• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Dubai Airshow 2019: UMS Skeldar moves focus to V-200

  19th November 2019

  UMS Skeldar is reassessing the R-350 rotary-wing VTOL programme as part of wider plans to concentrate on larger customer demand for its V-200 sister platform. During …

• Defence Notes

  Japan set to make its F-15 fleet more lethal

  30th October 2019

  Japan is moving forward an ambition to modernise its Boeing F-15J fighter fleet, with the US State Department approving, on 29 October, the major upgrade …

• Special Operations

  Hundreds of night vision devices headed to German Special Forces

  1st November 2019

  German special operations forces are due to receive an additional order of Image Intensification (I2) Ground Panoramic Night Vision Goggles (GPNVGs), Shephard has been informed. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Lockheed and USAF carry out ATHENA C-UAV testing

  8th November 2019

  Lockheed Martin has demonstrated alongside the US Air Force the ability of its Advanced Test High Energy Asset (ATHENA) laser weapon system to engage and …

• Defence Helicopter

  Dubai Airshow 2019: Lockheed Martin teases new armed Black Hawk order

  17th November 2019

  Lockheed Martin is set to announce an addition to its UH-60M armed helicopter customer base, following on from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Joint Aviation …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  FireFly causes infantryman’s capabilities to glow

  31st October 2019

  Rafael has successfully sold the Spike NLOS missile (used from a ground-launched platform) to South Korea, and at Seoul ADEX 2019 the Israeli company was …

• Digital Battlespace

  Germany continues pursuit of Tactical Edge Networking

  1st November 2019

  The German Army continues to consider requirements to support its next-generation tactical communications programme with industry sources suggesting the effort remains a ‘very fluent process’.  …

• Naval Warfare

  GDMS awarded LCS combat management system support

  1st November 2019

  General Dynamics Mission Systems has been awarded a contract for sustainment of the Littoral Combat Ship Integrated Combat Management System, the US Department of Defense …

• Training

  JF Taylor contracted to support USN training

  8th November 2019

  JF Taylor has been awarded $109.4 million to develop simulation systems and software to support training for the US Navy’s Integrated Battlespace Simulation and Test …

• Digital Battlespace

  Rice University signs agreement with US Army

  5th November 2019

  Rice University is to carry out research to enable advanced materials and next-generation military communications networks under a five-year, $30 million cooperative agreement with the …

• Land Warfare

  FLIR develops Fido X4 explosives trace detector

  6th November 2019

  FLIR Systems has developed a new version of its handheld explosives trace detector called the Fido X4. The Fido X4 uses FLIR Systems’ TrueTrace detection …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Schiebel's EMSA contract extended

  11th November 2019

  Schiebel’s contract with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has been extended to the end of 2019, the company announced on 11 November.Under the EMSA …

• Defence Notes

  D&S 2019: Indonesia eyes US and Russian fighters

  13th November 2019

  The Indonesian Air Force is ogling new Lockheed Martin F-16V Block 72 fighters from the US to boost its aerial capability as part of the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AeroVironment announces new Raven order

  5th November 2019

  AeroVironment has received a contract from an unnamed existing Southeast Asian military customer for additional Raven UAS, the company announced on 4 November. The $6.4 …

• Naval Warfare

  USN exercises Trident II production option

  7th November 2019

  Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $40.3 million US Navy contract modification exercising options for the further production and support of the Trident II D5 …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-2 (Japan)

  Programme Background The UH-2 is a Japanese militarised version of Bell’s civilian 412EPX, with the two OEMs cooperating on this particular programme. The Acquisition, Technology ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-2 Forecast (Japan)

  Programme Background The UH-2 is a Japanese militarised version of Bell’s civilian 412EPX, with the two OEMs cooperating on this particular programme. The Acquisition, Technology ...

• Trainer

  T-6C [Thailand]

  Programme Background The contract is for 12 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II advanced military training aircraft, ground-based training systems for pilots and maintenance professionals, a mission ...

• ISR/special mission

  ISTAR Aircraft (South Korea)

  Programme Background South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration stated that Seoul is planning to procure additional aircraft to minimize potential surveillance gaps amid growing security ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Surion Marine Attack Helicopter [South Korea]

  Programme Background The ROKMC has planned to obtain 24 attack helicopters for the first time. When bidding opened in January 2019, there were five contenders: Bell ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  KUS-FT (South Korea)

  Programme Background Requirement The ROKA had identified a need for tactical UAVs that can be employed at the divisional level to carry out ISTAR missions ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  FPV Drones [Israel]

  Background Reported Programme According to the Globes media outlet, reporting in March 2025, the Ministry of Defense Department of Production and Procurement was publishing the ...

