• Training

  US Navy T-45 Goshawk trainers to receive digital head-up display

  13th July 2023

  Mercury Systems has received a five-year contract worth $83 million from the Naval Air Systems Command to deliver high-definition, digital head-up display (HUD) systems for the T-45 Goshawk training aircraft.

• Training

  French Navy conducts first anti-drone training exercise

  3rd July 2023

  France's Naval Action Force (FAN) has conducted a dedicated exercise to train ship crews, marine riflemen and fast jet pilots in countering asymmetric drone threats.

• Defence Helicopter

  Hungary receives first two H225M multipurpose helicopters from Airbus

  25th July 2023

  The Hungarian Defence Forces have taken delivery of the first two H225M multi-purpose helicopters from Airbus.

• Air Warfare

  Ukraine lessons: is bringing an attack helicopter to a missile fight too dangerous?

  15th September 2023

  According to multiple OSINT sources, Russian forces have lost possibly as many as 200 rotary-wing aircraft since February 2022. Some of these occurred in early high-profile operations, but most have been attrition casualties during the ongoing fighting. Shephard analyses the nature of these losses, and what lessons NATO attack helicopter operators should draw.

• Air Warfare

  Canada to quadruple aerial tanker fleet with nine CC-330 Husky multi-role aircraft

  26th July 2023

  The significant expansion of strategic air-to-air refuelling capability is set to strengthen the Canadian Armed Forces' operational reach and enhance its ability to support more missions, with specific focus on the High North.

• Training

  Italian Air Force begins MQ-9A Reaper training

  26th June 2023

  The Italian Air Force (IAF) has begun training the inaugural group of pilots and sensor operators who will operate the MQ-9A Block 5 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS).

• Land Warfare

  US approves sale of Assault Amphibious Vehicles to Romania

  28th July 2023

  The US State Department has approved the possible sale of 16 Assault Amphibious Vehicles and related equipment to Romania, enhancing Romania's defence capabilities and the NATO alliance.

• Land Warfare

  Insight: Why the CV90 infantry fighting vehicle is making a clean sweep of Nordic markets

  19th September 2023

  Shephard Defence Insight explores the evolution of BAE Systems Hägglunds’ CV90 IFV from its inception in the late 1980s to the latest CV90 MkIV, detailing the order history and upgrade packages of its ten European customers.

• Training

  Northrop Grumman fields Polish battle command system trainer

  28th June 2023

  Northrop Grumman has delivered an Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) trainer for Poland two years ahead of schedule.

• Land Warfare

  Supacat and NP Aerospace deliver lightweight recovery vehicles to British Army

  28th July 2023

  Supacat and NP Aerospace have this week delivered lightweight recovery vehicles to the British Army as part of the PMETS contract, addressing the off-road recovery needs of high mobility transport vehicles.

• Air Warfare

  Delays in TR-3 software pushes out Belgian F-35A delivery timeline

  11th August 2023

  Belgium's plans to integrate F-35A fighter jets from Lockheed Martin hit a roadblock due to persistent delays in the deployment of the Technology Refresher 3 (TR-3) software.

• Training

  Ryan Aerospace to add mixed reality to US Air Force simulators

  26th June 2023

  Ryan Aerospace and Vertex Solutions have been contracted to provide an initial five mixed-reality training devices for pilots flying the T-38C jet trainer by upgrading existing simulators.

• Special Operations

  UPDATED: Romania orders Polaris DAGOR special operations vehicles

  12th July 2023

  Polaris has been awarded a contract to provide 50 of its DAGOR ultralight tactical vehicles to Romania, joining other NATO countries such as Canada, the UK and US as operators.

• Defence Notes

  DSEI 2023 in review: Ukraine, AI and the real world

  20th September 2023

  DSEI 2023 took place in the shadow of the largest European land war in more than seven decades and a growth in conversations about artificial intelligence (AI) with limited UK immediate defence programme opportunities; many of the new products and exhibitors' announcements reflected this.

• Air Warfare

  Rheinmetall breaks ground on F-35 fuselage plant

  1st August 2023

  The Rheinmetall F-35A factory is set to produce at least 400 fighter jet fuselages for Germany and other NATO operators.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Future Aircrew Training Program (Helicopter Procurement) - Canada

  Programme Background The FAcT requires to graduate 120 pilots, 40 combat systems officers and 36 airborne electronic sensor operators per year with 15% fluctuation. Training services ...

• Trainer

  Future Aircrew Training Program [Fixed-wing Aircraft Procurement] - Canada

  Programme Background The new procurement will result in one contract covering all the requirements, including maintenance and infrastructure services. Training services are currently provided through ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  PC-21 (Project Air 5428) [Australia]

  The new PTS, including aircraft, flight training simulators and learning environments is being acquired from a single capability contractor, Team 21, which consists of Lockheed ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AW169MA

  The support and training element includes integrated logistics support ensuring at least 400 hours flight for each of two training AW169s in 2022 and 2023, 432 hours ...

