• Digital Battlespace

  Farnborough 2018: What could replace the UK’s AWACS?

  10th July 2018

  One of the key talking points at this year’s Farnborough air show will be the Royal Air Force’s growing desire to replace its ageing E-3D …

• Naval Warfare

  BAE Systems begins investigations into Forth issues

  23rd June 2018

  Investigations are being carried out by BAE Systems to identify the causes of defects identified onboard the UK’s new Royal Navy Batch 2 OPV. As …

• Land Warfare

  UK studies joining European tank effort

  25th June 2018

  Despite its imminent break up with the European Union the UK government has not ruled out involvement in future European defence projects, including the development …

• Defence Notes

  Opinion: Is the door closed for MoD spending?

  11th June 2018

  Overbudget, under resourced and torn between maintaining a home industrial base or being able to afford equipment in plentiful amounts. That seems to be the …

• Naval Warfare

  UDT 2018: Bids in for UK ORCA programme

  20th June 2018

  Bids for the UK Royal Navy’s programme to replace the combat management system (CMS) on its mine countermeasure vessels (MCMVs) were submitted in May, as …

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2018: French CT40 firing trials to begin

  4th June 2018

  The first manned firing trials of the 40mm Cased Telescoped Armament System (CTAS) for the French Army’s new Jaguar 6x6 vehicle are expected to take …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UK investment for unmanned MCM continues

  26th May 2018

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) intends to extend its support contract for its Royal Navy UUVs beyond the six months it agreed upon earlier …

• Land Warfare

  Qioptiq opens warehouse to support armed forces

  22nd May 2018

  Qioptiq has opened a new £3.7 million ($4.2 million) warehouse facility in St Asaph, North Wales to support the armed forces, the UK MoD announced …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: Pennant VR parachute sim takes off (video)

  21st May 2018

  The Pennant Group demonstrated its latest parachute VR training simulator in Stuttgart at ITEC 2018. In the company's estimation, the virtual reality system is viewed …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: MRZR-X supports UK MoD

  26th May 2018

  Polaris Government and Defense will support the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) Army Warfighting Experiment (AWE) with a single MRZR-X unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), company …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: UK industry team delivers M&S report

  22nd May 2018

  A UK industry team has recently delivered its findings on the future of modelling and simulation (M&S;) to the UK MoD. The core Architectures, Interoperability …

• Training

  SEA-led team delivers AIMS related findings

  21st May 2018

  The SEA-led Architectures, Interoperability and Management of Simulations (AIMS) team has delivered its findings on the future of modelling and simulation to the UK Ministry …

• Naval Warfare

  Russian presence near UK waters increases ‘tenfold’

  24th May 2018

  Despite the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) typically keeping mum on Russian activity near UK territorial waters the secretary of state for defence Gavin Williamson …

• Military Logistics

  UK shares industrial base vision

  21st May 2018

  UK defence logisticians have ‘thematically similar’ but ‘slightly nuanced’ industrial base views and challenges when compared to those in the United States. And, in much …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: Wildcat time shaved in simulator delivery

  16th May 2018

  One of the major challenges facing manufacturers of training systems is the delivery of synthetic training equipment to coincide with operators receiving their operational airframes. …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Project Corvus [UK]

  Defence Secretary John Healey told the House of Commons in late 2024 that, as part of a broader initiative to retire outdated equipment across the Armed ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Project Corvus [UK]

  Defence Secretary John Healey told the House of Commons in late 2024 that, as part of a broader initiative to retire outdated equipment across the Armed ...

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

  AR3 (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Background £270 Million investment On 15 September 2025, the UK MoD noted that, since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the UK ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  30,000 FPV Drones (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Programme Background IDCC On 9 January 2025, the UK MoD announced that 30,000 FPV drones would be sent to Ukraine after the awarding of £45 million ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

• Loitering munitions

  Nyan OWE [UK]

  Background Transparency notice On 13 February 2026, the UK MoD published a transparency notice concerning OWE Nyan, specifically, the procurement of OWE drones for operational ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Air Launched Effects (ALE) [UK]

  Programme Background Acquisition Pipeline First published on 13 June 2022, the Acquisition Pipeline is a forward look at potential procurement activity undertaken by the UK MoD.  ...

