Berlin is seeking a replacement for its 33 Typhoon Tranche 1. Furthermore, Germany is offering its Tranche 1 fleet to ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)

  Programme Background Five prototypes will be manufactured for developmental tests. Indian Air Force will buy 36 AMCA Mark-I aircraft from 2029-30. The Mark-I configuration will ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-83 SABR

  The AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) is an active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar being developed by Northrop Grumman using its own ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V Block 70/72

  The F-16 Block 70/72, also referred to as the F-16V, is a fourth-generation multirole fighter aircraft. It is the latest version of Lockheed Martin's F-16 ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Raven ES-05

  The Raven ES-05 is an AESA fire-control radar developed by Leonardo in close collaboration with Saab for the Gripen E/F. It features a repositionable AESA ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-81

  AN/APG-81 is operating in the X-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar designed by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems for the F-35 “Lightning” all-weather ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-63(V)2

  The AN/APG-63(V)2 is a significant radar upgrade for the U.S. Air Force F-15C aircraft. This upgrade replaces the mechanically-scanned antenna (MSA) with an AESA antenna,  ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-68

  The AN/APG-68 is a pulse-Doppler radar with increased range, modes, and resolution compared to the APG-66 radar. The F-16C/D Block 25 was the first Fighting ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-82(V)1

  The AN/APG-82(V)1 is an X-band active electronically scanned array radar system that combines the AN/APG-79 processor with the AESA antenna of the AN/APG-63(V)3. The system ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  USAF F-16 Training System

  L3Harris Technologies is supporting approximately 180 F-16 pilot and maintenance trainers as part of the USAF’s F-16 Training System. Programme contract options extend through 2019. ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16C/D Block 25, 30/32, 40/42

  The F-16C/D ('C' one-seat, 'D' two-seat designation) is the second generation of the F-16 Fighting Falcon family. The production of the F-16C/D began in 1983 with ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16C/D Block 50/52/52+

  A member of the F-16 Fighting Falcon family, the F-16C/D Block 50/52 ('C' single-seat, 'D' dual-seat) is a third-generation multirole fighter that was rolled out ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-76

  The AN/APG-76 is a Ku-band multimode radar system providing high-resolution synthetic aperture radar capabilities with moving target indicator overlays. The system was developed primarily for ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-79

  The AN/APG-79 is an agile beam radar with a solid-state digital array that scans at nearly the speed of light, enabling detection and tracking of ...

• Air: Displays

  F-16 Center Pedestal Display

  Produced by Elbit Systems of America, the F-16 Center Pedestal Display (CPD) provides a high-resolution colour display that replaces several legacy instruments on F-16 aircraft. 

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-63(V)3

  The AN/APG-63(V)3 is the latest advancement Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) upgrade of the APG-63 radar family, initially fielded on the F-15C/D Eagle. Evolving from the ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-77

  The AN/APG-77 is a low-probability-of-intercept fire control radar for the F-22 Raptor. It is designed to significantly improve capability in air-to-air combat, allowing the pilot ...