• Air Warfare

  USAF to use augmented reality technology in F-16 cockpit

  20th August 2025

  The US Air Force awarded Red6 a contract to install its ATARS software into the aircraft to provide new training solutions, following successful integrations in the T-38 Talon and MC-130.

• Air Warfare

  “Gloves are off” as US Defense Secretary memo calls for sweeping drone procurement reform

  14th July 2025

  US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has promised to usher in a new era of “military drone dominance”.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Canadian Navy will start operating class 2 UAVs in 2028

  10th September 2025

  Acquired under Canada’s Department of National Defence ISTAR UAS project, the drones will be deployed from the Halifax-class frigates.

• Air Warfare

  Wedgetail rising as the aircraft continues to prove itself and wins fans

  9th April 2025

  The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was the lead customer for the E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft and the platform has been ordered by several countries with platforms ordered by the UK, with the US and NATO also selecting the platform.

• Digital Battlespace

  Aselsan brings in dozens of companies and systems under the Steel Dome umbrella

  12th October 2025

  Turkey has joined the family of countries attempting to establish a multilayered air defence system with government approval in August 2024 for the effort landed by Aselsan. Dubbed Steel Dome, the programme joins Israel’s Iron Dome, the US Golden Dome, India’s Mission Sudarshan Chakra and South Korea’s low-altitude missile defence system.

• Naval Warfare

  Indonesia’s PT PAL reveals details about Red White Frigates

  24th June 2025

  The frigates are based on Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 design but are substantially changed and include a range of Turkish weapons such as radars, sonar, guns and electronic warfare systems.

• Air Warfare

  Will drone motherships form part of tomorrow’s warfare?

  26th August 2025

  While motherships offer multiple operational advantages, the changes in the character of warfare may bring new tactics to the battlefield, reducing their role.

• Naval Warfare

  US military to test new Red Cat unmanned surface vessel in August

  22nd May 2025

  Puerto Rico-based firm announces it expansion into the “fast-growing and urgently needed” maritime unmanned market.

• Land Warfare

  Beyond Survivability: How Active Protection Systems Are Empowering Commanders (Podcast)

  20th August 2025

  As threats diversify and intensify, APS are proving essential not just for vehicle protection but also for enhancing operational freedom, effectiveness and mission success in contested environments.

• Naval Warfare

  Indonesian Navy looks for variety and industrial partnerships to add capability

  4th August 2025

  Indonesia is looking to introduce a variety of vessels to meet particular requirements both operational and geographic and is building ties with Turkey as part of the effort.

• Air Warfare

  AeroVironment unveils new one-way attack drone Red Dragon and Titan 4 C-UAS

  8th May 2025

  The two new platforms form part of AeroVironment’s growing portfolio of UAS and C-UAS solutions, following its acquisition of BlueHalo in May to scale its technology and business.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Palladyne AI and Red Cat to demonstrate capabilities for autonomous drone swarms to the US military

  6th May 2025

  Red Cat and Palladyne AI recently conducted a cross-platform collaborative flight involving three diverse heterogeneous drones.

• Air Warfare

  Skydio X10D becomes first UAS delivered for Tranche 2 US Army Short Range Reconnaissance programme

  8th May 2025

  The drone has equipped a US Army Transforming in Contact (TiC) to provide it with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.

• Defence Notes

  US reforms its defence acquisition system to focus on commercial capabilities

  21st August 2025

  This shift is planned to accelerate the procurement and fielding of capabilities. As part of this strategy, the US also intends modernise its regulations in an attempt to change its bureaucratic and risk-averse culture.

• Air Warfare

  UK delays E-7 Wedgetail initial operational capability to 2026

  7th May 2025

  The E-7 Wedgetail programme had been classified as ‘red’ in a previous UK government report, denoting that it would either not meet cost, timeline or capability targets.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - micro

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) (Tranche 2) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an organic, ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-X / T-7A Red Hawk [USAF]

  Background On 27 September 2018, it was announced that the Boeing-Saab team had been awarded a contract for the programme. The initial contract was worth $813 million ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Edge 130 [US]

  Programme Background First Order As reported by Shephard, In October 2024, the US Customs and Border Protection force submitted a $1.6 million order to acquire Edge ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Teal 2 (Customs and Border Protection Force) [US]

  Programme Background First Order Global News Wire reported that Red Cat had filled an order for 54 Teal 2 units from the US Customs and ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 [Nigeria]

  Programme Background Rumours On 11 October 2021, Bello Matawalle, the Governor of Zamfara State, stated that several companies had signed an MoU with the Nigerian Government. ...

• Trainer

  Hawk Trainer Replacement [UK]

  Background The UK has outlined plans to replace the country's Hawk T1 and Hawk T2 trainers, allowing the aircraft to be retired. The Hawk T1 ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Golden Eagle (Ukraine Aid) [NATO Member]

  Programme Background 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the usage and effectiveness of micro and mini UAV platforms ...

