• Defence Notes

  Farnborough: Cameron pledges £1.1bn defence injection

  14th July 2014

  UK Prime Minister David Cameron has announced a £1.1 billion investment injection to counter emerging threats to national security such as cyber terrorism. Addressing the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Farnborough: MBDA outlines STRATUS vision

  14th July 2014

  MBDA has revealed a command and control (C2) concept as part of its future development effort stretching out to 2035. At the Farnborough Airshow, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Global Hawk flies in NATO Joint ISR exercise

  10th July 2014

  A Northrop Grumman Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has taken part in NATO’s Unified Vision 2014 (UV14) exercise, as part of trials to evaluate …

• Defence Helicopter

  Farnborough: BAE Systems to launch new Striker helmet

  10th July 2014

  BAE Systems will use the Farnborough International Airshow to launch its Striker II helmet-mounted display system (HMDS), which is now aimed at both fighter aircraft …

• Defence Helicopter

  Farnborough: SOCOM advances SOF rotary wing modernisation

  10th July 2014

  US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is moving ahead with key upgrades to its MH-60M, MH-47G, and A/MH-6M combat helicopters, including the Block III version of …

• Land Warfare

  Oshkosh Defense JLTV bid progresses in testing

  9th July 2014

  Oshkosh Defense’s Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle (L-ATV) has completed Net-Ready testing as part of assessments for the US Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) Joint Light …

• Military Logistics

  Farnborough: GKN completes winglet concept

  9th July 2014

  A new process that could cut winglet manufacturing costs by 20% has been completed by GKN Aerospace and will be highlighted at the Farnborough Air …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Farnborough: Insitu to extend family with larger platform

  9th July 2014

  Insitu has revealed plans to develop its largest-ever UAV in order to answer evolving requirements of military forces operating in Africa and Asia-Pacific. According to …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Farnborough: X-47B will return to carrier for F-18 integration tests

  9th July 2014

  The US Navy’s X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System-Demonstrator (UCAS-D) will deploy to sea on board the USS Theodore Roosevelt in August, it has been revealed. …

• Naval Warfare

  Double success for MBDA’s Sea Ceptor system

  7th July 2014

  Two guided firings of the Sea Ceptor air defence system have been successfully carried out by MBDA, demonstrating the functionality of the system’s Command and …

• Defence Helicopter

  Teams await JMR TD decision

  2nd July 2014

  The bids are in and the US Army is now mulling a decision that could have far-reaching consequences for the US rotorcraft industrial base. At …

• Defence Helicopter

  Final CH-147 Chinook delivered to Canada

  1st July 2014

  Boeing has delivered the 15th and final CH-147F Chinook medium-to-heavy-lift helicopter to the Royal Canadian Air Force, bringing to a close the delivery period of …

• Land Warfare

  DVD2014: LAV III demonstrator from GD arrives

  26th June 2014

  General Dynamics’ new LAV III demonstrator vehicle that includes upgrades for increased mobility, firepower and protection is on display at the DVD exhibition in Millbrook, …

• Land Warfare

  DVD2014: UK Challenger 2 LEP upcoming

  26th June 2014

  The British Army’s Challenger 2 MBT Life Extension (CR2 LEP) upgrade is expected to kick off early next year. The Initial Gate (IG1) for the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Korea to test Unmanned Little Bird

  25th June 2014

  The Republic of Korea Armed Forces will initiate a six-month flight test programme with Boeing’s Unmanned Little Bird (ULB) by the end of 2014, it …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The FVL-MS programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft utilised ...

• Loitering munitions

  Launched Effects - Short Range (LE-SR) [US]

  Background Air-launched effect (ALE) In 2022, the US sought a family of systems comprising an air vehicle, payload, mission systems applications and support equipment to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Launched Effects - Medium Range (LE-MR) [US]

  Background Air-launched effect (ALE) In 2022, the US sought a family of systems comprising an air vehicle, payload, mission systems applications and support equipment to ...

• Military UAS - small

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 1) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) [USMC]

  Background US Marine ULS-A programmes The US Marines are seeking a family of Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A) that will provide logistics and ground units with their ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R Seahawk [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Requirement The FMS is aimed at improving Saudi Arabia’s capability to meet current and future threats from enemy weapon systems, provide the capability to identify, ...

• Military UAS - small

  VTOL UAV [New Zealand]

  Background Defence Capability Plan (DCP) In April 2025, the New Zealand government published the DCP, a document that is essentially a blueprint for what procurements ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-8C Fire Scout (USA)

  Programme Background Timeline According to the Naval Air Systems Command, having first ordered the MQ-8B in 2009, the UAV has become a pillar of the ...

