• Military Logistics

  RAF A330 MRTT makes maiden flight

  10th April 2012

  Airbus Military has announced that the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) has completed its first flight in RAF service on …

• Military Logistics

  UK MOD signs on for 8th C-17 Globemaster III

  29th March 2012

  Boeing has announced that the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has signed an agreement for the acquisition of an additional C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. This …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems launches Falcon trials

  15th March 2012

  Training has begun on the UK’ s Falcon portable broadband-based communications system for the army and air force, manufacturer BAE Systems has announced. The programme, …

• Defence Helicopter

  'Pashtun Jaguar' tests UK helicopter crews for Afghanistan

  12th March 2012

  Rotary-wing assets from the UK's Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) have taken part in a large exercise to prepare troops heading for Afghanistan. JHC's Exercise Pashtun …

• Defence Helicopter

  FB Heliservices wins UK MOD contract

  6th March 2012

  Cobham has announced that FB Heliservices has announced it has been awarded a four year contract by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) to continue …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman completes UK E-3D Sentry repairs

  22nd February 2012

  Northrop Grumman has announced that repairs to a UK E-3D Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (UK AWACS) aircraft have been successfully completed ahead of …

• Military Logistics

  Extra C-17 for the RAF

  8th February 2012

  The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) is to buy another Boeing C-17, strengthening its fleet of transport aircraft to eight. The decision was announced by …

• Military Logistics

  Marshall SV delivers ILS shelters

  6th February 2012

  Marshall SV, part of Marshall Land Systems, has delivered a number of Instrument Land System (ILS) shelters to the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) as …

• Digital Battlespace

  UK wary of cyber threat

  19th January 2012

  A UK government official has warned that the NATO air operation in Libya could have been vulnerable to cyber-attack as the mission was so dependent …

• Defence Helicopter

  Helicopters to play a key role in Olympic security

  16th December 2011

  Helicopters from the British Army and the Royal Air Force have been slated to play a key role in the protection of the 2012 London …

• Defence Helicopter

  HP reflects on Libyan AMPA deployment

  15th December 2011

  Hewlett Packard (HP) has provided details regarding the UK RAF’s deployment of an enhanced version of its Advanced Mission Planning Aid (AMPA) during Operation Ellamy …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  RAF Reapers performing to plan in Afghanistan

  1st December 2011

  A senior UK military official has quashed rumours concerning the performance of RAF MQ-9 Reaper UAVs in Afghanistan. According to WG CDR Andrew Jeffrey, SO1 …

• Military Logistics

  Military Logistics 2011: RAF mulls lessons from Libya

  30th November 2011

  While the RAF looks back at the success of its efforts in the skies over Libya, logisticians involved in the operation say they are keen …

• Defence Helicopter

  New contract to end UK military involvement in SAR

  28th November 2011

  The UK Department for Transport has begun the procurement process for a new fleet of SAR helicopters, which will see SAR being provided by contracted …

• Defence Helicopter

  Dubai Airshow 2011: Pilot gives viewpoint on Libya rescue

  16th November 2011

  The pilot of an MV-22 Osprey who recovered a crewmember from a downed US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle in Libya has spoken publicly about …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  StormShroud: Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) [UK]

  Background Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) Strategy Reflecting on lessons learned from the cancellation of the Mosquito programme, the Royal Air Force (RAF) redefined the role ...

• ISR/special mission

  Shadow R1 [UK]

  Programme Background The RAF is moving forward with an ambitious plan to transform its intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) force to enable greater ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M (UK)

  RAF base at Brize Norton built a new training facility for A400M pilots and crew. The aircraft will look to reach full operation capability by 2022 when ...

• AEW&C

  E-7 Wedgetail (737) - UK

  Programme Background Seeking to replace its six ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AEW&C;, the British Royal Air Force awarded Boeing a £1.89 billion contract in 2019 covering the ...

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

  LANCA (Loyal Wingman): Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) [UK]

  Background Project Mosquito & Cancellation Beginning in 2019, the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), in collaboration with the Royal Air Force (RAF), began ...

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

  Protector RG1 [UK]

  Background Programme Goal The programme aims to replace the MQ-9A Reapers in the RAF's inventory until they are formally retired in October 2025. The MQ-9B will deliver a UK ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H-47ER Chinook [UK]

  Programme Background 2021 FMS Announcement In October 2018, the US State Department approved a $3.5 billion FMS of 16 CH-47 Chinooks fitted with extended-range fuel tanks ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8A Poseidon [UK]

  Programme Background In July 2016, the UK government announced that it had ordered nine aircraft for service with the RAF. Under this frame, in January ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | A400M (forecast) [United Kingdom]

  In April 2025, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that as part of the Strategic Defence Review is reviewing a potential purchase of additional A400M Atlas ...

