• Defence Notes

  Russian industry feels the pinch from COVID-19

  27th April 2020

  According to information circulated by the Russian media and confirmed to Shephard, several officials working at the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) headquarters in Moscow have …

• Air Warfare

  Aviastar-SP starts trials of eighth upgraded Il-76MD-90A

  15th April 2020

  Russian-based Aviastar-SP (a subsidiary of the United Aircraft Corporation) has completed an upgrade on its eighth Il-76MD-90A aircraft for Russia’s Aerospace Force Military Transport Unit. …

• Naval Warfare

  Serious Chinese shenanigans persist in South China Sea

  24th April 2020

  One might have hoped that China would desist from its aggressive territorial claims and military activities in the South China Sea during the COVID-19 crisis. …

• Defence Notes

  Raytheon and UTC formally complete merger

  7th April 2020

  Raytheon and United Technologies have officially completed their merger, creating a new entity called Raytheon Technologies Corporation. 'Today, we introduce Raytheon Technologies as an innovation powerhouse that …

• Land Warfare

  Portuguese peacekeepers receive new small arms

  24th April 2020

  The Portuguese Army has provided new weapons to its 7th National Force detached in the Central African Republic (CAR), as part of broader efforts to …

• Naval Warfare

  Russia’s newest frigate travels to Baltic Sea for final trial

  10th April 2020

  The newest frigate to join the Russian Navy’s Northern Fleet, Project 22350 Admiral Kasatonov (pictured), has passed through the Great Belt Strait as it travels …

• Air Warfare

  UAE orders Sniper ATP

  27th February 2020

  The United Arab Emirates Air Force and Air Defence (AFAD) has ordered Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATP) from Lockheed Martin, the company announced on 26 …

• Naval Warfare

  China takes advantage as Western carrier operations struggle

  21st April 2020

  With aircraft carriers of both the US and French navies returning to port following outbreaks of the COVID-19 coronavirus on board, eyes are turning to …

• Air Warfare

  Tupolev upgrades Tu-95MS bombers

  31st March 2020

  United Aircraft Corporation subsidiary Tupolev has completed an upgrade to the first group of Tu-95MS strategic bomber aircraft. As part of a wider upgrade programme …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed Martin’s GPS III satellite joins US constellation

  25th March 2020

  Lockheed Martin’s GPS III satellite has been integrated into the US GPS constellation under the command of US Space Force’s Space Operations Command. GPS III, …

• Naval Warfare

  Brazil deploys frigate to support UNIFIL

  23rd March 2020

  The Brazilian Navy’s Niteroi-class frigate Independencia left the Port of Natal on 16 March to join the Maritime Task Force of the United Nations Interim …

• Air Warfare

  Pratt & Whitney to supply F135-PW-100 to US and Japan

  17th March 2020

  United Technologies subsidiary Pratt & Whitney has secured a $319.79 million reimbursable contract to provide F-35 turbofan engines to the US and Japan. The US …

• Defence Notes

  Lockheed Martin set for new top leadership

  17th March 2020

  Lockheed Martin’s Board of Directors has elected James Taiclet as the company’s new President and CEO, effective from 15 June. Taiclet replaces Marillyn Hewson on …

• Naval Warfare

  Maya aids Japanese BMD

  26th March 2020

  The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) commissioned the first of two Maya-class destroyers in Yokohama on 19 March. JS Maya (DDG-179) is a guided missile …

• Defence Notes

  DoD expands COVID-19 measures

  12th March 2020

  US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has announced new travel restrictions for serving members of the armed forces, civilian DoD staff and their families. The …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Fighter Aircraft [United Arab Emirates]

  While a formal requirement has not been announced, the United Arab Emirates is in the market for a fifth-generation fighter capability based on various media ...

• Data links

  Data links | Fighter Aircraft [United Arab Emirates]

  While a formal requirement has not been announced, the United Arab Emirates is in the market for a fifth-generation fighter capability based on various media ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Fighter Aircraft [United Arab Emirates]

  While a formal requirement has not been announced, the United Arab Emirates is in the market for a fifth-generation fighter capability based on various media ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Fighter Aircraft [United Arab Emirates]

  While a formal requirement has not been announced, the United Arab Emirates is in the market for a fifth-generation fighter capability based on various media ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Fighter Aircraft [United Arab Emirates]

  While a formal requirement has not been announced, the United Arab Emirates is in the market for a fifth-generation fighter capability based on various media ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Data links

  Data links | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye (4-5) [UAE]

  Programme Background The United Arab Emirates Air Force is taking delivery of three GlobalEye (known also as Global 6000) aircraft from Saab. The UAE signed a contract ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (4-5) [UAE]

  Programme Background United Arab Emirates Air Force had a requirement for three tanker aircraft. Boeing confirmed that the UAE sent an official request for three ...

