• Land Warfare

  How Spain’s acquisition of PAC-3 MSE can boost European air defence

  23rd July 2024

  Madrid will increase interoperability with the other seven users of next-gen Patriot in the region.

• Air Warfare

  First Triton welcomed into RAAF service

  1st August 2024

  Northrop Grumman successfully completed the first flight of Australia’s MQ-4C Triton uncrewed aircraft at its Palmdale facility in 2023.

• Naval Warfare

  MDL and TKMS partnership becomes sole bidder for India’s $8 billion P751 contract

  7th February 2025

  The partnership is understood to be the only remaining contender for the contract which could be signed in 2026.

• Naval Warfare

  Planning begins for Harry S Truman overhaul and refuelling

  29th January 2024

  A total of 10 Nimitz-class were built by Newport New Shipbuilding with the last one entering service in January 2009. The USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) entered service in 1998 with an out-of-service date of the early 2060s.

• Defence Notes

  UK begins latest round of negotiations on defence exports to Ukraine

  9th August 2024

  Ministers from both country’s governments have met to ease the procurement pathway following the signing of a new treaty by both parties.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MARV-EL passes performance evaluation for uncrewed aerial resupply

  20th August 2024

  The system will now move on to data analysis and rapid prototyping, so it can be deployed as fast as possible.

• Air Warfare

  The last of the US new Presidential helicopters handed over

  20th August 2024

  The VH-92A is a militarised version of the S-92A and replaces the existing fleet of VH-3D, VH-60N and VH-92A helicopters.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UAVs in multiple classes proliferate in South Korea

  6th September 2024

  South Korea is rapidly advancing its UAV programmes and counter-drone capabilities in response to increasing threats from North Korea’s unmanned aerial systems.

• Land Warfare

  Australia announces programme developments on eve of land warfare conference

  10th September 2024

  Australia’s Land Forces 2024 International Land Defence Exposition takes place in Melbourne this week with the government making announcements on land programmes and Supacat unveiling a new vehicle.

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2025: UAE’s Edge Group notches up $2.9 billion and two dozen agreements

  26th February 2025

  The company cashed on its home ground advantage in Abu Dhabi last week with the launch of 46 products and solutions, while exhibiting a total of 218 items on its 9,000m2 stand, on which its range of subsidiaries were promoted and 16 contracts were signed.

• Air Warfare

  QinetiQ to build silent hangar for UK to test GPS jamming resilience

  22nd August 2024

  The hangar will allow for rigorous testing of technologies on modern defence assets, without allowing jamming signals to escape into the wild.

• Digital Battlespace

  AUSA 2024: General Micro Systems adds four new products to the X9 Spider family

  14th October 2024

  The airborne three-domain, the two ground-based and the ¼ ATR OpenVPX-based cross-domain systems were engineered to provide real-time security across multi-domain operations.

• Air Warfare

  Eurofighter looks to fly integrated new systems in Typhoon next year

  8th August 2024

  The first representative Eurofighter Typhoon flew in 1994 and entered operational service in 2003. Two decades later the company is working to ensure the platform’s relevance beyond the middle of the century.

• Air Warfare

  MBDA shows Orchestrike swarming missile system progress at Farnborough

  22nd July 2024

  MBDA demonstrated Orchestrike, a collaborative combat solution designed to help overcome complex air defence challenges, at Paris Air Show in 2023 and is showing the progress made since then at Farnborough International Airshow.

• Air Warfare

  Boeing gets another boost with 36 Apaches approved for South Korea amid flurry of FMS deals

  20th August 2024

  The approval of four Foreign Military Sale (FMS) requests this week follows the green light for the sale to Israel of 50 F-15IA multi-role fighter aircraft and mid-life update kits for the country’s existing F-15s and other equipment in deals worth $20 billion.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (1-12) [France]

  In November 2014, The French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) has confirmed purchase of 12 A330 MRTT air-to-air refuelling aircraft from Airbus. The contract will cover the development and ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M-Spain

  In December 2018, Spain Air Force took delivery of its first A400M. The aircraft will be operated by the Air Transport Wing (ATW) 31 of the ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-390 [Hungary]

  Programme Background The aircraft for Hungary will be specially configured for tactical transport operations, air-to-air refuelling of the service's Saab Gripen C/D fighters, and medical ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  According to the HAL's chairman R Madhavan, 'apart from all the capabilities of IOC aircraft, the FOC variant additionally comes with an air-to-air refuelling capability, close-combat ...

