• Digital Battlespace

  Thales awarded UK ISTAR MSS contract

  19th June 2012

  Thales has announced that it has been awarded a further four-year contract from the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) to support its Intelligence Surveillance Target …

• Military Logistics

  Rolls-Royce wins UK C-130 and VC10 support contracts

  28th May 2012

  Rolls-Royce has announced that it has secured contract extensions for the ongoing engine support of the UK’s C-130 Hercules transport and VC10 tanker aircraft fleets. …

• Defence Notes

  ITEC 2012: CAE highlights simulation budget restrictions

  23rd May 2012

  CAE UK's managing director, Ian Bell has warned of  'massive pressure' on defence budgets worldwide in the realm of simulation and training. Speaking to Shephard …

• Defence Helicopter

  ITEC 2012: EDA training programme prepares international crews for Afghanistan

  22nd May 2012

  An European Defence Agency (EDA) training programme to prepare helicopter crews for the rigours of Afghanistan is now in its fifth course. The Interim Synthetic …

• Military Logistics

  RAF receives 8th C-17 Globemaster III

  21st May 2012

  Boeing delivered the eighth C-17 Globemaster III to the Royal Air Force (RAF) on 18 May, 2012, during a ceremony at the company's final assembly …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Predator demonstrates sovereign payload capability

  18th May 2012

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA ASI) has announced that along with Selex Galileo and Cobham, the Predator UAV has carried out a Sovereign Payload Capability …

• Digital Battlespace

  UK MoD confirms future C4ISR projects

  15th May 2012

  The UK’s MoD is to pump £4billion into C4ISR programmes following the eradication of a £38billion ‘black hole’ in the defence budget, the government has …

• Defence Helicopter

  MoD secures key helicopter projects

  15th May 2012

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has secured several key helicopter programmes in its latest planning round (PR12) it has emerged. Key procurements such as …

• Military Logistics

  A400M makes first A330 MRTT refuelling contacts

  9th May 2012

  Airbus Military has announced that the A400M new generation airlifter has successfully performed simulated refuelling contacts with an Airbus Military A330 MRTT Multi Role Tanker …

• Defence Helicopter

  Royal Navy Sea Kings added to Olympic security build up

  2nd May 2012

  The Royal Navy's Sea King Mk7 airborne surveillance and control helicopters are set to play their role in the security operations surrounding this year's London …

• Defence Helicopter

  Puma life extension programme continues

  19th April 2012

  Eurocopter has begun ground run tests on the first RAF Puma Mk2 being assembled in Romania, it has been revealed. According to Markus Steinke, MD …

• Digital Battlespace

  Layered ISTAR 'critical' to evolving operations

  11th April 2012

  The UK’s Royal Air Force (RAF) and Raytheon UK have described the use of layered ISTAR assets as ‘critical’ to current operations. According to RAF …

• Military Logistics

  RAF A330 MRTT makes maiden flight

  10th April 2012

  Airbus Military has announced that the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) has completed its first flight in RAF service on …

• Military Logistics

  UK MOD signs on for 8th C-17 Globemaster III

  29th March 2012

  Boeing has announced that the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has signed an agreement for the acquisition of an additional C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. This …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems launches Falcon trials

  15th March 2012

  Training has begun on the UK’ s Falcon portable broadband-based communications system for the army and air force, manufacturer BAE Systems has announced. The programme, …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme [UK]

  Programme Background The next-generation platform concept is part of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, which sought to deliver a Future Combat Air System ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - small

  Tempest 50 [USAF]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 18 December 2024, the US DoD announced that the USAF had awarded Firestorm Labs a $100 million Small Business Innovation Research ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35B [UK]

  Programme Background The total cost of the currently funded programme as reported through the UK Major Projects Report is expected to be £10.5 billion ($13.5 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme [Italy]

  Background Shephard notes that the Italian, British and Japanese components of GCAP are tracked in separate entries. Programme timeline 2019: In September 2019, the UK and Italian governments ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  StormFighter [UK]

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

• Military UAS - small

  StormShroud: Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) [UK]

  Background Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) Strategy Reflecting on lessons learned from the cancellation of the Mosquito programme, the Royal Air Force (RAF) redefined the role ...

• ISR/special mission

  Shadow R1 [UK]

  Background The RAF is moving forward with an ambitious plan to transform its intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) force to enable greater interoperability ...

