• Defence Notes

  PLA celebrates anniversary with new kit

  31st July 2017

  China celebrated the 90th anniversary of the formation of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) with a massive military parade at the Zhurihe Combined Tactics Training …

• Military Logistics

  USS America completes replenishment missions

  27th July 2017

  The US Navy amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) has successfully completed its first connective replenishment (CONREP) and vertical replenishment (VERTREP) missions as part …

• Military Logistics

  USS John P Murtha completes FCT

  26th July 2017

  San Antonio class amphibious transport dock, USS John P Murtha (LPD 26), has returned to its homeport at Naval Base San Diego following the completion …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US demos robotic aviation refuelling system

  25th July 2017

  The US Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) recently demonstrated initial capabilities of an unmanned air refuelling system to limit helicopters' …

• Defence Notes

  Can the US get a foot in Vietnam’s door?

  25th July 2017

  The China-Vietnam relationship might be less complicated than Washington would wish, despite Beijing’s recent threat to use force against Hanoi to stop drilling in the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Philippines receives Cessna ISR aircraft

  26th July 2017

  The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has received from the US a pair of Cessna 208B Caravan aircraft outfitted with an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) …

• Defence Helicopter

  CPI wins Black Hawk fuel assemblies contract

  20th July 2017

  CPI Aerostructures has secured a five-year contract worth $21 million to manufacture and supply fuel panel assemblies for Sikorsky's UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter, the company …

• Defence Helicopter

  On display at RIAT (video)

  17th July 2017

  Shephard editors Grant Turnbull and Helen Haxell take a look at the flight line at RIAT 2017 and talk through some of the key platforms that …

• Defence Helicopter

  Netherlands requests AGM-114R Hellfire missiles

  17th July 2017

  The US is considering a potential foreign military sale (FMS) of AGM-114R Hellfire missiles and Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM) to the Netherlands, the Defense …

• Defence Helicopter

  Kaman signs H-60 cockpit deal

  19th July 2017

  Kaman Aerospace has signed a new five-year contract with Sikorsky for the manufacture of H-60 cockpits under the US Department of Defense's multi-year IX H-60 …

• Defence Helicopter

  KBRwyle wins task order from US Army

  18th July 2017

  KBRwyle has received a three-year task order to provide programmatic support to the US Army’s Program Executive Office (PEO) for Aviation at Redstone Arsenal in …

• Naval Warfare

  Russia to supply Syria with patrol boats

  6th July 2017

  Russia will supply up to patrol vessels and associated equipment to the Syrian coast guard to assist in its efforts to secure the country’s ports …

• Training

  Russia receives new vehicle simulators

  5th July 2017

  Strategic Missile Forces (SMF) units of the Russian armed forces have received new vehicle simulators, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced on 3 July. The simulators will …

• Defence Helicopter

  Strong prospects for Airbus Helicopters Romania

  3rd July 2017

  Airbus Helicopters remains confident in the potential of its subsidiary company in Romania, Airbus Helicopters Romania and its sister entity, Airbus Helicopters Industries, which is …

• Military Logistics

  Fincantieri cuts steel for Italian Navy LHD

  17th July 2017

  Fincantieri has cut first steel for the Italian Navy’s Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) at its Castellammare di Stabia shipyard in Italy, the company announced on 12 …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28UB - Russia

  Programme BackgroundThe Russian MoD plans to acquire up to 60 Mi-28UB aircraft for the Russian Air Force by mid-2020s. Moscow signed a contract with Russian Helicopters ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28UB - Forecast [Russia]

  Programme Background The Russian MoD plans to acquire up to 60 Mi-28UB aircraft for the Russian Air Force by mid-2020s. Moscow signed a contract with Russian ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Ka-52K Katran [Russia]

  Programme Background The Ka-52K Katran is a navalised version of the Ka-52 Alligator reconnaissance and attack helicopter.  The history of the Ka-52K is aligned with ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60A [Portugal]

  Programme Background At the end of February 2025, the Portuguese Minister of National Defence said that as part of the Portuguese Army's Support, Protection & ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  AW119Kx [Bosnia and Herzegovina]

  Programme Background  In May 2025, the U.S. State Department approved an FMS to Bosnia and Herzegovina for approximately $100 million including 8 AW119Kx helicopters and a ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Mi-26T2 Halo [Russia]

  Programme Background The original Mi-26 was initially revealed to the West at the Paris airshow in June 1981. In terms of carrying capacity (weight and ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-1Y Venom (Czechia)

