• Land Warfare

  Poland enhances military presence near Belarus

  27th August 2020

  A new tank battalion is being formed in eastern Poland, after the first batch of modified T-72M1 MBTs was received by the 19th Mechanized Brigade …

• Defence Notes

  Lockheed/MBDA JV delivers amended IAMD proposal for Germany

  17th August 2020

  TLVS (a JV between Lockheed Martin and MBDA Deutschland) on 14 August submitted an updated proposal to deliver the future Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) …

• Defence Helicopter

  JGSDF officially receives first Osprey

  15th July 2020

  The first Bell-Boeing MV-22B Block C Osprey tiltrotor aircraft for the Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) was officially handed over on 10 July at Camp Kisarazu. …

• Training

  Iran claims domestic simulator capability

  6th July 2020

  Iran has the knowledge base to ensure domestic production of flight simulators for all aircraft operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF), …

• Land Warfare

  British Army tests new hybrid tech on Foxhound and Jackal

  1st September 2020

  Aware of the need to improve the capabilities and mobility of its troops, the British Army is testing new technology on some of its infantry …

• Defence Notes

  Ukraine aims Javelin and Bayraktar at Donbass rebels

  20th July 2020

  Units of the Ukrainian armed forces located along the border with the separatist Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics will be strengthened by modern US-made FGM-148 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Japan to assess SeaGuardian

  9th July 2020

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) is to partner Asia Air Survey (AAS) on a two-month series of SeaGuardian validation flights for the Japan Coast …

• Land Warfare

  First Hizir exports arrive in Africa

  22nd July 2020

  Turkish manufacturer Katmerciler has supplied a batch of 15 Hizir armoured vehicles to its first export customer, following a $20.7 million production order in July …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Northrop closes in on international Firebird order

  21st August 2020

  Northrop Grumman has revealed it is preparing to announce a new Firebird optionally piloted MALE ISR aircraft order for an international customer. Negotiations are under …

• Land Warfare

  Smart Shooter unveils SMASH HOPPER

  22nd July 2020

  Smart Shooter has launched a new compact and lightweight (15kg) remote-controlled weapon station called SMASH HOPPER. Integrated with an existing C2 system, the new system …

• Naval Warfare

  NAVAIR orders more Harpoon Block II+ missiles

  14th August 2020

  US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has placed a $15.62 million order with Boeing for 24 Harpoon Block II+ anti-ship missiles, plus 25 training missiles. Work …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman to make radar data processors for FMS customers

  14th August 2020

  Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE will receive re-manufactured AN/APR-39C(V)1 RWR processors for rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft, under a $10.01 million contract modification from US Army …

• Digital Battlespace

  Indra works with Hensoldt on new Typhoon AESA radar

  4th August 2020

  Indra is co-developing a new version of the AESA radar for the Eurofighter Typhoon, in a consortium with Germany-based Hensoldt Sensors. The new E-Scan Common …

• Defence Notes

  UAVs, loitering munitions play significant role in latest Armenia-Azerbaijan clashes

  7th August 2020

  Hostility between Armenia and Azerbaijan in recent years tended to focus on the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, notably in April 2016, but the ongoing flare-up …

• Defence Notes

  Procurement struggles and stretched resources hinder Guatemala

  15th July 2020

  Lacking hefty procurement budgets, small Central American countries are struggling to fulfil their defence equipment acquisition ambitions – and the situation is only likely to …

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 ...