• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Boeing opens UAV research lab

  4th July 2016

  Boeing has opened a research laboratory in Missouri to test software and hardware that will allow autonomous land, sea and air vehicles to work together …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SOCOM extends Aerosonde ops

  2nd July 2016

  The US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has awarded a contract extension for the provision of small and medium UAS operations to AAI Corporation, according to …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Farnborough 2016: Watchkeeper future support contract disclosed

  29th June 2016

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has pledged a further £80 million ($108 million) to the Watchkeeper UAS programme in the form of a support …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MQ-8B deploys with new radar

  29th June 2016

  An MQ-8B Fire Scout recently deployed with the USS Coronado to begin flight operations using its new AN/ZPY-4(V)1 maritime surveillance radar. In a release from …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USCG contracts ScanEagle services

  29th June 2016

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) has contracted Insitu to provide UAS services for one of its National Security Cutters (NSC), the company announced on 27 …

• Training

  NAWCTSD opts for J.F. Taylor

  29th June 2016

  Although perhaps not at the top of everyone’s mind when listing simulation companies, J.F. Taylor Inc. has been providing engineering services, simulator design and fabrication …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Hans-free Solo readied for UW2016

  29th June 2016

  Optionally-manned platforms will be present at the Unmanned Warrior exercise off the coast of Scotland this year, with the dual capability providing a degree of …

• Digital Battlespace

  AN/TPQ-53 radar tracks UAS

  29th June 2016

  The AN/TPQ-53 counter-fire radar has demonstrated its ability to identify and track UAS and pass that information to a command and control (C2) node, providing …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  CybAero to deliver three UAS in August

  29th June 2016

  CybAero and Chinese company Jolly have agreed that three UAS ordered by Jolly will be delivered in August 2016, CybAero announced on 27 June. The …

• Land Warfare

  Ajax air deployability trials begin

  28th June 2016

  Initial air portability testing for the Ajax vehicle has begun at the Joint Air Delivery Test and Evaluation Unit (JADTEU) at Royal Air Force (RAF) …

• Defence Helicopter

  CH-53K King Stallion lifts 27,000lbs

  27th June 2016

  Sikorsky’s CH-53K King Stallion heavy lift helicopter has successfully completed an external lift of a 27,000lbs payload at the company's Development Flight Test Center in …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MQ-4C Triton in new navy testing

  27th June 2016

  During recent US Navy testing, Northrop Grumman's MQ-4C Triton UAS demonstrated two new communications and flight capabilities, the navy announced on 23 June. While in flight, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Crunch time for RQ-21A Blackjack

  24th June 2016

  The US Navy and US Marine Corps (USMC) is preparing for a busy few months as its newest small UAS, the RQ-21A Blackjack, is approved …

• Digital Battlespace

  IEE to provide CDU for JCREW I1B1

  24th June 2016

  IEE will provide its 3.5-inch handheld control display unit (CDU) for Northrop Grumman's Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (RCIED) Electronic Warfare (JCREW) system under …

• Defence Helicopter

  T129 hot and high in Pakistan

  24th June 2016

  Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has sent its T129 ATAK advanced attack and reconnaissance helicopter to Pakistan, at the request of the Pakistan Army Aviation Command …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Directed energy weapons

  Project Dragonfire [UK]

  Background The UK Government's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has been working with MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ to develop a LASER Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) called ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Indirect Fire Protection Capability - Generation II – High-Power Microwave [US]

  Background In July 2025 Epirus received a US$43,551,060 contract from the US Army for two Generation II systems developed from the HPM (Leonidas). Previously, in ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Indirect Fire Protection Capability – High-Power Microwave [US]

  Background In May 2024, the US Army took delivery of four High-Powered Microwave (HPM) Directed-Energy Weapons (DEW) to fulfil its Indirect Fire Protection Capability – High-Power ...

• 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 ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  C-UAS [Portugal]

  Background Portugal's Military Programming Law 2023–2034 includes $8.8724 million (€8.2 million) to acquire counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) by 2034. It is assumed that this acquisition requires ...

• 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 ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  Border C-UAS Defence [Latvia]

  Background Latvia's long-term blueprint for its armed forces lists a comprehensive C-UAS element with an approximate range of three to four km. This programme is ...

• CUAS - jammers

  NEROD RF [France]

  Background France has procured an unconfirmed number of MC2's NEROD RF C-UAS rifles ("fusils brouilleurs") for short-range counter-drone use. In a 2024 Senate report, it ...

• CUAS - jammers

  C-UAS [Taiwan]

  Background Taiwan announced a requirement for portable C-UAS systems with capabilities that include passive detection, takeover, spoofing and jamming. The systems are planned to strengthen ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  Finnish Border Guard C-UAS Capability

  Background In response to the growing UAS threat, the Finnish Border Guard was given €44 million for procurements to strengthen drone detection, identification, and countering capabilities. ...

• CUAS - jammers

  C-UAS [Australia]

  Background The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is accelerating the acquisition of state-of-the-art counter-drone technologies through Project LAND 156. The ADF signed a contract with HighCom ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  SAN C-UAS [Poland]

  Background In January 2026, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and its Polish partner Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) signed a contract with the Polish Armaments Agency for the delivery ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  US SOF CUxS (Static) [US]

  Background The US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is procuring a Family of Systems (FoS) design to defeat drones. The programme includes development, integration, prototyping, and test of ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  US SOF CUxS (Mounted) [US]

  Background The US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is procuring a Family of Systems (FoS) design to defeat drones. The programme includes development, integration, prototyping, and test of ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• CUAS - hybrid effector 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, ...

• 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 ...

• CUAS - jammers

  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, ...

• CUAS - jammers

  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 ...

• 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.

• Directed energy weapons

  Leonidas High-Powered Microwave DEW

  Leonardo's US-based subsidiary Epirus has received funding from both the US and Singapore to develop its Leonidas High-Powered Microwave (HPM) directed-energy weapon (DEW).

• Directed energy weapons

  GÖKBERK 10 Laser DEW

  Turkish company ASELSAN's GÖKBERK 10 laser directed-energy weapon (DEW) is designed to destroy cheap, class-I drones. The system is designed to work with other components ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Hybrid effector 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 ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Royal Thai Army Laser DEW

  Under Government instructions, the Royal Thai Army is developing a Laser-based Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) to counter drones in its border regions. The unit cost ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...