• Air Warfare

  Singapore Airshow 2024: Elbit Systems unveils Hermes 650 Spark UAV

  21st February 2024

  The MALE drone features automatic takeoff and landing (ATOL) capabilities and can accommodate a load of 260kg across eight modular storage stations.

• Air Warfare

  UK NMH programme will not see helicopters delivered to British Armed Forces until 2027

  1st March 2024

  Airbus, Leonardo and Lockheed Martin have progressed through to the Invitation to Negotiate phase of the New Medium Helicopter competition, but the initial goal of introducing new helicopters by 2025 remained unattainable.

• Training

  How naval training is being transformed by synthetics

  27th December 2023

  Naval fleets are overcoming many of challenges associated with crafting realistic training activities by embracing the benefits of using synthetic training for maritime operations.

• Air Warfare

  Tunisia’s C-130 aircraft set for major upgrade

  22nd February 2024

  More than 300 C-130Js have been delivered worldwide, with more than 200 in service with US forces. Countries have been searching for upgrades with Norway this week receiving its first of type upgraded to new standard.

• Training

  US Air Force awards HII $197 million synthetic environment training contract

  19th January 2024

  The contract will maintain, support and provide joint training in a synthetic environment across combatant commands.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2023: US Army’s training transformation drive reports mixed results

  23rd November 2023

  How the US Army’s development of a new training environment has been utilising virtual reality technologies, what contracts have been awarded to different companies for its components and how has the industry been facing up to the challenges it faces.

• Naval Warfare

  NATO’s largest exercise for decades is shaping future transatlantic security

  27th February 2024

  Steadfast Defender 24 (STDE24), the main NATO multi-domain exercise for 2024, has seen large-scale national and multinational live exercises taking place across the whole NATO area. Among the challenges it has attempted to tackle have been the increased lethality of uncrewed systems and how to enhance amphibious landings in cold environments.

• Air Warfare

  Azerbaijan completes Turkish Akinci drone procurement

  16th February 2024

  The exact number of Akinci drones acquired by Azerbaijan has remained undisclosed, but estimates suggested the purchase of two or three HALE units.

• Defence Notes

  US lawmakers warn that “more military spending is absolutely necessary” to ensure Pentagon’s readiness

  15th April 2024

  The US Congress has raised concerns about how inflation rates and cuts in main acquisition programmes could affect the US military.

• Special Operations

  US Special Operations Command seeks $1.3 billion investment in intelligence

  8th April 2024

  As part of its FY2025 budget proposal, the service requested funds for tactical intelligence collection and analysis solutions and for ISR, processing, exploitation and dissemination programmes.

• Training

  Just released: Military Training Technology Report 2024 now available to read

  18th January 2024

  How 3D visualisation tools are leveraging synthetic terrain and XR headsets to transform mission planning

• Training

  Saab awarded contract for T-7A aft section, while US Air Force tests ejection seat

  29th January 2024

  Saab has secured a contract from Boeing to manufacture vital components for the T-7A Red Hawk trainer jet amid ongoing ejection seat tests and undisclosed delivery timelines.

• Training

  NATO to conduct largest exercise since end of Cold War

  23rd January 2024

  NATO has announced the launch of its largest exercise in decades in a move that Russia has viewed as an “irrevocable return” of Cold War era positions.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2023: CAE unveils US Air Force digital F-16 cockpit

  30th November 2023

  For the first time CAE exhibited a digital F-16 cockpit integrated with the Simulators Common Architecture Requirements and Standards (SCARS) marking a major step forward in training equipment virtualisation.

• Land Warfare

  ST Engineering goes big on hybrid at Singapore Airshow with Terrex s5 and new 4x4 MRAP

  21st February 2024

  The company’s development effort in hybrid electric drive technology has yielded two new products which have been on display at Singapore Airshow 2024.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  EVO Max 4T [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Ukraine On 6 October 2023, Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's Miniter of Digital Transformation, announced that the Army of Drones sent nearly 2,000 EVO Max ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Hürkuş-C Advanced Armed Trainer (Turkey)

  The Hurjet-C development programme funding was included in the Hurkus-B procurement contract awarded by  the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defence Industries in December 2013.  The Hurjet will ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW101-Norway

  AgustaWestland is also providing initial support and training services, including spares at each of the operating bases and aircrew training. It will then provide performance ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F -Kenya

  Crew transition training took place at the MD Helicopters headquarters in Mesa, Arizona, with field service support, armament, and gunnery training scheduled to occur at ...

