• Defence Notes

  Indian budget falls short of expectations

  1st February 2017

  India declared a defence budget of $40.6 billion for 2017/18, a 6% increase over last year’s spending of $38.2 billion. The budget did not meet …

• Training

  Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems bow out of T-X

  1st February 2017

  The $16 billion T-X programme to replace the US Air Force’s aging T-38 Talon (see picture) supersonic training aircraft has just taken another twist with …

• Training

  T-38C modifications complete

  1st February 2017

  The US Air Force and Navy’s T-38C Talon aircraft have undergone modification work to install a video data transfer system (VDTS) and speed break indicator …

• Defence Helicopter

  Saudi helicopter force stands up

  1st February 2017

  The first operational brigade of the Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG) will receive 12 Boeing AH-6i armed scout helicopters in May as the new aviation …

• Digital Battlespace

  Russia receives R-430 radio relay system

  1st February 2017

  Russia’s armed forces have taken delivery of the R-430 radio relay system from Rostec, the company announced on 26 January. The system consists of several …

• Military Logistics

  BAE wins destroyer maintenance work

  1st February 2017

  BAE Systems is to modernise the US Navy’s USS Roosevelt under a $51.3 million contract announced on 31 January. The company will dry dock the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  New solar-powered UAS in development

  1st February 2017

  SolAero Technologies and Bye Aerospace are working together on the development of a new medium altitude UAS for a range of government and commercial applications, …

• Naval Warfare

  Euromaritime 2017: Cost effective solutions needed for sector

  1st February 2017

  As naval shipbuilding finds itself in the doldrums, industry focus is being turned to ship repair, maintenance and commercial projects, according to some manufacturers present …

• Digital Battlespace

  F-35 and Typhoon share data

  1st February 2017

  Interoperability trials between the UK RAF’s F-35 Lightning II and Typhoon jets have been successful. According to Air Cdre Harv Smyth, the UK's Lightning Force …

• Naval Warfare

  Euromaritime 2017: VMAS development continues

  31st January 2017

  With the threat and incidents of piracy and robbery at sea in the waters off the eastern and western shores of Africa, the maritime surveillance …

• Defence Helicopter

  Tiger UHT training upgrade ready

  31st January 2017

  OCCAR has declared the Computer Aided Training (CAT) upgrade for the German Tiger UHT helicopter ready for training, marking the project’s final milestone. The project, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Gripen radar upgrade on offer

  31st January 2017

  Saab is marketing an upgraded version of the Gripen C/D's PS-05/A mechanically scanned radar following successful tests in 2016.  The enhancements, first announced in 2015 as …

• Land Warfare

  Hydrogen for vehicles jumps forward

  31st January 2017

  A joint venture between General Motors (GM) and Honda has been set up for the mass production of a hydrogen fuel cell systems for vehicles.  The Fuel …

• Digital Battlespace

  IAI introduces ADA

  31st January 2017

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has introduced a new system to protect avionic systems from GPS jamming, the company announced on 31 January. The system, called …

• Digital Battlespace

  Textron selects LiteHUD for Scorpion jet

  31st January 2017

  BAE Systems will supply its LiteHUD head-up display for Textron AirLand’s multi-mission Scorpion jet, the company announced on 30 January. The initial order will support the …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

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

  DP18A [Thailand]

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

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow-On [USA]

  Programme Background In March 2019, Airbus stated that it expected orders from the US Army for between 12 and 15 UH-72A helicopters. In March 2020, ...

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

  Anka-S (Saudi Arabia)

  Programme Background Desired Procurement Saudi Arabia has reportedly been in negotiations to procure six Anka UAVs since 2013. It has not been disclosed which Anka ...

• 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

  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 - 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 ...

• 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 ...

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

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

  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 ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  S-70i (Philippines)

  The Black Hawk is believed to have been the most expensive of the aircraft that had been shortlisted for the PAF project, others being the ...

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

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

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

• 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 ...

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

  Camcopter Project (Thailand)

  Programme Background Batch One In November 2019, as reported by Shephard, Schiebel was awarded a TBH600 million ($18.76 million) contract from the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) ...

• Aircraft carriers

  Gerald R. Ford Class (CVN 79 to CVN 81) [USN]

  Programme Background Timeline The Gerald R. Ford-class consists of four nuclear-powered aircraft carriers (CVNs) to keep the carrier force at 11. The first of the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Naval guns

  Gökdeniz

  Gökdeniz, also known as Korkut-D, is a 35mm Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) developed by Turkish Aselsan. It was unveiled for the first time at IDEF ...

• Land: RWS

  D-RWS

  The Dual-RWS (D-RWS) is designed to be installed on the Republic of Korea Marine Corps' Korean Amphibious Assault Vehicle fleet. Weighing approximately 350kg, it is ...

• 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 ...

• Transponders and IFF

  IFF Mk XIIA(S)

  Aselsan IFF Mk XIIA(S) is a Mode 5/S compatible long-range IFF interrogator. According to the manufacturer, it may be mounted to a standard 19-inch rack ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/ALQ-213(V) DAC

  Terma’s AN/ALQ-213(V) electronic warfare management unit is used extensively on General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon series combat aircraft around the world. The AN/ALQ-213(V) is ...

• Deployable/static missile systems

  Bavar 373

  The Bavar 373 is a medium/long range ground based air defence missile system developed by Iran. It is claimed to offer similar capabilities between S-300PMU2 ...

• OPVs

  OPV 58 S

  The OPV 58 S is a versatile patrol vessel developed by the French company Piriou. The vessels have been designed primarily for surveillance, identification and ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  CMS (Vikrant-Class)

  The Combat Management System abroad INS Vikrant is developed by TATA Power's Strategic Engineering Division, the Indian MoD's Weapon and Electonic System Engineering Establishment and ...

• 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BTR-MDM

  The BTR-MDM Rakushka is an amphibious tracked armoured vehicle developed by Kurganmashzavod to meet the Russian Airborne Forces' (VDV) need for a new air-droppable APC. ...

• 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.  ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  BTR-3

  Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau produced the first 8x8 BTR-3-series amphibious APC in 2001. The series includes the BTR-3U, the BTR-3U Guardian (variant for ...

• 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 ...

• 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. ...