• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA 2019: Defiant delays return to haunt SB>1

  15th October 2019

  The SB>1 Defiant programme has been hit by a delay of two months following a precautionary step to modify a main gearbox joint on a …

• Naval Warfare

  UK Ministry of Defence Police to get new patrol craft for naval bases

  15th October 2019

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has invited a number of UK-based companies to tender RfP’s for the procurement of up to 20 police patrol …

• Land Warfare

  Switzerland completes GBAD sensor assessments

  3rd October 2019

  Switzerland has completed sensor evaluation testing of the two downselected systems that are competing for the nation’s long-range ground-based air defence system programme.  Conducted at …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  HAWK30 takes flight

  17th September 2019

  The HAWK30 solar high-altitude pseudo-satellite (HAPS) UAS undertook its first flight on September 11, 2019 at the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center in California, AeroVironment …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF launched second GPS III satellite

  27th August 2019

  The US Air Force has launched its second GPS III satellite, part of a constellation of up to 32 satellites that will bolster the US’ …

• Military Logistics

  Rolls-Royce to support T56 turboprops

  3rd October 2019

  Rolls-Royce has been awarded a contract with a ceiling value of $109.3 million to deliver support for the T56 family of aircraft turboprop engines.   This …

• Naval Warfare

  Lockheed contracted for Trident ballistic missiles

  3rd October 2019

  Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $494.9 million contract to produce and support Trident II D5 submarine-launched ballistic missile systems for the US Navy and …

• Naval Warfare

  Northrop Grumman receives P-8 support order

  20th September 2019

  Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems has received an order for electronic surveillance in support of the P-8 aircraft programme from the US Defense Logistics Agency Aviation. …

• Defence Notes

  Companies awarded multi-million contract for BLU-136/B casing

  3rd October 2019

  Faxon Machining and Major Tool & Machine have jointly been awarded a $600 million contract for BLU-136/B next-generation area attack warhead case production. The contract …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Milrem-led team submits iMUGS proposal

  26th September 2019

  A consortium led by Milrem Robotics has submitted its application to the European Commission’s European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) for a multi-mission UGV capable …

• Training

  USAF exercises KC-135 training option

  2nd October 2019

  CAE has been awarded a $33 million contract modification that exercises an FY20 option to extend its US Air Force KC‐135 Stratotanker Aircrew Training System …

• Land Warfare

  Philippines inaugurates rocket, missile and aviation units

  3rd October 2019

  The Philippine Army activated three new units at Fort Magsaysay on 3 October, symbolising the growing capabilities and aspirations of the service. They included rocket …

• Land Warfare

  Middle East invests in air defence as instability continues

  2nd October 2019

  According to the newly published Defence Insight report on the artillery and air defence market the Middle East has seen substantial procurement activity in recent …

• Training

  CTI to deliver Reaper training for extra year

  3rd October 2019

  Crew Training International has been awarded a $42.3 million modification to its MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle Aircrew Training and Courseware Development contract for the …

• Training

  MASS supports Omani strategy course final exercise

  7th October 2019

  MASS has successfully supported the final decision-making exercise for the National Defence College (NDC) in Oman, the culmination of the school’s flagship annual eleven-month strategy …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  According to the FY2021 Base funding, the HH-60W helicopter unit cost is $43.2 million. The HH-60W will be capable of employment day or night, in ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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 - fixed-wing, 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 - fixed-wing, 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 - fixed-wing, 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 - fixed-wing, 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 - fixed-wing, 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 ...

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

  Seeker 400 - First Batch (UAE)

  Programme Background The UAE has a long history of transactions with Denel Dynamics. The country has been purchasing various Seeker systems from as far back ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  NH90 NFH-Italy

  Programme Background  The Italian Navy has taken delivery of its first NH90 NFH helicopter in Full Operational Capability (or Step B) configuration in November 2013. ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - small

  Small UAV (Bulgaria)

  Programme Background The Bulgarian Army wants to procure UAVs to enhance the organic tactical ISR capabilities of its ground forces. According to Bulgarian media, a ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 - fixed-wing, 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 ...

• FL-3

  The FL-3 is a planned solar-powered, long-endurance, near-space platform with an 85,300ft ceiling. Speculated future uses include communication, ground observation, meteorological monitoring and operation as ...

• 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

  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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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

  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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 - fixed-wing, 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-harded intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platform with full ...

• 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 ...