• Defence Notes

  China boosts defence spending

  10th March 2015

  China revealed a defence budget of RMB886.9 billion ($141.5 billion), a rise of 10.1%, during its annual National People’s Congress session on 5 March 2015. …

• Defence Notes

  South Korea accepts two bids for KF-X fighter

  10th March 2015

  Two companies have submitted bids for South Korea’s US$7.9 billion programme to develop and procure a locally-build fighter. The project suffered a slight hiccup when …

• Military Logistics

  ADF KC-30A aircraft removed from Projects of Concern

  9th March 2015

  The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft has been removed from the Projects of Concerns list, the Defence Materiel …

• Land Warfare

  AU-220M gun potential for Russia and UAE

  9th March 2015

  The Russian Ministry of Defence is considering purchases of a new 57-mm AU-220M light automatic gun turret system. Built by Uralvagonzavod, the gun was officially …

• Defence Helicopter

  German agreement with Airbus Helicopters gets green light

  6th March 2015

  The German parliament has approved a new framework agreement between the Bundeswehr and helicopter manufacturer Airbus Helicopters.  Details of the planned revision of the number …

• Naval Warfare

  Australia releases Pacific Patrol Boat RfT

  5th March 2015

  The Australian Department of Defence has released a Request for Tender (RFT) for Australian-made replacements for its Pacific Patrol Boats under the Pacific Maritime Security …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Vanilla Aircraft completes first flight of VA001 UAS

  4th March 2015

  Vanilla Aircraft has successfully completed the first flight of its VA001 ultra-long endurance Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), the company announced on 2 March. The 36ft …

• Military Logistics

  UK announces preferred bidder for Marchwood port

  4th March 2015

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has chosen Solent Gateway as the preferred bidder to manage and develop the Marchwood Sea Mounting Centre. The decision …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  GA-ASI, SENER to offer Predator B to Spain

  4th March 2015

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) and SENER will partner to offer the Predator B Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to Spain, GA-ASI announced on 2 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Heli-Expo 2015: Airbus Helicopters reveals new aircraft names

  3rd March 2015

  Airbus Helicopters will rename its entire product line to better reflect its closer alignment with its parent company and simplify the naming convention of the …

• Naval Warfare

  ISIS can threaten Med

  3rd March 2015

  ISIS extremists could present a threat to shipping in the Mediterranean as a result of the unstable situation in Libya. International consultancy Perim Associates, experts …

• Defence Helicopter

  Heli-Expo 2015: Vector Aerospace details recent contracts

  3rd March 2015

  Vector Aerospace Helicopter Services – North America (HS-NA) is to refurbish the airframe of a Sikorsky S-76B helicopter for the Royal Thai Navy under a …

• Defence Notes

  US-India tech cooperation slows

  3rd March 2015

  The US-India Defense Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI) appears to be at a standstill. Three unsigned agreements remain to be signed before the four Pathfinder …

• Defence Helicopter

  Heli-Expo 2015: Bell ‘concerned’ over surplus helicopters

  2nd March 2015

  The US Army’s decision to retire nearly 800 helicopters and potentially sell them on to foreign customers remains a concern for Bell Helicopter, the manufacturer’s …

• Digital Battlespace

  S-76D SAR helicopter enters service in Japan

  2nd March 2015

  The S-76D helicopter has entered into SAR operations with the Japan Coast Goard, Sikorsky Aircraft announced on 26 February. Executives from the company along with …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  DP18A [Thailand]

  Programme Background According to Aero Technology Industry Company Limited (ATIL) officials, speaking to Janes at Defence & Security (D&S;) 2023 in Bangkok, at the time of ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [Türkiye]

  Turkey has become the second country to receive the new-generation A400M airlifter, with the first of ten aircraft handed over by Airbus Defence and Space ...

• Trainer

  S-211 Replacement [Philippines]

  Programme Background Requirement The Philippines is looking at replacement options for its ageing fleet of S-211 trainer jets. The S-211s have been in operation with ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Sky Scout-X [Thailand]

  Programme Background At the Defence & Security (D&S;) 2019 show in Bangkok, RV Connex displayed a variant of this Sky Scout, the Sky Scout-X. This ...

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

  Long-Endurance UAV [US AFRICOM]

  Programme Background Ageing MQ-9A Reapers In November 2022, Shephard reported that GA-ASI would continue supporting contractor SMX with its MQ-9A after winning a $2.3 billion task ...