• Data links

  Data links | A400M (forecast) [United Kingdom]

  In April 2025, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that as part of the Strategic Defence Review is reviewing a potential purchase of additional A400M Atlas ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | A400M (forecast) [United Kingdom]

  In April 2025, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that as part of the Strategic Defence Review is reviewing a potential purchase of additional A400M Atlas ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Typhoon Tranche 3A - Qatar

  As a part of the agreement to sell Typhoon, the UK is establishing a ‘Joint Operations Squadron’ (to be known as 12 Squadron) with the ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Land Autonomous Collaborative Platform (LACP) [UK]

  Background Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) Strategy Reflecting on lessons learned from the cancellation of the Mosquito programme, the Royal Air Force (RAF) redefined the role ...

• Transport

  Command Support Air Transport Recapitalisation (UK)

  Programme Background The tender, originally released on 28 October 2021, requires industry bidders to put forward aircraft that can achieve a minimum unrefuelled range of ...

• AEW&C

  E-7 Wedgetail (Second Order) [U.K.]

  Programme Background Seeking to replace its six ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AEW&C;, the British Royal Air Force awarded Boeing a £1.89 billion contract in 2019 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• EO/IR systems

  RAPTOR

  The Reconnaissance Airborne Pod for Tornado (RAPTOR), based on Raytheon's DB-110, was developed for the UK RAF Tornado GR4s. RAF specifications required target recognition with ...

• EO/IR systems

  DJRP

  The Digital Joint Reconnaissance Pod (DJRP) is a tactical EO/IR reconnaissance system. It provides simultaneous high resolution and wide field-of-view EO imagery and horizon-to-horizon day/night ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Air Combat Training

  Boeing has experience in delivering training for fixed-wing air combat platforms including F-15C/E, F-16, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G, F-22 and MV/CV-22.

• Air: air combat simulators

  Tornado GR4 Synthetic Training Service

  Thales provides its Tornado GR4 Synthetic Training Service (TSTS) through its 100%-owned subsidiary, Ace. The service is a complete suite of synthetic training for Tornado ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  FIASTS

  Thales, through 100%-owned subsidiary Merlin, is delivering a ‘packaged’ training and maintenance system for RAF aircrew through the FsAST Integrated Aircrew Synthetic Training Service (FIASTS). ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: Electronic Attack - Pod

  Sky Shadow-2

  Leonardo’s Sky Shadow-2 electronic attack pod was designed for the Panavia Tornado-GR4A ground attack aircraft in service with the RAF. 

• Fighter - multirole

  Tornado (IDS/ADV)

  The Tornado is a family of two-seat, twin-engine, variable-sweep wing multirole fighters manufactured by Panavia, a trans-European consortium of BAE Systems, Airbus Space and Defence ...

• Air: Displays

  Tornado Advanced Radar Dsiplay & Information System (TARDIS)

  The Tornado Advanced Radar Display & Information System (TARDIS) is developed by BAE Systems, UK, specifically for the UK's Royal Air Force's (RAF) fleet of ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  A400M Training

  Thales is the principal training provider for the Airbus A400M with a contract to provide FFSs and flat-panel trainers. Four A400M FFS and two flat-panel ...

• Air: maintenance simulators

  Engineering and Maintenance Training

  BAE Systems designs and delivers engineering and maintenance training, with the ability to provide a package to address the needs of all personnel ranging from ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  LANCA / Mosquito

  The Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft (LANCA) is a developmental 'Loyal Wingman' UAS that the RAF and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) hoped would support its crewed ...

• ISR/special mission, Trainer

  TC-135S/W

  The TC-135S and TC-135W are training aircraft developed by Boeing based on the EC-135 to provide crew training for RC-135S Cobra Ball optical and electronic ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Eurofighter HMSS

  Eurofighter Typhoon’s Helmet Mounted Symbology System (HMSS) provides pilots with enhanced situational awareness, data display and sensor/effector cueing. Developed by BAE Systems, it is in ...

• Trainer

  Hawk AJT

  The Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) is the latest version of what is claimed to be the world’s most widely used advanced jet trainer. Almost ...

• Air: maintenance simulators

  C-17 Globemaster III MTS

  TRU Simulation and Training C-17 Maintenance Training System (MTS) supports training needs for this complex computerised aircraft. The MTS provides skill development for more than 1,100 ...