• Defence Notes

  Romania welcomes first Patriot system

  18th September 2020

  The Romanian Ministry of National Defence (MND) held a reception ceremony on 17 September for its first Patriot SAM system. The event took place at …

• Naval Warfare

  Can the UK’s National Shipbuilding Strategy be deemed a success?

  14th August 2020

  Nearly three years have passed since the publication of the UK MoD’s National Shipbuilding Strategy, a navigational map intended to revitalise naval manufacturing and create a …

• Land Warfare

  Nioa supports Australian future soldier lethality programme

  22nd July 2020

  Following a competitive tender, Nioa has won the A$7 million ($5 million)  contract for the first stage of the Project Land 159 Lethality Systems programme …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Thunderstorm interrupts MQ-25 testing

  14th September 2020

  An unexpected thunderstorm has caused disruption to Boeing’s MQ-25 Stingray flight test plans. Test asset T1, a predecessor to four MQ-25 EDM aircraft due to …

• Air Warfare

  AIM-9X Block II to benefit from software enhancements

  14th September 2020

  Raytheon Missiles and Defense is providing new and improved software, plus software risk reduction and support, for the development of Operational Flight Software 10.15 which …

• Training

  MetaVR launches latest version of Terrain Tools

  23rd September 2020

  MetaVR has released a new version of its Terrain Tools extension to the industry-standard Esri ArcGIS platform. Terrain Tools 1.6 enables users to turn their geospatial …

• Training

  Philippines seeks pair of helicopter simulators

  20th August 2020

  The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is seeking full-motion simulators for both the Leonardo AW109 Power and Bell 412EP platforms, with a tender document published by …

• Land Warfare

  FFG unveils fully hybrid Genesis vehicle

  5th October 2020

  The Genesis full hybrid technology solution for 8x8 armoured vehicles was designed with a modular concept, providing a low thermal signature and silent movement.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Experiment enables soldiers and aircrew to partner with smart machines

  24th September 2020

  Scientists from the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) have overseen an experiment to see how humans and the new generation of smart machines …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IAI claims landmark achievement for civil-military UAV integration

  18th September 2020

  Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel has become the first in the world to handle a UAV arrival alongside commercial traffic in civilian airspace. A …

• Land Warfare

  Hanwha rolls out arachnid prototypes

  29th July 2020

  Hanwha Defense held a ceremony on 24 July at its Changwon production facility for two AS21 Redback IFV prototypes destined for the Australian Army’s Land …

• Air Warfare

  Elbit subsidiary to provide Lockheed Martin with additional F-35 structural assemblies

  15th September 2020

  Lockheed Martin has awarded Elbit Systems - Cyclone a contract to supply additional complex composite structural assemblies for forward equipment bay assemblies on all F-35 …

• Air Warfare

  More F-16s in the pipeline for FMS customers

  17th August 2020

  Lockheed Martin is to produce new F-16 fighter aircraft for FMS customers over the next ten years, under a $62 billion contract from the US Air …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US officially announces Belgian FMS deal for SkyGuardian

  17th August 2020

  FMS customer Belgium is to receive four MQ-9B SkyGuardian UAVs, two ground stations, spare parts and support equipment from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. Work on …

• Land Warfare

  Australia orders additional EF88 rifles

  16th July 2020

  The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is to receive an extra 8,500 EF88 bullpup rifles under an order announced by the Department of Defence on 13 July. Defence Minister …

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 ...

• 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 - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (5-6) [Australia]

  Background Four Contracted Units In the summer of 2020, Northrop Grumman announced that the Australian Government provided $333 million for three MQ-4C Tritons and associated GCS. ...

• 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 ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (13-14) [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

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [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 ...

• 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, ...

• 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 ...

• 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

  MQ-28 Ghost Bat [Australia]

  Background Goal As stated by the Head of Air Force Capability, Air Vice-Marshal Robert Denney, in March 2022, the Ghost Bat will be an "operational system ...

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

  Project Vixen [UK]

  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 2021 Royal ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Air-5416 Project Echidna

  Air-5416 Project Echidna was an initiative launched in 2001 by BAE Systems for the Australian DoD. Its goal was to overhaul the self protection systems ...

• 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 ...

• 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. ...

• AMAS

  AMAS – Australian Minesweeping System – was developed with the assistance of the Defence Science & Technology Organisation and the Royal Australian Navy. It adopts ...

• Military - USVs

  Bluebottle

  Bluebottle is a persistent, autonomous, uncrewed surface vessel from Ocius Technology in service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF).

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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). ...

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

  MQ-28A Ghost Bat

  The MQ-28A Ghost Bat is a loyal wingman-type, Collobrative Combat Aircraft (CCA), MALE fixed-wing drone being developed by Boeing Defence Australia. Its development began in 2013 and took its ...

• 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 - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  M Solar-X

  First revealed in August 2020, in February 2024, at its symposium, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) showcased the M Solar-X. This solar-powered fixed-wing drone was ...

• 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 ...

• Submarine-launched torpedoes

  Mk 48 Mod 7AT CBASS

  The MK 48 MOD 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) is the latest variant of the Mk 48 torpedo family manufactured by Lockheed Martin and ...