• Defence Helicopter

  Aussie Tiger achieves FOC… finally

  1st June 2016

  The Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) of the Australian Army achieved final operating capability (FOC) on 14 April, a mere seven years behind the original …

• Defence Helicopter

  Ukraine advances Mi-24PU2 upgrade

  31st May 2016

  Ukraine's Mi-24PU2 helicopter upgrade has entered into flight testing phase, according to Ukoboronprom, the holding company that controls a vast majority of the country's arms …

• Defence Helicopter

  HMAS Canberra trials Chinooks

  31st May 2016

  The HMAS Canberra (L02), a Canberra class landing helicopter dock ship of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), conducted deck and handling trials with two Boeing …

• Defence Helicopter

  Aurora tests AACUS capabilities

  30th May 2016

  Aurora Flight Sciences has been testing the new capabilities of the Autonomous Aerial Cargo/Utility System (AACUS) for the US Marine Corps (USMC), which announced it …

• Defence Helicopter

  HeliRussia 2016: Russia to get Arctic helicopters

  30th May 2016

  According to Russian Helicopters holding, the Russian MoD is set to take on strength in 2016 and 2017 with an initial batch of five Mi-8AMTSh-VA …

• Defence Helicopter

  South Korea receives first Apaches

  30th May 2016

  South Korea has sped up deployment of its new attack helicopters due to concerns over North Korea’s bellicose military stance, including a fourth nuclear test …

• Land Warfare

  Thailand snaps up Chinese tanks

  30th May 2016

  The Royal Thai Army (RTA) has ordered 28 Norinco VT4 tanks from China to replace elderly M41s due to delays in Oplot-M deliveries from Ukraine. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russia looks towards eastern outposts

  27th May 2016

  The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 27 May that personnel and equipment would be deployed to the Eastern Military District (MD), in a …

• Defence Helicopter

  HeliRussia 2016: Russia set to overhaul Indian and Croatian military helicopters

  27th May 2016

  Russian Helicopters is in an advanced stage of discussion regarding a deal for overhauling three Mi-26 heavylift transport helicopters operated by the Indian Air Force …

• Land Warfare

  T-90 MBT vs TOW ATGM in Syria

  27th May 2016

  The Syrian civil war has seen the use of a wide spectrum of modern Russian armaments, including the T-90 Main Battle Tank.  In the brutal …

• Defence Helicopter

  HeliRussia 2016: Mi-26 set for re-engining

  27th May 2016

  Russia’s United Engine Co, the holding company controlling all aero engine developers and manufacturers in the country, has announced at the HeliRussia exhibition that it …

• Defence Helicopter

  HeliRussia 2016: Ka-62 undergoes initial testing

  26th May 2016

  The Kamov Ka-62 is undergoing its so-called entry-into the testing operation programme, which has to be completed before kick-starting the developmental testing effort.  The long-delayed …

• Defence Notes

  US lifts Vietnam arms embargo

  26th May 2016

  The first order of business during US President Barack Obama’s state visit to Vietnam was to lift a long-standing arms embargo on lethal weapons on …

• Digital Battlespace

  DRS to enhance FPAs for DARPA

  25th May 2016

  DARPA has awarded a contract to DRS Technologies to improve its infrared focal plane arrays (FPAs) as part of the Lambda Scale programme, the company …

• Defence Helicopter

  Pakistan orders AW139s

  25th May 2016

  The government of Pakistan has ordered an undisclosed number of AgustaWestland AW139 medium-sized twin-engine helicopters from Leonardo-Finmeccanica, the company announced on 24 May. The order …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28UB - Russia

  Programme BackgroundThe Russian MoD plans to acquire up to 60 Mi-28UB aircraft for the Russian Air Force by mid-2020s. Moscow signed a contract with Russian Helicopters ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28UB - Forecast [Russia]

  Programme Background The Russian MoD plans to acquire up to 60 Mi-28UB aircraft for the Russian Air Force by mid-2020s. Moscow signed a contract with Russian ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Ka-52K Katran [Russia]

  Programme Background The Ka-52K Katran is a navalised version of the Ka-52 Alligator reconnaissance and attack helicopter.  The history of the Ka-52K is aligned with ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60A [Portugal]

  Programme Background At the end of February 2025, the Portuguese Minister of National Defence said that as part of the Portuguese Army's Support, Protection & ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  AW119Kx [Bosnia and Herzegovina]

  Programme Background  In May 2025, the U.S. State Department approved an FMS to Bosnia and Herzegovina for approximately $100 million including 8 AW119Kx helicopters and a ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Mi-26T2 Halo [Russia]

  Programme Background The original Mi-26 was initially revealed to the West at the Paris airshow in June 1981. In terms of carrying capacity (weight and ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-1Y Venom (Czechia)

