• Military Logistics

  Safran opens turbine blade research centre

  8th February 2019

  Safran has opened a new research centre for advanced turbine blades used on airplane and helicopter engines at its plant in Gennevilliers, France, the company …

• Special Operations

  SOFWERX to rapidly review industry ideas

  11th February 2019

  SOFWERX, a Tampa, Florida-based experimentation hub that collaborates with U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), has announced plans to host its first-ever ‘Collider Event’ from April …

• Naval Warfare

  AMSC to deliver SPS for Fort Lauderdale

  6th February 2019

  AMSC has received a contract to deliver a high temperature superconductor (HTS) based ship protection system (SPS) to be installed on the US Navy’s future …

• Defence Notes

  Lockheed receives LRASM second production lot

  17th January 2019

  Lockheed Martin has received a $172 million contract from the US Navy and US Air Force for the second production lot of Long Range Anti-Ship …

• Defence Helicopter

  IDEX 2019: Lebanese Air Force adapts for terrorism fight

  12th February 2019

  Lebanon has had to increase the capabilities of the its armed forces in a bid to stop the rise of terrorism in the country, according …

• Naval Warfare

  Diligence still on the cutting block

  7th February 2019

  The UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary's (RFA) former support vessel Diligence, put up for sale in 2016, appears to be struggling to find suitors after an …

• Land Warfare

  SIG Sauer M18 clears reliability testing

  7th February 2019

  Sig Sauer’s M18 modular handgun system (MHS) has successfully completed a lot acceptance test with zero stoppages during US Army material reliability testing, the company …

• Air Warfare

  Saab makes statement of intent on Tempest

  15th February 2019

  Saab is not ruling out potential involvement in major European future combat jet programmes with the company strongly hinting that it favours the British-led Tempest …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army seeks follow-up to IAMD Raytheon A-Kit

  8th February 2019

  The US Army announced that it is looking for developers interested in creating a follow-up to Raytheon’s A-kit of the Integrated Air and Missile Defense …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  The economics of a drone response

  24th January 2019

  The UK government is poised as cross-governmental departments collaborate on effective national security measures in countering drone attacks. The UK defence secretary admitted, during a …

• Training

  Collins Aerospace ejection seats for T-X

  6th February 2019

  Collins Aerospace’s ACES 5 ejection seat and landing gear system have been selected for the US Air Force’s T-X advanced pilot trainer aircraft, the company …

• Defence Notes

  IDEX 2019: Sudan adapts to Western allies over Yemen

  14th February 2019

  Trying to get Sudan’s Su-24Ms to work with the rest of the Saudi-led coalition during the Yemen War has led to the Sudanese Air Force …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris awarded wideband SATCOM support work

  2nd January 2019

  Harris Corporation received a $218 million follow-on contract from the US Army in December to continue providing mission-essential wideband satellite communications support. Under the Wideband …

• Military Logistics

  BAE Systems to support US Navy comms

  17th January 2019

  BAE Systems has received a $79.8 million, five-year communications support contract from the US Navy, the company announced on 15 January. Under the contract, BAE …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed to continue upgrading GPS ground systems

  14th January 2019

  Lockheed Martin has received the GPS Control Segment Sustainment II (GCS II) contract to continue to sustain and modernise the GPS satellite constellation’s ground control …

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 ...