• Training

  TH-119 performs successful first flight

  3rd January 2019

  Leonardo has successfully completed the initial flight test of the TH-119 IFR single engine training helicopter at its Philadelphia plant. The test flight included an …

• Defence Notes

  Surface Navy 2019: USMC considers decrease in operational commitments

  17th January 2019

  As the US Marine Corps (USMC) continues to grapple with its deployment-to-dwell (D2D) ratio a top service official has suggested a decrease in operational commitments …

• Defence Helicopter

  Serbia purchases Mi-35Ms and Mi-17V-5s

  18th January 2019

  Russia has received an order to supply seven Mi-35 and three Mi-17V-5 helicopters to Serbia, with delivery planned for completion in 2019. This agreement has …

• Military Logistics

  Surface Navy 2019: Navy official concerned over US shipbuilding and maintenance base

  17th January 2019

  Although the annual Surface Navy Association event in Washington, DC brings with it much interest in new ships such as the FFG(X) and new large …

• Training

  Pre-serial L-39NG performs first flight

  4th January 2019

  Aero Vodochody’s first pre-serial L-39NG jet trainer performed its maiden flight on 22 December in Czech Republic. After taking off from the runway, the aircraft …

• Land Warfare

  Outgoing US Army chief hails improved readiness

  16th January 2019

  As the US Army prepares to submit is FY20 budget the service remains confident that it will continue to build readiness and prepare for a …

• Training

  L3 receives F-16 training contract

  31st December 2018

  L3 Technologies has been selected by the US Air Force as the prime contractor for the F-16 Simulator Training Program (STP), the company announced on …

• Land Warfare

  Raytheon to produce Patriot for Sweden

  4th January 2019

  Raytheon received a contract from the US Army in December to produce Patriot Integrated Air and Missile Defense Systems for Sweden.   The $692.9 million …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Ukraine buys Turkish Bayraktar TB2 UAVs

  16th January 2019

  Ukraine has placed an order for Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 Male class UAV systems. This was revealed by the country’s president Petro Poroshenko on 12 January.  …

• Special Operations

  Malaysia centralizes Special Forces Command

  8th January 2019

  Special operations forces from across the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) will be organized under a centralized Special Forces Command, the Chief of the Defense Forces …

• Special Operations

  US Navy issues presolicitation for new SOF scope

  15th January 2019

  The US Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane (Indiana) has issued the presolicitation announcement for the SOF Precision-Variable Power Scope (P-VPS). The 14 January 2019 …

• Defence Notes

  100th Su-35 fighter produced in Russia

  20th December 2018

  Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation has announced the production of the 100th Su-35 fighter. This was marked at a handover ceremony of the final batch of …

• Defence Helicopter

  FLIR sensors for US Air Force MH-139s

  31st December 2018

  FLIR Systems has been selected by Boeing to provide its Star Safire 380-HDc EO/IR surveillance sensor in support of the US Air Force’s UH-1N helicopter …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon to support SPY-6 radar integration

  3rd January 2019

  Raytheon received a $114 million contract in December to provide integration and production support for the AN/SPY-6(V) air and missile defence radar. The contract also …

• Land Warfare

  Australia's Hawkei programme moves on despite reliability concerns

  10th January 2019

  Stage two testing of the Thales Australia Hawkei Protected Mobility Vehicle - Light (PMV-L) for the Land 121 Phase 4 programme was completed in November …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15EX - USAF (Announced)

  Programme Background The F-15EX is based on the 2-seat F-15QA (Qatar) configuration upgraded with USAF-only capabilities, including the Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS) ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15EX - USAF (Contracted)

  Programme Background USAF is looking to procure 144 F-15EX fighter aircraft, including two RDTE configurations and six low-rate initial production aircraft. F-15EX will replace ageing ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-Y Tanker Aircraft (USA)

  Programme Background The USAF is replacing its fleet of 396 KC-135 Stratotanker refuelling aircraft, built in the 1950s and 60s, and 59 KC-10 Extenders, which entered service ...

• AEW&C

  E-7A Wedgetail (USA - Forecast)

  Programme Background Speaking on 21 September 2021 during the annual Air Force Association (AFA) Meeting in Washington DC, USAF Chief of Staff Gen Charles Brown ...

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

  Teal 2 [USAF]

  Programme Background On 8 August 2023, Teal Drones announced it had received a $2.6 million deal for 172 Teal 2 UAVs, spare parts and training from ...

• ISR/special mission

  P-1 EW [Japan]

  Programme Background Requirement Japan has operated the EP-3, a COMINT/SIGINT/ELINT configuration of the P-3 Orion, since 1993. As of 2024, the Japanese MoD maintains that these aircraft ...

