• Training

  BISim, DiSTI sign agreement

  13th January 2020

  DiSTI Corporation has expanded its software VAR contract portfolio to include Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim) under an agreement announced on 13 January. Under the agreement …

• Naval Warfare

  China commissions its most sophisticated surface combatant

  14th January 2020

  The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has commissioned the largest surface combatant ever built for China’s navy. The first Type 055 guided-missile destroyer was commissioned in …

• Digital Battlespace

  Leonardo​ radar for Indonesian Air Force

  24th January 2020

  The Indonesian Air Force (IAF) is to receive a Leonardo RAT 31 DL/M radar system, the company announced on 21 January.The system will be delivered …

• Naval Warfare

  DRS Laurel Technologies awarded contract

  28th January 2020

  DRS Laurel Technologies has received an $8.6 million contract for Launch Control Unit Mk 235 Mods 11 and 12 production in support of the Vertical …

• Land Warfare

  Finland, Latvia sign agreement for Patria 6x6-based vehicle

  29th January 2020

  The Finnish Ministry of Defence and Latvia have signed a Technical Arrangement to develop the Patria 6x6 armoured wheeled vehicle chassis platform. The cooperation programme …

• Defence Notes

  DoD plays it safe on air power spending

  12th February 2020

  The proposed US DoD FY2021 defence budget runs at a shortfall of $800 million for aircraft and associated systems compared to last year’s figures. In total, …

• Defence Notes

  JF-17 Block III fighter takes to the air

  8th January 2020

  The JF-17 Block III fighter achieved its maiden flight from the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group’s (CAIG's) facility in Chengdu-Huangtianba in Sichuan on 15 December 2019. …

• Training

  Singapore Airshow 2020: Indian Navy rotary training may migrate to light twins

  6th February 2020

  When the Naval Utility Helicopter (NUH) replaces the Alouette, will basic training also migrate to light twins? This question was recently posed by Shephard to …

• Air Warfare

  Singapore Airshow 2020: Japan to form an ‘aerospace’ force

  5th February 2020

  The Japanese government is to change the name of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) to the Japan Aerospace Self-Defense Force as early as Fiscal …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Upgraded Heron given longer legs

  29th January 2020

  In an expansion of its unmanned portfolio, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) plans to unveil a new member of the Heron UAV family at the Singapore Airshow …

• Training

  Spanish Air Force purchases 24 Pilatus PC-21 Trainer Aircraft

  31st January 2020

  Pilatus will supply 24 PC-21 single-engine turboprop trainer aircraft to the Spanish Air Force, the company announced on 31 January. The new trainer aircraft will …

• Naval Warfare

  Patria ASW sonar for Pohjanmaa class vessels

  22nd January 2020

  Patria will design and deliver new anti-submarine warfare (ASW) sonars for the Finnish Navy’s Pohjanmaa class corvettes. The company was awarded a contract for the …

• Defence Notes

  Royal Signals in cyber wargaming exercise

  30th January 2020

  The first cyber warfare competition has been carried out at the Joint Force Command Battle Labs, part of the Defence College at Shrivenham. Called Exercise …

• Land Warfare

  Dillon Aero displays new gatling gun

  4th February 2020

  Dillon Aero exhibited its new 503D 12.7x99mm (.50 calibre) three-barrel gatling gun at SHOT Show 2020. The electronically-driven gun (pictured) is derived from the Dillon Aero M134D, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Longbow receives Fire Control Radar contract

  27th January 2020

  Longbow has received a contract from the US Army Contracting Command for production support services for the Fire Control Radar System for the Apache attack …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  OC-135B Replacement [USA]

  Programme Background The modification and Treaty Certification works include Digital Visual Imaging System kits, design and development for mission system integration (structural design, interphone communications systems, ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Light Combat Helicopter (India - Air Force)

  Programme Background Requirement India's requirement for light attack helicopters capable of operating at high altitudes became apparent during the 1999 Kargil War. Originally planned to reach ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Orlan-10 [Russian Navy]

  Background Frigate Augmentation Before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the country planned to augment its Admiral Gorshkov class frigates with indigenously developed Orlan-10 ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Light Combat Helicopter (India - Army)

  Programme Background Requirement India's requirement for light attack helicopters capable of operating at high altitudes became apparent during the 1999 Kargil War. Originally planned to reach ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munition [Switzerland]

