• Defence Helicopter

  Bell, Rolls-Royce partner on advanced propulsion systems

  26th March 2019

  Bell Helicopter has signed a teaming agreement with Rolls-Royce for the development of an optimised propulsion system and continued risk reduction efforts aimed at the …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy’s AN/AQS-20C completes developmental testing

  1st March 2019

  The US Navy’s AN/AQS-20C mine-hunting sonar system completed developmental testing at the US Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division (NSWC PCD), on 26 February …

• Land Warfare

  US Army ploughs on with Bradley replacement

  1st April 2019

  The release of the RfP for the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) prototype phase by the US Army clearly shows how the service is getting …

• Defence Notes

  USAF suspends KC-46A tanker deliveries again

  3rd April 2019

  For the second time this year, the US Air Force has temporarily stopped accepting new KC-46A Pegasus tankers after finding foreign object debris (FOD) in the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Heli-Expo 2019: Bell moves out with autonomous pod flight test programme

  26th February 2019

  Manufacturer Bell is continuing to test and develop its Autonomous Pod Transport (APT) unmanned vehicle programme as it bids to expand on collaborative partnerships announced …

• Defence Notes

  SOFINS 2019: Certification continues for A400M special mission capabilities

  4th April 2019

  Airbus Defence and Space continues to certify a series of mission capabilities for the A400M tactical transport aircraft designed to further enhance the platform’s support …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Leonardo's M-40 UAS sees first action

  22nd February 2019

  Leonardo’s new M-40 target UAS recently flew its first missions during an Italian Navy exercise involving ITS Cavour aircraft carrier and ITS Francesco Mimbelli destroyer, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Milipol Asia 2019: Fight fires with Chinese UAV

  2nd April 2019

  An innovative fire-fighting solution – a UAS that fires a fire-extinguishing round through the glass curtain walls of skyscrapers – was on show at the …

• Digital Battlespace

  LIMA 2019: Malaysian radio launched

  27th March 2019

  Sapura Thales Electronics (STE), a JV established between Sapura and Thales in 1996, launched a second-generation VHF radio called the TRC 5200 at LIMA 2019. …

• Defence Notes

  Saab spies Baltic opportunities

  3rd April 2019

  Amid a developing security environment in eastern Europe, the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are focusing their efforts on increasing land-based capabilities, particularly …

• Digital Battlespace

  EASR to begin live testing

  22nd March 2019

  The Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar being built by Raytheon is set to begin live testing at the Surface Combat Systems Center at Wallops Island, Virginia, …

• Land Warfare

  Danish Army receives new Piranha 5 APC

  2nd April 2019

  Denmark’s Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (DALO) has formally handed over the first production examples of the Piranha 5 8x8 armoured personnel carrier and the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bucharest sends Pumas to Mali

  11th March 2019

  In Q2/Q3 of 2019, a small contingent of Romanian Air Force aircraft, comprising IAR 330L Puma SAR helicopters, will be sent to Mali in order …

• Naval Warfare

  Insight: Thales and Team 31 look to build Type 31e momentum

  22nd March 2019

  Thales will open a TACTICOS combat management system (CMS) demonstration capability in Crawley, UK, as the Arrowhead 140-centred Team 31 continues to push its solution …

• Digital Battlespace

  Textron Systems, IMSAR integrate NSP-3 into Aerosonde

  21st February 2019

  Textron Systems and IMSAR have successfully demonstrated the capability of the NSP-3 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) integrated on the Aerosonde small UAS, Textron announced on …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  OC-135B Replacement [USA]

  Programme Background The modification and Treaty Certification works include Digital Visual Imaging System kits, design and development for mission system integration (structural design, interphone communications systems, ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Light Combat Helicopter (India - Air Force)

  Programme Background Requirement India's requirement for light attack helicopters capable of operating at high altitudes became apparent during the 1999 Kargil War. Originally planned to reach ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Orlan-10 [Russian Navy]

  Background Frigate Augmentation Before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the country planned to augment its Admiral Gorshkov class frigates with indigenously developed Orlan-10 ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Light Combat Helicopter (India - Army)

  Programme Background Requirement India's requirement for light attack helicopters capable of operating at high altitudes became apparent during the 1999 Kargil War. Originally planned to reach ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munition [Switzerland]