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

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) (Increment 1) [USAF]

  Background Requirements The programme's requirements are based on the USAF's belief that mass is necessary to compete effectively against an adversary in symmetrical warfare. However, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  MH-139 (UH-1N Huey Replacement)

  Other bidders included Sikorsky with HH-60U offer and Sierra Nevada with upgrading offer of UH-60As to UH-60L configuration.In February 2018, Leonardo filed a protest to ...

• AEW&C

  E-7A Wedgetail (1-2) [USA]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that this entry covers the two rapid-prototype E-7 aircraft, whose contract was signed in August 2024. A second programme entry covers the ...

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

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) (Increment 2) [USAF]

  Background Requirements The baseline requirements for Increment 2 of the CCA effort are similar to Increment 1, which is covered in a separate entry on Defence ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | P-1 EW [Japan]

  Japan is advancing its electronic warfare (EW) capabilities through the development of an EW version of the domestically produced Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft. The ...

• Data links

  Data links | P-1 EW [Japan]

  Japan is advancing its electronic warfare (EW) capabilities through the development of an EW version of the domestically produced Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft. The ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | P-1 EW [Japan]

  Japan is advancing its electronic warfare (EW) capabilities through the development of an EW version of the domestically produced Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft. The ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | P-1 EW [Japan]

  Japan is advancing its electronic warfare (EW) capabilities through the development of an EW version of the domestically produced Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft. The ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15QA Qatar

  Programme Background On 17 November 2016, the US State Department announced that it has approved a possible FMS of 72 F-15QA aircraft to Qatar for ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: maintenance simulators

  F-22 Training Devices

  TRU Simulation + Training F-22 MTD programme includes three training devices that provide USAF students at Sheppard AFB, Texas, with maintenance training on landing gear, ...

• EW Training Support System (Battlelab)

  EW Training Support System is a Training & Simulation Center a leading-edge training facility dedicated to teaching and training personnel in the Electronic Warfare field. ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  EX-3 Revenant

  The EX-3 Revenant is a developmental fixed-wing aircraft being developed by Exosonic. It is a Mach 1.2 supersonic UAV designed to be a 5th-generation representative, modular, autonomous ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  USAF KC-135 ATS

  The KC-135 Aircrew Training System (ATS) programme delivers initial qualification, requalification, continuation and upgrades training for USAF KC-135 aircrews, including pilots, co-pilots and boom operators. ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  T-1 Jayhawk

  FlightSafety operates and maintains T-1 training devices as part of its CLS contract. Air Education and Training Command uses these high-fidelity simulators and part-task trainers ...

• Training Services

  GFD (Gesellschaft für Flugzieldarstellung) is an Airbus subsidiary providing target demonstration, live EW training, forward air controller training, test and evaluation flights. GFD trains German ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Air Combat Training

  Boeing has experience in delivering training for fixed-wing air combat platforms including F-15C/E, F-16, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G, F-22 and MV/CV-22.

• EW test systems

  JTE

  The Joint Threat Emitter (JTE) is a multi-threat, high-fidelity simulator with realistic ERP levels, which simulates single- and double-digit surface-to-air and anti-aircraft artillery radar systems. ...

• ISR/special mission

  EC-130H Compass Call

  The EC-130H is an EW aircraft based on the modified C-130H transport aircraft. It is used by the USAF to disrupt enemy command and control communications ...

• ISR/special mission

  EA-37B Compass Call

  The EA-37B (also known as EC-37B) is a Compass Call EW aircraft based on the commercial G550 platform. The USAF is now transitioning the EW capabilities previously ...

• Trainer

  T-38 Talon

  Developed by Northrop Grumman, the T-38 Talon is an advanced trainer aircraft introduced into service in 1961. The T-38 has the same basic airframe as ...

• EW test systems

  ELT A62

  ELT A62 product family deals with multiple sensors of EW equipment suites. ELT A62 is a training system for EW personnel that can be sea-, ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  T-38C Talon

  FlightSafety supports nearly 40 T-38 training devices as part of its contract for logistics support for the T-38. The T-38C is a converted T-38A/B that ...

• Subsystems: software, Subsystems: visual

  SimuSphere HD

  SimuSphere HD immerses fast jet pilots in a virtual training environment claimed to be equivalent to real-world flying missions. As part of L3Harris Technologies' HD ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  JPRWRS

  The Joint Portable Radar Warning Receiver Stimulator (JPRWRS) has been developed as a method of providing fixed- and rotary-wing aircrews with a low-cost, open-air threat ...