• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2016: UMS Skeldar get flight approval across Norway

  4th May 2016

  Norway has granted UMS Skeldar the right to conduct commercial operations countrywide, excluding certain restricted areas such as airports and urban areas. This approval extends …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2016: AR5 continues development for EMSA requirement

  4th May 2016

  Tekever is continuing to develop the AR5 Life Ray Evolution UAS for a future requirement by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) for an unmanned …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2016: Future army kit to be optionally-manned

  4th May 2016

  Future procurements of vehicles or aircraft by the US Army will likely include the requirement that they have optionally-manned or robotic capabilities, the general responsible …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2016: Mexico acquires VTOL fixed-wing UAV (video)

  4th May 2016

  UAS manufacturer Arcturus UAV has revealed the Mexican Navy as a customer for its VTOL-capable fixed-wing unmanned aircraft. According to the California company, the navy …

• Training

  ITEC 2016: USAF TPS upgrades to VR-Vantage

  4th May 2016

  Calspan has completed the upgrade to the US Air Force Test Pilot School’s (USAF TPS) Flight Sciences Simulator (FSS) with VT MÄK’s VR-Vantage IG image …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2016: US Army looks for new small UAS

  3rd May 2016

  The US Army is looking to provide dismounted soldiers with a UAS toolkit by adding a small quadcopter to the already proven Puma and Raven …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ASV to redeploy C-Workers to Gulf of Mexico

  3rd May 2016

  C-Worker 5 and C-Worker 6 unmanned surface vehicles will be redeployed to the Gulf of Mexico in 2017 to assist in ongoing research into the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2016: More lasers designators for Shadow

  3rd May 2016

  The US Army wants its unmanned aircraft fleet to have a greater role on the battlefield, including the vital job of laser designating targets so …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2016: UAV Factory look to broaden payloads

  3rd May 2016

  UAV Factory is looking towards forming partnerships with payload developers to increase the range of capabilities and options available to potential customers. As part of …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF orders first lot of AN/DAS-4

  3rd May 2016

  A first lot production contract awarded to Raytheon by the US Air Force will see the company start production of the AN/DAS-4 Multi-Spectral Targeting (MTS) …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2016: Raytheon prepares UAS swarm

  2nd May 2016

  Raytheon is planning several experiments this summer which will involve unleashing a swarm of its tube-launched Coyote UAS. As many as 30 of the small …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2016: Integration challenges for industry

  2nd May 2016

  Among the myriad of unmanned technologies on offer at this year’s Xponential one of the key challenges for the industry is how to integrate the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2016: OHTO launcher delivered

  2nd May 2016

  Robonic has delivered its fourth generation OHTO pneumatic launcher to Lockheed Martin, providing improved safety and information gathering during operations.  The OHTO launcher is the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A 2016: Little Bird replacement on horizon

  1st May 2016

  Affectionately known as the 'street fighter' for its ability to operate in difficult urban terrain, the AH/MH-6 Little Bird provides capabilities to US Special Operations …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2016: Fire Scout deploys with next-gen controls

  1st May 2016

  In partnership with the US Navy Raytheon has developed an advanced mission control for the MQ-8 Fire Scout with the first littoral mission taking place …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

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

  Mini Reconnaissance Drones [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Planned Purchases On 14 September 2022, the Lithuanian MoD announced in a short statement on Twitter, now X, that it had begun organising ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  ISTAR UAS project [Canada]

  Programme Background Objective The Royal Canadian Navy's (RCN) main significant UAV project is the RCN Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Unmanned Aircraft System (RCN ...

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

  Small Reconnaissance Drones [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Planned Purchases On 14 September 2022, the Lithuanian MoD announced in a short statement on Twitter, now X, that it had begun organising ...

• Frigates

  European Combat Vessel [Spain]

  Programme Background Requirements The European Combat Vessel (ECV) is currently a conceptual project that seeks to design a European collaborative multi-mission, modular warship. As of ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Data links

  Data links | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• OPVs

  Harry DeWolf Class (AOPS) Coast Guard (7-8) [Canada]

  Background Requirements The new vessels will replace the CCGS Leonard J Cowley, an ice-strengthened fisheries patrol vessel that entered service in 1984 and CCGS Cygnus, a ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [Germany]

  Programme Background Germany originally said it would but 60 A400Ms, but when the program was re-baselined in 2010 reduced its planed off take to 53, ...

• Destroyers

  Next-Generation Large Surface Combatants (LSC) - DDG(X) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) is acknowledging a need to move away from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer design, which is slowly outgrowing. Flight III ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Counter-UAS 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, ...

• Laser-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 ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  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, ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  SCATA Mk1

  The SCATA Mk1 is the first military vehicle developed by Finland's SCATA.

• Counter-UAS systems, Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  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 ...

• Laser-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 ...

• Laser-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 ...

• Laser-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 ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons, Self-propelled guns, Self-propelled missile 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 ...

• Laser-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 ...

• Laser-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 ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Archimedes

  Archimedes, developed by Aurelius Systems, is a laser-directed energy weapon designed to stop drones at scale. The system is still in development, though Aurelius received ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  ALKA-KAPLAN

  ALKA-KAPLAN is a collaborative effort between Turkish manufacturers ROKETSAN and FNSS. The system is a mobile armoured anti-drone system, which integrates the ALKA directed energy-weapon ...

• 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 ...