• AEW&C

  E-7 Wedgetail (737) [UK]

  Programme Background Seeking to replace its six ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AEW&C;, the British Royal Air Force awarded Boeing a £1.89 billion contract in 2019 covering the ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [UK]

  Background RAF base at Brize Norton built a new training facility for A400M pilots and crew. The aircraft will look to reach full operation capability by 2022 ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Protector RG1 [UK]

  Background Programme goal The programme aims to replace the MQ-9A Reapers in the RAF's inventory until they are formally retired in October 2025. The MQ-9B will deliver a UK ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8A Poseidon [UK]

  Background In July 2016, the UK government announced that it had ordered nine aircraft for service with the RAF. Under this frame, in January 2019, ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47ER Chinook [UK]

  Background Formally known as the Chinook Capability Sustainment Program the UK is planning to replace its 14 oldest CH-47s with 14 new-build CH-47F (ER). The ...

• AEW&C

  E-7 Wedgetail (Second Order) [UK]

  Programme Background Seeking to replace its six ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AEW&C;, the British Royal Air Force awarded Boeing a £1.89 billion contract in 2019 ...

• Transport

  Command Support Air Transport Recapitalisation [UK]

  Programme Background The tender, originally released on 28 October 2021, required industry bidders to put forward aircraft that can achieve a minimum unrefuelled range of ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 (Second Batch) [Morocco]

  Programme Background Morocco's military modernisation In 2017, Morocco established a five-year plan to modernise the military equipment of its navy, army and airforce to bring ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Praetorian DASS

  The Praetorian Defensive Aids Sub-System (DASS) for the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft provides protection against air-to-air and surface-to-air threats. It integrates an Electronic Support Measure ...

• Data links

  Pioneer Express (GRRIP, AN/PSC-15)

  The Pioneer Express (GRRIP, AN/PSC-15) is a small, lightweight flyaway communications system that allows access to secure and non-secure networks and can be used in ...

• CUAS - interceptors

  Gobi Tempest C-UAS

  Gobi Tempest is a high-speed UAS designed to intercept hostile group 2-3 UAS. The system is manufactured by the French company Harmattan AI; through a ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - small

  Tempest 50

  The Tempest 50 is an American loitering munition and UAV from Firestorm Labs. Uniquely, 50 units of the UAV a month can be produced from ...

• EO/IR systems

  RAPTOR

  The Reconnaissance Airborne Pod for Tornado (RAPTOR), based on Raytheon's DB-110, was developed for the UK RAF Tornado GR4s. RAF specifications required target recognition with ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/VRC-99A

  The AN/VRC-99A is a programmable, wideband, secure, open-architecture tactical communications system providing virtual circuit and datagram service. These services are designed for reliable, simultaneous, multichannel ...

• EO/IR systems

  DJRP

  The Digital Joint Reconnaissance Pod (DJRP) is a tactical EO/IR reconnaissance system. It provides simultaneous high resolution and wide field-of-view EO imagery and horizon-to-horizon day/night ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Tornado GR4 Synthetic Training Service

  Thales provides its Tornado GR4 Synthetic Training Service (TSTS) through its 100%-owned subsidiary, Ace. The service is a complete suite of synthetic training for Tornado ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Air Combat Training

  Boeing has experience in delivering training for fixed-wing air combat platforms including F-15C/E, F-16, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G, F-22 and MV/CV-22.

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  FIASTS

  Thales, through 100%-owned subsidiary Merlin, is delivering a ‘packaged’ training and maintenance system for RAF aircrew through the FsAST Integrated Aircrew Synthetic Training Service (FIASTS). ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: Electronic Attack - Pod

  Sky Shadow-2

  Leonardo’s Sky Shadow-2 electronic attack pod was designed for the Panavia Tornado-GR4A ground attack aircraft in service with the RAF. 

• Fighter - multirole

  Tornado (IDS/ADV)

  The Tornado is a family of two-seat, twin-engine, variable-sweep wing multirole fighters manufactured by Panavia, a trans-European consortium of BAE Systems, Airbus Space and Defence ...

• Air: Displays

  Tornado Advanced Radar Dsiplay & Information System (TARDIS)

  The Tornado Advanced Radar Display & Information System (TARDIS) is developed by BAE Systems, UK, specifically for the UK's Royal Air Force's (RAF) fleet of ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  A400M Training

  Thales is the principal training provider for the Airbus A400M with a contract to provide FFSs and flat-panel trainers. Four A400M FFS and two flat-panel ...

• Loitering munitions

  Arash (series)

  The Arash is a series of Iranian loitering munitions with varying technical specifications.  The long-range aircraft comes in two near-identical variants, the smaller Arash-1 and the ...