• Defence Notes

  First Rafale handed over to Indian Air Force

  9th October 2019

  The first Rafale aircraft has been handed over to the Indian Air Force by Dassault Aviation at the company’s final assembly facility in Mérignac, France. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Pacific 2019: MCM figures highly in Australian expo

  10th October 2019

  Australia is acquiring a number of Bluefin UUVs from General Dynamics Mission Systems, as the country seeks to improve its mine countermeasures (MCM) capabilities. Other …

• Defence Notes

  Germany claims mutual consent forced FCAS demonstrator impasse

  10th October 2019

  The German MoD has strongly hinted that ‘mutually consented’ issues have prevented an anticipated FCAS demonstrator contract being issued to Airbus and Dassault, following pressure …

• Defence Notes

  After long wait, India anticipates new fighters

  26th September 2019

  The Indian Air Force (IAF) will commission its first four Rafael fighters in Dassault’s Bordeaux-Mérignac facility on 8 October, an event to be attended by …

• Military Logistics

  A400M performs dry contacts with H225M

  24th September 2019

  The Airbus A400M has carried out its first air-to-air refueling contacts with a helicopter in flight trials over the south of France. Over the course …

• Defence Notes

  Syria Kurds battle Turkish invasion

  10th October 2019

  Kurds battled to hold off a Turkish invasion on 10 October after air strikes and shelling launched a long-threatened operation that could reshape the country …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Milrem-led team submits iMUGS proposal

  26th September 2019

  A consortium led by Milrem Robotics has submitted its application to the European Commission’s European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) for a multi-mission UGV capable …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus pitches Tiger for Australian Army helicopter requirement

  2nd September 2019

  Airbus Helicopters is planning on bidding its Tiger rotorcraft for Australia’s Project LAND4503 Armed Reconnaissance Capability requirement, it confirmed on 30 August.  A request for …

• Naval Warfare

  Pacific 2019: Aussie submarine programme goes on the attack

  9th October 2019

  Australia’s most ambitious naval programme to date is Project Sea 1000, which will see 12 ‘regionally superior’ submarines enter service with the Royal Australian Navy …

• Defence Notes

  Pilot saved from power line after Belgian F-16 crashes in France

  20th September 2019

  An F-16 jet of the Belgian Air Component crashed on 19 September in western France, with both pilots successfully ejecting but one spending two hours …

• Training

  Cubic and SECAPEM create framework partnership

  25th September 2019

  French target and adversary air specialists SECAPEM and Cubic Global Defense have signed a framework partnership agreement that will enable the two companies to offer …

• Defence Notes

  Spain selects industrial coordinator for FCAS

  12th September 2019

  Indra has been appointed by the Spanish government as the national industrial coordinator of the European Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme, the company announced …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus, Telespazio to market Syracuse IV satellites

  11th September 2019

  Airbus and Leonardo-Thales joint venture, Telespazio, have set up a partnership to market military telecommunications services for armed and security forces using the future Syracuse …

• Digital Battlespace

  DSEI 2019: 'New' space race calls for UK strategy rethink

  9th September 2019

  In the face of a global ‘space race’ the UK is being urged to better define its role in the domain and confirm how many …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sweden receives final series production NH90

  23rd August 2019

  The Swedish FMV procurement agency has announced that the final series production NH90 helicopter has been delivered to the Swedish armed forces.  It announced on …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Mali]

  Programme Background Six Drones On 22 December 2022, Joseph Dempsey, a research associate at IISS, tweeted photographs showing a Baytraktar TB2 adorned with the Malian ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBMR-L Serval [Luxembourg]

  Programme Background Luxembourg currently operates a small military of just over 1,000 personnel. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has contributed troops to both NATO and EU ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  EBRC Jaguar [Luxembourg]

  Programme Background Luxembourg currently operates a small military of just over 1,000 personnel. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has contributed troops to both NATO and EU ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBMR Griffon [Luxembourg]

  Programme Background Luxembourg currently operates a small military of just over 1,000 personnel. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has contributed troops to both NATO and EU ...

