• Naval Warfare

  UK forward-basing trend expands as Medway heads to Caribbean

  27th January 2020

  As the UK RN’s River-class Batch 2 OPV HMS Medway heads out on its transatlantic journey to take up station as Atlantic Patrol Ship (North) …

• Naval Warfare

  DefExpo 2020: MBDA launches missile bids in India

  6th February 2020

  MBDA has a half-century-long history of missile cooperation in India, and the next step on the journey was a recent bid by L&T; MBDA Missile …

• Digital Battlespace

  New COSMO-SkyMed satellite set for launch

  18th December 2019

  The first Constellation of Satellites for the Mediterranean basin Observation (COSMO)-SkyMed Second Generation (CSG-1) satellite is to be launched today, 13 December, from Europe’s Spaceport …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US AFRL's Ultra LEAP UAS in flight demo

  19th December 2019

  The US Air Force Research Laboratory’s Center for Rapid Innovation (CRI) has completed a two and a half-day continuous flight demonstration of the Ultra Long …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Hybrid Air Vehicles introduces Airlander 10

  13th January 2020

  Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) has developed an updated Airlander 10 aircraft as the version that will go into production for initial customers.The updated aircraft has …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Indonesia rolls out indigenous MALE UAV

  3rd January 2020

  On 30 December, PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) rolled out the first prototype of an indigenously developed MALE UAV that has been christened the Elang Hitam …

• Land Warfare

  FY2021 US Army budget request emphasises lethality

  11th February 2020

  The US Army and the USMC are likely to receive around 4,500 vehicles in 2021, the US DoD announced on 10 February during a press …

• Defence Notes

  Opinion: British Army could emerge as the winner from ministerial changes and spending reviews

  17th February 2020

  Prime Minister Boris Johnson has completed his first significant reshuffle, hiring and firing ministers to form his cabinet and to focus on the delivery of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Boeing, Tactical Robotics sign agreement

  23rd January 2020

  Boeing and Tactical Robotics have signed an agreement to explore the development of ducted fan propulsion technology for piloted and autonomous light aircraft applications. Under …

• Defence Helicopter

  Luxembourg receives second H145M

  21st January 2020

  The second of two H145M helicopters acquired by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency on behalf of the Luxembourg Directorate of Defence has been delivered …

• Land Warfare

  US Army orders more AMPVs

  28th January 2020

  The US Army's effort to replace the Vietnam War-era M113 armoured vehicles currently being used by the US Army’s Armoured Brigade Combat Teams (ABCT) took a step …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman to develop SPOC radio terminal

  13th January 2020

  Northrop Grumman will develop and demonstrate a Software Programmable Open Mission Systems (OMS) Compliant (SPOC) radio terminal for the US Air Force under a contract …

• Naval Warfare

  Patria ASW sonar for Pohjanmaa class vessels

  22nd January 2020

  Patria will design and deliver new anti-submarine warfare (ASW) sonars for the Finnish Navy’s Pohjanmaa class corvettes. The company was awarded a contract for the …

• Digital Battlespace

  American E-11A BACN aircraft crashes in Afghanistan

  28th January 2020

  The E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) aircraft is a rare platform in the USAF, and one of just four in service crashed near Ghazni …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  NATO AGS deliveries marked in ceremony

  20th January 2020

  Delivery of two RQ-4D UAS for NATO’s Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) programme has been marked in a ceremony at Sigonella Air Base, Italy, where the …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 [Pakistan]

  Programme Background Requirement Following a 2019 skirmish with India, Pakistan placed newfound importance on EW and ISR, primarily due to the significant advantage gained during that ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Multidomian Micro Drones [USSOCOM]

  Background Special Notice On 14 November 2024, a Special Notice was released that informed the industry that the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) was looking for ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian [Denmark]

  Background Arctic Capability Package In February 2021, Denmark published the Arctic Capability package, a commitment to invest in new technologies, particularly uncrewed systems, to improve surveillance ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  Long-Range Drones [Norway]

  Background Andøya Ambition On 3 April 2023, the Norwegian MoD released a statement confirming its plans for Andøya, the northernmost island in its Vesterålen archipelago. In addition to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Long Range One-way Platforms [US]

  Solicitation In October 2024, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) released a solicitation for long-range, one-way platforms. The DIU noted recent conflicts highlighted the asymmetric impact of low-cost, ...

