• Defence Notes

  US Navy funds DDG 124 construction

  4th April 2016

  General Dynamics Bath Iron Works has received a $644.3 million contract modification from the US Navy for the full funding of the construction of the …

• Digital Battlespace

  DefExpo 2016: OIS-AT promotes four radars

  4th April 2016

  OIS Advanced Technology (OIS-AT), a private Indian company, showed four new radar types at DefExpo 2016 in Goa. In a briefing with Shephard, Sanjay Bhandari, …

• Defence Helicopter

  FIDAE 2016: Peru’s billion dollar shopping spree

  1st April 2016

  The Peruvian Air Force has set out ambitious plans to modernise its air force over the next five years with one of the main aims …

• Defence Notes

  FIDAE 2016: RAF eyes role in LATAM exercises

  31st March 2016

  Despite the Royal Air Force’s A400M Atlas missing this year’s FIDAE airshow due to operational commitments, the service’s deputy commander of operations still sees a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DIMDEX 2016: Qatar signs Aerosonde deal

  31st March 2016

  The Qatari Emiri Armed Forces signed an MoU with Textron Systems Unmanned System for an Aerosonde UAS system, valued at 54 million Qatari rials ($15 …

• Military Logistics

  FIDAE 2016: Second KC-390 flight imminent

  30th March 2016

  Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer is poised to fly its second KC-390 prototype ‘in the coming weeks’ as it prepares to increase the tempo of flight …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Qinetiq on a quest to expand unmanned airspace

  29th March 2016

  Qinetiq is looking to expand the use of UAVs across the UK following a successful proof of concept of its unmanned services in Snowdonia, Wales. …

• Land Warfare

  DefExpo 2016: Vallon to bring C-IED detector to India

  29th March 2016

  Vallon is bringing its Counter Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) detector to DefExpo in Goa under the 'Make in India' programme to support the armed forces …

• Military Logistics

  FIDAE 2016: Chilean Army CN-235 gets a face lift

  28th March 2016

  The first aircraft in the Chilean Army’s fleet of three CASA CN-235-100M aircraft has completed a comprehensive upgrade of its flight deck avionics. Work has …

• Military Logistics

  AAR receives US Navy contract

  28th March 2016

  AAR has received a five-year, $104.97 million fixed-price contract from the US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to provide fleet logistics support for the C-40A …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ThunderB UAS flies for 25+ hours

  28th March 2016

  Bluebird Aero Systems has demonstrated the ability of its ThunderB UAV system to fly for more than 20 hours, completing a flight of 25.5 hours …

• Naval Warfare

  US coastal force seeks 'intimidating' patrol boat

  28th March 2016

  The US Navy's Coastal Riverine Force (CRF) is looking to replace up to 160 of its 25ft and 34ft force protection boats with a larger …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  GeoFIT Americas buys Correlator3D software

  24th March 2016

  GeoFIT Americas has purchased SimActive’s Correlator3D software, SimActive announced on 22 March. The software will be used for image processing from UAS in mapping projects. …

• Land Warfare

  Verba ready for international markets

  24th March 2016

  Rostec State Corporation subsidiary Rosoboronexport has commenced active promotion of its Verba man-portable air defence missile system (MANPADS) to international markets, Rostec announced on 22 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UAV Factory targets payload market

  23rd March 2016

  UAV Factory has launched a new division - Octopus ISR Systems - announced on 22 March. The division will offer intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance solutions …

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 ...