• Land Warfare

  French Scorpion gets moving

  2nd May 2017

  The French arms procurement agency, the DGA, has awarded a contract for its first installment of vehicles under the Scorpion programme. A temporary business group …

• Defence Helicopter

  Singapore enhancing its Apache fleet

  17th April 2017

  A Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow featuring numerous modifications similar to the Israel Defense Forces AH-64D-I Saraf was recently spotted on an evening training flight in …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sea Venom cleared for Lynx exports

  6th April 2017

  European missile manufacturer MBDA has successfully completed air carriage and jettison trials of its new Sea Venom anti-ship missile from a Royal Navy Lynx Mk8 …

• Defence Notes

  FC/ASW concept phase programme launched

  29th March 2017

  The French DGA and UK Ministry of Defence have launched the joint concept phase of the Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon (FC/ASW) programme with MBDA, with an …

• Defence Notes

  MBDA upholds European defence collaboration

  16th March 2017

  Against a backdrop of Brexit and political uncertainty across Europe, MBDA will to continue down the road of European defence industry collaboration as its looks …

• Land Warfare

  MBDA develops Mistral Atlas-RC

  16th March 2017

  MBDA has developed a new short range air defence system called Mistral Atlas-RC, the company announced on 15 March.The new system is based on a …

• Defence Notes

  RAF faces challenges at home and abroad (video)

  13th March 2017

  The Royal Air Force is going through a significant modernisation period with several new platforms, such as the F-35, being introduced to service. However, the …

• Defence Helicopter

  IDEX 2017: Sea Venom starts to spit

  20th February 2017

  European missile manufacturer MBDA is moving forward with trials of its Anglo-French Sea Venom anti-ship missile and is using this year's IDEX exhibition to promote …

• Defence Notes

  UK, France partner on missile upgrade

  24th February 2017

  A £146 million contract awarded to MBDA will see the UK's Storm Shadow and France's SCALP missiles updated to ensure they remain fit for purpose, …

• Defence Notes

  MBDA, L&T form Indian joint venture

  14th February 2017

  MBDA has formed a joint venture with India's Larsen and Toubro (L&T) to develop and supply missiles and missile systems to meet the growing potential …

• Defence Notes

  MBDA strengthens Polish ties

  3rd February 2017

  MBDA has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Poland’s PGZ that will see the two companies enhance mutual cooperation, MBDA announced on 2 February. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  French carrier heads for refit

  14th February 2017

  The French Navy's aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle (R91) entered dry dock in Toulon on 8 February to undergo a major refit period.This is …

• Digital Battlespace

  Aero India 2017: Rafael scores big in airborne SDRs

  17th February 2017

  Rafael is getting ready to supply its BNET-AR, part of the Israeli company's software-defined radio family, to the Indian Air Force (IAF) in serious quantities.Speaking …

• Digital Battlespace

  Gripen radar upgrade on offer

  31st January 2017

  Saab is marketing an upgraded version of the Gripen C/D's PS-05/A mechanically scanned radar following successful tests in 2016.  The enhancements, first announced in 2015 as …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Certifiable Predator B becomes SkyGuardian

  27th January 2017

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) is to rebrand its next-generation Type Certifiable Predator B (TCPB) as SkyGuardian. The new name steers clear of the …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Colibri [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated in a press conference in May 2022 that the Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA) and ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Remote Carrier (RC) [Germany]

  Programme Background FCAS Project As noted by Airbus, the FCAS project is a tri-nation effort which will be centred around a core Next-Generation Weapon System (NGWS), which ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Remote Carrier (RC) [France]

  Programme Background FCAS Project As noted by Airbus, the FCAS project is a tri-nation effort which will be centred around a core Next-Generation Weapon System ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Remote Carrier (RC) [Spain]

  Programme Background FCAS Project As noted by Airbus, the FCAS project is a tri-nation effort which will be centred around a core Next-Generation Weapon System ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale Follow-On (Egypt)

  Programme Background Egypt was reported to request 12 Rafale fighters following an earlier contract in 2015. However, this deal fell into limbo after the Pentagon blocked ...

