• Defence Helicopter

  PLA shows wide-body Z-8 and new helicopter missile

  25th August 2020

  The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has begun fielding a wide-body variant of the Z-8 helicopter built by Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation (CAIC). By midyear, approximately six of …

• Defence Notes

  PODCAST: Hungary picks Lynx, laser updates and next-gen air programmes

  28th August 2020

  Welcome to Episode 34 of the second series of The Weekly Defence Podcast. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more. Sign up to an early email alert …

• Digital Battlespace

  Orbit contributes to next-gen F-16 avionics suite

  24th August 2020

  The US subsidiary of Israeli electronics company Orbit Communications Systems has been selected by Lockheed Martin to develop and produce audio management systems for the future …

• Defence Notes

  Necessity binds Syria to Iran for air defence equipment

  22nd July 2020

  News that Iran and Syria concluded a pact on 10 July to enhance the latter’s air defences has raised questions regarding the nature of this …

• Air Warfare

  US snaps up would-be Turkish F-35As

  21st July 2020

  Eight F-35A fighter aircraft that were originally destined for Turkey have been ‘repositioned’ for the USAF, under a 20 July DoD contract award to Lockheed …

• Training

  BISim promotes easier simulation

  28th August 2020

  Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim) has released a new software update for its VBS4 whole-Earth virtual and constructive simulation system.  The company claims the v.20.1 update is …

• Naval Warfare

  Russia splashes the cash on corvettes and frigates

  10th September 2020

  A series of major contracts for the Russian Navy were signed in late August during the Army 2020 exhibition near Moscow. Two diesel-electric submarines (one …

• Defence Notes

  China tests reusable spacecraft in secretive ‘star wars’ programme

  10th September 2020

  On 4 September China successfully tested in space a new ‘reusable experimental spacecraft’, nomenclature unknown, after launching it from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  RAF uses Leonardo C-UAS technology in R&D programme

  4th September 2020

  Leonardo has delivered the first of four modular ORCUS C-UAS systems to the UK, to support the next stage of an RAF R&D; programme run …

• Land Warfare

  Ambulance version of Piranha V enters service with Danish Army

  15th July 2020

  Denmark has received the ambulance version of the Piranha V 8x8 AFV amid a broader effort to improve the mobility of its ground forces and augment the 1st …

• Defence Notes

  US Army researches self-healing material for autonomous systems

  9th September 2020

  The US Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has developed a new material that can autonomously heal in air and underwater, with plans now to expand the …

• Military Logistics

  Lockheed receives major Super Hercules contract from DoD

  20th July 2020

  Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $15 billion contract by the USAF Force to develop, integrate, retrofit and produce variants of its C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft. The …

• Training

  Indian Navy carrier pilot training to gain from EHUD

  19th August 2020

  Elbit Systems is to provide its EHUD fully autonomous air combat manoeuvring instrumentation (ACMI) system to an undisclosed navy in South Asia. Elbit announced the $27 …

• Defence Notes

  Japan responds to regional threats with defence enhancements

  16th July 2020

  This week, the Japanese MoD published its annual Defence White Paper, which provided some new information as the country’s military responds to its regional threat …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Belgium and UK seek SkyGuardian tie-up

  18th August 2020

  The air forces of Belgium and the UK have signed a bilateral letter of intent to cooperate on training, maintenance, logistical support, interoperability and capacity …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  PC-21 (Project Air 5428) [Australia]

  The new PTS, including aircraft, flight training simulators and learning environments is being acquired from a single capability contractor, Team 21, which consists of Lockheed ...

• Transport, Transport/tanker aircraft

  Project Air 7404 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement Australia is thinking ahead to an enlarged transport fleet to replace the current C-130Js. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was the second ...

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

  Harpii Szpon (Loyal Wingman) [Poland]

  Programme Background Market Evaluation On 6 November 2023, speaking at the IQPC International Fighter Conference (IFC) 2023 in Madrid, Major General Cezary Wiśniewski, the Deputy General Commander of ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A (Project Air 6000 Phase 2A/B) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) took delivery of 18 F-35A aircraft as of March 2020 and the remaining aircraft are expected to ...