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

  Akinci [Mali]

  Background Presentation In December 2024, Akinci drones were presented to the Malian Armed Forces by transitional President General Assimi Goita during a ceremony in Bamako, confirming ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-171Sh

  While the Burkinabe Armed Forces declined to discuss the deal when contacted by Shephard, a Burkinabe military source did acknowledge that the aircraft were being ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Surplus Maxxpro [Bangladesh - Batch 1]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires MRAPs to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the Central African ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Surplus Maxxpro [Bangladesh - Batch 2]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires MRAPs to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the Central African ...

• Fardier SOV

  Programme Background The French Army's airborne units previously operated 280 Lohr FL500 Fardier utility vehicles to carry heavy equipment. Those vehicles increased the tactical mobility ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  UN Peacekeeping Vehicles [Bangladesh]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires 4x4 armoured vehicles to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the ...

• Minehunters

  Mine Warfare Vessels [France]

  Programme Background Requirements France’s Mine Warfare Vessels programme is aimed at replacing the ageing Eridan-class minehunters. The programme will follow the Future Naval Mine Action System ...

• 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 - MALE

  MQ-9 Reaper [France]

  Programme Background 2013 (Block 1) The then-French Defence Minister, Kean-Yves Le Drian, confirmed on 31 May 2013 that France had ordered its first two MQ-9 platforms. The ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

• Data links

  Data links | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: mission management systems

  FINDSAT - BFT System

  Using geo-satellite positioning, Nexter’s BFT system (FINDSAT) is capable of identifying and locating friendly personnel who are not equipped with networked information or radio systems. ...

• Medium UGVs

  THeMIS

  Milrem's Tracked Hybrid Modular Infantry System (THeMIS) is a modular, hybrid UGV.  The vehicle's modular design and open architecture allow it to be reconfigured to ...

• Land: indirect fire location radar

  GA10

  The Ground Alerter 10 (GA10), developed by Thales, is a portable Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) early warning system. It provides 360° azimuth coverage with ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  HOT 3

  Designed to destroy reactive armour, the HOT (Haut subsonique Optiquement Téléguidé Tiré d'un Tube, or High Subsonic, Optical, Remote-Guided, Tube-Launched) family has demonstrated its multipurpose capability. Tens ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-8/Mi-17

  The Mil Mi-8 (NATO reporting name Hip) is a twin-engine, multirole, medium helicopter developed from 1960 to meet Soviet military requirements. More than 18,000 examples of the ...

• Light UGVs

  Probot

  The 4x4 Professional Robot (Probot) is suitable for various applications, both indoor and outdoor, and is designed to carry a payload of up to 700kg. ...

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

  Heron Mk 1

  The Heron, now called the Heron Mk I, is a MALE UAS manufactured by Isreal Aerospace Industries' (IAI) Malat Division. Designed for various missions, including ISTAR and artillery fire ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AS532

  The AS532 is a development of the SA 330 Puma, with a long fuselage and marketed for tactical transport and logistical support missions. It has ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  TopOwl

  The TopOwl binocular helmet-mounted sight and display has been chosen by 16 countries for their army, navy and/or air force attack and transport helicopters. It ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Puma M36 Mk 5

  OTT developed the Puma M36 Mk 5 to meet the needs of African customers for a lower-cost vehicle that offers a greater payload than its ...

• Frigates

  La Fayette/Kang Ding Class

  The La Fayette-class frigates have a stealthy design and are in service with France and Taiwan, with some variance between the ships on length and ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VBCI

  Nexter developed the VBCI to meet a French Army requirement for an infantry fighting vehicle to replace the tracked AMX-10P. The 8x8 design was specified ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Protivnik-GE

  The Protivnik-GE is a mobile 3D surveillance radar distributed by Russian supplier Rosoboronexport and is currently used by the Russian Armed Forces and the Egyptian ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  SPREOS

  Bird Aerosystems’ SPREO is a Directional Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) designed to protect rotary and fixed-wing aircraft against incoming infrared (IR) guided surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. ...

• Trainer

  TB 30 Epsilon

  The Socata TB 30 Epsilon is a light truboprop trainer aircraft. The first aircraft flew in 1979 and entered service in 1983. It is in ...