• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Robonic delivers UAV launcher

  2nd March 2016

  Robonic has delivered its tenth Kontio MC2555LLR pneumatic launcher to the direct aerial targets unit of Airbus Defence & Space (DS), Robonic announced on 29 February. The …

• 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. …

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 ...