• Uncrewed Vehicles

  QinetiQ readies Aberporth UAV Centre for Watchkeeper

  27th May 2009

  A key milestone in the £899m MOD project to develop the Watchkeeper Unmanned Air System has been reached on schedule. QinetiQ, working closely with other …

• Defence Helicopter

  Pave Low added to Cold War Exhibition

  24th May 2009

  Despite a week of high winds and rain, staff at the RAF Museum Cosford have successfully moved the Sikorsky MH-53 Pave Low helicopter into the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Blue Eagles back in action

  11th May 2009

  The British Army's Blue Eagles are back in action this summer. The Middle Wallop-based helicopter display team will be appearing at eight shows during the 2009 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Plans to consolidate JHC bases abandoned

  7th May 2009

  A Ministry of Defence study into the consolidatation of Joint Helicopter Command bases has been cancelled. The cancellation of the £2 million study, dubbed Project …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Mantis maiden flight this month

  7th May 2009

  BAE Systems is to fly its Mantis UAV later this month. The news was revealed by MD of Military Air Solutions at BAE Systems, Kevin …

• Defence Helicopter

  ASaC Sea Kings to provide election overwatch

  2nd May 2009

  The Royal Navy's Airborne Surveillance and Area Control (ASaC) Sea Kings are to be deployed to Afghanistan for the country's elections this summer. The deployment, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Aberporth ready for Watchkeeper

  14th April 2009

  A milestone has been reached in the £899M MoD project to develop the Watchkeeper UAV, with the delivery of the necessary infrastructure to support the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Air Tattoo to stage mass Royal Navy flypast

  7th April 2009

  One of the biggest displays of Royal Navy airpower will be staged at this summer’s Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire to …

• Defence Helicopter

  12 Flight AAC disbanded after 57 years in Germany

  2nd April 2009

  12 Flight Army Air Corps, based in Javelin Barracks, Elmpt Station in Germany disbanded on March 31, after being saved from disbandment in 1994 12 …

• Defence Helicopter

  RAF helicopter crews honoured

  8th March 2009

  RAF Helicopter crews have been recognised for their bravery. Three pilots from the Chinook, Merlin and Sea King communities have been honoured for flying operations …

• Defence Helicopter

  "Most challenging conditions ever" - RAF rescue walkers

  10th February 2009

  The captain of an RAF Search and Rescue helicopter said that conditions during a dramatic rescue of walkers on Snowdon on Saturday were the most …

• Defence Helicopter

  Danish SAR Merlins now performing to task

  5th February 2009

  After a series of niggles and teething problems, the Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) say they are becoming increasingly satisfied with the performance of their …

• Defence Helicopter

  Northrop Grumman Announces First Sale of NAVEX Air Navigation System to Sikorsky for International Markets

  26th January 2009

  Northrop Grumman Corporation has been selected by Sikorsky Aircraft to provide its NAVEX air navigation system for use on UH-60L Black Hawk utility helicopters for …

• Defence Helicopter

  The heat is on in new RAF training simulator

  8th January 2009

  RAF Medical Emergency Response Teams (MERTS) will benefit from a new training simulator at RAF Lyneham. According to the Ministry of Defence, the £42,000 simulator …

• Defence Helicopter

  RAF Museum gets an early Christmas present - a MH-53 Pave Low

  16th December 2008

  Christmas spirits will be flying high at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford tomorrow, when it takes delivery of an extra special Christmas gift from …

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 ...