• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Indian Army orders SpyLite UAS

  7th September 2018

  Cyient Solutions & Systems (CSS) has received an order from the Indian Army to supply SpyLite mini UAS systems for high altitude aerial surveillance, the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Japan’s military unveils new EW system

  31st August 2018

  The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) unveiled a prototype of its new Network Electronic Warfare System (NEWS) to the public at the Fuji Firepower event …

• Special Operations

  Kalashnikov reveals Special Operations Vehicles

  29th August 2018

  The Kalashnikov Group used the annual “Army 2018” International Military Technical Forum to present a series of new special operations vehicles (SOVs) to the Russian …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SFOC granted for DX-3 Vanguard flight testing

  15th August 2018

  Sky Guys has been granted a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC), a permit for commercial UAS flights, for its DX-3 Vanguard development project, the company …

• Special Operations

  SOF looks to small UAS

  9th August 2018

  USSOCOM has requested industry information for a spectrum of small unmanned aircraft systems (SUAS) following a sources sought announcement issued on August 7.  The announcement was …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  New anode repair concept developed

  14th August 2018

  SubC Partner has launched an advanced anode repair concept using Saab Seaeye’s Cougar XT electric ROV as a development platform, Saab Seaeye announced on 7 …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM looks to LTATV follow-on

  20th August 2018

  United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has officially initiated a requirement to acquire a V-22 internally transportable Light Tactical All Terrain Vehicle (LTATV). This LTATV …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Swift020 UAS flies in Japan

  7th August 2018

  Swift Engineering has successfully demonstrated the first fully autonomous flight of its Swift020 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAS in Kobe, Japan, the company announced …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Zephyr flies for more than 25 days

  10th August 2018

  The Zephyr S High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) UAS has completed its maiden flight of more than 25 days, Airbus Defence and Space announced on 8 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Latvia requests UH-60M Black Hawks

  7th August 2018

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a possible foreign military sale of UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters and related equipment to Latvia, the …

• Naval Warfare

  Insight: Is now the right time for Philippine submarines?

  2nd August 2018

  In June, President Rodrigo Duterte promised the Philippine Navy (PN) two diesel-electric submarines under Horizon 2 of the revised modernisation plan for the Armed Forces …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IAI, SNC to develop tactical VTOL UAS

  23rd July 2018

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) have signed a strategic collaboration agreement to support the development of a new tactical vertical takeoff …

• Defence Notes

  Farnborough 2018: Rolls-Royce unveils hybrid flying taxi

  17th July 2018

  Rolls-Royce has revealed its plans to develop a hybrid electric vehicle, dubbed the ‘flying taxi’, which takes off and lands vertically and could be airborne …

• Naval Warfare

  Umoe Mandal to support Type 26 programme

  27th July 2018

  Umoe Mandal has received a contract to supply three shipsets of composite mast and SCOT Sponsons structures for the Royal Navy’s Type 26 Global Combat …

• Defence Helicopter

  SNC offers Sierra Force for UH-1N replacement programme

  27th July 2018

  Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has submitted its Sierra Force helicopter in its final bid and proposal to replace the US Air Force’s (USAF) UH-1N Huey …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  K1000ULE [USMC]

  Programme Background Contact Award After a comprehensive down-selection evaluation, Kraus Hamdani Aerospace's K1000ULE drone won the USN's PMA 263 contract in April 2024. The company will now provide the USN ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Embarked VTOL UAV [South Korea]

  Programme Background VTOL Development In January 2024, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced that it would commence development of a VTOL-capable rotary-wing UAV that ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Camcopter S-300 [South Korea]

  Programme Background Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) On 18 January 2023, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Northop Grumman at a ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Goal The Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) programme stems from the Military Sealift Command and Fleet Forces Command identifying, in 2018, a ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Micro VTOL [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  AdvaNced airCraft Infrastructure-Less Launch And RecoverY (ANCILLARY) [US]

  Programme Background Aims & Timeline As stated by DARPA, the ANCILLARY programme aims to develop and fly an X-plane that will provide a "leap-ahead" in long-endurance, ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  UAV Tactical Level [Norway]

  Programme Background Request for Information (RfI) In September 2022, the Norwegian Defence Material Agency (NDMA) launched a request for information in preparation for a possible ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Fixed-Wing VTOL UAV (Malaysia)

  Programme Background Tender Issued As reported by Shephard, on 18 June 2021, Malaysia issued a tender for fixed-wing hybrid VTOL UAVs.  Requirement The tender stated that Malaysia required ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Cargo UAV (Turkey)

  Programme Background Inception & Requirment Turkey's Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) initiated a programme to procure VTOL-capable cargo drones in June 2018. These were planned for ...