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

  KUS-FS (ROKA) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Inception The Aerospace Division of Korean Air (KAL-ASD) commenced developing the MUAV in 2008 in response to a ROKAF requirement for a MALE ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Croatia]

  Background Contract Award As reported by Shephard in November 2024, Croatia's government approved the purchase of six Bayraktar TB2 drones, a training package in Türkiye, a command-and-control centre, ...

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

  KUS-FS (ROKAF) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Inception The Aerospace Division of Korean Air (KAL-ASD) commenced developing the MUAV in 2008 in response to a ROKAF requirement for a MALE UAV ...

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

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (South Korea)

  Programme Background Requirments Seoul required UAS assets to help monitor its neighbour to the north and, increasingly, Chinese activities in waters and in the air near ...

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

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (Japan)

  Programme Background Selection & Contract AwardIn 2015, Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft were selected by Japan 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 - MALE

  Eurodrone (Forecast) [Czechia]

  Programme Background Eurodrone Programme For context, the European MALE RPAS, or Eurodrone, is a quad-nation effort from some of Europe's most prominent defence manufacturers to ...

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

  Eurodrone (Forecast) [Japan]

  Programme Background Japan's Application The Letter of Approval (LOA) for observer status in the programme was presented to the Japanese Ambassador to Germany, Hidenao Yanagi, by Joachim ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  GenCOM Defense Ground

  GenCOM Defense Ground provides an automatic multi-layered situational awareness picture to the decision-maker, based on external signal data (metadata) gathered in real time. Integrating with ...

• Major networking projects

  DCGS

  The Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) is the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office plan for the integrated architecture of all ground and surface computing and communications ...

• EO/IR systems

  CM262

  Manfuaucted by AVT Australia, the CM262 is a ground-based imaging system combining four sensor configurations into a compact and ruggedised system for C-UAS and ISR ...

• Land: air defence radar

  KRONOS Power Shield Land

  This system is an L-band digital AESA anti-TBM radar. It is the land-based version of the naval KRONOS Power Shield, also known as KRONOS Ground ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  AMRAAM-ER

  The AIM-120 AMRAAM-ER is essentially an upgraded version of the AIM-120 AMRAAM tailored for extended range and enhanced performance in ground-based air defense systems like ...

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  Initial Maneuver - SHORAD

  Unveiled at AUSA 2019, Initial Maneuver Short Range Air Defense (IM-SHORAD) is a multipurpose platform, based on the Stryker IFV, which moves and maneuvers in ...

• Parvus DuraCOR 312

  The Parvus DuraCOR 312 is an Ultra-Small Form Factor (USFF) modular mission computer unveiled by Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions in November 2016. The DuraCOR 312 is ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Type 87

  The Type 87 is a 6x6 armoured reconnaissance vehicle developed by the now defunct Defense Division of Komatsu to meet the specific requirements of the ...

• AEW&C

  P600 AEW&C

  In June 2019, Embraer and IAI/Elta signed a cooperation agreement aimed at developing an AEW&C; aircraft based on the business jet Praetor 600, namely the ...

• Land: battle management systems

  AMDWS

  AMDWS (Air and Missile Defense Work Station), is a collaborative battlespace awareness information management system developed by Northrop Grumman to meet the requirements of the ...

• Long-range Video and Data Downlinks

  BMS airborne and ground-based equipment enables long-range, real-time HD video and broadband data links. Products include cockpit control panels, airborne antennas, real-time encoders, compact high-power ...

• Land: battle management systems

  FAAD/C-RAM C2

  The Forward Area Air Defense (FAAD) Command and Control (C2) system was developed by Northrop Grumman to provide command and control (C2) for the US Army ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Airborne Launching and Attack System (AirLAS)

  The Airborne Launching and Attack System (AirLAS) is a system that pairs Diehl Defence's IRIS-T air-to-air missile with a reusable carrier UAV developed by POLARIS. The companies ...

• Data links

  Universal Link System

  Developed by Scytalys, the Universal Link System (ULS) is a modular, scalable multi data link processor. It supports all NATO and US standard data links ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  MIM-72 Chaparral

  The MIM-72 Chaparral is a short-range, low-altitude, surface-to-air missile produced for the M48 Chaparral fire unit. It was produced as a replacement for the cancelled MIM-46 Mauler ...