• Defence Notes

  Opinion: How China’s fingerprints are all over Talisman Sabre

  25th July 2019

  This month more than 34,000 troops completed Exercise Talisman Sabre. Apart from its sheer scale, what is remarkable about the biennial exercise is the degree …

• Training

  New training system from Systematic

  18th July 2019

  Following-on from the German Army’s procurement decision to acquire the Systematic Group’s SitaWare Headquarters' C2 battle management software, it has been revealed that the company …

• Training

  Kratos to train Saudi naval forces

  18th July 2019

  Kratos Defense & Security Solutions will provide training-related products and services to the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) under a task order announced on 17 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon joins Team ARTEMIS Industry

  23rd July 2019

  Raytheon will develop new space capabilities for the UK Ministry of Defence (MoU) under a Memorandum of Understanding signed on 19 July. The company has …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Fire Scout reaches IOC with US Navy

  10th July 2019

  The MQ-8C Fire Scout has reached initial operational capability with the US Navy, clearing the way for fleet operations and training to begin. The MQ-8 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Watchkeeper progress points to subtle success for British Army

  23rd July 2019

  The widely publicised crashes and delays that have long derailed the UK’s unmanned Watchkeeper programme look to be behind the MoD as it moves out …

• Training

  Buckley AFB gets VRSG-equipped F-16C simulators

  18th July 2019

  MetaVR’s Virtual Reality Scene Generator (VRSG) is set to enter use at Buckley Air Force Base (AFB) for pilot training, the company announced on 16 …

• Military Logistics

  First Marshall containers head to the Netherlands

  26th July 2019

  Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group has despatched the first batch of container systems being supplied to the Dutch armed forces under a contract signed at …

• Digital Battlespace

  Insight: Air power and the space between

  19th July 2019

  The capabilities that space flight and technology can bring to the military arena are still relatively infant at this time but infinite possibilities remain as …

• Defence Helicopter

  TH-119 obtains FAA IFR certification

  19th July 2019

  Leonardo’s TH-119 helicopter has received IFR supplemental type certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The certification allows pilots to operate the aircraft safely in …

• Naval Warfare

  The future USS John F Kennedy comes together

  23rd July 2019

  The future USS John F Kennedy, the US Navy’s next aircraft carrier, has had its final major steel structural section installed by Huntington Ingalls’ Newport …

• Digital Battlespace

  Marshall prepares for E-7 Wedgetail work

  22nd July 2019

  Marshall Aerospace and Defence will commence preparatory work for the E-7 Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C;) programme under a contract with Boeing.The risk …

• Land Warfare

  German Army orders Mungo vehicles

  25th July 2019

  Germany’s military procurement organisation has commissioned Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) to supply nine Mungo N/C Recce vehicles for the German Army. The N/C Recce variant of …

• Land Warfare

  Poland elects to upgrade T-72 tanks

  26th July 2019

  PGZ consortium and ZM Bumar-Łabędy are to refurbish and upgrade the Polish Army’s T-72 tanks under a contract with the Polish Ministry of Defence announced …

• Training

  Talisman Sabre 2019: Australian Army’s joint training evolves upwards

  15th July 2019

  Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019 is but one event of the Australian Army’s joint land collective two-year training calendar, the latter now known as the Joint Warfare …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  EVO Max 4T [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Ukraine On 6 October 2023, Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's Miniter of Digital Transformation, announced that the Army of Drones sent nearly 2,000 EVO Max ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Hürkuş-C Advanced Armed Trainer (Turkey)

  The Hurjet-C development programme funding was included in the Hurkus-B procurement contract awarded by  the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defence Industries in December 2013.  The Hurjet will ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW101-Norway

  AgustaWestland is also providing initial support and training services, including spares at each of the operating bases and aircrew training. It will then provide performance ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer IFV (Schakal) [Germany]

  Programme Background The Boxer is currently in service with both Germany and the Netherlands, having entered service in 2009 and 2013, respectively.  In October 2025, ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F -Kenya

  Crew transition training took place at the MD Helicopters headquarters in Mesa, Arizona, with field service support, armament, and gunnery training scheduled to occur at ...

• Trainer

  T-54A Multi-Engine Training System (METS) (USA)

  Programme Background Multi-Engine Training System is a USN programme to replace the ageing T-44C Pegasus fleet and modernize multi-engine aircraft training. Multi-Engine Training System provides ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) (3) [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Malaysian Navy are in the process of a fleet transformation plan known as the 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, which ...