• Loitering munitions

  Long-Range Attack Munition (LRAM) [USMC]

  Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to the ...

• Military UAS - small

  Penguin [Ukraine]

  Background Long-Standing Deal Red Wire announced in September 2025 that its wholly owned subsidiary, Edge Autonomy, had delivered additional aircraft from its Penguin uncrewed aerial system ...

• Loitering munitions

  Red Dragon [US Army]

  Methodology Unit cost Based on the loitering munition’s maximum speed and payload, and a Shephard model, the estimated gross and flyaway unit cost of the ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Akinci [Ethiopia]

  Programme Background On 15 November 2023, SavunmaSanayiST reported that Baykar had exported its Akinci drone to Ethiopia due to a photograph which showed the drone featuring an ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Akinci [Libya]

  Programme Background 2022 Reports In October 2022, various Libyan media outlets reported that the country was eyeing a possible procurement from Baykar, possibly the Akinici ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 [Mali]

  Programme Background Six Drones On 22 December 2022, Joseph Dempsey, a research associate at IISS, tweeted photographs showing a Baytraktar TB2 adorned with the Malian ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M-Forecast [Indonesia]

  Programme Background The TNI-AU currently relies on 17 Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules and L-100-30 aircraft, including five C-130Hs transferred from Australia. Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) is ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Light Attack/Trainer Aircraft [Serbia]

  Programme Background Serbia is looking to purchase around 20 light attack/trainer aircraft to replace its ageing Soko J-22 and G-4 trainer fleet in service. In ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Surface-to-air missiles

  HHQ-10 / FL-3000N

  The Hai Hong Qi-10 (Naval Red Flag-10), or HHQ-10 for short, is a Chinese naval surface-to-air missile. Its export version is the Flying Leopard 3000 ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Aleksandar Unifier

  The Aleksandar Unifier is an armoured 4x4 that was unveiled at a Serbian military parade to commemorate the Day of Serbian Unity, Freedom, and the National ...

• Military - USVs

  Voyager

  Voyager is an Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) built by US-based Saildrone. Voyager has been used by the US Navy (USN) and is one of three ...

• Subsystems: software

  Network Defense Trainer

  The Scalable Network Defense Trainer is an LVC simulation system for delivering realistic hands-on cyber training. It enables students to experience cyber attacks launched against ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-20 Avenger

  The MQ-20 Avenger, or Predator C, is a long-endurance UAS designed to perform high-speed, covert ISR and precision-strike missions over land or sea. The UAV is ...

• Naval: COMINT and ELINT systems

  Seal Family

  The naval ESM Seal family can provide: self-protection functions, with the capability to drive active ECM equipment (jammers) or passive ECM equipment (chaff/flares) automatically; tactical ...

• Military UAS - mini

  WingXpand

  Unveiled at the Special Operations Force Industry Conference in May 2022, the WingXpand is a fixed-wing platform manufactured by a company with the same name. Branded ...

• Weapon sights for day use

  Romeo Red Dot Sights

  The Romeo line of red dot sights are parallax-free and feature (MOTAC) motion-activated illuminated glass reticles. The dual reticle option, on select models, toggles between ...

• Laser pointers

  Lima Laser Sights

  Lima red and green laser fore grips are low-profile rail-mounted laser sights. The laser operates in momentary-on mode, with an additional continuous mode on the ...

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  81mm Infra-Red Illumination Mortar Bomb

  Austrian company Hirtenberger's 81mm Illumination-Infra-Red Mk5 (81mm ILL-IR Mk5) is an infra-red-light generating mortar bomb designed to provide illumination over a wide area.

• Military UAS - micro

  Fang

  Fang is a first-person view (FPV) UAS for precision strike roles. The drone is aimed to launch in Q2 2025. Developed by Red Cat, the drone ...

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  60mm Illumination - IR

  Austrian company Hirtenberger's 60mm Illumination - Infra-Red Mk2-S (60mm ILL-IR Mk2-S) is designed to illuminate a large area with infra-red light for a prolonged period.

• Multipurpose missiles

  Red Arrow 73

  The Red Arrow 73, also known as the HJ-73, was a copy of the Russian 9M14 Malyutka. The Red Arrow 73 was China's first-generation antitank ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Black Widow

  The Black Widow is a rotary-wing micro UAV from Red Cat. Unveiled at AUSA 2024, the AI-enabled drone is designed for instant ISR tasks and ...

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  120mm IR Illumination Mk2 Mortar Bomb

  Austrian company Hirtenberger's 120mm Infra-Red Illumination Mk2 (120mm IR-VIS Mk2) mortar bomb is to illuminate large areas with visible light for a prolonged period—the round works ...