• Digital Battlespace

  EPS CAPS programme on track

  11th August 2016

  The US Air Force’s Enhanced Polar System (EPS) Control and Planning Segment (CAPS) hardware has been delivered to operational sites by Northrop Grumman as the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Trust Automation receives Q-53 contract

  11th August 2016

  Trust Automation has been awarded its fifth manufacturing contract for the rugged vehicle automation system for the Lockheed Martin AN/TPQ-53 counterfire target acquisition radar, the company …

• Training

  LVC training in Alaska

  10th August 2016

  One of the major issues in conducting live training with fifth-generation aircraft such as the F-22 and F-35 is range space. These aircraft have long …

• Training

  US integrates fighter jets in LVC training

  9th August 2016

  Northrop Grumman and the US Air Force (USAF) have successfully completed the integration of fifth- and fourth-generation fighter aircraft in a live, virtual and constructive …

• Digital Battlespace

  SBIRS GEO 3 satellite on track for launch

  8th August 2016

  The US Air Force’s next Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite is on track for its October launch, having been delivered …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Navy awards IRST21 spares contract

  8th August 2016

  Lockheed Martin will continue to provide IRST21 sensor system spares to the US Navy under a $23.7 million contract with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) …

• Military Logistics

  Malays support USMC Herc

  8th August 2016

  A Malaysian company has completed the overhaul of a first Lockheed Martin KC-130J Hercules aircraft on behalf of the USMC stationed in Japan. The aircraft …

• Training

  USAF inks L3 training contract

  5th August 2016

  The Electronic Systems group of L-3 Communications has been awarded a seven-year contract for training solutions to support the US Air Force's (USAF) Warfighter Readiness …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF amends new radar contract

  3rd August 2016

  The US Air Force has modified its solicitation for its new long-range radar to include options for full-rate production (FRP).  The Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long-Range Radar …

• Defence Helicopter

  Mi-8 likely brought down by machine gun fire

  2nd August 2016

  Despite being equipped with the L370-5 ‘President-S’ countermeasures suite, Russian Air Force (RuAF) Mi-8AMT(Sh)-Vs remain vulnerable to large calibre machine guns. This was starkly illustrated …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon signs Swiss RWR PBL

  2nd August 2016

  Raytheon has signed a five-year contract with RUAG Switzerland to service the ALR-67(V)3 digital radar warning receiver (RWR) for the Swiss government, it announced on 29 July. …

• Digital Battlespace

  KG-350 encryptor Type-1 certified

  1st August 2016

  Raytheon's KG-350 Ethernet encryption system for network communications protection has been granted Type 1 certification by the the US National Security Agency (NSA), the company …

• Digital Battlespace

  ViaSat to keep Air Force One connected

  1st August 2016

  ViaSat has been selected to provide global broadband and communication services to US military aircraft including Air Force One, the aircraft used to transport the …

• Land Warfare

  China reveals secretive HQ-19 ABM

  1st August 2016

  In an unprecedented move, China revealed its HQ-19 anti-ballistic missile (ABM) in footage aired on China Central Television (CCTV) on 24 July. This is the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Warp speed for Beidou constellation

  28th July 2016

  Last month China’s State Council released a white paper outlining its national Beidou (which translates as Compass) satellite positioning, navigation and timing system. But it has …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Hybrid effector systems

  US Air Force Air Base Defence Missile Defence [US]

  Background The US Air Force's (USAF) Air Base Air Defence Missile Defence (ABAD MD) programme is part of the Air Force Physical Security System and sits ...

• CUAS - jammers

  NEROD RF [France]

  Background France has procured an unconfirmed number of MC2's NEROD RF C-UAS rifles ("fusils brouilleurs") for short-range counter-drone use. In a 2024 Senate report, it ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  Counter-Uncrewed Systems (C-UxS) Framework Agreement [UK]

  Background The UK intends to place a Closed Framework Agreement for the procurement of Counter Uncrewed Systems (C-UxS). It requires solutions to detect, track, identify, record/communicate, and ...

• Static/towed guns

  Ground-Based, Medium-Calibre Gun Weapon System [US]

  Background In September 2026, the USAF issued a request for information (RFI) for a ground-based air defence system (GBAD) centred on a medium-calibre gun. This RFI ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F -Kenya

  Crew transition training took place at the MD Helicopters headquarters in Mesa, Arizona, with field service support, armament, and gunnery training scheduled to occur at ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9A Reaper [USAF]

  Background First order Following a development that began in 1998, in October 2002, the USAF ordered the first four MQ-9s of the production series. In ...

