• Naval Warfare

  Armada 2050: can Spain deliver its naval transformation?

  26th August 2026

  Spain’s naval modernisation drive is moving from concept to contracts, with RfIs and RfPs expected before the end of the decade, despite second-batch frigate and submarine numbers remaining undecided.

• Air Warfare

  Germany air focus: Europe’s leading near-term air market targets domestic industry

  16th September 2026

  Between 2026 and 2032, almost a quarter of EU aircraft spending is expected to come from Germany. While crewed programmes seek modernisation and replacement, uncrewed opportunities look to introduce entirely new capabilities, with both highlighting sovereignty and domestic production.

• Air Warfare

  Canada targets 2028 operational debut for AIM-9X and AIM-120D missiles

  18th August 2026

  The missile programmes form part of a broader effort to strengthen Canadian air-combat readiness as the RCAF transitions from the CF-188 to the F-35A and rebuilds its operational weapons stocks.

• Air Warfare

  FIA 2026: Leonardo chief balances praise and caution over Germany joining GCAP

  22nd July 2026

  Lorenzo Mariani’s Farnborough remarks on the prospect of Germany joining the Global Combat Air Programme struck a cautious tone, as he welcomed Canada’s arrival as the programme’s first observer nation.

• Land Warfare

  AI-enhanced combat radios: how to turn comms networks into an EW advantage

  11th May 2026

  Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming defence communications, boosting situational awareness and electronic warfare (EW) capabilities across the battlespace. Bittium’s new partnership with MarshallAI will significantly enhance networked technology, turning radios into cutting-edge sensors with a range of applications.

• Air Warfare

  Spain air focus: Mature UAV market rewards early supplier engagement

  28th September 2026

  Spain accounts for 5% of European military UAV spending, broadly in line with its share of the continent’s wider defence market. What sets the country apart, however, is how much of that spending has already been committed, reflecting Spain's earlier adoption of the capability.

• Land Warfare

  How Pearson Engineering combines tradition with innovation for the demining mission (Video)

  15th July 2026

  At Eurosatory 2026, Pearson Engineering's Group CEO Ian Bell talked about the company's role in delivering specialist armoured engineering, route-clearance and demining capabilities to military customers around the world.

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2026: Advanced fire control systems to the fore as industry powers digital solutions

  12th June 2026

  BAE Systems is presenting its Next Generation Indirect Fire Control System at Eurosatory 2026. It is designed to connect large calibre guns with wider sensor and effector networks to provide targeting information more quickly.

• Air Warfare

  Eurosatory 2026: Wartime iteration gives Ukraine an edge as future UAV exporter

  23rd June 2026

  As industrial-scale drone production proves its battlefield worth in Ukraine, what happens to that production capacity and knowhow once the guns fall silent – and is Ukraine about to become one of the world’s most credible UAV export partners?

• Air Warfare

  UK air focus: Drone spending trails European frontline states despite $10.46 billion valuation

  16th July 2026

  Despite the UK having the third-largest military UAV market in Europe, the country appears to be underinvesting in the capability relative to the size of its economy, particularly when compared with Baltic and eastern European states.

• Air Warfare

  Denmark air focus: $2.64 billion UAV market blends US imports with Nordic cooperation

  14th April 2026

  While Denmark appears to be more committed to UAVs than most of its Nordic neighbours, its procurement efforts are likely to be split between American-made systems for its larger requirements and Nordic partnerships for smaller platforms.

• Naval Warfare

  How Operation Epic Fury could reduce US readiness to face China

  11th March 2026

  The offensive against Iran could impact training and maintenance cycles and accelerate the degradation of the US arsenal on top of depleting Washington’s stockpiles.

• Air Warfare

  Singapore Airshow 2026: RSAF refreshes air transport capability as part of force modernisation

  2nd February 2026

  Singapore is understood to have received three of four ex-Spanish C-130Hs from Blue Aerospace in recent weeks.

• Air Warfare

  New E-3 and T-38 awards expose US Air Force legacy fleet dependence

  1st September 2026

  Contracts for E-3 aircrew training through August 2029 and supplies for the T-38 engine until December 2028 reflect issues with replacement and retirement plans across the USAF inventory.

• Air Warfare

  US Air Force to increase JASSM anti-interference and accuracy capabilities

  24th March 2026

  The USAF is conducting market research to inform the procurement process for a new GPS/GNSS M-code receiver for the JASSM.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  XQ-58A Valkyrie [USMC]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 30 December 2022, the US DoD announced that it had awarded Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems a $15.52 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to ...