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

  D-Eyes 04 [Thailand]

  Programme Background Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) According to a 29 June 2021 announcement, the RTA signed an MoU with Thailand's DTI to develop a MALE ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)

  Programme Background Five prototypes will be manufactured for developmental tests. Indian Air Force will buy 36 AMCA Mark-I aircraft from 2029-30. The Mark-I configuration will ...

• Trainer

  T-4 Replacement [Japan]

  Programme Background The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) has been using the T-4 as an intermediate trainer jet since 1988, but now the Acquisition, Technology ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement Turkish Air Force ordered 100 F-35A aircraft as a partner nation, however, the country was removed from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events such ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Next Generation Submarines [Japan]

  Japan is undertaking development studies for its Next Generation Submarine design. The project aims to develop a new platform that is expected to start replacing ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Next Generation Submarines [Japan]

  Japan is undertaking development studies for its Next Generation Submarine design. The project aims to develop a new platform that is expected to start replacing ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  MUM-T Drone [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events ...

• Trainer

  T-6C [Thailand]

  Programme Background The contract is for 12 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II advanced military training aircraft, ground-based training systems for pilots and maintenance professionals, a mission ...

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

  Persistent Surveillance / High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) [Japan]

  Programme Background Drone Appetite Released in December 2022, the Defence Buildup Programme (DBP) called on the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) to replace some human assets with ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  PC-21 FTD

  Airbus D&S; has technical responsibility for overall system integration and the geo-specific database within the consortium for the development and production of the Pilatus PC-21 ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Distributed and Networked Mission Training

  Airbus D&S; networks training systems to enable joint and distributed mission training across local and national boundaries, generating realistic and needs-oriented scenarios. The solution uses ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Sky Scout-M

  Unveiled at the Defense & Security (D&S;) 2023 exhibition in Bangkok, the Sky Scout-M is a combat version of the Sky Scout from RV Connex.  ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  TEagle Eye III

  Thailand’s state-owned Defence Technology Institute (DTI) unveiled the TEagle Eye III fixed-wing UAV in November 2015 at the country's Defence and Security (D&S;) exhibition. It ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar, Air: surveillance radar

  AN/APY-1/2

  The S-band AN/APY-1 radar is installed in a large rotodome above the fuselage of the Boeing KE-3A/E-3A/B Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft ...

• Helicopter guns

  FN D-HMP 250

  The FN D-HMP (Digital Heavy Machine Gun Pod) 250 is a self-contained airborne weapon system armed with a .50 cal FN M3P heavy machine gun, ...

• Land: battle management systems, Naval: Combat Management Systems

  SENIN

  The French Navy has chosen Airbus D&S; and SODENA for development and installation of SENIN on its entire fleet of the ECDIS electronic cartography system. ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  21st Century Warrior

  Slovenia picked S&T; IT Solutions and Services for the R&D; phase of its 21st Century Warrior programme. The future soldier system is designed to fit ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Australian Army S-70 Training System

  The Australian Army S-70A-9 Black Hawk is a turnkey programme including a full flight and mission simulator (FF&MS;), building, facilities and maintenance support. This CAE-built ...

• Tanks

  M60A3 Upgrade

  Leonardo presented its M60A3 upgrade proposal, which improves the tank's firepower, protection and mobility, for the first time at the Bahrain International Defence Exhibition and ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM, Naval: Radio and SATCOM

  R&S M3SR Series4100

  Rohde & Schwarz M3SR Series4100 is a family of software-defined HF radios designed for stationary and shipborne communications. Offered in multiple configurations, they offer high-data-rate BLOS ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  DP18A

  Unveiled at Defence & Security 2023 in Bangkok, the DP18A is a fixed-wing tactical drone designed to offer the Thai Armed Forces a cost-effective drone capable ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Brunei MPTC

  The CAE Brunei Multi-Purpose Training Centre (MPTC) is a JV established in 2012 between CAE and the Government of Brunei. Located in Rimba near the Brunei ...

• Data links

  MIDS FDL LVT-3

  The MIDS Fighter Data Link (FDL) LVT-3 was developed by Rockwell Collins and BAE Systems under a limited liability company to integrate MIDS commonality in ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  NanoS2

  The NanoS2 acquisition system combines a data concentrator and a compact flight test recorder, which provides modularity and permits stacking of 12 data acquisition modules ...