• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Gray Eagle production transitions to ER model

  13th October 2017

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has transitioned its production line from the MQ-1C Gray Eagle to its new long-range variant MQ-1C ER Gray Eagle extended …

• Digital Battlespace

  Elbit Systems details new Africa order

  29th September 2017

  Elbit Systems has received a contract worth $240 million to provide electronic defence systems to an unnamed country in Africa, the company announced on 26 …

• Digital Battlespace

  RAAF trials Honeywell’s JetWave satellite communications hardware

  16th October 2017

  The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is in the process of testing Honeywell’s JetWave Ka-band satellite communications hardware and Inmarsat’s Global Xpress satellite network, the …

• Military Logistics

  COTECMAR launches new logistics ship for the Honduran Navy

  10th October 2017

  The logistics support vessel (BAL-C) FNH-1611 Gracias a Dios built for the Honduran Naval Force (FNH) was launched at COTECMAR’s Cartagena shipyard on 29 September.Built …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUSA 2017: Next-generation UAVs detailed (video)

  10th October 2017

  Aerovironment has detailed the latest iterations of its Puma and Raven UAS, with new datalink security, EO/IR and RF payloads and upgraded avionics module.  Shephard spoke with …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  CATEC develops new aerial manipulation technology

  10th October 2017

  The Center for Advanced Aerospace Technologies (CATEC) has developed a new technology which enables UAS to carry out industrial contact inspections, it was announced on …

• Defence Helicopter

  ADEX 2017: Honeywell offers engines for Korean CH-47

  19th October 2017

  Honeywell Aerospace was looking to fulfil South Korea’s upgrade requirements for its CH-47 helicopters at this week’s Seoul ADEX. The Korean military plans to upgrade the engines for …

• Digital Battlespace

  AUSA 2017: Redkite-I soars to final testing

  11th October 2017

  A new wide-area sensor payload developed for Insitu’s Integrator UAS is expected to complete final testing this year, paving the way for operators to begin …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australian award puts wind in Bluebottle’s sail

  9th October 2017

  For development progress of its Bluebottle persistent USV to date, Ocius Technology received on 4 October the Defence SME Innovation Grant. This was one of …

• Digital Battlespace

  ADEX 2017: Rafael promotes Iron Dome for Korea

  17th October 2017

  Israel-based Rafael Advanced Defence Systems is offering Iron Dome, the only dual-mission counter-rocket, artillery and mortar (C-RAM) and very short-range air defence system at this …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UAVOS enhances GPS spoofing protection for UAVs

  13th October 2017

  UAVOS has improved the GPS spoofing identification algorithms for its UAVs, protecting against jamming by the most advanced electronic warfare (EW) systems, the company announced …

• Land Warfare

  Upgunning vehicles drives armaments market

  20th October 2017

  The ongoing trend for armies to increase vehicle lethality through the addition of larger calibre weaponry, as well as the growing utilisation of ‘smart’ programmable …

• Land Warfare

  ATHENA defeats airborne targets

  25th September 2017

  Lockheed Martin has demonstrated its prototype Advanced Test High Energy Asset (ATHENA) laser weapon system at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. During testing with …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MUM-T emerges from the Shadows in Korea

  16th October 2017

  Despite being fielded in South Korea for well over a decade, the Textron Systems RQ-7B (Shadow 200) tactical UAV continues to give the US Army …

• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA 2017: UH-60V digital cockpit moving to next stage

  9th October 2017

  The US Army initiative for the UH-60V Black Hawk integrated avionics suite is well underway as Northrop Grumman modernises the UH-60L cockpit to the V-Model …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Directed energy weapons

  Project Dragonfire [UK]

  Background The UK Government's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has been working with MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ to develop a LASER Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) called ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Indirect Fire Protection Capability - Generation II – High-Power Microwave [US]

  Background In July 2025 Epirus received a US$43,551,060 contract from the US Army for two Generation II systems developed from the HPM (Leonidas). Previously, in ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Indirect Fire Protection Capability – High-Power Microwave [US]

  Background In May 2024, the US Army took delivery of four High-Powered Microwave (HPM) Directed-Energy Weapons (DEW) to fulfil its Indirect Fire Protection Capability – High-Power ...

• Military UAS - small

  Medium Range Reconnaissance (MRR) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an organic, ...

• Military UAS - mini

  U&C reconnaissance drones [US Army]

  Methodology PGO The programme has been assigned a PGO of 100%, as a contract has been awarded. Unit cost It has not been clarified what ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  C-UAS [Portugal]

  Background Portugal's Military Programming Law 2023–2034 includes $8.8724 million (€8.2 million) to acquire counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) by 2034. It is assumed that this acquisition requires ...

