• Land Warfare

  Excalibur Ib continues to find its target

  22nd October 2013

  Excalibur Ib all up rounds have demonstrated ‘exceptional’ accuracy during 84 firings of the precision-guided weapon during testing at Yuma Proving Ground. Raytheon reported that …

• Defence Notes

  AUSA 2013: Sequestration hits US Army readiness

  21st October 2013

  The impact of sequestration on training means that only two US Army Brigade Combat Teams are ready for deployment. Speaking at the AUSA exhibition, Gen …

• Defence Helicopter

  GE Aviation is newest member of Team Valor

  18th October 2013

  GE Aviation has been selected by Bell Helicopter as the propulsion system expert for the V-280 Valor. The company joins Lockheed Martin, Moog and GKN …

• Digital Battlespace

  FLIR Systems consolidates global operations

  18th October 2013

  FLIR Systems has announced its intention to realign its global operations as it reports disappointing preliminary figures for the third quarter.  ‘While we are disappointed …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Troubled waters for UK naval VTOL UAS

  18th October 2013

  A highly anticipated Royal Navy VTOL UAV contract awarded to AgustaWestland was originally awarded to a Lockheed Martin/Saab consortium unable to keep within contract costs, …

• Defence Helicopter

  GKN Aerospace announces Bell V-280 Valor cooperation

  17th October 2013

  GKN Aerospace announced today that it has been selected by Bell Helicopter to design, develop and manufacture the V-tail aerostructure and ruddervators for the Bell …

• Digital Battlespace

  China conducts anti-satellite test

  17th October 2013

  The Chinese government is believed to have conducted anti-satellite tests in September, an act that is being closely monitored by the US, Shephard has been …

• Land Warfare

  BAE to suspend howitzer production

  17th October 2013

  Production of the 155mm M777 howitzer system at BAE Systems’ plant in Barrow in the UK is to be suspended, according to an official announcement. …

• Defence Notes

  Norway plans to increase defence budget

  16th October 2013

  The Norwegian government remains committed to the ongoing modernisation of its armed forces and has proposed $7.2 billion (NOK43,008 billion) for its 2014 defence budget.  …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon demonstrates new secure waveform

  15th October 2013

  An unclassified but secure waveform has been used by Raytheon to transmit sensitive data through small, low-cost satellite terminals as part of a demonstration effort …

• Digital Battlespace

  Novawurks launches satellite recycling programme

  11th October 2013

  The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded Novawurks a $30.7 million contract to advance its ‘Phoenix’ initiative, aimed at recycling ageing satellite …

• Digital Battlespace

  GD Canada awarded domestic cyber contract

  11th October 2013

  General Dynamics Canada has been awarded a contract for the Canadian Department of National Defence's Armour programme that will see it develop an automated computer …

• Defence Helicopter

  Moog joins Team Valor as flight control system expert

  10th October 2013

  Moog has been announced as the newest addition to Team Valor for the Bell V-280 Valor helicopter programme. The company has been selected to design, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Canada considers Cyclone alternatives

  10th October 2013

  The Canadian government has confirmed meetings are underway with rival aircraft manufacturers to determine the future of the troubled CH-148 Cyclone maritime helicopter project (MHP).  …

• Defence Notes

  MBDA makes Australia hub of Asia Pacific growth

  9th October 2013

  MBDA has opened an office in Canberra, making Australia the centre of its targeted growth in the Asia Pacific region.  The company is looking at …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The FVL-MS programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft utilised ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey [Japan]

  Programme Background Procurement Contracts The Japanese government is the first export customer of the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey, having ordered 17 helicopters from the US across ...

• Loitering munitions

  Launched Effects - Short Range (LE-SR) [US]

  Background Air-launched effect (ALE) In 2022, the US sought a family of systems comprising an air vehicle, payload, mission systems applications and support equipment to ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-8C Fire Scout (USA)

  Programme Background Timeline According to the Naval Air Systems Command, having first ordered the MQ-8B in 2009, the UAV has become a pillar of the ...

• Military UAS - small

  Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirement & Objective The RN identified a requirement to acquire an RPAS to transport cargo and supplies between ships and personnel. When mature, it ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Heavy Lift UAV [Germany]

  Background  Victor U250 agreement On 10 June 2026, at ILA Berlin, Rheinmetall, ERC Systems, and the North Rhine-Westphalia state formed a strategic partnership to lay ...

