• Defence Notes

  Proxy power play continues in Nagorno-Karabakh

  9th October 2020

  Ethnic-religious nationalism is not the only factor behind hostilities between Azerbaijan and Armenia, with Russia and Turkey lurking in the wings

• Land Warfare

  Malaysia seeks a score of peacekeeping APCs

  1st October 2020

  Malaysia has issued a tender for 20 4x4 APCs for its United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Malaysian Battalion (MALBATT) contingent. The tender, issued …

• Naval Warfare

  Raytheon to help improve Mk31 RAM

  22nd September 2020

  Raytheon is providing design agent and engineering support services to help improve the Mk31 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Guided Missile Weapon System, under a $60.5 million contract modification …

• Air Warfare

  Swiss Air2030 drama builds as US packages tip budget scales

  1st October 2020

  Two proposed US government packages exceed a CFH6 billion ($6.5 billion) budget limit for Switzerland’s Air2030 fighter acquisition. The US State Department has cleared the …

• Defence Notes

  Concerns raised over UK F-35 operational balance

  16th September 2020

  Defence analysts have questioned whether the UK F-35 programme can be built up to readily support a broad range of air, land and sea-based missions. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman orders G/ATOR system components from Saab

  23rd September 2020

  Saab is providing components and subsystems to support full-rate production of the AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) for the USMC, under a $36.7 million order …

• Defence Notes

  Lockheed Martin makes case for new era of directed energy weapons

  21st August 2020

  The difficulties that have traditionally stopped industry and military operators from collaborating to successfully deploy directed energy weapons on the battlefield are effectively over, according …

• Digital Battlespace

  UAE gains more THAAD radar support from Raytheon

  28th September 2020

  Raytheon is providing the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with one prime power unit and five years of support services for two Army/Navy Transportable Radar Surveillance …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USN places another Defender ROV order

  4th September 2020

  VideoRay has obtained another multimillion-dollar order for Defender systems under an existing $49 million contract to deliver the Next Generation ROV for the USN. The …

• Defence Notes

  Estonia boosts defence spending in 2021

  30th September 2020

  Estonia is to increase defence spending in 2021 to ‘strengthen its military capabilities with large-scale procurement of equipment’, Minister of Defense Jüri Luik announced on …

• Digital Battlespace

  Anzac-class upgrade includes video encoders

  22nd September 2020

  US-based Delta Digital Video is to supply video encoders to Saab Australia for integration with the CCTV system on Anzac-class frigates operated by the Royal …

• Digital Battlespace

  SRC to carry on support for Medusa programme

  25th August 2020

  SRC is continuing its involvement with the USAF Medusa programme under a maximum $90 million sole-source contract, the DoD announced on 24 August. The deal …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USCG to test and evaluate Sharktech

  30th September 2020

  Sea Machines Robotics is partnering shipbuilder Metal Shark Boats to supply the US Coast Guard (USCG) Research and Development Center (RDC) with a new Sharktech 29 …

• Defence Notes

  Romania welcomes first Patriot system

  18th September 2020

  The Romanian Ministry of National Defence (MND) held a reception ceremony on 17 September for its first Patriot SAM system. The event took place at …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Protector takes to the skies

  28th September 2020

  The first MQ-9B SkyGuardian RPAS for the RAF (designated Protector RG Mk1) successfully completed its first flight in the US on 25 September, the UK …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  OC-135B Replacement [USA]

  Programme Background The modification and Treaty Certification works include Digital Visual Imaging System kits, design and development for mission system integration (structural design, interphone communications systems, ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Light Combat Helicopter (India - Air Force)

  Programme Background Requirement India's requirement for light attack helicopters capable of operating at high altitudes became apparent during the 1999 Kargil War. Originally planned to reach ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Orlan-10 [Russian Navy]

  Background Frigate Augmentation Before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the country planned to augment its Admiral Gorshkov class frigates with indigenously developed Orlan-10 ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Light Combat Helicopter (India - Army)

  Programme Background Requirement India's requirement for light attack helicopters capable of operating at high altitudes became apparent during the 1999 Kargil War. Originally planned to reach ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munition [Switzerland]

