• Defence Notes

  Swiss ban aerospace firm Pilatus from operating in Saudi, UAE

  27th June 2019

  On 26th June Switzerland banned aerospace firm Pilatus from further operating in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates after finding the Swiss company gave …

• Special Operations

  NSW looks to individual gear enhancements

  25th July 2019

  While United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) planners are looking toward a range of broad options to enhance the lethality of individual operators, some SOF …

• Land Warfare

  TECRO requests Stinger missiles

  11th July 2019

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a possible foreign military sale of Stinger missiles to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office …

• Naval Warfare

  Japan launches eighth and final BMD destroyer

  18th July 2019

  Japan Marine United launched a new 8,200t escort warship at its Yokohama shipyard on 17 July – christened Haguro and bearing the pennant number 180 …

• Training

  USAF trains Nigerien Armed Forces

  15th July 2019

  As the threat from extremist groups in Africa continues to be felt, many nations from around the world are offering military support to the affected …

• Land Warfare

  Turkey receives first delivery of Russian S-400

  12th July 2019

  Turkey has received the first batch of Russia's S-400 missile defence system, despite repeated warnings from its United States NATO ally against the purchase. ‘The …

• Defence Notes

  Insight: China ups the ante by firing missiles into troubled waters

  11th July 2019

  Despite muddled details from official sources, it is believed that China’s Southern Theatre Command recently fired multiple anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBM) into the disputed South …

• Military Logistics

  DSCA approves support package for Moroccan F-16s

  1st July 2019

  The US State Department has approved a potential $250.4 million sustainment and support package contract for Morocco’s fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters.  Later this …

• Defence Notes

  US-UAE defence agreement comes into force

  30th May 2019

  The US and the United Arab Emirates announced on 29 May that a mutual defence cooperation agreement had come into force, amid increasing tensions between …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Insitu contracted for RQ-21A UAVs for US, Canada, Poland and Oman

  1st July 2019

  Insitu has been awarded a $390.3 million contract to provide RQ-21A Blackjack unmanned aerial vehicles to the US Navy, US Marine Corps and a number …

• Training

  UAE requests follow-on USMC training

  29th May 2019

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential follow-on blanket order for US Marine Corps (USMC) training and support from the United …

• Training

  Indra contracted for French MRTT simulator

  25th June 2019

  Indra has been contracted by Airbus Defence & Space to deliver a simulator for the French Air Force’s A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) fleet.  The …

• Land Warfare

  UAE requests Javelin guided missiles

  28th May 2019

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale of Javelin guided missiles to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UAE requests RQ-21A Blackjack UAS

  28th May 2019

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale of RQ-21A Blackjack UAS to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the …

• Defence Helicopter

  UAE requests APKWS II all-up-rounds

  29th May 2019

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems (APKWS) II all-up-rounds to the …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  SPYDER-MR [UAE]

  Background Under the auspices of the 2020 Abraham Accords, in 2022 the United Arab Emirates (UAE) selected the Israeli-developed SPYDER-MR air defence systems for its immediate ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Barak 8 [UAE]

  Background In 2022, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) took delivery of its first Barak 8 long-range air defence system from Israel-based IAI. The programme was ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye (4-5) [UAE]

  Background Units one through three The United Arab Emirates Air Force took delivery of three GlobalEye (known also as Global 6000) aircraft from Saab. This procurement is detailed ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  ULTRA [US]

  Background Origins The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Center for Rapid Innovation (CRI) conceived and developed the aircraft with DZYNE Technologies. According to The War ...

• Corvettes

  Gowind 2500 (1-2) [UAE]

  Background Timeline The Gowind 2500 design has proved a popular export, and variants have been ordered by four countries. Naval Group confirmed the sale of ten ...

• Transport

  A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  Background IDEX 2025 At IDEX 2025, two Airbus representatives shared insights into a possible offer from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The ...

• Corvettes

  Gowind 2500 Procurement (3-4) [UAE]

  Background Timeline The Gowind 2500 design has proved a popular export and variants have been ordered by four countries. Naval Group confirmed the sale of ...

• OPVs

  OPV procurement [UAE]

  Background Requirements The vessels ordered are intended for patrol, surveillance and interdiction missions in the UAE’s exclusive economic zone to the enforcement of maritime law, coast ...

