• Defence Notes

  France, Germany break impasse on arms exports

  17th October 2019

  France and Germany agreed on 16 October on an accord governing the export of jointly developed weapons and defence equipment, removing a key stumbling block …

• Military Logistics

  A400M reaches paratroop certification milestone

  10th October 2019

  More paratroop dispatch certification testing of the Airbus A400M airlifter has been completed in France, the company announced on 7 October. Testing carried out in …

• Military Logistics

  Canada's first C295 approaches delivery

  9th October 2019

  Airbus has presented the first C295 built for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF’s) Fixed Wing Search and Rescue Aircraft Replacement (FWSAR) programme in its …

• Defence Notes

  German probe opens into suspected internal spying at Airbus

  19th September 2019

  German prosecutors have opened an investigation into suspected internal spying by employees of European aviation giant Airbus over two arms projects, sources said on 18 …

• Naval Warfare

  Airbus upgrades OceanFinder

  23rd September 2019

  Airbus Defence and Space has upgraded its OceanFinder digital maritime service to introduce new features for the detection, identification and tracking of collaborative and non-collaborative …

• Defence Helicopter

  Pacific 2019: Leonardo offers helicopters and UAVs to Australia

  9th October 2019

  Leonardo has two Australian Army helicopter tenders and two UAV competitions – one for the army and the other for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) …

• Military Logistics

  A400M performs dry contacts with H225M

  24th September 2019

  The Airbus A400M has carried out its first air-to-air refueling contacts with a helicopter in flight trials over the south of France. Over the course …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus, Telespazio to market Syracuse IV satellites

  11th September 2019

  Airbus and Leonardo-Thales joint venture, Telespazio, have set up a partnership to market military telecommunications services for armed and security forces using the future Syracuse …

• Digital Battlespace

  DSEI 2019: New Skynet 6 competition announced

  11th September 2019

  A new competition for the Skynet 6 military satellite communications project was announced at DSEI 2019, seeking an an industry partner to operate and manage …

• Defence Notes

  Spain selects industrial coordinator for FCAS

  12th September 2019

  Indra has been appointed by the Spanish government as the national industrial coordinator of the European Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme, the company announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus pitches Tiger for Australian Army helicopter requirement

  2nd September 2019

  Airbus Helicopters is planning on bidding its Tiger rotorcraft for Australia’s Project LAND4503 Armed Reconnaissance Capability requirement, it confirmed on 30 August.  A request for …

• Defence Helicopter

  Trio chase the Antipodean Tiger’s tail

  5th September 2019

  Submissions for an Australian Army RfI to replace the Tiger helicopter under Project Land 4503 Armed Reconnaissance Capability closed at the end of August, with …

• Defence Helicopter

  Support contract awarded for German NH90 fleet

  29th August 2019

  Germany’s NH90 rotorcraft fleet will be supported by a new 10-year contract signed on 28 August between the government and two domestic suppliers. The Federal …

• Training

  Germany prepares to announce Sea Lion simulator winner

  5th September 2019

  The German Federal Procurement Agency (BAAINBw) is expected to announce the winner of it’s long-running Sea Lion simulator programme in early October. The long-awaited contract covers …

• Defence Helicopter

  MSPO 2019: Clock ticks for Romanian rotary plans

  28th August 2019

  The Romanian MoD struggle to procure new rotary platforms has been a long-running issue, overdue correction, not only to enhance troop transport and supply capabilities …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Data links

  Data links | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Transport

  A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

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

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

  Sistema RPAS Táctico de Altas Prestaciones (SiRTAP) [Spain]

  Background MoU In 2017, it was announced that Spain was jointly developing a MALE UAV with Colombia to meet the ISR requirement of both armed ...

• Transport

  A400M (Kazakhstan)

  Programme Background In September 2021, it was announced that Kazakhstan ordered two Airbus A400M aircraft. According to Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, ‘The A400M ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M - France

  Programme Background In April 2021, the French government signed a deal for the purchase of eight H225M Airbus helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of SA330 ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT [Singapore]

  In February 2020, Airbus and the Singapore government announced an agreement to collaborate on the development of an A330 Smart Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). One Singaporean ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

• Data links

  Data links | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

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

  Eurodrone [Spain]

  Programme Background Inception (Stage One) The European MALE RPAS programme was launched in September 2016. Germany, Spain, France, and Italy negotiated and agreed, in collaboration ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Maritime Operations Helicopters

  The three maritime operations helicopters will be used for logistics and personnel transport, alongside transportation of PASKAL naval special forces in operations in the area. ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  Strategic Tanker Transport [Canada]

  Programme Background This project will replace the existing fleet capability, including strategic airlift, air-to-air refuelling, Aeromedical Evacuations and Strategic Government of Canada transport. The Strategic ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  MQ-72C Lakota Connector

  The MQ-72C Lakota Connector is an uncrewed version of Airbus' UH-72B, primarily designed to provide contested logistics in austere expeditionary environments. Airbus has partnered with L3Harris, Shield AI, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H175M

  The Airbus H175M is the military variant of the H175, a seven-tonne class aircraft powered by twin PT6C 67E engines. The civilian variants produced by Airbus ...

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

  Flexrotor

  Flexrotor is a VTOL small UAS manufactured by Aerovel. It can integrate different types of payloads, including electro-optical systems and advanced sensors, to suit customers’ ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  H145

  The light, twin-engine EC145 began as an initiative to increase the cabin size of the BK 117 C1 aircraft, involving Kawasaki of Japan and Airbus ...

• Major networking projects

  Skynet 6 SATCOM

  Skynet 6 is designed to replace Skynet 5. The PFI contract for Skynet 5,  held by Paradigm Secure Communications and Airbus DS, ends in 2022. As ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAS

  The Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAV, or cargo copter, is a rotary-wing cargo-carrying platform that Airbus is developing. The platform has yet to be formally named. The ...

• Transport

  C295

  The C295 is the largest member of Airbus Defence and Space’s family of medium tactical airlifters and surveillance aircraft. It is a development of the ...

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

  Wingman

  The Wingman is an Airbus concept drone unveiled at ILA Berlin in June 2024. The loyal wingman-type fixed-wing UAV is designed to accompany crewed fighters, ...

• Helicopter engines

  LTS101

  The LTS101 was first certified in 1975. Since then, over 2,100 engines have been delivered to customers worldwide, logging over 11 million service hours. The ...

• Air: mission management systems

  Helionix

  The Helionix digital avionics suite was developed from the need for a more powerful avionics system with greater functions and computing capacity, alongside a user-friendly interface. ...

• Military helicopters - light/training, Military helicopters - multirole

  H135M

  The H135M (formerly known as the EC635 and also designated as H135) is a light utility variant of the EC135 twin-engine, multipurpose 3t helicopter. In ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  A400M Training

  Thales is the principal training provider for the Airbus A400M with a contract to provide FFSs and flat-panel trainers. Four A400M FFS and two flat-panel ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Bo 105

  The Bo 105 is a twin-engine, multipurpose, light helicopter that was developed in 1963-68. Approximately 37% of the more than 1,400 aircraft built before production ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H215M

  The H215M (formerly the AS532 ALe) is the most recent addition to the Cougar family.  It is a medium-weight (9t-class), twin-engine helicopter, combining the AS532's ...

• Transport

  A400M Atlas

  Developed to meet European military airlift requirements, the A400M Atlas combines tactical and strategic/logistic mission capabilities. The platform's cargo hold is designed to carry outsize ...