  Background Announcement In a February 2023 interview with Swiss news outlet CH-Media, Swiss army chief Thomas Süssli stated that the country was considering acquiring loitering munitions ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  Lightweight Marine Air Defence Integrated System [US]

  Background The US Marine Corps' (USMC) Lightweight Marine Air Defence Integrated System (L-MADIS) supports deployed Marine Expeditionary Units with non-kinetic C-UAS capabilities and a shoulder-fired surface-to-air weapon for ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Shahed-171 (ANSU-200) [Venezuela]

  Background Independence Day Parade Venezuela operates the ANSU-200, a UAV with many visual similarities to the Shahed-171, which Defence Insight believes is a domestically produced ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  S-400 [India]

  Background India is modernising its air defence by procuring  S-400 LRSAM systems (Triumf Missile System), which are planned to be used by the Air Force.  The fifth system ...

• Destroyers

  Canadian Surface Combatant/River Class (1-3) [Canada]

  Background Requirements Fifteen frigates are being procured to replace the Royal Canadian Navy's 12 ageing Halifax-class frigates and the now-retired Iroquois-class destroyers with next-generation surface ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Ground Master 403 Radar [Egypt]

  Background In 2020, Egypt ordered four of France-based Thales Ground Master 403 radars, the mobile member of their GM400 radar family.  At least one of the ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

• Data links

  Data links | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Mangart 25 [Slovenia]

  Background Mangart 25 originated from a Slovenian national development project for a lightweight remotely controlled air-defence system. The development contract was signed with Valhalla Turrets ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: aerial targets

  Lakshya

  The Lakshya is an aerial target developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for training fighter pilots in air-to-air combat or ground-based air ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  StreamCaster Mini 4210

  The StreamCaster Mini 4210 (SM4210) is a single-channel data radio (SCDR) that can create MANET mesh networks. It is currently in use with the US ...

• Air: mission management systems

  FireStorm

  FireStorm is an integrated targeting and mission management system for air-to-ground operations such as close air support, ground targeting and call for fire. It is ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AW129

  The AW129 Mangusta (Mongoose, service designation) is a tandem two-seat, twin-engine attack helicopter originally developed for the Italian Army and subsequently developed into a multirole combat ...

• Air: mission management systems

  CMA-9000

  The CMA-9000  Flight and Radio Management System (FMS/RMS) is manufactured by the Canadian firm CMC Electronics. It is designed for a wide range of commercial, ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Chukar III

  The Chukar III, based on Northrop Grumman’s BQM-74E developed for the USN, is a high subsonic aerial jet target for export customers.

• Sea: weapon training, Military - USVs

  Sprite

  The Sprite is a USV developed by QinetiQ and designed for live-fire training exercises. 

• Air: aerial targets

  Banshee Whirlwind

  Originally made by Meggitt Target Systems, a company QinetiQ acquired in 2016, the Banshee is an aerial target and the first drone in the Banshee series.  ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  Badger UGV-T

  Badger is a remotely controlled, lightly armoured, all-terrain vehicle designed to exercise anti-armour combat systems. No permanent installations are required; Badger is transportable to and ...

• Sea: weapon training, Military - USVs

  Albatros-T

  The Aselsan Albatros-T is a high-speed, unmanned, surface-target boat manufactured by Aselsan. It is designed to be used as a moving target in shooting drills.

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Integrated Avionics Suite

  Northrup Grumman's Integrated Avionics Suite is an open architecture mission equipment package, which can be deployed on a number of rotorcraft platforms. It consists of ...

• Air: aerial targets

  DO-SK6

  The DO-SK6 is a modular design tow body adaptable for various functions.

• Naval: RF/IR/acoustic decoys

  Integrated Decoy System

  Rafael's integrated ship-defence decoy system features real-time decoy deployment, fixed and/or rotating launchers and a computerised decoy controller that can be integrated with a ship’s ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Integrated Combat System

  The Integrated Combat System (ICS) is a combat management system being developed for the US Navy. The project, currently led by Lockheed Martin, aims to ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Kuwait Air Force F/A-18 TOFT

  L3Harris Technologies has delivered two F/A-18C Tactical Operational Flight Trainers (TOFTs) built for the Kuwait Air Force (KAF). The high-fidelity TOFTs replace the KAF’s F/A-18 ...