• Defence Notes

  Mattis to visit Macedonia amid concerns of Russia meddling

  12th September 2018

  US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis announced plans on 11 September to visit Macedonia, ahead of a referendum that could end a years-long spat with Greece …

• Special Operations

  Change of command for Naval Special Warfare

  11th September 2018

  In change of command ceremonies held at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado on 7 September, Rear Adm. Collin Green relieved Rear Adm. Tim Szymanski as Commander, …

• Defence Notes

  India, US to hold large military exercises in 2019

  6th September 2018

  The US and Indian militaries will carry out large-scale joint exercises off India in 2019, top officials said on 6 September. The drills would be …

• Defence Notes

  Iran announces new fighter jet

  20th August 2018

  Iran will unveil a new jet fighter in the week of 20 August and upgrade its missile defences to meet threats from Israel and the …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Space Operations look to Five Eyes and beyond

  10th September 2018

  Space operations are one of the recent arenas to embrace the significance of Five Eyes integration as a key element of broader international cooperative efforts.  …

• Defence Notes

  Russia prepares for biggest war games in its history

  10th September 2018

  Russia on 11 September will launch the biggest military drills in its history involving 300,000 troops as well as Chinese soldiers, in a move NATO …

• Special Operations

  SOF seeking strategic transporter system

  28th August 2018

  The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is seeking a transporter system for strategic movement of its three “Sealion” Combatant Craft Heavy (CCH) platforms. Interest in …

• Defence Notes

  Mattis makes unannounced visit to Afghanistan

  7th September 2018

  US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis landed in Kabul on 7 September for an unannounced visit to war-torn Afghanistan, adding his weight to a flurry of …

• Naval Warfare

  Philippines commissions final Parola-class boats

  28th August 2018

  The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) commissioned its final two Parola-class Multi-Role Response Vessels (MRRV) in the Manila port area on 23 August, completing a full …

• Defence Notes

  Pentagon moves to scrap $300 million in aid to Pakistan

  3rd September 2018

  The US military plans to cancel $300 million in aid to Pakistan due to Islamabad's lack of ‘decisive actions’ in support of American strategy in …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE’s flight controls for UAE’s next-generation F-16s

  24th July 2018

  BAE Systems’ advanced Digital Flight Control Computer (DFDC) has been selected by Lockheed Martin to upgrade the United Arab Emirates' (UAE's) F-16 fleet, the company …

• Military Logistics

  USMC explores transport trailer upgrade

  28th August 2018

  The United States Marine Corps is exploring an upgrade to its fleet of M870A2-S Medium Heavy Equipment Transport (MHET) trailers to facilitate off-road operations in …

• Defence Notes

  Opinion: Royal Navy goes global, but treads fine line with China

  12th September 2018

  The Royal Navy’s flagship, the amphibious assault ship HMS Albion, has spent much of 2018 deployed in the Far East supporting UK strategic interests in …

• Defence Notes

  First modernised Tu-22M3M delivered for testing

  21st August 2018

  Tupolev, part of Russia's United Aircraft Corporation, has delivered the first completely modernised Tu-22M3Mlong-range missile carrier bomber for ground and flight tests. The Tu-22M3M is being …

• Military Logistics

  Sarcos to continue exoskeleton development

  20th August 2018

  Sarcos Robotics has received a second contract from the US Air Force to continue development of an exoskeleton for logistics applications. The first contract was …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Fighter Aircraft [United Arab Emirates]

  While a formal requirement has not been announced, the United Arab Emirates is in the market for a fifth-generation fighter capability based on various media ...

• Data links

  Data links | Fighter Aircraft [United Arab Emirates]

  While a formal requirement has not been announced, the United Arab Emirates is in the market for a fifth-generation fighter capability based on various media ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Fighter Aircraft [United Arab Emirates]

  While a formal requirement has not been announced, the United Arab Emirates is in the market for a fifth-generation fighter capability based on various media ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Fighter Aircraft [United Arab Emirates]

  While a formal requirement has not been announced, the United Arab Emirates is in the market for a fifth-generation fighter capability based on various media ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Fighter Aircraft [United Arab Emirates]

  While a formal requirement has not been announced, the United Arab Emirates is in the market for a fifth-generation fighter capability based on various media ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Data links

  Data links | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye (4-5) [UAE]

  Programme Background The United Arab Emirates Air Force is taking delivery of three GlobalEye (known also as Global 6000) aircraft from Saab. The UAE signed a contract ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (4-5) [UAE]

  Programme Background United Arab Emirates Air Force had a requirement for three tanker aircraft. Boeing confirmed that the UAE sent an official request for three ...

