• Air Warfare

  Paris Air Show 2025: Poland orders Apache targeting systems and will establish local support facility

  17th June 2025

  In 2024, Poland agreed to purchase 96 Boeing AH-64E Apache combat helicopters in a deal worth as much as US$12 billion. The deal included 97 AN/ASQ-170 modernised target acquisition and designation sight/AN/AAR-11 modernised pilot night vision sensors (M-TADS/PNVS).

• Air Warfare

  BAE Systems lauds counter-UAS drone progression with live fire trials

  18th July 2025

  The US-based tests successfully demonstrated the first live trial of a precision guided missile from a modified TRV-150 drone which destroyed both aerial and ground targets.

• Defence Notes

  US military foresees growing use of 3D printing

  13th November 2025

  Advanced manufacturing has evolved to meet military requirements and now supports multiple US critical assets, including Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, F-18, F-22, F-35, Bradley, HMMWV and Patriot.

• Air Warfare

  Poland reassesses equipment priorities as S-70i Black Hawk acquisition stopped

  9th June 2025

  The country first entered negotiations for the procurement of Black Hawk helicopters in 2023. Now, the reassessment marks a shift in the country’s military equipment and strategic needs in light of the Ukraine conflict.

• Air Warfare

  Airbus, Babcock and CAE partner for Poland helicopter training requirement

  19th May 2025

  Poland first issued a requirement for up to 24 helicopters and associated training systems in January 2024.

• Land Warfare

  US Army modernisation plans raise big concerns for lawmakers

  25th June 2025

  The termination of programmes such as JLTV and RCV has been harshly criticised by members of the US Congress.

• Air Warfare

  Avalon 2025: Australia set to receive Apaches as Tiger retirement begins

  25th March 2025

  After giving European Tiger attack helicopters and NH90 large utility helicopters a chance to meet Australian needs, which encountered problems, the country has turned back to the US for Apaches and Black Hawks, respectively.

• Air Warfare

  Boeing delivers last Apache AH-64E Guardian attack helicopter to British Army

  6th March 2025

  The helicopters have been remanufactured using common parts from the British Army AH-64 MkI fleet with the 17 not being converted going for a range of uses such as engineering, ground handling and other training.

• Land Warfare

  US approves $825 million sale of Stinger Block I missiles to Morocco

  17th April 2025

  The 600-missiles will be used to expand the Moroccan armed forces’ short range air defence capabilities.

• Land Warfare

  Axe swings on US Army procurements

  6th May 2025

  The US Army was undergoing a large refresh of its land vehicles but this seems to have come to a whiplash stop. Procurements have been reduced, legacy vehicles and systems are on the chopping block and even the number of Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs) is under threat.

• Air Warfare

  Australian Army aviation veers heavily towards the US

  11th March 2025

  Sikorsky’s UH-60M Black Hawk and Boeing’s AH-46 Apache will soon form the bedrock of the Australian Army’s rotorcraft capabilities, as the army awaits further delivery of both types.

• Air Warfare

  Avalon 2025: General Atomics combat drone to fly before August and will be targeted at Australian requirements

  25th March 2025

  General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) landed the big win when it was awarded Project Air 7003. Despite the cancellation in 2022, however, the company sees potential in the Australian market.

• Air Warfare

  Avalon 2025: BAE Systems eyes customers for its Strix after initial flight

  31st March 2025

  The Strix test effort suffered a setback last year when the prototype incurred minor damage in a hard landing during its second trial flight.

• Air Warfare

  Avalon 2025: Australia’s missile and ordnance plans excite companies

  31st March 2025

  Australia’s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) industrial plan is ambitious and promises big spending in an effort to create a local and sovereign capability. Companies at last week’s Australian International Airshow near Melbourne were making their pitches.

• Air Warfare

  Sikorsky advances Black Hawk modernisation with new engine ground tests

  6th February 2025

  The UH-60 helicopter ground run test of the T901 engine is the first in a set of tests for boosting the helicopter’s range and lift capacity. The first flight of the improved engine Black Hawk is anticipated for later in 2025.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache (Follow-On) [Morocco]

  Background Initial FMS request Morocco placed a request in 2019 with the US government for AH-64E Apache attack helicopters. On 20 November 2019, it was ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Project Land 4503 [Australia]

  Programme Background The Australian Army has begun its search for a successor to the Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), with an RfI issued by the ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache [Morocco]

  Background Initial FMS request Morocco placed a request in 2019 with the US government for AH-64E Apache attack helicopters. On 20 November 2019, it was ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache [UK]

  Background According to the MoD, to further ‘guarantee value for money’ systems from the current Apache fleet such as the Modernised Target Acquisition & Designation ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache add on [Israel]

  Background Capability gap Before 7 October 2023, the Israeli MoD was planning to decommission a portion of its AH-64 fleet due to age, but changed ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache (Indian Air Force)