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  Submarines Procurement [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements In 2015, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) issued the so-called 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, which envisioned the service to be standardised ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawks [Greece]

  Programme Background In October 2023, Greece submitted a formal request to acquire 49 Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters as replacements for the Army's Bell UH-1s after launching ...

• ISR/special mission

  Shadow R1 [UK]

  Programme Background The RAF is moving forward with an ambitious plan to transform its intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) force to enable greater ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk-USA

  The UH-60M Black Hawk is a digitally networked platform with greater range and lift to support maneuver commanders through air assault, general support, command and ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Beyond Vision Drones [Portugal]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 14 February 2023, Beyond Vision announced that it had been awarded a €600,375 contract for the acquisition of "6 Mulittoror ...

• ISR/special mission

  King Air 350ER -Canada

  Programme Background Canadian Special Forces was looking to procure ISR aircraft to support their missions both overseas and domestically.  There were few Canadian suppliers to sell ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Submarines Procurement [Malaysia]

  According to the Royal Malaysian Navy 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, the Navy wants to acquire two more submarines between 2031 and 2035. Shephard estimates ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Submarines Procurement [Malaysia]

  According to the Royal Malaysian Navy 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, the Navy wants to acquire two more submarines between 2031 and 2035. Shephard estimates ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Major networking projects

  ACT

  Allied Command Transformation (ACT) is leading at strategic command level the transformation of NATO’s military structure, forces, capabilities and doctrine. It is working to enhance ...

• Loitering munitions

  Trypillian SSG

  Manufactured by Trypillian, a British-Ukrainian start-up, the Trypillian SSG is an autonomous, deep-strike loitering munition, designed to operate in GNSS-denied environments.  Trypillian states that it is an asymmetric ...

• Light UGVs

  D-21-11

  Unveiled in January 2024, the D-21-11 is a 4x4 wheeled UGV from Brave1. The Ukrainian vehicle features a flatbed that can host various equipment, such ...

• Loitering munitions

  Backfire

  The Backfire is a Ukrainian fire-and-forget loitering munition. The catapult-launched system is GPS-guided, meaning it is resistant to radio-electronic interference. Reportedly, its lack of real-time ...

• Medium UGVs

  Ironclad

  The Ironclad is a Ukrainian 4x4 UGV developed by Roboneers, a technology incubator that solicits ideas and pairs them with potential investors. Fitted with a ShaBlya ...

• Ultra-light UGVs

  Ratel S

  The Ratel S, sometimes also called the Medoed or Honey Badger, is a Ukrainian kamikaze UGV that can be armed with a TM-62 anti-tank mine or two 82mm ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Vampire

  The Vampire is a hexacopter drone developed by the Ukrainian company Skyfall. It can carry and drop various types of ammunition on the enemy. In ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  DRTS

  The Digital Range Training System (DRTS) was developed under a 2011 contract to provide an immersive training environment for US Army vehicle crews. Training includes ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  EVO Max 4T

  The EVO Max 4T is an in-development rotary-wing ISR drone from Autel Robotics. According to Autel, the drone has advanced autonomous technology, giving it a strong ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  Live Training Systems-Range Instrumentation

  End-to-end, networked, live training communications systems providing live training range products, communications infrastructure and instrumented participant voice, video and data communications. These include range voice, ...

• Air: aerial targets

  MQM-178 Firejet

  The MQM-178 Firejet is a target drone manufactured by Kratos Defence.  It performs a variety of end-to-end weapons-release training roles, including surface-to-air and air-to-air.

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  USN T-44C Training Services

  In late 2013, CAE USA received a contract to provide the USN with comprehensive T-44C aircrew training services at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. CAE USA ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Nomad (Group 4/5)

  In October 2025, Sikorsky unveiled the Nomad family of drones. The family can be scaled from a small Group 3 UAV to a Group 4/5 system with ...

• Data links

  CLIP

  Common Link Integration Processing (CLIP) is a software product that performs data transformation and processes protocols for dissimilar communications formats. It meets requirements for common ...

• Loitering munitions

  Mighty Hornet IV

  Unveiled in September 2025, the Mighty Hornet IV is a development of the MQM-178 target drone designed for attack missions. Kratos and the National Chung-Shan Institute ...