• 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 ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  Tanker Aircraft [Greece]

  Programme Background Requirement Procurement of tanker aircraft is aligned with a broader 2021-approved Hellenic National Defence General Staff (GEETHA) plan to enhance the HAF's reach and ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Tanker Aircraft [Greece]

  The Hellenic Air Force (HAF) is advancing plans to procure four Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft from the United States through the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) ...

• Data links

  Data links | Tanker Aircraft [Greece]

  The Hellenic Air Force (HAF) is advancing plans to procure four Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft from the United States through the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Tanker Aircraft [Greece]

  The Hellenic Air Force (HAF) is advancing plans to procure four Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft from the United States through the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (1-9) [NATO]

  Programme Background Following operations in Libya and extensive analyses by the European Defence Agency (EDA), it was agreed at the NATO Summit in 2012 that ...

• 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 ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8I Follow-On [India]

  Programme Background The IN currently has eight P-8I aircraft in service, these ordered on 4 January 2009 for $2.1 billion. India inducted its first P-8I ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8I (13-18) [India]

  Programme Background India previously bought eight P-8Is from Boeing in 2009 in a direct commercial sale, adding four more in 2016. India inducted its first ...

• Transport

  C-130 Replacement [South Africa]

  Programme Background Requirement South Africa’s current C-130BZ fleet has become increasingly difficult and expensive to maintain, being amongst the oldest C-130 aircraft still operational. Despite a 2023 ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390 (1-5) [Portugal]

  Programme Background Embraer says that the aircraft fully meets the Portuguese air force's requirements for performing different types of military and civilian missions, including humanitarian ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  KC-767 JBOT Trainer

  ACME has delivered a Remote Air Refueling Operator trainer to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. The trainer supports the KC-767J tanker aircraft that has a remote ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT

  The 111t basic fuel capacity of the A330-200 airliner – from which the A330 is derived – enables the A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) to ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  A330 MRTT Training Devices

  Under subcontract to Airbus Defence and Space, CAE has provided A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) training devices to the UAE Air Force and Royal Saudi ...

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

  X-47B UCAS

  The X-47B is a tailless, strike fighter-sized unmanned aircraft, which was developed as part of the USN's Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration project. The aircraft ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  MC-X Orca

  At DX Korea 2022, KAI presented an MC-X Orca medium transport aircraft concept model. The twin-engine aircraft is aimed at the Republic of Korea Air Force ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Hellenic Air Force F-16 ATD

  L3Harris Technologies has delivered two F-16C Block 52+ Aircrew Training Devices (ATDs) to the Hellenic Air Force. The trainers enable pilots to hone air-to-air and ...

• Surface-to-air missiles, Loitering munitions

  359

  Unveiled in January 2025, the 359 is a surface-to-air (SAM) loitering munition. It is designed to engage targets such as AWACS, refuelling tankers, and other high-altitude surveillance and ...

• Trailers

  M900 Series

  Heil’s M900-series tactical refuellers are designed and built to meet US military performance standards. The M967A2 ground equipment refueller and the M969A3 aircraft refueller are ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-130J Super Hercules

  The KC-130J Super Hercules is a tanker variant of the C-130J Super Hercules. It is designed to deliver fuel to several platforms, including helicopters and ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  M-346 FMS

  Developed in conjunction with CAE, the M-346 Full Mission Simulator (FMS) can emulate basic fighter manoeuvres, formation flight, in-flight refuelling and advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  MB-339C

  The MB-339C is an advanced/lead-in fighter trainer developed based on the MB-339A that made its first flight in August 1976. The latest MB-339C version is ...

• Fixed wing aircraft engines

  CF6-80E1A3

  The CF6-80E engines, developed by GE Aviation, power the newest generation of airliners such as Airbus A330. The engine incorporates a new 96-inch (2.44 meters) ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  Transport, Refuelling and Sensor Aircraft Training

  Thales supports air force training needs for multi-mission aircraft in service around the world including A400M, MRTT/Voyager, Boeing Wedgetail, C-130 and KC-135, covering tactical airlift, ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  Fast Jet Training

  Thales provides a suite of training products for the life-cycle of military fast jet training. These encompass the design, development and establishment of training services ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  Guardian

  Northrop Grumman’s Guardian Directional Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) is intended to product airliners and large aircraft against IR-guided missiles, principally surface-to-air missiles fired from Man-Portable Air ...