• Defence Notes

  Cobham bid for Ultra resurrects UK sovereignty concerns

  27th July 2021

  Ultra Electronics board said it was ‘minded’ to recommend a multibillion-dollar buyout offer from Cobham to shareholders. The possible deal has raised concerns from some corners over the acquisition of UK defence companies by foreign firms.

• Training

  US Army highlights major low-cost drone threat

  1st September 2021

  The US Army is teaching soldiers how to deal with low-cost drones on the battlefield.

• Defence Notes

  Read the Night Vision and Optics equipment handbook

  6th August 2021

  Read Night Vision and Optics Handbook Issue 20, an invaluable and useful guide to equipment for military, parapublic and civil users around the world.

• Air Warfare

  Stingray set for carrier test

  3rd August 2021

  If it stays on track for IOC in 2025, the Stingray unmanned refuelling aircraft will have gone from contract to carrier in under seven years.

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF issues Silent Barker contract

  17th June 2021

  L3Harris supports programme to improve satellite threat intelligence and space situational awareness.

• Air Warfare

  Leonardo delivers first upgraded Lynx Mk95A to Portugal

  30th July 2021

  Leonardo completes the delivery of the first upgraded Lynx Mk95A to Montijo, Portugal

• Training

  USAF adds training capability

  5th July 2021

  While students wait to start their formalised flight training at Columbus AFB, the USAF has introduced pre-course training featuring low-cost flight trainers and courseware aimed at improving entry-level knowledge.

• Land Warfare

  Singapore introduces new mortar carrier and weapon locating radar

  30th June 2021

  In pursuit of its overarching 'next-gen' modernisation philosophy, the Singapore Army has inducted the AN/TPQ-53 radar and Belrex 120mm SRAM

• Air Warfare

  Northrop Grumman aids French Hawkeye delivery schedule

  28th July 2021

  Extra non-recurring engineering risk reduction work supports French procurement of three E-2D Hawkeyes under the FMS programme.

• Defence Notes

  IAI helps to boost German missile defence

  29th July 2021

  Elta Systems supports effort to replace legacy radars in Germany.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  New Zealand breaks new ground with first Remus 300 export order

  21st June 2021

  Four Remus 300 UUVs will join a fleet of half a dozen Remus 100s used by the RNZN.

• Training

  IDEF 2021: Q3D launches flight sim training

  17th August 2021

  Quantum3D is now making available simulator flight training on a number of fixed- and rotary-wing simulators through its parent company, Havelsan.

• Naval Warfare

  IDEF 2021: Turkish weapon systems debut on new Turkmenistan corvette

  24th August 2021

  The Dearsan-designed Deniz Han is the first ship to be equipped with Aselsan's Gökdeniz CIWS, a navalised version of the Korkut tracked SP anti-aircraft gun.

• Naval Warfare

  New Brazilian frigates to include Rohde & Schwarz comms

  28th June 2021

  German company to provide IP-based naval communications system for four Tamandaré-class vessels.

• Naval Warfare

  IDEF 2021: New naval soft-kill countermeasure displayed for first time

  19th August 2021

  Meteksan's Nazar will be used to protect surface combatants against incoming optically guided threats, with the first ship integration due in 2023.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  PC-21 (Project Air 5428) [Australia]

  The new PTS, including aircraft, flight training simulators and learning environments is being acquired from a single capability contractor, Team 21, which consists of Lockheed ...

• Transport, Transport/tanker aircraft

  Project Air 7404 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement Australia is thinking ahead to an enlarged transport fleet to replace the current C-130Js. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was the second ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A (Project Air 6000 Phase 2A/B) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) took delivery of 18 F-35A aircraft as of March 2020 and the remaining aircraft are expected to ...

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

  Loyal Wingman [Australia]

  Background Older Efforts On 23 April 2021, the US State Department's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) approval announcement revealed that Australia had requested to buy up ...