• 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 - mini

  Ship-Bourne VTOL UAV [Singapore]

  Programme Background Multi-Role Combat Vessel  The Republic of Singapore Navy will retire its class of six Victory-class corvettes and replace them with a new platform ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Project Proteus [UK]

  Project Proteus is an RN and Leonardo effort to design and develop an uncrewed helicopter demonstrator that could provide an innovative alternative to existing crewed ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Project Proteus [UK]

  Project Proteus is an RN and Leonardo effort to design and develop an uncrewed helicopter demonstrator that could provide an innovative alternative to existing crewed ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Artillery UAV [Thailand]

  Programme Background Requirement & Replacement The Royal Thai Army (RTA) was understood to be seeking a new tactical UAV to replace four legacy Israel Aerospace Industries ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  M Solar-X [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  QTP-UAV

  The Quad Tilt Prop UAV (QTP-UAV) is an electric platform that is designed to provide VTOL capability with high-speed horizontal flight. 

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Zala 421-22

  The Zala 421-22 is a rotary-wing UAV designed for ship- or land-based reconnaissance and surveillance, bomb damage assessment and real-time target acquisition. The VTOL UAV ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  A-Hawk I (Cloud-1)

  Part of a strike-capable ISTAR series of A-Hawk platforms is the A-Hawk I (Cloud-1) VTOL developed by AVIC. Reports indicate that the A-Hawk I enables ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  CW-25D

  The CW-25D is VTOL capable UAV manufactured by Chengdu Jouav Automation Technology Co CW (JOUAV). It is a hybrid platform containing a 64cc two-stroke gasoline engine and electric ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  PEN 35VE/VH

  The PEN 35VE/VH is a fixed-wing, VTOL-capable drone from Pen Aviation. Available in two variants, an electric and an electric hybrid, the UAV is designed for surveillance, ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Maya Mk1

  The Maya Mk1 is a small, electric VTOL UAV with a 'tail-sitting' design. It is an encased system that allows for safe operation in urban ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CL-9

  The CL-9 is a fixed-wing VTOL UAV. It is fitted with two underwing pylons with electric brushless motors at each end powering rotors to provide ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  SR-10 VTOL

  Deftech showcased the SR-10 VTOL at DSA 2022. It has been locally designed in Malaysia to conduct aerial mapping, surveillance and line inspection missions. The hand-launched platform is powered ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Drako

  Drako is a quadrotor electric VTOL UAV suitable for close-range surveillance and reconnaissance on SF and police missions, especially in urban areas. It is available ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Turac VTOL UAV

  The Turac is a fixed-wing VTOL UAV developed jointly by Havelsan and Istanbul Technical University Aerospace Research Center. It can be used for traditional military ISR ...

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

  XV-24A LightningStrike

  The XV-24A LightningStrike, developed by Aurora Flight Sciences and its partners Rolls-Royce and Honeywell, was a project for a tilt-wing UAV powered by an electric-distributed ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Rakshak VTOL

  The Rakshak VTOL is a fixed-wing UAV with an EO/IR sensor for ISR missions. Developed by TATA Advanced Systems, the UAV is VTOL-capable, allowing it to operate ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  H12 Poseidon

  The H12 Poseidon is the largest member of Swarmly's UAV family. Designed to compete with other theatre-level UAVs, the fixed-wing VTOL capable H12 integrates many payload options, such ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Loong 1

  The Loong 1 is a VTOL-capable fixed-wing mini-UAV powered by an electric motor. Manufactured by LoongUAV, the platform is designed for ISR missions and can ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  H10 Poseidon

  The H10 Poseidon is a fixed-wing VTOL-capable UAV manufactured by Swamrly. Due to the UAV's electric propulsion system, small-radar cross-section, lack of detachable thermal signature and ability to operate ...