• 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 …

• 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 …

• 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

  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 …

• 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 …

• Naval Warfare

  Russian Navy to get additional Project 22350 frigates

  12th March 2020

  United Shipbuilding Corporation’s Severnaya Shipyard is to build an additional unspecified number of Project 22350 frigates for the Russian Navy, according to Deputy Defence Minister …

• Defence Notes

  Germany tells of no ‘substantial’ changes to future procurement targets

  24th March 2020

  The German MoD and industrial base are reporting that key domestic procurements continue to run as scheduled, although the outbreak of COVID-19 is causing catastrophic international operational …

• Land Warfare

  Morocco requests 25 M88A2 HERCULES from US

  4th March 2020

  Morocco has requested the delivery of 25 M88A2 Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Life and Evacuation System (HERCULES) vehicles for an estimated cost of $239.35 …

• Defence Notes

  F-35 programme passes milestone but coronavirus casts a shadow

  5th March 2020

  USAF General Eric Fick, programme executive officer for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office confirmed that the 500th aircraft was delivered on 1 March. …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  SPYDER-MR [UAE]

  Background Under the auspices of the 2020 Abraham Accords, in 2022 the United Arab Emirates (UAE) selected the Israeli-developed SPYDER-MR air defence systems for its immediate ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Barak 8 [UAE]

  Background In 2022, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) took delivery of its first Barak 8 long-range air defence system from Israel-based IAI. The programme was ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye (4-5) [UAE]

  Background Units one through three The United Arab Emirates Air Force took delivery of three GlobalEye (known also as Global 6000) aircraft from Saab. This procurement is detailed ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  ULTRA [US]

  Background Origins The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Center for Rapid Innovation (CRI) conceived and developed the aircraft with DZYNE Technologies. According to The War ...

• Corvettes

  Gowind 2500 (1-2) [UAE]

  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 ten ...

• Transport

  A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

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

• Corvettes

  Gowind 2500 Procurement (3-4) [UAE]

  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 ...

• OPVs

  OPV procurement [UAE]

  Background Requirements The vessels ordered are intended for patrol, surveillance and interdiction missions in the UAE’s exclusive economic zone to the enforcement of maritime law, coast ...

• Transport

  C-130 Replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  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 older ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Sherpa Light [Egypt]

  Background Egypt is believed to have taken delivery of at least 173 Sherpa Lights and 18 Sherpa Light Scout 4x4 armoured vehicles from Arquus between ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Cheongung-II (M-SAM Block II) [UAE]

  Background The UAE was the first export customer for South Korea’s Cheongung-II medium-range air-defence system and was the first to use it operationally. In January 2022, ...

• Loitering munitions

  Hunter Family [UAE]

  Programme Background IDEX Contract Announcement On 21 February 2023, EDGE announced that its subsidiary, HALCON, had been awarded an AED 1.1 billion ($272.29 million) contract to supply ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  PAC-3 [USA]

  Background Japan transferred an unspecified variant of PAC-3 interceptors to the United States at Washington’s request to replenish US military stocks after transfers to Ukraine. The ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Trainer/light attack aircraft [Egypt]

  Bids and suppliers Korea Aerospace Industries In March 2025, the Egyptian Ambassador to South Korea confirmed ongoing talks regarding the possible export of the FA-50 Fighting Eagle; ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV [Romania]

  Programme Background  The Oshkosh Defence Joint Light Tactical Vehicle is a 4x4 armoured vehicle manufactured in the United States. Originally intended to supplement to Humvee ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• EO/IR systems

  Damocles

  The Damocles is a third-generation targeting pod developed by Thales Group, designed for advanced reconnaissance and laser designation. It is modular, features an eye-safe laser, ...

• 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, ...

• Naval: Defensive Systems - Laser Warning Receivers

  NLWS Naval Laser-Warning System

  Saab's Naval Laser-Warning System (NLWS) is capable of detecting and analysing lasers in blue-water and littoral combat environments. The NLWS consists of a number of sensors ...