• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: EMSA signs off on UAS capabilities

  21st June 2017

  The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) was named in two deals this week for fixed-wing and VTOL unmanned systems that will be used to provide …

• Special Operations

  Textron to compete for MEUAS III task orders

  20th June 2017

  Textron Systems has been selected as one of two companies to compete for Mid-Endurance Unmanned Aircraft Systems (MEUAS) III task orders from the US Special …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Thales tests counter-UAS solution

  20th June 2017

  Thales has recently tested its counter-UAS solution and successfully used its jammer to neutralise small unmanned vehicles, the company confirmed during the Paris Air Show. …

• Training

  Paris Air Show: CAE sets a record

  21st June 2017

  On 31 May, CAE released its end of year financial results. By any standard, the results were significant and saw a record breaking CAD$7.5 billion …

• Defence Helicopter

  Construction of fifth SDTA CH-53K begins

  22nd June 2017

  Spirit AeroSystems has started assembly of the fifth System Demonstration Test Article CH-53K King Stallion helicopter for the US Marine Corps, the company announced on 19 …

• Digital Battlespace

  EW Europe: Russia's electronic war in Ukraine

  14th June 2017

  Russia has two army corps of proxies operating in Ukrainian territory, including electronic warfare companies, defence sources have revealed. These units are experts, trained to …

• Training

  CAE supports RAAF virtual training exercise

  16th June 2017

  CAE provided support to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) during the Diamond Thunder distributed mission training exercise, the company announced on 13 June. The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  PAE ISR wins place on US Navy contract

  14th June 2017

  PAE ISR has won a position on a US Navy indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide UAS intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) services in support of the US …

• Land Warfare

  Land 400 begins air transport trials

  20th June 2017

  Australia's defence procurement project, LAND 400 Phase 2, has commenced air transportability trials, the Australian Department of Defence announced on 19 June. LAND 400 Phase 2 …

• Military Logistics

  Leonardo secures C-27J spares contract

  13th June 2017

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) has awarded an IDIQ contract with base year option worth $19.1 million to Leonardo for spare parts for its C-27J Spartan fleet. If all …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: Malaysia outlines its shopping list

  19th June 2017

  As the global aerospace industry descends on Paris for the biennial aviation spectacle, the chief of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has revealed the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Keeper of the night (video)

  19th June 2017

  Unveiling the Nightwarden tactical UAS on the opening day of Paris Air Show 2017, Textron Systems revealed that a range of payload testing for the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Guardian sale could signal US policy change

  29th June 2017

  The White House approved the sale of 22 non-weaponised MQ-9B Guardian UAVs to India on 21 June, perhaps signalling a policy shift in terms of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Eye spy a SpyRanger (video)

  16th June 2017

  Shephard recently attended a demonstration of the Thales-developed Spy'Ranger UAS, which has been selected by the French DGA to equip the country's armed forces. Pascal Secretin …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Aeronautics showcases first VTOL UAV

  12th June 2017

  UAS manufacturer Aeronautics Group will present its newest UAVs at this year’s Paris Air Show, including the Orbiter 4 and Pegasus 120. The Pegasus 120 …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Mini Reconnaissance Drones [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Planned Purchases On 14 September 2022, the Lithuanian MoD announced in a short statement on Twitter, now X, that it had begun organising ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  ISTAR UAS project [Canada]

  Programme Background Objective The Royal Canadian Navy's (RCN) main significant UAV project is the RCN Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Unmanned Aircraft System (RCN ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Small Reconnaissance Drones [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Planned Purchases On 14 September 2022, the Lithuanian MoD announced in a short statement on Twitter, now X, that it had begun organising ...

• Frigates

  European Combat Vessel [Spain]

  Programme Background Requirements The European Combat Vessel (ECV) is currently a conceptual project that seeks to design a European collaborative multi-mission, modular warship. As of ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Data links

  Data links | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• OPVs

  Harry DeWolf Class (AOPS) Coast Guard (7-8) [Canada]

  Background Requirements The new vessels will replace the CCGS Leonard J Cowley, an ice-strengthened fisheries patrol vessel that entered service in 1984 and CCGS Cygnus, a ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [Germany]

  Programme Background Germany originally said it would but 60 A400Ms, but when the program was re-baselined in 2010 reduced its planed off take to 53, ...

• Destroyers

  Next-Generation Large Surface Combatants (LSC) - DDG(X) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) is acknowledging a need to move away from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer design, which is slowly outgrowing. Flight III ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Counter-UAS 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, ...

• Laser-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 ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  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, ...

• Counter-UAS systems, Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  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 ...

• Laser-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.

• Laser-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 ...

• Laser-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 ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons, Self-propelled guns, Self-propelled missile 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 ...

• Laser-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 ...

• Laser-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 ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Archimedes

  Archimedes, developed by Aurelius Systems, is a laser-directed energy weapon designed to stop drones at scale. The system is still in development, though Aurelius received ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  ALKA-KAPLAN

  ALKA-KAPLAN is a collaborative effort between Turkish manufacturers ROKETSAN and FNSS. The system is a mobile armoured anti-drone system, which integrates the ALKA directed energy-weapon ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Italian LDEW (Leonardo/MBDA)

  As announced in December 2024, Leonardo and MBDA are collaborating to produce a Fire Unit Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) for the Italian Navy. The ...