  Programme Background Czech Armed Forces intended to use the UH-1Y Venom helicopters in various missions including utility, search and rescue, aerial reconnaissance, air-to-ground support and ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  CH-47D Replacement [Thailand]

  Programme Background The RTA divested its six Boeing CH-47D Chinooks after failing to sell the 25-year-old aircraft on the second-hand market. Thailand found Chinook maintenance ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Ka-52 Alligator [Egypt]

  Methodology PGO As this programme has been contracted with deliveries completed, the PGO is 100%.  Units required A total of 46 Ka-52 Alligator were required ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  T129 (Nigeria)

  Programme Background Requirement The Nigerian Air Force has an ongoing requirement for attack helicopters in order to assist the country's ongoing counter-insurgency operations. Nigeria already ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Ka-226T- Air Force [India]

  Programme Background India had operated a diverse and antiquated fleet of helicopters to support its high-altitude operations along contested borders with China and Pakistan. Reducing ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Mi-26T2 [Jordan]

  Methodology PGO As this programme is complete, the PGO is 100%. Units required A total of four Mi-26T2 units were required through this programme.  Unit cost ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Naval Utility Helicopters [India]

  Programme Background The programme would have involved the formation of a joint venture between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and another local or foreign manufacturer. In June ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Ka-226T - Army [India]

  Programme Background India had operated a diverse and antiquated fleet of helicopters to support its high-altitude operations along contested borders with China and Pakistan. Reducing ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Heavy-lift Helicopter STH [Germany]

  Background Requirement The German government issued a tender in March 2019 for the procurement of heavy-lift helicopters under the Schwerer Transporthubschrauber (STH) program, 60 units are ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Mi-38

  Russian Helicopters' Mi-38 medium-lift helicopter is designed to compete with the Leonardo AW101 and Sikorsky S-92 in both the civil and military markets. The first ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28UB

  Russian Helicopters unveiled the Mi-28UB rotorcraft at the International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS 2013) exhibition. As the combat training modification of the Mi-28NE Night ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  BAS-750

  The BAS-750, or БАС-750, is a rotary-wing UAS unveiled at Army 2022 by Russian Helicopters. Described as a multifunctional UAV, it can host various payloads to complete several mission ...

• Air-to-air missiles

  9M39 Igla-V

  The 9M39 Igla-V (‘needle’) is a Russian IR homing SAM adapted for helicopter use. It is an air-launched version of the Igla MANPADS, which the ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28N/Mi-28NM

  The Mi-28N is a Russian attack helicopter manufactured by Russian Helicopters for use by the Russian Armed Forces. The helicopter is twin-engined with tandem seating ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  NSTsI-V

  Developed by KRET, the NSTsI-V is a helmet-mounted targeting and display system for pilots. The system projects an image onto the transparent screen in front of ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Ansat

  The Ansat is a light, multipurpose, twin-engine helicopter designed and built by Kazan Helicopters. The helicopter is able to carry up to six fully equipped troops, ...

• Helicopter guns

  YAK-B

  The YAK-B is a four-barrel 12.7x108mm Gatling gun. The system is remotely controlled, using a gas-operated mechanism, and offers a high rate of fire. It ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-171Sh

  The Mi-8AMTSh (domestic)/Mi-171Sh (export) is a civil and military transport helicopter that was developed from the Mi-8MT/Mi-17 by the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant. The type is built ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  Rychag-AVM

  KRET’s Rychag-AVM radio frequency jammer is designed to perform electronic attack against hostile communications and radar systems. The Rychag-AVM ensemble is mounted onboard dedicated Mil ...

• Land: RWS

  Nanuk Russian

  Rheinmetall Canada's Nanuk RWS family includes this variant for non-NATO weapons, which combines full stabilisation, long-range day/night all-weather sights and a versatile weapon cradle that ...

• Land: RWS

  Qimek Russian

  Rheinmetall's Qimek single-weapon RWS family includes a variant for non-NATO weapons, which combines full stabilisation, long-range day/night all-weather sights and a versatile weapon cradle for ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  Kopyo-A

  The Kopyo-A is a Russian, multipurpose radar intended for deployment on helicopters. It is designed for coastal monitoring, search and detection of sea surface and ground ...

• Military helicopters - attack, Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-35M

  The Mi-35M is a multirole combat helicopter used for ground attack, assault and cargo transport. It is the current production version of Rostvertol's Mi-24/35. Designed ...

• Helicopter guns

  GSh-23L

  The GSh-23 is a 23mm double-barrelled aircraft gun designed by KBP Instrument Design Bureau. The gun is designed to fire fragmentation mines, armour-piercing explosives and ...