• Trainer

  T-54A Multi-Engine Training System (METS) (USA)

  Programme Background Multi-Engine Training System is a USN programme to replace the ageing T-44C Pegasus fleet and modernize multi-engine aircraft training. Multi-Engine Training System provides ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) (3) [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Malaysian Navy are in the process of a fleet transformation plan known as the 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, which ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Submarines Procurement [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements In 2015, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) issued the so-called 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, which envisioned the service to be standardised ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk-USA

  The UH-60M Black Hawk is a digitally networked platform with greater range and lift to support maneuver commanders through air assault, general support, command and ...

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

  Beyond Vision Drones [Portugal]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 14 February 2023, Beyond Vision announced that it had been awarded a €600,375 contract for the acquisition of "6 Mulittoror ...

• ISR/special mission

  King Air 350ER -Canada

  Programme Background Canadian Special Forces was looking to procure ISR aircraft to support their missions both overseas and domestically.  There were few Canadian suppliers to sell ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Submarines Procurement [Malaysia]

  According to the Royal Malaysian Navy 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, the Navy wants to acquire two more submarines between 2031 and 2035. Shephard estimates ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Submarines Procurement [Malaysia]

  According to the Royal Malaysian Navy 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, the Navy wants to acquire two more submarines between 2031 and 2035. Shephard estimates ...

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

  Gray Eagle 25M (13-20) [US National Guard]

  Background Requirement In FY2021, the National Guard Association of the United States (NGUAS) announced that it was "critical" that it fielded the MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended Range (ER). The ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Submarines Procurement Programme [Saudi Arabia]

  The Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) is in the process of a fleet transformation plan which, so far, has seen the procurement of corvettes from ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Major networking projects

  ACT

  Allied Command Transformation (ACT) is leading at strategic command level the transformation of NATO’s military structure, forces, capabilities and doctrine. It is working to enhance ...

• Loitering munitions

  Trypillian SSG

  Manufactured by Trypillian, a British-Ukrainian start-up, the Trypillian SSG is an autonomous, deep-strike loitering munition, designed to operate in GNSS-denied environments.  Trypillian states that it is an asymmetric ...

• Light UGVs

  D-21-11

  Unveiled in January 2024, the D-21-11 is a 4x4 wheeled UGV from Brave1. The Ukrainian vehicle features a flatbed that can host various equipment, such ...

• Loitering munitions

  Backfire

  The Backfire is a Ukrainian fire-and-forget loitering munition. The catapult-launched system is GPS-guided, meaning it is resistant to radio-electronic interference. Reportedly, its lack of real-time ...

• Medium UGVs

  Ironclad

  The Ironclad is a Ukrainian 4x4 UGV developed by Roboneers, a technology incubator that solicits ideas and pairs them with potential investors. Fitted with a ShaBlya ...

• Ultra-light UGVs

  Ratel S

  The Ratel S, sometimes also called the Medoed or Honey Badger, is a Ukrainian kamikaze UGV that can be armed with a TM-62 anti-tank mine or two 82mm ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Vampire

  The Vampire is a hexacopter drone developed by the Ukrainian company Skyfall. It can carry and drop various types of ammunition on the enemy. In ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  DRTS

  The Digital Range Training System (DRTS) was developed under a 2011 contract to provide an immersive training environment for US Army vehicle crews. Training includes ...

• Loitering munitions

  Hornet IV

  Unveiled in September 2025, the Hornet IV is a development of the MQM-178 target drone designed for attack missions. Kratos and the National Chung-Shan Institute ...

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

  EVO Max 4T

  The EVO Max 4T is an in-development rotary-wing ISR drone from Autel Robotics. According to Autel, the drone has advanced autonomous technology, giving it a strong ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  Live Training Systems-Range Instrumentation

  End-to-end, networked, live training communications systems providing live training range products, communications infrastructure and instrumented participant voice, video and data communications. These include range voice, ...

• Air: aerial targets

  MQM-178 Firejet

  The MQM-178 Firejet is a target drone manufactured by Kratos Defence.  It performs a variety of end-to-end weapons-release training roles, including surface-to-air and air-to-air.

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  USN T-44C Training Services

  In late 2013, CAE USA received a contract to provide the USN with comprehensive T-44C aircrew training services at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. CAE USA ...

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

  Nomad (Group 4/5)

  In October 2025, Sikorsky unveiled the Nomad family of drones. The family can be scaled from a small Group 3 UAV to a Group 4/5 system with ...

• Data links

  CLIP

  Common Link Integration Processing (CLIP) is a software product that performs data transformation and processes protocols for dissimilar communications formats. It meets requirements for common ...