• Military UAS - small

  V-Bat 128 [Canada]

  Programme Background Requirement Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) was seeking a platform for the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) that would significantly expand its surveillance range ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Mini Intelligence Drone System (SMDR) [France]

  Background Requirement The French Army identified a need for a new tactical UAS to replace the Drac, which entered service in 2008. The Mini Reconnaissance ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  CH-4 (First Batch) [Pakistan]

  Programme Background First Batch According to the Pakistan Exim Trade Info website, five aircraft were delivered to the country on 15 January 2021. According to a ...

• Military UAS - small

  M Solar-X [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 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Medium-Range Loitering Munition with LEO Satellite Data Link [South Korea]

  Background New Project In April 2025, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) announced a new project titled “Development of Medium-Range ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Arctic Frigates Procurement/Thetis Class Replacement (4-5) [Denmark]

  In January 2025, Denmark announced the acquisition of "three new Arctic ships, additional long-range drones with advanced image acquisition capacity" and "satellite capacity" worth over ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Arctic Frigates Procurement/Thetis Class Replacement (4-5) [Denmark]

  In January 2025, Denmark announced the acquisition of "three new Arctic ships, additional long-range drones with advanced image acquisition capacity" and "satellite capacity" worth over ...

• ISR/special mission

  MC-27J [Algeria]

  Programme Background Algeria has a long standing ISR aircraft requirement to support its Beech 1900 fleet comprised of six aircraft. The new ISR fleet is ...

• OPVs

  Next-Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (1-12) [Japan]

  Programme Background Requirements The primary role of the OPVs will be ISR and patrol. The armament will be limited. One of the key features is a reduced ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - HALE

  Caihong

  The Caihong (Rainbow), also known as the Cai Hong or CH, is a solar-powered HALE platform designed for near-space flight. It is suitable for military ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  Morning Star

  Aviation Industry Corporation of China’s Morning Star is a quasi-satellite, near-space, solar-powered platform. It is designed for both military and civilian applications, including reconnaissance, navigation ...

• ISR/special mission, Maritime patrol

  A320neo M3A

  Currently under development by Airbus, the A320 M3A is the Maritime Patrol version of the civilian A320neo aircraft. The aircraft can be fitted with a wide ...

• Space: radar systems

  ESA Sentinel-1

  Sentinel-1 is a planned constellation of four satellites with two already in orbit and two on order. They carry a payload of a C-band SAR ...

• Space: radar systems

  SARah

  SARah is the planned follow-on system for the SAR-Lupe radar satellite constellation operated by the German Armed Forces. In 2013, it was announced that OHB ...

• Major networking projects

  EAC

  The NATO Communications and Information Agency awarded ACTIA Sodielec a contract in June 2013 to provide NATO with an Extended Advanced SATCOM Network Monitoring and ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Vocality Pro Series

  The Pro Series includes the V25, V50, V150 and V20. These are designed to be used in a central communications hub or as part of ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  S-70UAS U-Hawk

  Unveiled at AUSA 2025, the S-70UAS U-Hawk is an uncrewed version of Sikorsky’s crewed UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter.  It will act as a delivery aircraft for medium-sized uncrewed ground vehicles ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  FlyingFish Maritime

  The FlyingFish Maritime SIGINT system is one of several derivatives of the FlyingFish Airborne Satellite Monitoring System developed by Horizon Technologies. Designed to be mounted ...

• Guided munitions

  GP155B

  The GP155B is a 155mm artillery round developed by Norinco. The GP155B integrates satellite-based guidance systems that are compatible with both the Chinese Beidou Navigation ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  FlyingFish

  FlyingFish is an Airborne Satellite Monitoring System designed to detect and intercept SATCOM from airborne ISR platforms. As a passive system, it cannot be detected ...

• Data links

  Space CDL

  The Space Common Data Link (CDL) system provides a wideband data link capability adaptable to a variety of space-based applications. It consists of separate transmitter ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  ULTRA

  The Unmanned Long-endurance Tactical Reconnaissance Aircraft (ULTRA) is a fixed-wing drone from DZYNE Technologies. It is described as a long-endurance, GPS-hardened intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platform with full global ...

• Data links

  MiMMC

  Microsat Man-Packable Mission Command (MiMMC) is a satellite-based BLoS communications system providing the ability to extend mission command applications including voice, video and data transfer ...

• Naval: COMINT and ELINT systems

  FlyingFish Naval

  The FlyingFish Naval SIGINT system is one of several derivatives of the FlyingFish Airborne Satellite Monitoring System (ASMS) developed by Horizon Technologies. Whereas the original ...