• Special Operations

  Serbia looks to SOF reorganization

  29th December 2017

  Serbia is to consider a reorganisation of its Special Forces in order to handle emerging counter-terrorism (CT) tasks, a senior service office has disclosed.Speaking to …

• Defence Notes

  China's water dragon takes to the air

  29th December 2017

  China’s first large-scale amphibious aircraft took its maiden flight from the Jinwan Civil Aviation Airport, Zhuhai, in China’s southern Guangdong Province on 24 December . The …

• Defence Notes

  Opinion: Taiwan – fantasy island

  13th December 2017

  There is a persistent fantasy amongst the political and military elite in Taipei and Washington that China has too much to lose if it invaded …

• Digital Battlespace

  GDA 2017: Leonardo readies Captor-E next phase, Kuwaiti Eurofighter assembly

  11th December 2017

  Leonardo is preparing to begin the next testing phase for its next-generation Captor-E active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, which will eventually equip the Eurofighter …

• Digital Battlespace

  NATO orders Elbit Systems' DIRCM systems

  22nd December 2017

  Elbit Systems has received a follow-on contract to supply additional J-Music Direct Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) self-protection systems for NATO’s A330 Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Heron 1 completes one year in Mali

  12th December 2017

  The Heron 1 UAS has completed one year of flight operations for the German Bundeswehr in Mali. The UAS, which is stationed at the Gao …

• Naval Warfare

  South Korea pushes ahead with sub rescue ship

  20th December 2017

  South Korea is developing a new submarine rescue ship, with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) declaring that phase one, a required operational capability test, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Boeing takes cover off secretive MQ-25 bid

  20th December 2017

  With the deadline looming for the US Navy’s MQ-25 unmanned refuelling tanker, destined to be based onboard US aircraft carriers, Boeing has further illuminated its …

• Digital Battlespace

  NZDF fields networked elements during Southern Katipo

  1st December 2017

  The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) used the large-scale Exercise Southern Katipo in October-November to field elements of its Network Enabled Army (NEA) programme, ahead of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Norway opens autonomous vessel test-bed

  12th December 2017

  A new autonomous shipping test-bed has been opened adjacent to Kongsberg Maritime’s Horten facility in Norway to support the development of new solutions for autonomous …

• Digital Battlespace

  Hensoldt demos Xpeller counter-UAV system

  11th December 2017

  Hensoldt has demonstrated the ability of its Xpeller counter-UAV system to protect critical infrastructure such as airfields at the Airbus airfield in Hamburg-Finkenwerder, Germany, the …

• Naval Warfare

  India’s INS Kalvari submarine commissioned

  20th December 2017

  The Indian Navy has commissioned INS Kalvari, the first of six indigenously-built submarines, Naval Group announced on 15 December. The submarines are being built by …

• Digital Battlespace

  ADF receives first Project Currawong equipment

  22nd December 2017

  Boeing has delivered the first lot of equipment for the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF’s) Project Currawong.Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) has achieved Initial Material Release for …

• Special Operations

  Singapore hones SF capabilities in joint exercise

  12th December 2017

  Commandos of the Singapore Armed Force (SAF) maximised their training opportunities at Arizona’s Barry M. Goldwater Range alongside air force counterparts in Exercise Forging Sabre …

• Training

  QinetiQ-led team to bid for JFST project

  22nd December 2017

  QinetiQ, Inzpire and Close Air Solutions have signed a collaboration agreement to bid for the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MoD's) Training and Simulation Systems Programme …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  Long-Endurance UAV [US AFRICOM]

  Programme Background Ageing MQ-9A Reapers In November 2022, Shephard reported that GA-ASI would continue supporting contractor SMX with its MQ-9A after winning a $2.3 billion task ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Pakistan]

  Programme Background Requirement Following a 2019 skirmish with India, Pakistan placed newfound importance on EW and ISR, primarily due to the significant advantage gained during that ...

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

  Multidomian Micro Drones [USSOCOM]

  Background Special Notice On 14 November 2024, a Special Notice was released that informed the industry that the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) was looking for ...

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

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian [Denmark]

  Background Arctic Capability Package In February 2021, Denmark published the Arctic Capability package, a commitment to invest in new technologies, particularly uncrewed systems, to improve surveillance ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  Long-Range Drones [Norway]

  Background Andøya Ambition On 3 April 2023, the Norwegian MoD released a statement confirming its plans for Andøya, the northernmost island in its Vesterålen archipelago. In addition to ...

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

  Seeker 400 - First Batch (UAE)

  Programme Background The UAE has a long history of transactions with Denel Dynamics. The country has been purchasing various Seeker systems from as far back ...