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS-39C/D Gripen replacement [Czech Republic]

  Background Requirements The Czech Republic Air Force operates 14 Gripens (12 JAS 39C and two JAS 39D variants) under a lease agreement that runs until ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) [Japan]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that GCAP's Japanese, British and Italian components are tracked in separate entries. Programme Timeline 2020: The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency of Japan issued ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Timeline In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. However, Germany's defence export ban to Saudi ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Kaan additional units [Turkey]

  Background Requirement Geopolitical factors have spurred aircraft development in Türkiye. With its removal from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter project following the Russian S-400 air ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A [Turkey]

  Background Programme involvement Turkish involvement in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme began in the early 2000s, with the country's participation beginning in the concept demonstration ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Eurofighter new build fleet [Turkey]

  Background Requirement The Turkish Air Force has operated two main fighter platforms, the F-16 and F-4, for several decades. As older F-16 airframes and F-4s ...

• Fighter - multirole

  TF-X Kaan Next Generation Fighter [Turkey]

  Background Requirement Geopolitical factors have spurred aircraft development in Türkiye. With its removal from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter project following the Russian S-400 air ...

• Trainer

  Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements The RAAF is seeking a future solution that provides a ‘relevant, adaptable, affordable and safe LIFTS out to 2050’ for training pilots ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A [Denmark]

  Programme Background  Denmark joined the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program in 2002 during the System Development and Demonstration phase and has influenced technical elements ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Project Halcon I [Spain]

  Programme Background The Spanish Air Force began requirements assessments, although potential suppliers including Boeing (F/A-18E/F), Lockheed Martin (F-35), Airbus-BAE-Leonardo (Eurofighter Typhoon) are already engaged with ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-18 Replacement Phase II/Project Halcon II [Spain]

  Programme Background The Spanish Air Force began requirements assessments, although potential suppliers, including Boeing (F/A-18E/F), Lockheed Martin (F-35), and Airbus-BAE-Leonardo (Eurofighter Typhoon), are already engaged ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A Japan

  In 2019, Japan requested to be an official partner in the F-35 programme, but this request was rejected by the Pentagon. The F-35 Joint Strike ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35B (1-30) [Italy]

  The 2019 and 2020 budget contained significant funding for the F-35 programme: €690 million ($775 million) in 2019 and €859 million ($962 million) in 2020, ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A (61-75) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirement In 2009, the Italian MoD planned to purchase 131 F-35 aircraft, which was later reduced to 90. According to the MoD documentation, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  F-35 Training System

  BAE Systems is involved in F-35 Lightning II Training System design and sustainment, working with prime contractor Lockheed Martin. BAE Systems leads the instructional systems ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers, EW test systems

  Model 527

  The Model 527 radar signal simulator is used for end-of-runway and walk-around radiated RWR testing to verify the operational status of the aircraft and its ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  AN/ALE-55 FOTD

  The ALE-55 Fibre Optic Towed Decoy (FOTD) is a high-powered electronic off-board countermeasure that works with an aircraft’s onboard EW equipment to defeat radiofrequency (RF) threats. It ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  SPEAR-EW

  The SPEAR-EW missile, developed by MBDA in collaboration with Leonardo, is an air-to-surface weapon designed to perform Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) missions. This ...

• EW test systems

  A2PATS

  Advanced Architecture Phase Amplitude and Time Simulator (A2PATS) is a real-time EM test environment simulator for military platforms and installed systems, designed to deliver mission ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  HAPS / PHASA-35

  The High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) is a solar-electric Persistent High Altitude Solar Aircraft (PHASA-35).  Produced by BAE Systems and Prismatic, the platform is designed to provide a persistent, ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-81

  AN/APG-81 is operating in the X-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar designed by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems for the F-35 “Lightning” all-weather ...

• Fighter - multirole

  MiG-35

  The MiG-35 (NATO reporting name Fulcrum F) is a multirole fighter, the latest variant of the MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter family.  The production of the MiG-35 ...

• EO/IR systems

  F-35 Lightning II Advanced EOTS

  The F-35 Lightning II Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) is a sensor that combines targeting forward-looking IR (FLIR) and IR search and track (IRST) capabilities for ...

• Fighter - multirole, Fighter - naval

  F-35B

  The F-35B Lightning II is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft with short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capability. The USMC is the main customer for the F-35B, ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35I Adir

  The F-35I Adir is an F-35A Lightning II variant customised to meet the requirements of the Israel Defense Forces to replace the F-16 fleet in ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  F-35 Gen III HMDS

  The F-35 Gen III helmet-mounted display system (HMDS) is provided by a joint venture between Elbit Systems of America and Rockwell Collins, developed for the F-35 ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/ALQ-178V(5)+

  The AN/ALQ-178(5)+ is an internally mounted self-protection system designed and developed by Aselsan and BAE Systems for the Turkish F-16C fighter aircraft. The system comprises ...

• Air-to-surface missiles, Anti-ship missiles

  JSM

  The Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is a multi-role version of the Naval Strike Missile. Norway funded the programme to develop and produce the JSM for the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A

  The F-35A Lightning II is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft with CTOL capabilities. It is a multinational programme led by the US DoD, bringing together ...