• Transport

  C-27J [Azerbaijan]

  Programme Background The Azerbaijani Air Force signed a contract with Leonardo in June 2023 to procure the C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft. This move is ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  Border C-UAS Defence [Latvia]

  Background Latvia's long-term blueprint for its armed forces lists a comprehensive C-UAS element with an approximate range of three to four km. This programme is ...

• 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 - jammers

  C-UAS [Taiwan]

  Background Taiwan announced a requirement for portable C-UAS systems with capabilities that include passive detection, takeover, spoofing and jamming. The systems are planned to strengthen ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  Finnish Border Guard C-UAS Capability

  Background In response to the growing UAS threat, the Finnish Border Guard was given €44 million for procurements to strengthen drone detection, identification, and countering capabilities. ...

• CUAS - jammers

  C-UAS [Australia]

  Background The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is accelerating the acquisition of state-of-the-art counter-drone technologies through Project LAND 156. The ADF signed a contract with HighCom ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  SAN C-UAS [Poland]

  Background In January 2026, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and its Polish partner Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) signed a contract with the Polish Armaments Agency for the delivery ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  US SOF CUxS (Static) [US]

  Background The US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is procuring a Family of Systems (FoS) design to defeat drones. The programme includes development, integration, prototyping, and test of ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  US SOF CUxS (Mounted) [US]

  Background The US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is procuring a Family of Systems (FoS) design to defeat drones. The programme includes development, integration, prototyping, and test of ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  MEHEL 2.0

  The Mobile Expeditionary High-Energy Laser (MEHEL) is a C-UAS-capable vehicle that employs directed energy to neutralise targets. MEHEL 2.0 was first seen at AUSA 2016, ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Fractl:2

  Fractl:2, developed and manufactured by AIM Defence, is an Australian laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). The high-powered portable system is Australia's first acquisition of a directed ...

• CUAS - jammers

  DroneDefender

  DroneDefender is a directed-energy UAS countermeasure that disrupts the adversary's control of the aircraft, neutralising it so that no remote action (including detonation) can occur, ...

• CUAS - jammers

  EJDERHA HPEM System

  The EJDERHA is a high power electromagnetic system manufactured by Aselsan. It generates high-amplitude electromagnetic fields and directs them to potential targets such as IEDs ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Apollo

  Apollo is a High-Energy Laser Weapon System manufactured by Electro Optic Systems (EOS). Apollo's laser utilises directed energy to disable or destroy aerial targets without ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  SCATA Mk1

  The SCATA Mk1 is the first military vehicle developed by Finland's SCATA.

• Directed energy weapons

  Leonidas High-Powered Microwave DEW

  Leonardo's US-based subsidiary Epirus has received funding from both the US and Singapore to develop its Leonidas High-Powered Microwave (HPM) directed-energy weapon (DEW).

• Directed energy weapons

  GÖKBERK 10 Laser DEW

  Turkish company ASELSAN's GÖKBERK 10 laser directed-energy weapon (DEW) is designed to destroy cheap, class-I drones. The system is designed to work with other components ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Locust

  BlueHalo's Locust is a laser weapon system. The system delivers a complete kill chain, providing a layered and broadband detection capability that is coupled with electronic ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Minotaur

  Minotaur, developed by Soukos Robots, is a Greek laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). Minotaur is an anti-drone platform with the ability to shoot down unmanned ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  SkyRanger 30

  SkyRanger 30 is a mobile ground-based air defence (GBAD) laser directed energy weapon (LDEW) system designed by Rheinmetall. The system comprises automatic cannons, guided missiles, and a ...

• OPVs

  PPA/MultiPurpose Combat Ship (MPCS) EVO

  The PPA/MultiPurpose Combat Ship (MPCS) EVO is an enhanced version of the Thaon di Revel-class PPAs unveiled at Euronaval 2024. The PPA/MPCS EVO retains the core platform ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Royal Thai Army Laser DEW

  Under Government instructions, the Royal Thai Army is developing a Laser-based Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) to counter drones in its border regions. The unit cost ...

• Directed energy weapons

  CROSSBOW MINI

  CROSSBOW MINI, developed by IPG Photonics, is a laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW). The LDEW has multiple deployable configurations and is a part of the manufacturers ...

• Directed energy weapons

  DIAL

  The Laser Weapon Instrumental Demonstrator (DIAL), in joint development with Indra and Escribano Mechanical Engineering, is a Spanish laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). The system ...