• Transport

  A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  Programme Background At IDEX 2025, two Airbus representatives shared insights into a possible offer from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Corvettes

  Gowind 2500 (1-2) [UAE]

  Programme Background Timeline The Gowind 2500 design has proved a popular export, and variants have been ordered by four countries. Naval Group confirmed the sale of ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Fighter Aircraft [United Arab Emirates]

  Programme Background Competitors and Bids Lockheed Martin On 25 September, the United Arab Emirates submitted a FMS request for the F-35A; the proposal was approved ...

• Corvettes

  Gowind 2500 Procurement (3-4) [UAE]

  Programme Background Timeline The Gowind 2500 design has proved a popular export and variants have been ordered by four countries. Naval Group confirmed the sale ...

• Transport

  C-130 Replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Saudi Air Force operates 33 C-130H, 7 KC-130H aircraft and two KC-130Js. The country has been seeking to replace its ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• MPVs - 4x4

  Kasser II

  Produced by M4 Industries based in Abu Dhabi, Kasser is a 4x4 MRAP that is currently being developed for the United Arab Emirates. The vehicle ...

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

  JERNAS-S

  The JERNAS-S, formerly known as the Jeer, is a fixed-wing UAV developed by ADASI, a subsidiary of the EDGE Group. The UAV is designed to conduct ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - MLDS, Land: Defensive Systems - Gunshot Detection / Hostile Fire Indicator

  ShotFinder Acoustic Hostile Fire Detection

  Northrop Grumman’s ShotFinder is a hostile fire detection system designed to protect aircraft against small arms and light weapons fire. The apparatus employs acoustic technology ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Falcon Edge/IEWS

  Northrop Grumman’s Falcon Edge Integrated Self-Protection System (ISPS) equips the United Arab Emirates Air Force’s (UAEAF) Lockheed Martin F-16E/F Block-60 fighters.  The first incarnation of ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  MCRL

  The Multiple Cradle Rocket Launcher (MCRL) was developed by Al Jaber Land Systems (AJLS) in cooperation with Roketsan to meet the requirements of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and ...

• Air: Displays

  Digital Light Engine Head-Up Display

  BAE Systems Digital Light Engine (DLE) HUD is designed to upgrade existing display equipment with a modular, electro-optic digital system. According to the manufacturer, DLE HUDs ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM, Land: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARS-6(V12) PLS

  The new AN/ARS-6 (V12) Personnel Locator System (PLS) Receiver/Transmitter (R/T) is a functional replacement for the old AN/ARS-6. These systems are used to locate missing ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Al Saadiyat (Logistics Support Vessel)

  Al Saadiyat is the most recent logistics support vessel to be built for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Navy. The vessel is effectively a large ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  ELT/558

  The ELT/558 is a low-band jammer designed for the self-protection of fighter aircraft and combat helicopters. Systems support platform protection using jamming and deception of search/scanning, ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  IPN

  Produced by Selex ES (now part of Leonardo), the IPN is a family of combat management systems. Also known as SADOC 2, it is in ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  AN/APR-48B

  Lockheed Martin’s AN/APR-48B is a modernised radar frequency interferometer. The digital receiver-based system features enhanced receiver sensitivity to allow the system to detect a threat, ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-80

  The AN/APG-80 is an X-band active electronically scanned array radar system with approximately 1,000 transmit/receive modules, designed for continuous search and multi-target tracking capabilities in ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  SkyKnight

  The SkyKnight missile, developed by Halcon—a subsidiary of the UAE's EDGE Group—is the nation's first indigenous counter-rocket, artillery, and mortar (C-RAM) system. Unveiled at IDEX ...

• Corvettes

  Comandanti/Sirio Class (FCX15)

  The Comandanti-class corvettes designed and built by Italian company Financatieri are in service with the Italian Navy, which operates four, with the first commissioned in 2001, ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/AAQ-24(V)

  Northrop Grumman’s AN/AAQ-24(V) is a Directional Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) designed to protect large fixed-wing and small rotary wing aircrafts. The system has been installed in ...