• Data links

  Data links | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

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

  Project Vixen [UK]

  Programme Background Project Goal The Royal Navy uses Leonardo crewed Merlin (AW101) helicopters fitted with CROWSNEST pods to provide airborne early warning capabilities for carriers. An early ...

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

  Project Air 7003 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirement The USN wants to acquire carrier-capable loyal wingman drones. These drones will have a high level of autonomy, allowing them to work alongside crewed ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (11-12) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

• OPVs

  Arafura Class (Project SEA 1180) (1-6) [Australia]

  Programme Background Australia's new class of Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), the Arafura-class, will replace the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) fleet of Armidale and Cape-class patrol ...

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

  MQ-28 Ghost Bat [Australia]

  Programme Background Goal As stated by the Head of Air Force Capability, Air Vice-Marshal Robert Denney, in March 2022, the Ghost Bat will be an "operational ...

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

  MQ-4C Triton (Option) [Australia]

  Programme Background Four Contracted Units In the summer of 2020, Northrop Grumman announced that the Australian Government provided $333 million for three MQ-4C Tritons and associated ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Australian Defence Force MRH90 Training

  As prime contractor for the ADF's MRH90 training programme, CAE has provided two MRH90 full-flight mission simulators (FFMS), training facilities and engineering and support services. ...

• Trainer

  King Air trainer

  Textron / Beechcraft King Air trainers are a family twin-engine aircraft based on King Air 90, 100, 200 and 350 utility aircraft. The King Air ...

• AMAS

  AMAS – Australian Minesweeping System – was developed with the assistance of the Defence Science & Technology Organisation and the Royal Australian Navy. It adopts ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  RAAF Hawk Mk 127 FMS

  Under subcontract to BAE Systems, CAE is designing and manufacturing three Hawk Mk 127 full-mission simulators (FMS) for the Royal Australian Air Force that will ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  NGJ

  Raytheon's Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) was selected by the USN in 2013 to replace the legacy ALQ-99 systems used on the EA-18G electronic attack aircraft. ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  AN/ALQ-210

  Lockheed Martin’s AN/ALQ-210 is an Electronic Support Measure (ESM) outfitting the Sikorsky MH-60R Romeo naval support helicopter. The manufacturer’s official literature says that the product ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Wanderer

  The Wanderer is a low-altitude, low-cost, long-endurance UAV produced in-house by the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) Jericho Disruptive Innovation Group and the Australian Government's Defense Science ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Air-5416 Project Echidna

  BAE Systems’ commenced its work on the Australian Department of Defence’s Air-5416 Project Echidna initiative in 2001. The rationale of the programme was to overhaul ...

• Light attack

  Hawk 200

  The Hawk 200 is a single-seat light attack iteration of the Hawk 100 (see separate entry) and Advanced Jet Trainer or AJT (see separate entry). ...

• Air: chaff, flare and decoy systems

  Vicon-XF

  Thales’ Vicon-XF is a countermeasure dispensing system which can equip an array of platforms, primarily large aircraft and rotorcraft, according to the manufacturer’s official literature. ...

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

  MQ-28A Ghost Bat

  The MQ-28A Ghost Bat is a loyal wingman type MALE fixed-wing drone being developed by Boeing Defence Australia. Its development began in 2013 and took its first ...

• Maritime patrol

  Challenger 604

  Bombardier Challenger CL-604 MPAs are in service with the Royal Danish Air Force and the Korea Coast Guard. The first of three Danish aircraft entered ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  Predator Mission Trainer (PMT)

  The CAE Predator Mission Trainer (PMT) is an integrated platform that combines the features of CAE's UAS mission trainer with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' Predator-specific ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  AN/ALR-2001

  BAE Systems’ AN/ALR-2001 Electronic Support Measure (ESM) is thought to be based on Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Elta Systems division’s EL/M-8382 ESM. The AN/ALR-2001 is ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munition

  In July 2025, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) unveiled an as-yet-unamnned loitering munition that had been developed through collaboration between the RTAF’s Navaminda Kasatriyadhiraj Air ...