• Data links

  Data links | Future Aircrew Training Program [Fixed-wing Aircraft Procurement] - Canada

  Canada is planning to acquire around 64 fixed-wing trainer aircraft. The Royal Canadian Air Force will renew aircrew training services to help maintain a multi-purpose ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Future Aircrew Training Program [Fixed-wing Aircraft Procurement] - Canada

  Canada is planning to acquire around 64 fixed-wing trainer aircraft. The Royal Canadian Air Force will renew aircrew training services to help maintain a multi-purpose ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Future Aircrew Training Program [Fixed-wing Aircraft Procurement] - Canada

  Canada is planning to acquire around 64 fixed-wing trainer aircraft. The Royal Canadian Air Force will renew aircrew training services to help maintain a multi-purpose ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Future Aircrew Training Program [Fixed-wing Aircraft Procurement] - Canada

  Canada is planning to acquire around 64 fixed-wing trainer aircraft. The Royal Canadian Air Force will renew aircrew training services to help maintain a multi-purpose ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  SW-4

  The SW-4 is aimed at the basic and advanced pilot training, troop transport and ISR missions. Its Polish designation is Puszczyk. The SW-4s are based ...

• Trainer

  T-54A Multi-Engine Training System (METS) (USA)

  Programme Background Multi-Engine Training System is a USN programme to replace the ageing T-44C Pegasus fleet and modernize multi-engine aircraft training. Multi-Engine Training System provides ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15QA Qatar

  Programme Background On 17 November 2016, the US State Department announced that it has approved a possible FMS of 72 F-15QA aircraft to Qatar for ...

• Trainer

  Basic Trainer Aircraft - Sweden

  Programme Background Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV) announced a request for tender for the procurement of basic trainer aircraft on the eAvrop online portal on ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-2E Replacement - Greece

  The average unit cost is estimated to be around $12 million based on the Czech Republic's $48.5 million deal for the purchase of four L-39NG ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Next Generation Trainer [Slovakia]

  The Slovakian Air Force currently operates seven L-39 training aircraft that are expected to reach the end of their service life in the mid-2020s. A ...

• Data links

  Data links | Next Generation Trainer [Slovakia]

  The Slovakian Air Force currently operates seven L-39 training aircraft that are expected to reach the end of their service life in the mid-2020s. A ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Training Services

  Leonardo Helicopters specialises in offering a complete range of professional aviation training services available throughout the life of the aircraft. These services start from an ...

• Subsystems: software

  Global Teach

  Global Teach training management systems provide support for educational processes. Inovex’s military-adapted training management system oversees training processes from planning to controlling, independently from the ...

• Instructor and Operator Training

  Meggitt provides a range of training courses including: basic training to provide students instruction in the operation and basic maintenance of the SAT, FATS L7 ...

• Land: infantry weapon simulators

  Small Arms Trainer

  Meggitt manufactures the FATS line of simulators used by the US Army, USMC, USAF, USN, USCG, British Army, Australian Army and other military and government ...

• Training Services

  Boeing’s training systems and services provide a full range of training activities, including mission planning systems; aircrew and maintenance training devices; training centres; and training ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Collective Training

  Boeing has delivered and operates three USAF F-15C Mission Training Centers (MTCs), three F-15E MTCs and three F-16 MTCs. The F-22 platform was added into ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  Embedded Training

  BAE Systems uses embedded training technology in its Bradley A3 Virtual Range Demonstrator. Operators and commanders can train while in the vehicle using an onboard ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  Virtual Training

  RUAG’s virtual simulation units provide training for commanders, gunners and/or vehicle drivers. The configuration of the units is flexible. They allow individual as well as ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  AFV Training

  Thales provides armoured vehicle, gunnery and driving simulators to a number of armies. For example, the French Army has been supplied with 33 Leclerc MBT ...

• Subsystems: software

  Training Software

  Courseware is the basis of Meggitt Training Systems’ military simulation training systems and is provided in CGI, marksmanship and judgemental video formats. Standard packages are ...

• Collective Training

  Boeing has been delivering Distributed Mission Operations (DMO) expertise since 1997 and is at the forefront of defining, developing and deploying distributed, joint and coalition ...

• Training Services

  Oshkosh Defense provides military forces with expert-level training for vehicle operators and mechanics on all Oshkosh vehicles and technologies. Training can be conducted at the ...

• Training Services

  As well as supplying training centres, RUAG can provide customers with personnel to operate the equipment and conduct the training courses. The company offers associated ...

• Dunker Training

  Survival Systems has developed a training methodology to teach military and civilian personnel how to successfully perform an underwater escape from an aircraft, vehicle or ...

• Flight Training

  Cassidian Aviation Training Services (CATS) provides training aircraft and simulators for pilot training purposes including logistic support. This fleet management service for civil and military ...