• Training

  Delay looms for KC-135 ATS training

  11th June 2020

  Time is short for the USAF to assess proposals for the next five-year iteration of aircrew training for the KC-135 Stratotanker. Training for USAF multi-engine …

• Air Warfare

  Airbus A400M achieves paratrooper simultaneous dispatch certification

  3rd June 2020

  The Airbus A400M transport aircraft has achieved certification of its simultaneous paratrooper dispatch capability and completed full industrial development of the paratrooping deployment capacity. The …

• Air Warfare

  GE to build engines for F-15EX

  3rd July 2020

  General Electric (GE) is to provide an undisclosed number of of F110-GE-129 engines to power USAF F-15EX fighter aircraft, under a $101.3 million contract from the …

• Training

  KBR to develop technical training products for USN

  2nd July 2020

  KBR has been awarded a five-year, $42.5 million task order for research and analysis to upgrade, modernise and develop training products associated with aircraft and other systems …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Serbia unveils new Chinese-made CH-92A UAV

  8th July 2020

  Serbia has shown off a fleet of new fixed-wing CH-92A UAVs bought from China for the first time. In a 4 July presentation held at …

• Digital Battlespace

  Leidos continues Saturn Arch support

  15th July 2020

  Incumbent contractor Leidos has been awarded a $34.95 million modification by the US Army Contracting Command, to continue support for the Saturn Arch aerial ISR …

• Defence Notes

  Ireland mulls a major leap forward in air capabilities

  3rd July 2020

  Ireland has raised the possibility of purchasing air combat interceptor aircraft, as a major increase in capability for the Air Corps if the proposal goes …

• Air Warfare

  Indonesian interest in Osprey wavers

  10th July 2020

  The 6 July announcement of a potential FMS deal for eight Bell-Boeing MV-22B Block C Ospreys to Indonesia took many by surprise. Including some in …

• Defence Notes

  Spain reorganises national defence structure

  21st May 2020

  Spain is reorganising its armed forces to take into account ‘a constantly evolving strategic environment’, the government has announced. The Joint Defence General Staff will …

• Military Logistics

  First A330 MRTT arrives at main operating base

  2nd July 2020

  The first A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft for the NATO Multinational MRTT Fleet (MMF) arrived at its main operating base in the Netherlands …

• Military Logistics

  Navy eyes pair of new ship types to support USMC Force Design 2030

  11th June 2020

  The USN is moving ahead with plans for a Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) and a Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) as it looks at ways of …

• Digital Battlespace

  Bittium starts large-scale deliveries of the next generation Tough SDR tactical radios (sponsored)

  8th June 2020

  This article is brought to you by Bittium Bittium, the Finnish pioneer in tactical software defined radios, known from its very successful Bittium Tactical Wireless …

• Defence Helicopter

  French aviation rescue plan bets on defence helicopters, drones and tankers

  10th June 2020

  The French government has pledged to buy new military heavy-lift helicopters and accelerate plans for naval drone, ISTAR and tanker aircraft programmes as part of …

• Defence Helicopter

  Italy reveals Egyptian AW149 and AW189 mega order

  21st May 2020

  An Italian Foreign Ministry report on 2019 arms exports has finally lifted the lid on a highly lucrative military helicopter deal between Leonardo and Egypt. …

• Digital Battlespace

  A New Era in Close Air Support (sponsored whitepaper)

  23rd June 2020

  This whitepaper is brought to you by Viasat Digital Situational Awareness for Dismounted Ground Forces 01.    Introduction Since the early days of World War I, …

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 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

  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 ...

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

  Low-Cost Uncrewed Air Systems (LANCA) Follow-On Project [UK]

  Programme Background Project Mosquito Beginning in 2019, the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), in collaboration with the Royal Air Force (RAF), began the ...

• 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 ...

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 - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-28A Ghost Bat

  Initially, as a multirole system to escort crewed aircraft, the MQ-28A Ghost Bat has been reimagined as a proving platform. Its development began in 2013 and ...

• 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 - 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 ...