• Loitering munitions

  Larinae [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated in a press conference in May 2022 that the Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA) ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale [France]

  Programme Background Rafale F4 is the latest configuration of the Rafale fighter jet family. New functions will also be developed to improve the aircraft’s capabilities ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Remote Carrier [French Navy]

  Background Carrier Air Wing Plan The French Navy presented a broad plan for its carrier air wing for the future decades at a briefing at ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme [Italy]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that the Italian, British and Japanese components of GCAP are tracked in separate entries. Programme Timeline 2019: In September 2019, the UK and Italian ...

• Frigates

  Multi-Mission Surface Combatant (MMSC) [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background The US State Department approved a possible $11.25 billion Foreign Military Sale to the KSA for MMCS ships and associated equipment, parts and ...

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

  Nauru 1000C [Brazil]

  Background Contract award The Logistics Command (COLOG) of the Brazilian Army purchased three Nauru 1000C UAVs, training, 36-month integrated logistics support, two EO/MWIR XSIS 222A gimbals, ...

• Loitering munitions

  Project Brakestop [UK]

  Background Information Notice On 25 September 2024, the UK MoD published a prior information notice for Project Brakestop, informing industry of the upcoming competition. Requirements ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Sherpa Light [Morocco]

  Programme Background Morocco is in the midst of procuring large quantities of defence equipment from the French defence industry to modernise its forces, with much ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VBCI (Qatar)

  Programme Background The VBCI-2 was selected in preference to a competing offer comprising Patria's AMV 8x8 equipped with a Lockheed Martin turret. However, at the ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Sherpa Light Scout [Cyprus]

  Programme Background Cyprus is currently undertaking an effort to modernise its 4x4 and 6x6 fleets. It was first announced in June 2024 that Cyprus was ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Guided munitions

  SmartGlider Light

  The SmartGlider Light is a precision-guided air-to-ground munition developed by MBDA, designed to enhance the strike capabilities of modern combat aircraft. MBDA anticipates that the ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  VL MICA RF

  The VL MICA missile is derived from the original MICA air-to-air missile developed by MBDA. The VL MICA system's first iteration was developed for naval ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  VL MICA IR

  The VL MICA missile is derived from the original MICA air-to-air missile developed by MBDA. The VL MICA system's first iteration was developed for naval ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Aster 30

  The ASTER-30 is a vertically launched surface-to-air missile produced by Eurosam, a joint venture between MBDA France, MBDA Italy, and the Thales Group. Its basic ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  SHARCS

  The SHARCS is a flying testbed UAV from MBDA Deutschland, which supports the testing of various sub-systems, including avionics, sensor technology, algorithms, networking, and data links. MBDA ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  CAMM

  The Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM) is a short-range, anti-aircraft and anti-missile surface-to-air missile. Developed to be launched from maritime platforms, land-based platforms and aircraft, ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  DragonFire

  DragonFire is a laser weapon system built for the UK MoD and manufactured by a consortium of manufacturers. The primary manufacturer is MBDA, though they ...

• 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 ...

• Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  SAPHIR-M

  SAPHIR-M is a chaff and flare dispensing system for the Tiger and NH90, and is also offered for other helicopters. It offers a high decoy ...

• Loitering munitions

  Crossbow

  MBDA unveiled Crossbow, a ground-launched One Way Effector Heavy (OWE(H)) at DSEI 2025. Equipped to carry kinetic or non-kinetic payloads up to 300kg, the turbojet-powered OWE(H) ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  MPCV

  The Multi-Purpose Combat Vehicle (MPCV) is a 4x4 armoured vehicle developed by Soframe on the Mercedes-Benz Unimog 5000 truck chassis. Able to accommodate between four ...

• SABER

  The Small Air Bomb Extended Range (SABER) family is being developed to provide a low-cost weapon for small and medium-sized UAVs and small tactical UAVs. ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  MEADS

  The Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) provides 360° defence against existing and future tactical or medium-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, UAVs and aircraft. MEADS ...

• Surface-to-surface missiles

  MdCN-NCM (Naval Cruise Missile)

  Developed by MBDA to meet the needs of the French Navy, the MdCN-NCM is a long-range cruise missile capable of being launched from surface and below-surface vessels. ...

• Loitering munitions

  Akeron RCH 170

  Unveiled in April 2025, the Akeron RCH 170 is a fixed-wing loitering munition from MBDA. Similar in design to the Switchblade 300, the catapult launched system ...