  Background Announcement In a February 2023 interview with Swiss news outlet CH-Media, Swiss army chief Thomas Süssli stated that the country was considering acquiring loitering munitions ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  Lightweight Marine Air Defence Integrated System [US]

  Background The US Marine Corps' (USMC) Lightweight Marine Air Defence Integrated System (L-MADIS) supports deployed Marine Expeditionary Units with non-kinetic C-UAS capabilities and a shoulder-fired surface-to-air weapon for ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Shahed-171 (ANSU-200) [Venezuela]

  Background Independence Day Parade Venezuela operates the ANSU-200, a UAV with many visual similarities to the Shahed-171, which Defence Insight believes is a domestically produced ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  S-400 [India]

  Background India is modernising its air defence by procuring  S-400 LRSAM systems (Triumf Missile System), which are planned to be used by the Air Force.  The fifth system ...

• Destroyers

  Canadian Surface Combatant/River Class (1-3) [Canada]

  Background Requirements Fifteen frigates are being procured to replace the Royal Canadian Navy's 12 ageing Halifax-class frigates and the now-retired Iroquois-class destroyers with next-generation surface ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Ground Master 403 Radar [Egypt]

  Background In 2020, Egypt ordered four of France-based Thales Ground Master 403 radars, the mobile member of their GM400 radar family.  At least one of the ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

• Data links

  Data links | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Mangart 25 [Slovenia]

  Background Mangart 25 originated from a Slovenian national development project for a lightweight remotely controlled air-defence system. The development contract was signed with Valhalla Turrets ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: aerial targets

  Lakshya

  The Lakshya is an aerial target developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for training fighter pilots in air-to-air combat or ground-based air ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  StreamCaster Mini 4210

  The StreamCaster Mini 4210 (SM4210) is a single-channel data radio (SCDR) that can create MANET mesh networks. It is currently in use with the US ...

• Air: mission management systems

  FireStorm

  FireStorm is an integrated targeting and mission management system for air-to-ground operations such as close air support, ground targeting and call for fire. It is ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AW129

  The AW129 Mangusta (Mongoose, service designation) is a tandem two-seat, twin-engine attack helicopter originally developed for the Italian Army and subsequently developed into a multirole combat ...

• Air: mission management systems

  CMA-9000

  The CMA-9000  Flight and Radio Management System (FMS/RMS) is manufactured by the Canadian firm CMC Electronics. It is designed for a wide range of commercial, ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Chukar III

  The Chukar III, based on Northrop Grumman’s BQM-74E developed for the USN, is a high subsonic aerial jet target for export customers.

• Sea: weapon training, Military - USVs

  Sprite

  The Sprite is a USV developed by QinetiQ and designed for live-fire training exercises. 

• Air: aerial targets

  Banshee Whirlwind

  Originally made by Meggitt Target Systems, a company QinetiQ acquired in 2016, the Banshee is an aerial target and the first drone in the Banshee series.  ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  Badger UGV-T

  Badger is a remotely controlled, lightly armoured, all-terrain vehicle designed to exercise anti-armour combat systems. No permanent installations are required; Badger is transportable to and ...

• Sea: weapon training, Military - USVs

  Albatros-T

  The Aselsan Albatros-T is a high-speed, unmanned, surface-target boat manufactured by Aselsan. It is designed to be used as a moving target in shooting drills.

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Integrated Avionics Suite

  Northrup Grumman's Integrated Avionics Suite is an open architecture mission equipment package, which can be deployed on a number of rotorcraft platforms. It consists of ...

• Air: aerial targets

  DO-SK6

  The DO-SK6 is a modular design tow body adaptable for various functions.

• Naval: RF/IR/acoustic decoys

  Integrated Decoy System

  Rafael's integrated ship-defence decoy system features real-time decoy deployment, fixed and/or rotating launchers and a computerised decoy controller that can be integrated with a ship’s ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Integrated Combat System

  The Integrated Combat System (ICS) is a combat management system being developed for the US Navy. The project, currently led by Lockheed Martin, aims to ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Kuwait Air Force F/A-18 TOFT

  L3Harris Technologies has delivered two F/A-18C Tactical Operational Flight Trainers (TOFTs) built for the Kuwait Air Force (KAF). The high-fidelity TOFTs replace the KAF’s F/A-18 ...