• Loitering munitions

  Long Range One-way Platforms [US]

  Solicitation In October 2024, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) released a solicitation for long-range, one-way platforms. The DIU noted recent conflicts highlighted the asymmetric impact of low-cost, ...

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

  V-Bat 128 [Canada]

  Programme Background Requirement Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) was seeking a platform for the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) that would significantly expand its surveillance range ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  NH90 NFH-Italy

  Programme Background  The Italian Navy has taken delivery of its first NH90 NFH helicopter in Full Operational Capability (or Step B) configuration in November 2013. ...

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

  CH-4 (First Batch) [Pakistan]

  Programme Background First Batch According to the Pakistan Exim Trade Info website, five aircraft were delivered to the country on 15 January 2021. According to a ...

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

  Mini Intelligence Drone System (SMDR) [France]

  Background Requirement The French Army identified a need for a new tactical UAS to replace the Drac, which entered service in 2008. The Mini Reconnaissance ...

• 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 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Medium-Range Loitering Munition with LEO Satellite Data Link [South Korea]

  Background New Project In April 2025, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) announced a new project titled “Development of Medium-Range ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Arctic Frigates Procurement/Thetis Class Replacement (4-5) [Denmark]

  In January 2025, Denmark announced the acquisition of "three new Arctic ships, additional long-range drones with advanced image acquisition capacity" and "satellite capacity" worth over ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Arctic Frigates Procurement/Thetis Class Replacement (4-5) [Denmark]

  In January 2025, Denmark announced the acquisition of "three new Arctic ships, additional long-range drones with advanced image acquisition capacity" and "satellite capacity" worth over ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  Caihong

  The Caihong (Rainbow), also known as the Cai Hong or CH, is a solar-powered HALE platform designed for near-space flight. It is suitable for military ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  Morning Star

  Aviation Industry Corporation of China’s Morning Star is a quasi-satellite, near-space, solar-powered platform. It is designed for both military and civilian applications, including reconnaissance, navigation ...

• ISR/special mission, Maritime patrol

  A320neo M3A

  Currently under development by Airbus, the A320 M3A is the Maritime Patrol version of the civilian A320neo aircraft. The aircraft can be fitted with a wide ...

• Space: radar systems

  ESA Sentinel-1

  Sentinel-1 is a planned constellation of four satellites with two already in orbit and two on order. They carry a payload of a C-band SAR ...

• Space: radar systems

  SARah

  SARah is the planned follow-on system for the SAR-Lupe radar satellite constellation operated by the German Armed Forces. In 2013, it was announced that OHB ...

• Major networking projects

  EAC

  The NATO Communications and Information Agency awarded ACTIA Sodielec a contract in June 2013 to provide NATO with an Extended Advanced SATCOM Network Monitoring and ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Vocality Pro Series

  The Pro Series includes the V25, V50, V150 and V20. These are designed to be used in a central communications hub or as part of ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing

  S-70UAS U-Hawk

  Unveiled at AUSA 2025, the S-70UAS U-Hawk is an uncrewed version of Sikorsky’s crewed UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter.  It will act as a delivery aircraft for medium-sized uncrewed ground vehicles ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  FlyingFish Maritime

  The FlyingFish Maritime SIGINT system is one of several derivatives of the FlyingFish Airborne Satellite Monitoring System developed by Horizon Technologies. Designed to be mounted ...

• Guided munitions

  GP155B

  The GP155B is a 155mm artillery round developed by Norinco. The GP155B integrates satellite-based guidance systems that are compatible with both the Chinese Beidou Navigation ...

• Data links

  Space CDL

  The Space Common Data Link (CDL) system provides a wideband data link capability adaptable to a variety of space-based applications. It consists of separate transmitter ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  FlyingFish

  FlyingFish is an Airborne Satellite Monitoring System designed to detect and intercept SATCOM from airborne ISR platforms. As a passive system, it cannot be detected ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  ULTRA

  The Unmanned Long-endurance Tactical Reconnaissance Aircraft (ULTRA) is a fixed-wing drone from DZYNE Technologies. It is described as a long-endurance, GPS-hardened intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platform with full global ...

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

  Pelican / Rumrunner

  The Pelican Cargo is an electric cargo-carrying drone from Pyka. Powered by four electric motors, the Pelican can carry 400lb of cargo in its 70 ...

• Data links

  MiMMC

  Microsat Man-Packable Mission Command (MiMMC) is a satellite-based BLoS communications system providing the ability to extend mission command applications including voice, video and data transfer ...