• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Unmanned VTOL eyes fixed-wing real estate

  19th June 2019

  A rapidly maturing unmanned VTOL industrial base is pushing its platforms into contention for naval test and procurement programmes where it was thought only fixed-wing …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AeroVironment acquires Pulse Aerospace

  14th June 2019

  AeroVironment announced on 11 June that it has acquired Pulse Aerospace, a developer and supplier of small VTOL UAS. Pulse Aerospace had recently been awarded …

• Naval Warfare

  Moscow orders new submarines

  2nd July 2019

  The Russian MoD has placed orders for two Project 885M (Yasen-M-class) nuclear-powered submarines and two Project 677 (Lada-class, pictured) diesel-electric submarines to boost its sub-surface …

• Naval Warfare

  French Navy gets latest OPV

  21st June 2019

  The French Navy’s final Patrouilleurs Antilles-Guyane (PAG) programme offshore patrol vessel has been handed over at a ceremony in Saint-Malo, Brittany, MAURIC announced on 19 …

• Military Logistics

  Paris Air Show: Collins Aerospace awarded NP2000 propeller upgrades

  18th June 2019

  Collins Aerospace Systems is to suport NP2000 propeller upgrades for 24 Lockheed Martin C-130H aircraft for the US Air National Guard (ANG). The contract was …

• Training

  Paris Air Show: Collins Aerospace systems for T-X

  17th June 2019

  Saab has selected Collins Aerospace Systems to provide power and control systems for the US Air Force’s Boeing T-X trainer aircraft, the company announced on 17 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Navantia, SDLE develop new ISR solution

  7th June 2019

  Navantia and Star Defense Logistics & Engineering (SDLE) have developed a new Ground Surveillance Vehicle to meet the requirements of military intelligence units.Known as the …

• Naval Warfare

  Fincantieri launches Italian Navy LHD

  3rd June 2019

  Fincantieri has launched the Italian Navy’s newest Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD), Trieste, at its shipyard in Castellammare di Stabia, the company announced on 25 May.The …

• Naval Warfare

  HII cuts steel for Columbia-class submarine programme

  28th May 2019

  Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has cut first steel for the US Navy’s new Columbia-class submarine programme, the company announced on 23 May. The steel cutting …

• Defence Helicopter

  Karem set to embark on new JMR-TD test phase

  6th June 2019

  Manufacturer Karem Aircraft is preparing to carry out ‘record tests’ later this year to verify a host of development-based items associated with the US Army’s …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Milrem Robotics, ST Engineering demo BVLOS combat UGV

  3rd June 2019

  Milrem Robotics and ST Engineering have demonstrated a beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) combat UGV armed with a 40mm automatic grenade launcher (AGL) and …

• Defence Helicopter

  Insight: ITEP thaw heats US Army engines

  4th June 2019

  Complications and delays to the US Army’s Improved Turbine Engine Programme (ITEP) are over for the time being; rare relief for a service that was, …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM looks to Dry Combat Submersible future

  31st May 2019

  Just weeks after receiving the first two Mk11 Shallow Water Combat Submersibles (SWCS) to begin replacing its fleet of Mk8 Mod1 SEAL Delivery Vehicles (SDVs), …

• Naval Warfare

  Taiwan invests in new corvette and minelayer classes

  28th May 2019

  Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen attended a steel-cutting ceremony for a new corvette class at Lung Teh Shipbuilding near the Suao Naval Base on 24 May. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2019: Siemens engineering new propulsion possibilities for Go Fly X

  29th April 2019

  Aviation motor manufacturer Siemens is currently developing new strategies to produce greater thrust, in partnership with US aviation start-up Heka, as part of the Boeing …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  K1000ULE [USMC]

  Programme Background Contact Award After a comprehensive down-selection evaluation, Kraus Hamdani Aerospace's K1000ULE drone won the USN's PMA 263 contract in April 2024. The company will now provide the USN ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  AdvaNced airCraft Infrastructure-Less Launch And RecoverY (ANCILLARY) [US]

  Background Aims & Timeline As stated by DARPA, the ANCILLARY programme aims to develop and fly an X-plane that will provide a “leap-ahead” in long-endurance, VTOL-capable ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Embarked VTOL UAV [South Korea]

  Programme Background VTOL Development In January 2024, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced that it would commence development of a VTOL-capable rotary-wing UAV that ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Camcopter S-300 [South Korea]

  Programme Background Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) On 18 January 2023, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Northop Grumman at a ...