• Transport

  C-130 Replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Requirement The Royal Saudi Air Force operates 33 C-130H, 7 KC-130H aircraft and two KC-130Js. The country has been seeking to replace its older ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Sherpa Light [Egypt]

  Background Egypt is believed to have taken delivery of at least 173 Sherpa Lights and 18 Sherpa Light Scout 4x4 armoured vehicles from Arquus between ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Cheongung-II (M-SAM Block II) [UAE]

  Background The UAE was the first export customer for South Korea’s Cheongung-II medium-range air-defence system and was the first to use it operationally. In January 2022, ...

• Loitering munitions

  Hunter Family [UAE]

  Programme Background IDEX Contract Announcement On 21 February 2023, EDGE announced that its subsidiary, HALCON, had been awarded an AED 1.1 billion ($272.29 million) contract to supply ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  PAC-3 [USA]

  Background Japan transferred an unspecified variant of PAC-3 interceptors to the United States at Washington’s request to replenish US military stocks after transfers to Ukraine. The ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Trainer/light attack aircraft [Egypt]

  Bids and suppliers Korea Aerospace Industries In March 2025, the Egyptian Ambassador to South Korea confirmed ongoing talks regarding the possible export of the FA-50 Fighting Eagle; ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV [Romania]

  Programme Background  The Oshkosh Defence Joint Light Tactical Vehicle is a 4x4 armoured vehicle manufactured in the United States. Originally intended to supplement to Humvee ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• MPVs - 4x4

  Kasser II

  Produced by M4 Industries based in Abu Dhabi, Kasser is a 4x4 MRAP that is currently being developed for the United Arab Emirates. The vehicle ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - MLDS, Land: Defensive Systems - Gunshot Detection / Hostile Fire Indicator

  ShotFinder Acoustic Hostile Fire Detection

  Northrop Grumman’s ShotFinder is a hostile fire detection system designed to protect aircraft against small arms and light weapons fire. The apparatus employs acoustic technology ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Falcon Edge/IEWS

  Northrop Grumman’s Falcon Edge Integrated Self-Protection System (ISPS) equips the United Arab Emirates Air Force’s (UAEAF) Lockheed Martin F-16E/F Block-60 fighters.  The first incarnation of ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  MCRL

  The Multiple Cradle Rocket Launcher (MCRL) was developed by Al Jaber Land Systems (AJLS) in cooperation with Roketsan to meet the requirements of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and ...

• Air: Displays

  Digital Light Engine Head-Up Display

  BAE Systems Digital Light Engine (DLE) HUD is designed to upgrade existing display equipment with a modular, electro-optic digital system. According to the manufacturer, DLE HUDs ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM, Land: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARS-6(V12) PLS

  The new AN/ARS-6 (V12) Personnel Locator System (PLS) Receiver/Transmitter (R/T) is a functional replacement for the old AN/ARS-6. These systems are used to locate missing ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Al Saadiyat (Logistics Support Vessel)

  Al Saadiyat is the most recent logistics support vessel to be built for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Navy. The vessel is effectively a large ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  ELT/558

  The ELT/558 is a low-band jammer designed for the self-protection of fighter aircraft and combat helicopters. Systems support platform protection using jamming and deception of search/scanning, ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  IPN

  Produced by Selex ES (now part of Leonardo), the IPN is a family of combat management systems. Also known as SADOC 2, it is in ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  AN/APR-48B

  Lockheed Martin’s AN/APR-48B is a modernised radar frequency interferometer. The digital receiver-based system features enhanced receiver sensitivity to allow the system to detect a threat, ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-80

  The AN/APG-80 is an X-band active electronically scanned array radar system with approximately 1,000 transmit/receive modules, designed for continuous search and multi-target tracking capabilities in ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/AAQ-24(V)

  Northrop Grumman’s AN/AAQ-24(V) is a Directional Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) designed to protect large fixed-wing and small rotary wing aircrafts. The system has been installed in ...

• EO/IR systems

  Damocles

  The Damocles is a third-generation targeting pod developed by Thales Group, designed for advanced reconnaissance and laser designation. It is modular, features an eye-safe laser, ...

• Corvettes

  Comandanti/Sirio Class (FCX15)

  The Comandanti-class corvettes designed and built by Italian company Financatieri are in service with the Italian Navy, which operates four, with the first commissioned in 2001, ...

• Naval: Defensive Systems - Laser Warning Receivers

  NLWS Naval Laser-Warning System

  Saab's Naval Laser-Warning System (NLWS) is capable of detecting and analysing lasers in blue-water and littoral combat environments. The NLWS consists of a number of sensors ...