  Background Announcement In a February 2023 interview with Swiss news outlet CH-Media, Swiss army chief Thomas Süssli stated that the country was considering acquiring loitering munitions ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  Lightweight Marine Air Defence Integrated System [US]

  Background The US Marine Corps' (USMC) Lightweight Marine Air Defence Integrated System (L-MADIS) supports deployed Marine Expeditionary Units with non-kinetic C-UAS capabilities and a shoulder-fired surface-to-air weapon for ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Shahed-171 (ANSU-200) [Venezuela]

  Background Independence Day Parade Venezuela operates the ANSU-200, a UAV with many visual similarities to the Shahed-171, which Defence Insight believes is a domestically produced ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  S-400 [India]

  Background India is modernising its air defence by procuring  S-400 LRSAM systems (Triumf Missile System), which are planned to be used by the Air Force.  The fifth system ...

• Destroyers

  Canadian Surface Combatant/River Class (1-3) [Canada]

  Background Requirements Fifteen frigates are being procured to replace the Royal Canadian Navy's 12 ageing Halifax-class frigates and the now-retired Iroquois-class destroyers with next-generation surface ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Ground Master 403 Radar [Egypt]

  Background In 2020, Egypt ordered four of France-based Thales Ground Master 403 radars, the mobile member of their GM400 radar family.  At least one of the ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

• Data links

  Data links | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Mangart 25 [Slovenia]

  Background Mangart 25 originated from a Slovenian national development project for a lightweight remotely controlled air-defence system. The development contract was signed with Valhalla Turrets ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: aerial targets

  Lakshya

  The Lakshya is an aerial target developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for training fighter pilots in air-to-air combat or ground-based air ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  StreamCaster Mini 4210

  The StreamCaster Mini 4210 (SM4210) is a single-channel data radio (SCDR) that can create MANET mesh networks. It is currently in use with the US ...

• Air: mission management systems

  FireStorm

  FireStorm is an integrated targeting and mission management system for air-to-ground operations such as close air support, ground targeting and call for fire. It is ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AW129

  The AW129 Mangusta (Mongoose, service designation) is a tandem two-seat, twin-engine attack helicopter originally developed for the Italian Army and subsequently developed into a multirole combat ...

• Air: mission management systems

  CMA-9000

  The CMA-9000  Flight and Radio Management System (FMS/RMS) is manufactured by the Canadian firm CMC Electronics. It is designed for a wide range of commercial, ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Chukar III

  The Chukar III, based on Northrop Grumman’s BQM-74E developed for the USN, is a high subsonic aerial jet target for export customers.

• Sea: weapon training, Military - USVs

  Sprite

  The Sprite is a USV developed by QinetiQ and designed for live-fire training exercises. 

• Air: aerial targets

  Banshee Whirlwind

  Originally made by Meggitt Target Systems, a company QinetiQ acquired in 2016, the Banshee is an aerial target and the first drone in the Banshee series.  ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  Badger UGV-T

  Badger is a remotely controlled, lightly armoured, all-terrain vehicle designed to exercise anti-armour combat systems. No permanent installations are required; Badger is transportable to and ...

• Sea: weapon training, Military - USVs

  Albatros-T

  The Aselsan Albatros-T is a high-speed, unmanned, surface-target boat manufactured by Aselsan. It is designed to be used as a moving target in shooting drills.

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Integrated Avionics Suite

  Northrup Grumman's Integrated Avionics Suite is an open architecture mission equipment package, which can be deployed on a number of rotorcraft platforms. It consists of ...

• Air: aerial targets

  DO-SK6

  The DO-SK6 is a modular design tow body adaptable for various functions.

• Naval: RF/IR/acoustic decoys

  Integrated Decoy System

  Rafael's integrated ship-defence decoy system features real-time decoy deployment, fixed and/or rotating launchers and a computerised decoy controller that can be integrated with a ship’s ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Integrated Combat System

  The Integrated Combat System (ICS) is a combat management system being developed for the US Navy. The project, currently led by Lockheed Martin, aims to ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Kuwait Air Force F/A-18 TOFT

  L3Harris Technologies has delivered two F/A-18C Tactical Operational Flight Trainers (TOFTs) built for the Kuwait Air Force (KAF). The high-fidelity TOFTs replace the KAF’s F/A-18 ...