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

  Loyal Wingman [Australia]

  Background Older Efforts On 23 April 2021, the US State Department's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) approval announcement revealed that Australia had requested to buy up ...

• Data links

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

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

• Transponders and IFF

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

  In June 2020, Australia issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (LIFTS) in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase ...

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

  Project Air 7003 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirement The USN wants to acquire carrier-capable loyal wingman drones. These drones will have a high level of autonomy, allowing them to work alongside crewed ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (11-12) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

• OPVs

  Arafura Class (Project SEA 1180) (1-6) [Australia]

  Programme Background Australia's new class of Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), the Arafura-class, will replace the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) fleet of Armidale and Cape-class patrol ...

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

  Project Vixen [UK]

  Programme Background Project Goal The Royal Navy uses Leonardo crewed Merlin (AW101) helicopters fitted with CROWSNEST pods to provide airborne early warning capabilities for carriers. An early ...

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

  MQ-28 Ghost Bat [Australia]

  Programme Background Goal As stated by the Head of Air Force Capability, Air Vice-Marshal Robert Denney, in March 2022, the Ghost Bat will be an "operational ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Australian Defence Force MRH90 Training

  As prime contractor for the ADF's MRH90 training programme, CAE has provided two MRH90 full-flight mission simulators (FFMS), training facilities and engineering and support services. ...

• Trainer

  King Air trainer

  Textron / Beechcraft King Air trainers are a family twin-engine aircraft based on King Air 90, 100, 200 and 350 utility aircraft. The King Air ...

• AMAS

  AMAS – Australian Minesweeping System – was developed with the assistance of the Defence Science & Technology Organisation and the Royal Australian Navy. It adopts ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  RAAF Hawk Mk 127 FMS

  Under subcontract to BAE Systems, CAE is designing and manufacturing three Hawk Mk 127 full-mission simulators (FMS) for the Royal Australian Air Force that will ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  NGJ

  Raytheon's Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) was selected by the USN in 2013 to replace the legacy ALQ-99 systems used on the EA-18G electronic attack aircraft. ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  AN/ALQ-210

  Lockheed Martin’s AN/ALQ-210 is an Electronic Support Measure (ESM) outfitting the Sikorsky MH-60R Romeo naval support helicopter. The manufacturer’s official literature says that the product ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Wanderer

  The Wanderer is a low-altitude, low-cost, long-endurance UAV produced in-house by the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) Jericho Disruptive Innovation Group and the Australian Government's Defense Science ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Air-5416 Project Echidna

  BAE Systems’ commenced its work on the Australian Department of Defence’s Air-5416 Project Echidna initiative in 2001. The rationale of the programme was to overhaul ...

• Light attack

  Hawk 200

  The Hawk 200 is a single-seat light attack iteration of the Hawk 100 (see separate entry) and Advanced Jet Trainer or AJT (see separate entry). ...

• Air: chaff, flare and decoy systems

  Vicon-XF

  Thales’ Vicon-XF is a countermeasure dispensing system which can equip an array of platforms, primarily large aircraft and rotorcraft, according to the manufacturer’s official literature. ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Phantom 4 (Series)

  Designed for aerial photograph applications by DJI, the Phantom 4 series of UAVs includes the Phantom 4 Pro, Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, Phantom 4 Advanced ...

• Maritime patrol

  Challenger 604

  Bombardier Challenger CL-604 MPAs are in service with the Royal Danish Air Force and the Korea Coast Guard. The first of three Danish aircraft entered ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  Predator Mission Trainer (PMT)

  The CAE Predator Mission Trainer (PMT) is an integrated platform that combines the features of CAE's UAS mission trainer with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' Predator-specific ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  AN/ALR-2001

  BAE Systems’ AN/ALR-2001 Electronic Support Measure (ESM) is thought to be based on Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Elta Systems division’s EL/M-8382 ESM. The AN/ALR-2001 is ...

• Submarine-launched torpedoes

  Mk 48 Mod 7AT CBASS

  The MK 48 MOD 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) is the latest variant of the Mk 48 torpedo family manufactured by Lockheed Martin and ...