• Transport

  A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  Programme Background At IDEX 2025, two Airbus representatives shared insights into a possible offer from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Corvettes

  Gowind 2500 (1-2) [UAE]

  Programme Background Timeline The Gowind 2500 design has proved a popular export, and variants have been ordered by four countries. Naval Group confirmed the sale of ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Fighter Aircraft [United Arab Emirates]

  Programme Background Competitors and Bids Lockheed Martin On 25 September, the United Arab Emirates submitted a FMS request for the F-35A; the proposal was approved ...

• Corvettes

  Gowind 2500 Procurement (3-4) [UAE]

  Programme Background Timeline The Gowind 2500 design has proved a popular export and variants have been ordered by four countries. Naval Group confirmed the sale ...

• Transport

  C-130 Replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Saudi Air Force operates 33 C-130H, 7 KC-130H aircraft and two KC-130Js. The country has been seeking to replace its ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• MPVs - 4x4

  Kasser II

  Produced by M4 Industries based in Abu Dhabi, Kasser is a 4x4 MRAP that is currently being developed for the United Arab Emirates. The vehicle ...

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

  JERNAS-S

  The JERNAS-S, formerly known as the Jeer, is a fixed-wing UAV developed by ADASI, a subsidiary of the EDGE Group. The UAV is designed to conduct ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - MLDS, Land: Defensive Systems - Gunshot Detection / Hostile Fire Indicator

  ShotFinder Acoustic Hostile Fire Detection

  Northrop Grumman’s ShotFinder is a hostile fire detection system designed to protect aircraft against small arms and light weapons fire. The apparatus employs acoustic technology ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Falcon Edge/IEWS

  Northrop Grumman’s Falcon Edge Integrated Self-Protection System (ISPS) equips the United Arab Emirates Air Force’s (UAEAF) Lockheed Martin F-16E/F Block-60 fighters.  The first incarnation of ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  MCRL

  The Multiple Cradle Rocket Launcher (MCRL) was developed by Al Jaber Land Systems (AJLS) in cooperation with Roketsan to meet the requirements of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and ...

• Air: Displays

  Digital Light Engine Head-Up Display

  BAE Systems Digital Light Engine (DLE) HUD is designed to upgrade existing display equipment with a modular, electro-optic digital system. According to the manufacturer, DLE HUDs ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM, Land: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARS-6(V12) PLS

  The new AN/ARS-6 (V12) Personnel Locator System (PLS) Receiver/Transmitter (R/T) is a functional replacement for the old AN/ARS-6. These systems are used to locate missing ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Al Saadiyat (Logistics Support Vessel)

  Al Saadiyat is the most recent logistics support vessel to be built for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Navy. The vessel is effectively a large ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  ELT/558

  The ELT/558 is a low-band jammer designed for the self-protection of fighter aircraft and combat helicopters. Systems support platform protection using jamming and deception of search/scanning, ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  IPN

  Produced by Selex ES (now part of Leonardo), the IPN is a family of combat management systems. Also known as SADOC 2, it is in ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  AN/APR-48B

  Lockheed Martin’s AN/APR-48B is a modernised radar frequency interferometer. The digital receiver-based system features enhanced receiver sensitivity to allow the system to detect a threat, ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-80

  The AN/APG-80 is an X-band active electronically scanned array radar system with approximately 1,000 transmit/receive modules, designed for continuous search and multi-target tracking capabilities in ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  SkyKnight

  The SkyKnight missile, developed by Halcon—a subsidiary of the UAE's EDGE Group—is the nation's first indigenous counter-rocket, artillery, and mortar (C-RAM) system. Unveiled at IDEX ...

• Corvettes

  Comandanti/Sirio Class (FCX15)

  The Comandanti-class corvettes designed and built by Italian company Financatieri are in service with the Italian Navy, which operates four, with the first commissioned in 2001, ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/AAQ-24(V)

  Northrop Grumman’s AN/AAQ-24(V) is a Directional Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) designed to protect large fixed-wing and small rotary wing aircrafts. The system has been installed in ...