• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop receives LAIRCM contract

  7th January 2019

  Northrop Grumman announced on 3 January that it has received a $3.6 billion IDIQ contract from the US Air Force for Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure …

• Defence Helicopter

  Leonardo to support UK Apache fleet

  21st January 2019

  Leonardo has received a contract from the UK Ministry of Defence for comprehensive support and maintenance services for the Apache AH Mk1 attack helicopter fleet, …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF launches first GPS III satellite

  4th January 2019

  The US Air Force launched the first GPS III satellite, Vespucci, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on 23 December. The Lockheed Martin-built …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Microdrones acquires Aircam UAV Technology

  18th January 2019

  Microdrones has announced that it completed the acquisition of Chinese UAS developer Aircam UAV Technology in December 2018. The Aircam brand and corporate identity will …

• Defence Notes

  Singapore hedges its bets with F-35 decision

  22nd January 2019

  Catching few by surprise, Singapore’s Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen announced in a terse statement on 18 January that his country had identified the F-35 …

• Military Logistics

  New armoury opened at Saint-Hubert Garrison

  18th January 2019

  The Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) has officially opened a new 8,824 sqm armoury at Saint-Hubert Garrison, Canada. The new and renovated facilities will …

• Land Warfare

  Japanese future amphibious vehicle takes shape

  24th January 2019

  The research and design of the Japanese Future Amphibious Vehicle has begun to take shape as the country seeks to shore up defence of remote …

• Special Operations

  Georgia expands SOF capacity

  15th January 2019

  The Georgian Armed Forces (GAF) have announced a strategy to expand the operational capacity of its special operations forces, senior service personnel have disclosed.Speaking on …

• Special Operations

  Warsaw purchases Black Hawks for SOF ops

  25th January 2019

  The Polish Special Operations Component Command (POL SOCC) will be furnished with four S-70i Black Hawk helicopters following a contract signing with Sikorsky on 25 …

• Training

  FAAC receives ATMP support contract

  9th January 2019

  Arotech’s FAAC has received a subcontract to support the US Army’s Training Aids, Devices, Simulators and Simulations (TADSS) Maintenance Program (ATMP), Arotech announced on 7 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Russia to launch Sarmat ICBM production

  10th January 2019

  The Russian MoD is set to launch the RS-28 Sarmat super-heavy nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile (IBCM) in 2021. The first regiment of the Strategic Missile …

• Training

  Aptima to advance US Army personnel development

  9th January 2019

  Aptima has received a five-year, $19 million contract to support the US Army in acquiring, developing, employing and retaining professional soldiers and enhancing personnel readiness. …

• Naval Warfare

  ADECS 2019: A ‘dragon’ is tilting the Indo-Pacific’s naval balance of power

  30th January 2019

  At this year’s ADECS 2019 conference in Singapore, there were few delegates willing to address the South China Sea and China’s growing assertive in the …

• Naval Warfare

  Surface Navy 2019: US Navy looks to future fleet ambitions

  15th January 2019

  As the US Navy maps out a long term plan for its future surface fleet a service official said that the problematic Littoral Combat Ship …

• Land Warfare

  British Army receives first production Ajax vehicles

  22nd January 2019

  Without much fanfare the UK MoD has taken delivery of the first two production standard Ajax Ares variants, Shephard has learnt. The two vehicles were …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  Background In 2010, the USAF announced the replacement of the HH-60G with a new Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH), and in 2012, the request for proposals ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15EX (2020) [USA]

  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) ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15EX [USA]

  Programme Background The United States Air Force (USAF) was looking to procure 144 F-15EX fighter aircraft, including two RDT&E; configurations and six low-rate initial production aircraft. ...

• 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 ...

• 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)

  Background  Competing bids In competition with the Boeing/Leonardo bid was Sikorsky with a HH-60U offer, and Sierra Nevada with an upgrading offer of UH-60As to ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Electronic Warfare (EW) UAV [US Army]

  Background Army evaluations In May 2026, the US Army evaluated CX2’s Wraith rotary-wing UAV during Exercise Ivy Mass at Fort Carson. The evaluation was conducted in support ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-X / T-7A Red Hawk [USAF]

  Background On 27 September 2018, it was announced that the Boeing-Saab team had been awarded a contract for the programme. The initial contract was worth $813 million ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

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, ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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-, ...

• 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 ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  KC-46A ATS

  FlightSafety supports the USAF aircrew training program for the KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft. The program delivers a multi-faceted training package to the USAF from design, ...

• Air: maintenance simulators

  C-17 Globemaster III MTS

  TRU Simulation and Training C-17 Maintenance Training System (MTS) supports training needs for this complex computerised aircraft. The MTS provides skill development for more than 1,100 ...