• Defence Helicopter

  RAF helicopters scramble to aid of capsized ship

  18th December 2009

  84 Squadron based at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, were called out to search for survivors from a Panamanian registered ship, the Danny F2 carrying livestock …

• Military Logistics

  Royal Air Force to Acquire 7th Boeing C-17 Globemaster III

  17th December 2009

  The Boeing Company and the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence this week announced an agreement for the acquisition of a seventh C-17 Globemaster III for …

• Defence Helicopter

  QinetiQ fits satellite comms system to Merlin Mk3 fleet

  16th December 2009

  QinetiQ has successfully completed the integration of a beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) satellite communications system into each of the RAF’s fleet of 22 Mk3 Merlin’s in preparation …

• Defence Helicopter

  MOD announces plan for 22 new Chinooks

  15th December 2009

  The Ministry of Defence will give a major boost to the military helicopter fleet with 22 new Chinook helicopters, the Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Big changes for the UK's Helicopter Fleet

  15th December 2009

  Today's announcements by the UK Ministry of Defence have more or less confirmed the many rumours that have been floating around the blogosphere in recent …

• Defence Helicopter

  National Audit Office reports on MoD Major Projects

  15th December 2009

  The current defence programme is unaffordable, according to a report from the National Audit Office. The Ministry of Defence has already reduced the deficit between …

• Defence Helicopter

  Simulation training for Dutch Chinook crews updated

  14th December 2009

  Simulator training for pilots of Dutch Chinook helicopters is being modernised. The Royal Netherlands Air Force is also expanding the number of training hours, after …

• Defence Helicopter

  RAF Merlins given green light for ops in Afghanistan

  30th November 2009

  Following the arrival of the first RAF Merlin helicopters in Afghanistan, the initial Merlin force has now passed the extensive pre-flight checks enabling them to …

• Defence Helicopter

  All-female RAF Merlin crew ready for Afghanistan

  25th November 2009

  Four female combat helicopter aircrew are on their way to Afghanistan to fly the RAF's Merlin aircraft into action against the Taliban. The four female …

• Defence Helicopter

  RAF Rescue 67 People during Cumbrian floods

  25th November 2009

  Over the worst periods of the floods, the three RAF Sea King crews rescued a total of 67 people. The crew of Rescue 122 from …

• Defence Helicopter

  Long night for RAF Search and Rescue after Cumbria floods

  20th November 2009

  RAF Search and Rescue Sea Kings crews faced one of their busiest days of the year following devastating rainfall in Cumbria yesterday. Forecasters said heavy …

• Defence Helicopter

  Puma Force United

  18th November 2009

  The RAF's Puma Force was united as 230 Squadron moved in with 33 Squadron at RAF Benson, after previously being based at Joint Helicopter Command Flying Station …

• Defence Helicopter

  First Merlin helicopter arrives in Afghanistan

  16th November 2009

  The first RAF Merlin helicopter has arrived in Afghanistan as part of a move to boost air support on the frontline, the MOD announced today. …

• Defence Helicopter

  RAF Chinooks in Afghanistan

  13th November 2009

  Because of its versatility the current Chinook Force is operating at full stretch, says Gp Capt Turner, with both crewmen and helicopters 'wrung out when …

• Defence Helicopter

  RAF Merlin damaged in training exercise

  11th November 2009

  An RAF Merlin has been damaged in a landing accident during pre-deployment training in California. According to reports, the aircraft rolled over during the early …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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]

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

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M (UK)

  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 when ...

• 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 ...

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

  LANCA (Loyal Wingman): Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) [UK]

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

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H-47ER Chinook [UK]

  Programme Background 2021 FMS Announcement In October 2018, the US State Department approved a $3.5 billion FMS of 16 CH-47 Chinooks fitted with extended-range fuel tanks ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8A Poseidon [UK]

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

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | A400M (forecast) [United Kingdom]

  In April 2025, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that as part of the Strategic Defence Review is reviewing a potential purchase of additional A400M Atlas ...

• Data links

  Data links | A400M (forecast) [United Kingdom]

  In April 2025, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that as part of the Strategic Defence Review is reviewing a potential purchase of additional A400M Atlas ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | A400M (forecast) [United Kingdom]

  In April 2025, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that as part of the Strategic Defence Review is reviewing a potential purchase of additional A400M Atlas ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Typhoon Tranche 3A - Qatar

  As a part of the agreement to sell Typhoon, the UK is establishing a ‘Joint Operations Squadron’ (to be known as 12 Squadron) with the ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Land Autonomous Collaborative Platform (LACP) [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 ...

• Transport

  Command Support Air Transport Recapitalisation (UK)

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

• AEW&C

  E-7 Wedgetail (Second Order) [U.K.]

  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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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

  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: 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: 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 ...

• Air: maintenance simulators

  Engineering and Maintenance Training

  BAE Systems designs and delivers engineering and maintenance training, with the ability to provide a package to address the needs of all personnel ranging from ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  LANCA / Mosquito

  The Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft (LANCA) is a developmental 'Loyal Wingman' UAS that the RAF and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) hoped would support its crewed ...

• ISR/special mission, Trainer

  TC-135S/W

  The TC-135S and TC-135W are training aircraft developed by Boeing based on the EC-135 to provide crew training for RC-135S Cobra Ball optical and electronic ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Eurofighter HMSS

  Eurofighter Typhoon’s Helmet Mounted Symbology System (HMSS) provides pilots with enhanced situational awareness, data display and sensor/effector cueing. Developed by BAE Systems, it is in ...

• Trainer

  Hawk AJT

  The Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) is the latest version of what is claimed to be the world’s most widely used advanced jet trainer. Almost ...

• Air: maintenance simulators

  C-17 Globemaster III MTS

  TRU Simulation and Training C-17 Maintenance Training System (MTS) supports training needs for this complex computerised aircraft. The MTS provides skill development for more than 1,100 ...