  Programme Background The Indian Army was originally granted co-ownership of the 22 Apaches by the Indian MoD. However, the IAF refused to cede them to ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  T129B [Philippines]

  Programme Background On 31 August 2019, it was announced that the Philippines National Defence Acquisition Decision Memorandum continues with the T-129 procurement. However, on 30 April ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache [Israel]

  Background Capability gap Before 7 October 2023, the Israeli MoD was planning to decommission a portion of its AH-64 fleet due to age, but changed ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Kruk / AH-64E Apache [Poland]

  Background Requirement history In May 2019, Wojciech Skurkiewicz, the Polish deputy defence, released some details on the helicopter programme. Part of Poland's broader defence modernisation plan, ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirement South Korea saught to replace its ageing Bell AH-1F/S Cobra fleet with modern alternatives, almost certainly the AH-64E, although the ROKA originally proposed to ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache (1-24) [Qatar]

  Methodology PGO As this programme is complete, the PGO is 100%.  Units required A total of 24 AH-64E Apache units were required as a part of ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) First Batch (South Korea)

  Programme Background The LAH is the first time that the South Korean OEM has developed an armed helicopter. The project kicked off in June 2015, ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache [Indian Army]

  Programme Background It is a hybrid procurement, as was the 2015 Air Force one (see separate entry), employing both a direct commercial sale with Boeing ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E APACHE [USA]

  Programme Background According to the FY2021 Defense Budget, the US Army procured 81 new-build AH-64E Apaches.The FY2021 Army budget shows 61 prior-year new-build AH-64Es and ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Light Armed Helicopter (Second Batch) [South Korea]

  Programme Background The LAH is the first time that the South Korean OEM has developed an armed helicopter. The project kicked off in June 2015, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - attack

  WAH-64 Apache

  The WAH-64/AH1 Apache is a variant of the Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow, developed and built by Leonardo from 1996 to meet British Army requirements. One ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Apache Longbow Training System

  The Longbow Crew Trainer is the centrepiece of Boeing’s AH-64 Apache training. Pilots and other personnel use the high-fidelity flight simulator to practice aircraft procedures ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64D Apache Longbow

  The AH-64D Apache Longbow is an out-of-production attack helicopter that Boeing manufactured. Boeing delivered the first Apache Longbow in April 1997. From 2012, the Block III ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Collective Training

  Boeing has delivered and operates three USAF F-15C Mission Training Centers (MTCs), three F-15E MTCs and three F-16 MTCs. The F-22 platform was added into ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  SG200-D

  Leonardo's SG200-D radar warning receiver is a UK-specific variant of the Leonardo SEER family. SG200-D is self-protection equipment which detects and identifies emitters in high-density ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  CDAS

  The Common Defensive Aids System (CDAS) is an evolution of the HIDAS and BAKER integrated DAS solutions developed by Leonardo and is designed to protect a ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  Sky Guardian 2000

  Sky Guardian 2000 is a radar warning receiver (RWR) manufactured by Leonardo, originally GEC Marconi Avionics. The RWR forms a part of the Helicopter Integrated ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache Guardian

  The AH-64E is the current configuration of Boeing's Apache attack helicopter. It is the backbone of the US Army attack helicopter fleet and is fielded by several ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar, Air: helicopter radar

  AN/APG-78 Longbow

  The AN/APG-78 Longbow is a Ka-band, low-probability-of-intercept fire control radar equipping the Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow and AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters. According to the ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  Apache 1K

  The Apache 1K is a compact, low-power, integrated camera core designed for space-constrained airborne or ground applications. This commercially developed, military-qualified camera core is based ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  HIDAS

  Leonardo’s Helicopter Integrated Defensive Aids System (HIDAS) combines laser, missile and Radar Warning Receivers, and a Chaff and Flare Dispensing System (CFDS). The system is ...

• Air-to-air missiles

  Starstreak AAM

  The Starstreak AAM is a variant of the Thales hypervelocity SAM. The helicopter-fired ATASK (Air-To-Air Starstreak) was developed in combination with McDonnell-Douglas and Lockheed Martin between 1995 ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  LW30 XM1211 HEP/PROX

  US-based Northrop Grumman's LW30 XM1211 HEP/PROX 30mm High-Explosive Proximity ammunition is a high-explosive round which detonates when close to targets. It is designed to be used with the M230 ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  LW30 XM950 TP

  US-based Northrop Grumman's LW30 XM950 TP 30mm Target Practice ammunition is a training round designed to be used with the M230 chain gun on the AH-64 Apache helicopter.

• EO/IR systems

  M-DSA

  M-DSA is the next step in the sensor modernisation of the M-TADS/PNVS system. Upgraded capabilities support more rapid target identification and coordination, as well as ...