• Loitering munitions

  Dart 250 [UK]

  Background Purchase In 2023, the UK MoD tasked Modini with supplying Ukraine with drones, with the first Dart units reportedly delivered in autumn 2023. On ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Tactical Multirotor ISR UAV (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Programme Background Invitation To Tender (ITT) On 17 February 2025, the UK MoD released an Invitation to Tender (ITT) seeking Tactical Multirotor ISR UAVs. The effort is valued ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | AUKUS-SSNs/SSN(R) Astute Replacement Programme [UK]

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has begun the planning process for the Astute class replacement programme referred to as SSN-Replacement (SSN(R)). In September 2021, it was announced ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | AUKUS-SSNs/SSN(R) Astute Replacement Programme [UK]

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has begun the planning process for the Astute class replacement programme referred to as SSN-Replacement (SSN(R)). In September 2021, it was announced ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Mine Hunting Capability (MHC) Programme Block II [UK]

  Under Block II of the RN's Mine Hunting Capability (MHC) programme, the UK is expected to acquire three Offshore Support Vessels (OSVs) designed to be ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Mine Hunting Capability (MHC) Programme Block II [UK]

  Under Block II of the RN's Mine Hunting Capability (MHC) programme, the UK is expected to acquire three Offshore Support Vessels (OSVs) designed to be ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  New Medium Helicopter (NMH) [UK]

  Programme Background NMH Market Interest Day On 11 November 2021, the MoD communicated the requirements of the £1 billion ($1.34 billion) New Medium Helicopter (NMH) ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Multi-Role Vehicle (Protected) (MRV-P) Package 1 (UK)

  Programme Background Requirement The MRV-P programme was intended to procure replacements for a diverse fleet of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles purchased during the wars in Iraq ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Light UGVs

  T7

  The T7 is a multi-mission robotic system designed for military, police and hazardous missions. At DSEI 2017, the UK MoD awarded the Harris Corporation a ...

• Major networking projects

  Skynet 5 SATCOM

  Airbus is the service provider for the UK MoD Skynet 5 private finance initiative contract, signed in October 2003 and now worth $5.6 billion. Airbus ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Warthog

  The Warthog is based on the ST Kinetics Bronco all terrain tracked carrier (ATTC) and was developed to meet a UK MoD urgent operational requirement ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Buster

  The Buster is a small UAS that is designed for carrying out close-range surveillance in all weather conditions. It can carry several different payloads and ...

• Data links

  NMS

  The Network Management System (NMS) provides the ability to monitor and manage tactical data links (Link 11A, Link 11B, MIDS/JTIDS Link 16 and legacy links) ...

• Land: vehicle surveillance/target acquisition systems

  DNGS-T3

  DNGS-T3 is a single or dual-axis stabilised Day/Night Gunner Sight. It entered service with the UK MoD in 2004 on tracked AFVs. There are more ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  DragonFire

  DragonFire is a laser weapon system built for the UK MoD and manufactured by a consortium of manufacturers. The primary manufacturer is MBDA, though they ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  AW159 Wildcat

  The AW159 is a twin-engine, multirole maritime and utility aircraft that was developed as a replacement for the Lynx family of helicopters. Designated 'Wildcat' by ...

• Trucks and utility vehicles - 6x6, Trucks and utility vehicles - 8x8

  SLDT(P)

  Following the success of the Trakker 6x6 in the engineer support role, the UK MoD identified a UOR for a fleet of protected self-loading dump ...

• Major networking projects

  ARRC C2IS

  In August 2006, the UK MoD appointed Thales as prime contractor for the delivery of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) – Command Control and ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  TTF

  BAE Systems manages the Typhoon Training Facility (TTF) for the UK MoD at RAF Coningsby, England. The facility supports the operational conversion unit and squadron ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  SA-200

  Manufactured by Syos Aerospace, the SA-200, or SA200, is a rotary-wing tactical drone. Marketed as a utilitarian drone, its primary purpose is as a cargo-carrying platform with ...

• EO/IR systems

  NightHawk2-UZ

  The NightHawk2-UZ is a dual EO-IR stabilised camera turret from NextVision designed for long-range observation applications that demand low weight. The 350g sensor's IR camera has a 1280x720p ...

• Medium UGVs

  MACE 3 Sherpa

  Based on the in-service 4x4 off-road Land Rover Defender platform, the MIRA MACE 3 Sherpa provides dismounted close combat infantry with logistical support, allowing soldiers ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  Inflatable Targets

  Airborne Industries has produced Inflatable Targets for use by the UK MoD for many years and supports and replenishes the systems in service. The targets ...