• Training

  Fox assists Strike Eagle training

  29th October 2020

  Training management system provides scheduling, resource allocation – including classrooms, synthetic training equipment, instructors and aircraft – and can also be used to refine curricula

• Land Warfare

  Singapore introduces new solider personal equipment

  2nd December 2020

  New personal equipment the Singapore Armed Forces is rolling out to ground combat units will bring a range of improvements for troops.

• Air Warfare

  Indonesia deploys NASAMS II for capital air defence

  17th November 2020

  Indonesia has received its NASAMS II air defence system from Kongsberg, and seems set to protect the capital city.

• Land Warfare

  EDA plans joint programmes to procure or upgrade MBTs

  1st December 2020

  The latest Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD) report mentions an initiative to develop and procure a next-generation MBT in the long term, as well as modernisation and upgrades of in-service platforms in the short term. Any solution will have to address aspects of C2, target acquisition, firepower, mobility, survivability and sustainability.

• Land Warfare

  EDA plans joint programmes to procure or upgrade MBTs

  1st December 2020

  The latest Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD) report mentions an initiative to develop and procure a next-generation MBT in the long term, as well as modernisation and upgrades of in-service platforms in the short term. Any solution will have to address aspects of C2, target acquisition, firepower, mobility, survivability and sustainability.

• Naval Warfare

  UK continues to tease on Type 32 details

  24th November 2020

  UK Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace says work on the new platform would not begin until the mid-2020s, as he provided a potential timeline that broadly aligns with the new RN MCM requirement

• Air Warfare

  Airbus finishes pilot phase of FCAS innovation initiative

  11th December 2020

  ​Projects included a secure combat cloud demonstrator, real-time AI for analysing sensor emissions, and a means of launching UAVs from the A400M

• Land Warfare

  Fewer vehicles to undergo Dutch CV90 MLU

  10th November 2020

  Netherlands hopes to sign MLU contract for IFVs by Q1 2021 at the latest

• Defence Notes

  Netherlands frames defence strategy to 2035

  29th October 2020

  Defence Vision 2035 includes ambitious measures that would demand at least twice the current defence budget — but even if these changes are necessary, are they affordable in a time of COVID-19?

• Digital Battlespace

  Space Force picks three companies to enhance military GPS receiver card

  9th November 2020

  ​Rockwell Collins, Interstate Electronics and Raytheon to build and integrate technology for improved positioning, navigation and timing

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  NATO receives final RQ-4D AGS aircraft

  12th November 2020

  Northrop Grumman has delivered NATO's fifth and final RQ-4D Phoenix Alliance Ground Surveillance aircraft.

• Air Warfare

  Turkey enhances capabilities with arrival of first P-72

  15th December 2020

  Fleet of converted ATR-72s will broaden maritime surveillance and ASW capabilities for the Turkish Navy.

• Land Warfare

  US Army eyes more soldier protection contracts in 2021

  7th December 2020

  US Army plans to equip its soldiers with next-generation lightweight protective equipment, as it attempts to increase warfighter survivability, mobility, modularity and lethality.

• Naval Warfare

  General Dynamics supports combat systems on Halifax class

  9th November 2020

  Six-year deal is worth $140 million

• Defence Notes

  UK Public Accounts Committee savages Crowsnest plans and F-35 costs

  13th November 2020

  A report from the Public Accounts Committee has raised questions about the UK's carrier strike capabilities.

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 ...

• 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 - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (5-6) [Australia]

  Background Four Contracted Units In the summer of 2020, Northrop Grumman announced that the Australian Government provided $333 million for three MQ-4C Tritons and associated GCS. ...

• 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 ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (13-14) [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 ...

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

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [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 ...

• 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, ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

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

  MQ-28 Ghost Bat [Australia]

  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 system ...

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

  Project Vixen [UK]

  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 2021 Royal ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Air-5416 Project Echidna

  Air-5416 Project Echidna was an initiative launched in 2001 by BAE Systems for the Australian DoD. Its goal was to overhaul the self protection systems ...

• 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 ...

• 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. ...

• AMAS

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

• Military - USVs

  Bluebottle

  Bluebottle is a persistent, autonomous, uncrewed surface vessel from Ocius Technology in service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF).

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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). ...

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

  MQ-28A Ghost Bat

  The MQ-28A Ghost Bat is a loyal wingman-type, Collobrative Combat Aircraft (CCA), MALE fixed-wing drone being developed by Boeing Defence Australia. Its development began in 2013 and took its ...

• 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 ...

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

  M Solar-X

  First revealed in August 2020, in February 2024, at its symposium, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) showcased the M Solar-X. This solar-powered fixed-wing drone was ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...