• Loitering munitions

  Launched Effects - Medium Range (LE-MR) [US]

  Background Air-launched effect (ALE) In 2022, the US sought a family of systems comprising an air vehicle, payload, mission systems applications and support equipment to ...

• Military UAS - small

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 1) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Project Proteus [UK]

  Background Requirements The RN requires an uncrewed helicopter to test the viability of larger uncrewed aircraft, possibly providing an alternative to crewed aircraft such as the ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) [US Army]

  Background USMC First, Army Second In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle – Expeditionary ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Heavy-lift Helicopter STH [Germany]

  Background Requirement The German government issued a tender in March 2019 for the procurement of heavy-lift helicopters under the Schwerer Transporthubschrauber (STH) program, 60 units are ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) (MV-75 Cheyenne II) [USA]

  Programme Background US Army's Future Vertical Lift Programme The FLRAA is one of three strands of a broader army programme. The others are the Future ...

• Military UAS - small

  Intra-Theatre Lift [UK]

  Background  Relationship to the Heavy Lift Challenge The Royal Navy (RN) embarked on the Heavy Lift Challenge, now called the Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC), to explore cargo-carrying ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F CHINOOK [USA]

  Programme Background As the Army's only heavy-lift helicopter, the CH-47F Improved Cargo helicopter is an essential component of the Army's Multi-Domain Battle framework. The CH-47F ...

• Transport

  Large Transport Aircraft-II (LTA-II) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirements The aircraft are needed for peacetime, international peacekeeping, emergency and combat operations. They are especially required to ensure a strategic lift capacity ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  Korean Future Vertical Lift (KFVL)

  Unveiled at KADEX 2024, the Korean Future Vertical Lift (KFVL) is a family of uncrewed helicopters from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). Despite being in the ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Aerosonde Mk 4.8 HQ FTUAS

  From the Texton family of Aerosonde UAS, the Aerosonde Mk 4.8 Hybrid Quad (HQ) FTUAS is a tactical drone purpose-built to meet the US Army's Future Vertical Lift ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  HQ-60

  Similarly to other platforms in the L3 Technologies Hybrid Quadrotor (HQ) and Fixed-Wing Rotator family (see separate entries) of VTOL fixed-wing UAVs, the HQ-60 has ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  SB-1 Defiant

  The SB-1 Defiant is a Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) aircraft. Sikorsky and Boeing announced in February 2013 that they would submit a joint proposal ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  V-247 Vigilant

  The V-247 Vigilant is a tiltrotor UAV from Bell. Officially introduced in 2016, it features an open modular architecture and can host several payloads. These include ...

• Air: Displays

  F-15 Replacement Vertical Situation Display

  BAE Systems Replacement Vertical Situation Display (RVSD) replaces the legacy VSD units on F-15E aircraft. The AMLCD display offers a larger display size and is compatible ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  X-Sight

  Elbit X-Sight is a developmental helmet-mounted display system designed for helicopters. According to the manufacturer, it will offer a high field of view and colour binocular ...

• Military helicopters - multirole, Military UAS - tactical

  Hexa

  The Hexa, or LIFT Hexa, is a rotary-wing aircraft developed by LIFT Aircraft for military and commercial markets. Due to its configuration and triple redundant autopilot computer, ...

• Military UAS - small

  H6 Poseidon

  Manufactured by Swarmly, the H6 Poseidon is a fixed-wing VTOL-capable UAV. The second largest member of the Poseidon family, the vertical lift is provided through ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  DrN-600

  The DrN-600 is a medium-lift cargo UAV developed by Singapore-based manufacturer ST Engineering. The platform combines vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) with wing-borne forward flight and ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Victor U250

  The Victor U250 is a heavy lift drone in development by ERC Systems. The UAV has been developed by ERC for critical mission applications including ...

• Light UGVs

  Avenger

  In January 2017, Med-Eng announced the launch of a new bomb disposal and tactical robot, called the Avenger, at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas. ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Veloce-15

  The ST Engineering Veloce-15 (V-15) is a hybrid fixed-wing UAV with four rotors for vertical lift and a tail-mounted two-bladed pusher propeller for horizontal propulsion.  ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Loong 2

  The Loong 2 is a rotary-wing mini-UAV manufactured by LoongUAV. Designed for ISR missions, the UAV features a universal plug-and-play standardised interface, meaning a lot of different ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Proteus

  Proteus is a technology demonstrator that Leonardo is developing in collaboration with the UK MoD's Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S;) Future Capabilities Group and the ...