• Military UAS - mini

  RQ-20B Puma [USAF]

  Background Requirement According to Trace Stevenson, the AeroVironment (AV) Vice President and product line general manager, the USAF Security Forces required a small UAV to ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Bell 407GX [Iraq]

  Programme Background Between 2009 and 2015 Iraq was supplied with at 26 Bell 407s as part of the reconstruction of the Iraqi Air Force. The ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (USAF) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Baclground As of November 2020, the US DoD had signed 14 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

• Military UAS - MALE

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

  Background Requirements The programme’s requirements are based on the USAF’s belief that mass is necessary to compete effectively against an adversary in symmetrical warfare. However, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  Background In 2010, the USAF announced the replacement of the HH-60G with a new Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH), and in 2012, the request for proposals ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15EX (2025-2026) [USA]

  Methodology Units required Based off the FY2027 USAF budget request, between FY2025 and FY2026, the U.S. Air Force received funding for 40 F-15EX platforms. Congress ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-46A (USA)

  Programme Background The first five Low Rate Initial Production lots were contracted for a total of 67 aircraft for $10.94 billion. The initial contract signed ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• ISR/special mission

  RF-4C

  The RF-4C is a tactical reconnaissance aircraft developed based on the F-4 Phantom II by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) to meet the requirements of the USAF ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-4 Phantom II family

  The F-4 Phantom II is a two-seat multirole fighter developed originally by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) to meet USN interceptor requirements. It soon became a unified ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  SurSAR

  The Surveillance Synthetic Aperture Radar (SurSAR) is a coherent surveillance and imaging radar developed by Array Systems Computing in Canada. It is derived from UPD-8/9 systems ...

• EW test systems

  CEESIM

  The Combat Electromagnetic Environment Simulator (CEESIM) family of simulators is designed for use in development, T&E;, maintenance and training support of airborne, land, shipboard and ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  F-15 Tactical Electronic Warfare Suite (TEWS)

  The F-15 Tactical Electronic Warfare Suite (TEWS) is an integrated defence system manufactured by Northrop Grumman. It is designed for the F-15, F-15K and F-15E ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  SECT

  The Simulator for Electronic Combat Training (SECT) is a device that blends high-fidelity equipment, environmental and EW simulation with a computer-based training engine, auto-evaluation and scoring ...

• Data links

  MIDS LVT-3 FDL

  For the MIDS LVT-3 Fighter Data Link (FDL) the USAF sought lower volume and cost than Class 1 and 2 JTIDS. The contract was awarded ...

• Land: battle management systems

  C4I Connect

  C4I Connect is a voice communications system for battlefield C2. It is a large-scale, divisional/regional system that manages voice sessions in the tactical battle area, ...

• Air: mission management systems

  9Air C4I

  9Air C4I provides an air C2 capability ranging from air operations level to real-time execution in a mobile environment. It is a net-centric system that ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/ALR-94

  BAE Systems’ AN/ALR-94 electronic countermeasures (ECM) system forms a key part of the self-protection suite of the US Air Force’s Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor combat ...

• Bomber

  B-2 Spirit

  The B-2 Spirit is a multirole stealth bomber manufactured by Northrop Grumman for the USAF. The Spirit is a flying wing aircraft, meaning that it ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  AN/ALR-56C

  The AN/ALR-56C is a radar warning receiver manufactured by BAE Systems. It is designed to share data regarding radar threats with the aircraft's BAE Systems' ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/ALQ-165 ASPJ

  Northrop Grumman’s AN/ALQ-165(V) Airborne Self Protection Jammer (ASPJ) is a widely used radar jammer and is deployed on an array of combat aircraft. The system ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  RF-7800W

  The RF-7800W-OU440 high-capacity LoS radio has an IP design that operates from 4.4-5GHz. This provides connectivity at distances over 50km and extending WANs and LANs ...

• Air: mission management systems

  DACCS

  Divisional Artillery Command and Control System (DACCS) integrates division artillery C4I with battalion C4I, making fire control an integral part of the C4I distribution network. ...