  Programme Background Czech Armed Forces intended to use the UH-1Y Venom helicopters in various missions including utility, search and rescue, aerial reconnaissance, air-to-ground support and ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  CH-47D Replacement [Thailand]

  Programme Background The RTA divested its six Boeing CH-47D Chinooks after failing to sell the 25-year-old aircraft on the second-hand market. Thailand found Chinook maintenance ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Ka-52 Alligator [Egypt]

  Methodology PGO As this programme has been contracted with deliveries completed, the PGO is 100%.  Units required A total of 46 Ka-52 Alligator were required ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  T129 (Nigeria)

  Programme Background Requirement The Nigerian Air Force has an ongoing requirement for attack helicopters in order to assist the country's ongoing counter-insurgency operations. Nigeria already ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Ka-226T- Air Force [India]

  Programme Background India had operated a diverse and antiquated fleet of helicopters to support its high-altitude operations along contested borders with China and Pakistan. Reducing ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Mi-26T2 [Jordan]

  Methodology PGO As this programme is complete, the PGO is 100%. Units required A total of four Mi-26T2 units were required through this programme.  Unit cost ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Naval Utility Helicopters [India]

  Programme Background The programme would have involved the formation of a joint venture between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and another local or foreign manufacturer. In June ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Ka-226T - Army [India]

  Programme Background India had operated a diverse and antiquated fleet of helicopters to support its high-altitude operations along contested borders with China and Pakistan. Reducing ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Heavy-lift Helicopter STH [Germany]

  Background Requirement The German government issued a tender in March 2019 for the procurement of heavy-lift helicopters under the Schwerer Transporthubschrauber (STH) program, 60 units are ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Mi-38

  Russian Helicopters' Mi-38 medium-lift helicopter is designed to compete with the Leonardo AW101 and Sikorsky S-92 in both the civil and military markets. The first ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28UB

  Russian Helicopters unveiled the Mi-28UB rotorcraft at the International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS 2013) exhibition. As the combat training modification of the Mi-28NE Night ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  BAS-750

  The BAS-750, or БАС-750, is a rotary-wing UAS unveiled at Army 2022 by Russian Helicopters. Described as a multifunctional UAV, it can host various payloads to complete several mission ...

• Air-to-air missiles

  9M39 Igla-V

  The 9M39 Igla-V (‘needle’) is a Russian IR homing SAM adapted for helicopter use. It is an air-launched version of the Igla MANPADS, which the ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28N/Mi-28NM

  The Mi-28N is a Russian attack helicopter manufactured by Russian Helicopters for use by the Russian Armed Forces. The helicopter is twin-engined with tandem seating ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  NSTsI-V

  Developed by KRET, the NSTsI-V is a helmet-mounted targeting and display system for pilots. The system projects an image onto the transparent screen in front of ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Ansat

  The Ansat is a light, multipurpose, twin-engine helicopter designed and built by Kazan Helicopters. The helicopter is able to carry up to six fully equipped troops, ...

• Helicopter guns

  YAK-B

  The YAK-B is a four-barrel 12.7x108mm Gatling gun. The system is remotely controlled, using a gas-operated mechanism, and offers a high rate of fire. It ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-171Sh

  The Mi-8AMTSh (domestic)/Mi-171Sh (export) is a civil and military transport helicopter that was developed from the Mi-8MT/Mi-17 by the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant. The type is built ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  Rychag-AVM

  KRET’s Rychag-AVM radio frequency jammer is designed to perform electronic attack against hostile communications and radar systems. The Rychag-AVM ensemble is mounted onboard dedicated Mil ...

• Land: RWS

  Nanuk Russian

  Rheinmetall Canada's Nanuk RWS family includes this variant for non-NATO weapons, which combines full stabilisation, long-range day/night all-weather sights and a versatile weapon cradle that ...

• Land: RWS

  Qimek Russian

  Rheinmetall's Qimek single-weapon RWS family includes a variant for non-NATO weapons, which combines full stabilisation, long-range day/night all-weather sights and a versatile weapon cradle for ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  Kopyo-A

  The Kopyo-A is a Russian, multipurpose radar intended for deployment on helicopters. It is designed for coastal monitoring, search and detection of sea surface and ground ...

• Military helicopters - attack, Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-35M

  The Mi-35M is a multirole combat helicopter used for ground attack, assault and cargo transport. It is the current production version of Rostvertol's Mi-24/35. Designed ...

• Helicopter guns

  GSh-23L

  The GSh-23 is a 23mm double-barrelled aircraft gun designed by KBP Instrument Design Bureau. The gun is designed to fire fragmentation mines, armour-piercing explosives and ...