• Naval Warfare

  Japan minesweeper sunk by fire

  11th November 2024

  The Ukushima had a fire in its engine room which ultimately capsized the vessel after a long firefighting exercise.

• Land Warfare

  UK increases Ukraine support

  10th September 2024

  The UK is leading the International Fund for Ukraine (IFU) which has already supplied a range of uncrewed systems and other equipment to the Ukraine with the country now committed to the supply of air defence missiles.

• Air Warfare

  Australia wins approval from US for 100 AGM-88G missiles

  30th September 2024

  All Australia’s fixed-wing fighter aircraft can carry the missiles and work has been underway to investigate the use of the missile from P-8A MPAs which are also operated by Australia.

• Defence Notes

  Just released: Night Vision & Situational Awareness Technology Report 2024 now available to read

  1st October 2024

  How night vision devices and soldier-worn sensors are underpinning advanced tactical C4ISR capabilities

• Land Warfare

  Estonia opens military camp to accommodate NATO forces close to Russian border

  17th September 2024

  The facility, which cost €21 million to construct, will be able to house 1,000 people and provide a home for exercises and crisis situations.

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall to supply 81mm EIMOS mortar systems to Spain under $162 million deal

  23rd October 2024

  The 81mm EXPAL Integrated Mortar System (EIMOS) is a platform-based system which will be used by Spain’s army, navy and air force.

• Air Warfare

  Dutch $691 million request for Sidewinder missiles approved

  9th September 2024

  The approval for the purchase follows other orders approved or placed in the past year by Romania, Poland, Italy and South Korea.

• Air Warfare

  Poland set for $7.3 billion F-16 upgrade

  24th October 2024

  Poland’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) request is for a range of radar, electronic warfare (EW) and missile and bomb test systems to upgrade its fleet of 48 F-16s.

• Air Warfare

  Teledyne FLIR Defense Wins $91 million deal for Black Hornet 4 UAS

  22nd October 2024

  The Black Hornet 4 was unveiled 12 months ago and has an improved thermal sensor and an EO camera over the previous platform, and a forward-facing ultrasound sensor and navigation cameras on the top and sides.

• Naval Warfare

  Malaysian Navy revises transformation plan for fleet modernisation

  8th May 2024

  Despite the delay, graphics outlining the revised plan were showcased at DSA 2024, offered insights into the Royal Malaysian Navy’s strategic vision for fleet modernisation.

• Digital Battlespace

  Piercing the fog of war via battlespace management

  30th August 2024

  Battle Management Systems are emerging as increasingly important tools for commanders making decisions in fluid combat situations.

• Air Warfare

  Embraer promotes C-390 Millennium as it signs for closer ties with Morocco

  31st October 2024

  A Memorandum of Understanding was signed during the Marrakesh Air Show, with the C-390 Millennium positioned as the ideal future choice for the Moroccan Air Force.

• Land Warfare

  Boxer continues swinging with the announcement of three key milestones in the next four months

  19th September 2024

  The UK’s Mechanised Infantry Vehicle programme appears set for a busy four months of success as the Boxer continues to deliver and be delivered. In an announcement at DVD 2024, the UK Boxer programme is set to see its final prototype vehicle, the first UK-produced serial vehicle, and initial conversion training by the British Army start by January 2025.

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems gets go-ahead for second phase of mission communications programme

  3rd October 2024

  DARPA’s Mission-Integrated Network Control (MINC) programme was set up to develop an autonomous tactical network and enable critical data flow in contested environments.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy orders improved SeaSparrow missiles

  30th September 2024

  ESSM Block 2 upgrade replaces the largely obsolete guidance section with a dual mode Active/Semi-Active X-Band seeker.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  EVO Max 4T [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Ukraine On 6 October 2023, Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's Miniter of Digital Transformation, announced that the Army of Drones sent nearly 2,000 EVO Max ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Hürkuş-C Advanced Armed Trainer (Turkey)

  The Hurjet-C development programme funding was included in the Hurkus-B procurement contract awarded by  the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defence Industries in December 2013.  The Hurjet will ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW101-Norway

  AgustaWestland is also providing initial support and training services, including spares at each of the operating bases and aircrew training. It will then provide performance ...

• 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 ...