• Military UAS - small

  Shipborne Small UAV [Portugal]

  Background Shipborne UAV trials In August 2026, during the Iniciativa Mar Aberto 2026 mission, the Portuguese Navy conducted shipborne flight trials of uncrewed aircraft from ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Japanese Future Amphibious Vehicle

  Programme Background The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's (JGSDF) Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade currently operates a fleet of 58 BAE Systems Armored Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7A1s (AAV7A1s) ...

• Military UAS - small

  Light Tactical Support Intelligence Drone Systems (SDLRAT) (1-30) [France]

  Background Aftermath of SDT To fill the capability void left by the cancellation of the second section of the Tactical Drone System (SDT) programme, the French ...

• Military UAS - small

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 2) [US Army]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was intended to ...

• Military UAS - small

  ALTIUS (US)

  Programme Background Testing The US Army has tested the platform since March 2020. It was launched from a US Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that ...

• Military UAS - small

  Light Tactical Support Intelligence Drone Systems (SDLRAT) (31-140) [France]

  Background Aftermath of SDT To fill the capability void left by the cancellation of the second section of the Tactical Drone System (SDT) programme, the French ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Shipborne MALE UAV [Portugal]

  Background Shipborne UAV trials In August 2026, during the Iniciativa Mar Aberto 2026 mission, the Portuguese Navy conducted shipborne flight trials of uncrewed aircraft from the Gama-class frigate NRP Álvares ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  V-247 Vigilant

  The V-247 Vigilant is a tiltrotor UAV from Bell. Officially introduced in 2016, it features an open modular architecture and can host several payloads. These include ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  SB-1 Defiant

  The SB-1 Defiant is a Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) aircraft. Sikorsky and Boeing announced in February 2013 that they would submit a joint proposal ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Korean Future Vertical Lift (KFVL)

  Unveiled at KADEX 2024, the Korean Future Vertical Lift (KFVL) is a family of uncrewed helicopters from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). Despite being in the ...

• Air: Displays

  F-15 Replacement Vertical Situation Display

  BAE Systems Replacement Vertical Situation Display (RVSD) replaces the legacy VSD units on F-15E aircraft. The AMLCD display offers a larger display size and is compatible ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Aerosonde Mk 4.8 HQ FTUAS

  From the Texton family of Aerosonde UAS, the Aerosonde Mk 4.8 Hybrid Quad (HQ) FTUAS is a tactical drone purpose-built to meet the US Army's Future Vertical Lift ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  S-97 Raider

  The S-97 Raider helicopter is based on the five-year, company-funded X2 Technology Demonstrator project. Like the X2, the S-97 Raider will feature twin coaxial, counter-rotating ...

• Surface-to-air missiles, Surface-to-surface missiles

  RIM-174 Standard ERAM SM-6 Block I/IA

  The SM-6 (RIM-174 Standard ERAM) is a surface-to-air supersonic missile launched from cruisers and destroyers, capable of successfully engaging crewed and uncrewed, fixed- or rotary-wing ...

• Helicopter engines

  T901

  The Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP) is the US Army's effort to build a 50% more powerful and 25% more fuel-efficient engine for its Black ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AVX JMR

  AVX Aircraft proposed a compound helicopter with coaxial rotors, small wings and dual ducted-fan propulsors for the US Army’s JMR-TD FVL programme. In April 2015, ...

• Helicopter engines

  T900

  The Improved Turbine Engine Program is the US Army's effort to build a 50% more powerful and 25% more fuel-efficient engine for its Black Hawk ...

• EO/IR systems

  Pan-Tilt-Zoom Camera with Laser Rangefinder

  Pan-Tilt-Zoom Camera with Laser Rangefinder is a surveillance system with a laser rangefinder. Performance includes 1/3in charge-coupled device colour sensor, NTSC or PAL format. Resolution ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Super Komar

  The Super Komar is an upgraded version of the Komar, featuring digital signal processing. Air-to-air modes include boresight, head-up display search, look-up/down, range-while-search, track-while-scan (TWS) and vertical manoeuvre. ...

• Military - UUVs

  Roving Bat

  The Roving Bat is a multipurpose, hybrid ROV and crawler built by Exail. It is designed for close inspection and cleaning operations of immersed vertical structures ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  Sylver A-50

  The SYstème de Lancement VERtical (Sylver) A-50 is a vertical launching system (VLS) developed by DCNS (now Naval Group) to deploy medium- to long-range surface-to-air ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  Sylver A-70

  The SYstème de Lancement VERtical (Sylver) A-70 is a vertical launching system (VLS) developed by DCNS (now Naval Group) to deploy medium- to long-range surface-to-air ...