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

  Micro VTOL [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  UAV Tactical Level [Norway]

  Programme Background Request for Information (RfI) In September 2022, the Norwegian Defence Material Agency (NDMA) launched a request for information in preparation for a possible ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Fixed-Wing VTOL UAV (Malaysia)

  Programme Background Tender Issued As reported by Shephard, on 18 June 2021, Malaysia issued a tender for fixed-wing hybrid VTOL UAVs.  Requirement The tender stated that Malaysia required ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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 - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Cargo UAV (Turkey)

  Programme Background Inception & Requirment Turkey's Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) initiated a programme to procure VTOL-capable cargo drones in June 2018. These were planned for ...

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

  Parrot Anafi (Singapore)

  Programme Background On 7 February 2022, the Singapore Army posted photographs on Facebook that showed the Anafi UAV used as training devices in a five-day ...

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

  Ship-Bourne VTOL UAV [Singapore]

  Programme Background Multi-Role Combat Vessel  The Republic of Singapore Navy will retire its class of six Victory-class corvettes and replace them with a new platform ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  Virginia Class Attack Submarine (SSN 812 - SSN 822)

  Programme Background Timeline The US Navy’s Virginia-class submarines (SSN 774) are built by both General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) and Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) under ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Project Proteus [UK]

  Project Proteus is an RN and Leonardo effort to design and develop an uncrewed helicopter demonstrator that could provide an innovative alternative to existing crewed ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Project Proteus [UK]

  Project Proteus is an RN and Leonardo effort to design and develop an uncrewed helicopter demonstrator that could provide an innovative alternative to existing crewed ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Artillery UAV [Thailand]

  Programme Background Requirement & Replacement The Royal Thai Army (RTA) was understood to be seeking a new tactical UAV to replace four legacy Israel Aerospace Industries ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

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

  QTP-UAV

  The Quad Tilt Prop UAV (QTP-UAV) is an electric platform that is designed to provide VTOL capability with high-speed horizontal flight. 

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

  Zala 421-22

  The Zala 421-22 is a rotary-wing UAV designed for ship- or land-based reconnaissance and surveillance, bomb damage assessment and real-time target acquisition. The VTOL UAV ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  VU-R70

  The VU-R70 is a small fixed-wing VTOL-capable UAV from Viettel. A gasoline engine powers its horizontal flight, while four electric motors give it a VTOL capability. The ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  A-Hawk I (Cloud-1)

  Part of a strike-capable ISTAR series of A-Hawk platforms is the A-Hawk I (Cloud-1) VTOL developed by AVIC. Reports indicate that the A-Hawk I enables ...

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

  Zada

  Zada is a mini fixed-wing UAV designed for intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance (ISR) missions. It features tilt-rotor systems, which give it a VTOL capability.

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  CW-25D

  The CW-25D is VTOL capable UAV manufactured by Chengdu Jouav Automation Technology Co CW (JOUAV). It is a hybrid platform containing a 64cc two-stroke gasoline engine and electric ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  PEN 35VE/VH

  The PEN 35VE/VH is a fixed-wing, VTOL-capable drone from Pen Aviation. Available in two variants, an electric and an electric hybrid, the UAV is designed for surveillance, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CL-9

  The CL-9 is a fixed-wing VTOL UAV. It is fitted with two underwing pylons with electric brushless motors at each end powering rotors to provide ...

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

  Maya Mk1

  The Maya Mk1 is a small, electric VTOL UAV with a 'tail-sitting' design. It is an encased system that allows for safe operation in urban ...

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

  SR-10 VTOL

  Deftech showcased the SR-10 VTOL at DSA 2022. It has been locally designed in Malaysia to conduct aerial mapping, surveillance and line inspection missions. The hand-launched platform is powered ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Turac VTOL UAV

  The Turac is a fixed-wing VTOL UAV developed jointly by Havelsan and Istanbul Technical University Aerospace Research Center. It can be used for traditional military ISR ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Drako

  Drako is a quadrotor electric VTOL UAV suitable for close-range surveillance and reconnaissance on SF and police missions, especially in urban areas. It is available ...

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

  XV-24A LightningStrike

  The XV-24A LightningStrike, developed by Aurora Flight Sciences and its partners Rolls-Royce and Honeywell, was a project for a tilt-wing UAV powered by an electric-distributed ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Rakshak VTOL

  The Rakshak VTOL is a fixed-wing UAV with an EO/IR sensor for ISR missions. Developed by TATA Advanced Systems, the UAV is VTOL-capable, allowing it to operate ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  H12 Poseidon

  The H12 Poseidon is the largest member of Swarmly's UAV family. Designed to compete with other theatre-level UAVs, the fixed-wing VTOL capable H12 integrates many payload options, such ...