• Defence Helicopter

  Heli-Expo 2016: Sikorsky looks to future of civil aircraft

  1st March 2016

  Sikorsky is looking towards future civil helicopter possibilities in anticipation of the oil and gas market rebound, as the new Lockheed Martin division voices its …

• Defence Helicopter

  Heli-Expo 2016: Black Hawks set loose on civil market

  29th February 2016

  The presence of three civil configured UH-60 Black Hawks has added an extra dimension to this year's Heli-Expo, as companies prepare to start selling the …

• Military Logistics

  USAF receives T56 engine upgrade kits

  29th February 2016

  Rolls-Royce has delivered the first T56 Series 3.5 engine upgrade kits to the US Air Force (USAF) for its C-130H transport fleet. The upgrades are …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  INet introduces rail inspection drone

  29th February 2016

  Industrial Networks (INet) introduced details of a new INet Rail Automation Drone (IRAD1) on 24 February. The system is designed to conduct autonomous scans of …

• Defence Notes

  Australia goes on spending spree

  26th February 2016

  Australia plans to spend some US$140.5 billion over the next decade ‘to fund investment in support of the future force,’ and bring the defence budget …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Global Hawk flies with SYERS-2 sensor

  26th February 2016

  Northrop Grumman has demonstrated the ability of the RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS to carry the SYERS-2 intelligence gathering sensor during flight testing as it looks …

• Defence Notes

  Netherlands takes delivery of JDEAL

  26th February 2016

  The Netherlands has taken delivery of the new Joint Deployable Exploitation and Analysis Laboratory (JDEAL) in Soesterberg, it was announced on 24 February. The lab - …

• Digital Battlespace

  US mulls LAIRCM sale to UAE

  25th February 2016

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a possible foreign military sale of AN/AAQ-24(V)N Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) equipment and logistics support …

• Naval Warfare

  Rheinmetall tests HEL effector

  23rd February 2016

  Rheinmetall and the German armed forces have successfully tested a high-energy laser (HEL) effector that was installed on a German warship operating on the high …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Singapore Airshow: IAI showcases loitering munitions

  23rd February 2016

  The Rotem L UAS is undergoing final testing ahead of offers to customers, as IAI continues to develop its range of loitering munitions. The system, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Singapore Airshow: Reduced launch footprint lined up for ScanEagle

  23rd February 2016

  Future developments to the ScanEagle UAS could see a reduced footprint for launch operations in order to make the system more deployable. Insitu officials present …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Singapore Airshow: Airbus experiments with UAV deliveries

  23rd February 2016

  The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has signed an MoU with Airbus Helicopters to conduct a parcel delivery experiment in Singapore. The signing took …

• Military Logistics

  US to get Thales UBCs

  22nd February 2016

  Thales has received a $49 million, five-year indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract from the US Army for the supply of universal battery chargers (UBC) and accessories, it …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Singapore Airshow: Boosted performance for Global Hawk

  19th February 2016

  Northrop Grumman announced completion of the MQ-4C Triton’s operational assessment during the Singapore Airshow, but the company also disclosed of a number of other developments. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UK orders Zephyr 8s

  19th February 2016

  The UK's decision to acquire the Airbus Defence and Space solar-powered Zephyr 8 high-altitude pseudo-satellite (HAPS) craft has been formalised with an order for two …

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]

  Programme 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, ...

• 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 ...