• Trainer

  T-54A Multi-Engine Training System (METS) (USA)

  Programme Background Multi-Engine Training System is a USN programme to replace the ageing T-44C Pegasus fleet and modernize multi-engine aircraft training. Multi-Engine Training System provides ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) (3) [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Malaysian Navy are in the process of a fleet transformation plan known as the 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, which ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Submarines Procurement [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements In 2015, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) issued the so-called 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, which envisioned the service to be standardised ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawks [Greece]

  Programme Background In October 2023, Greece submitted a formal request to acquire 49 Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters as replacements for the Army's Bell UH-1s after launching ...

• ISR/special mission

  Shadow R1 [UK]

  Programme Background The RAF is moving forward with an ambitious plan to transform its intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) force to enable greater ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk-USA

  The UH-60M Black Hawk is a digitally networked platform with greater range and lift to support maneuver commanders through air assault, general support, command and ...

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

  Beyond Vision Drones [Portugal]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 14 February 2023, Beyond Vision announced that it had been awarded a €600,375 contract for the acquisition of "6 Mulittoror ...

• ISR/special mission

  King Air 350ER -Canada

  Programme Background Canadian Special Forces was looking to procure ISR aircraft to support their missions both overseas and domestically.  There were few Canadian suppliers to sell ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Submarines Procurement [Malaysia]

  According to the Royal Malaysian Navy 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, the Navy wants to acquire two more submarines between 2031 and 2035. Shephard estimates ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Submarines Procurement [Malaysia]

  According to the Royal Malaysian Navy 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, the Navy wants to acquire two more submarines between 2031 and 2035. Shephard estimates ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Gray Eagle 25M (13-20) [US National Guard]

  Background Requirement In FY2021, the National Guard Association of the United States (NGUAS) announced that it was "critical" that it fielded the MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended Range (ER). The ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Major networking projects

  ACT

  Allied Command Transformation (ACT) is leading at strategic command level the transformation of NATO’s military structure, forces, capabilities and doctrine. It is working to enhance ...

• Loitering munitions

  Trypillian SSG

  Manufactured by Trypillian, a British-Ukrainian start-up, the Trypillian SSG is an autonomous, deep-strike loitering munition, designed to operate in GNSS-denied environments.  Trypillian states that it is an asymmetric ...

• Light UGVs

  D-21-11

  Unveiled in January 2024, the D-21-11 is a 4x4 wheeled UGV from Brave1. The Ukrainian vehicle features a flatbed that can host various equipment, such ...

• Loitering munitions

  Backfire

  The Backfire is a Ukrainian fire-and-forget loitering munition. The catapult-launched system is GPS-guided, meaning it is resistant to radio-electronic interference. Reportedly, its lack of real-time ...

• Medium UGVs

  Ironclad

  The Ironclad is a Ukrainian 4x4 UGV developed by Roboneers, a technology incubator that solicits ideas and pairs them with potential investors. Fitted with a ShaBlya ...

• Ultra-light UGVs

  Ratel S

  The Ratel S, sometimes also called the Medoed or Honey Badger, is a Ukrainian kamikaze UGV that can be armed with a TM-62 anti-tank mine or two 82mm ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Vampire

  The Vampire is a hexacopter drone developed by the Ukrainian company Skyfall. It can carry and drop various types of ammunition on the enemy. In ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  DRTS

  The Digital Range Training System (DRTS) was developed under a 2011 contract to provide an immersive training environment for US Army vehicle crews. Training includes ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  EVO Max 4T

  The EVO Max 4T is an in-development rotary-wing ISR drone from Autel Robotics. According to Autel, the drone has advanced autonomous technology, giving it a strong ...

• Air: aerial targets

  MQM-178 Firejet

  The MQM-178 Firejet is a target drone manufactured by Kratos Defence.  It performs a variety of end-to-end weapons-release training roles, including surface-to-air and air-to-air.

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  Live Training Systems-Range Instrumentation

  End-to-end, networked, live training communications systems providing live training range products, communications infrastructure and instrumented participant voice, video and data communications. These include range voice, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Nomad (Group 4/5)

  In October 2025, Sikorsky unveiled the Nomad family of drones. The family can be scaled from a small Group 3 UAV to a Group 4/5 system with ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  USN T-44C Training Services

  In late 2013, CAE USA received a contract to provide the USN with comprehensive T-44C aircrew training services at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. CAE USA ...

• Data links

  CLIP

  Common Link Integration Processing (CLIP) is a software product that performs data transformation and processes protocols for dissimilar communications formats. It meets requirements for common ...

• Loitering munitions

  Mighty Hornet IV

  Unveiled in September 2025, the Mighty Hornet IV is a development of the MQM-178 target drone designed for attack missions. Kratos and the National Chung-Shan Institute ...