• Defence Notes

  Analysis: China gains ground in Africa

  6th October 2016

  Throughout the Cold War era, several sub-Saharan African countries turned to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to procure equipment for their armed forces. With …

• Defence Helicopter

  ADAS 2016: OEM support of PAF helicopters proving critical

  30th September 2016

  In recent years the Philippine Air Force (PAF) has introduced several new helicopter platforms from disparate manufacturers. For a service used to keeping robust but …

• Land Warfare

  India advances its ATGM requirements

  30th September 2016

  India’s Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, has cleared around $3 billion in procurements, including anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM). In addition, an …

• Defence Helicopter

  Mexican Navy receives first MBe

  29th September 2016

  The Mexican Navy became the inaugural customer for the AS565 MBe at Airbus Helicopters’ facilities in Marignane, France on 28 September. The navy has been …

• Land Warfare

  MDM 2016: Marine Corps unveils new operational concept

  29th September 2016

  Implementing the new US Marine Corps Operational Concept is not for the light hearted, according to the Commandant of the service Gen Robert Neller. ‘If …

• Digital Battlespace

  AUSA 2016: Army pursues 7,000 new radios

  28th September 2016

  The US Army initiated a full and open competition for the Small Airborne Networking Radio (SANR) through its 11 August 2016 release of a draft …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Navy contracts MQ-4C Triton production

  28th September 2016

  Northrop Grumman will produce three LRIP Lot 1 MQ-4C Triton aircraft following a fixed price contract modification by US Naval Air Systems Command. In an …

• Military Logistics

  Japan requests KC-46A FMS

  26th September 2016

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a possible foreign military sale (FMS) of KC-46A aerial refuelling aircraft and related equipment, training, and …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUSA 2016: Roboteam bids for common robotics

  26th September 2016

  Roboteam see success with US military programmes like the Common Robotics System - Individual (CRS-I) as an opportunity for the company. The RfP for CRS-I …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2016: M109A7 contributes to Army modernisation

  26th September 2016

  One of the US Army’s little noticed combat vehicle success stories is actually being pioneered by an artillery system, the M109A7 - formerly the M109 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUSA 2016: Army to lease robot mules

  26th September 2016

  The US Army may expedite its plans to field so-called ‘robotic mules’ – or unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) – that can carry soldier’s equipment on …

• Digital Battlespace

  Wearable combat sensors in development

  23rd September 2016

  Wearable sensor solutions are being developed by the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and a number of industry partners with the aim of …

• Digital Battlespace

  CAC2S in operational test

  23rd September 2016

  General Dynamics Mission Systems' Common Aviation Command and Control System (CAC2S) has successfully provided users with an integrated operational picture during a US Marine Corps …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE delivers 250th F-35 EW suite

  22nd September 2016

  BAE Systems has manufactured and delivered the 250th AN/ASQ-239 electronic warfare (EW) suite for the F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft programme, the company announced on …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF lab gets first Agile Condor pod

  22nd September 2016

  A new on-board processing pod system called Agile Condor has been delivered by SRC to the US Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), the company announced …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  EVO Max 4T [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Ukraine On 6 October 2023, Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's Miniter of Digital Transformation, announced that the Army of Drones sent nearly 2,000 EVO Max ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Hürkuş-C Advanced Armed Trainer (Turkey)

  The Hurjet-C development programme funding was included in the Hurkus-B procurement contract awarded by  the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defence Industries in December 2013.  The Hurjet will ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW101-Norway

  AgustaWestland is also providing initial support and training services, including spares at each of the operating bases and aircrew training. It will then provide performance ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F -Kenya

  Crew transition training took place at the MD Helicopters headquarters in Mesa, Arizona, with field service support, armament, and gunnery training scheduled to occur at ...

• 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 ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) (3) [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Malaysian Navy are in the process of a fleet transformation plan known as the 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, which ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Submarines Procurement [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements In 2015, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) issued the so-called 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, which envisioned the service to be standardised ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawks [Greece]

  Programme Background In October 2023, Greece submitted a formal request to acquire 49 Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters as replacements for the Army's Bell UH-1s after launching ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk-USA

  The UH-60M Black Hawk is a digitally networked platform with greater range and lift to support maneuver commanders through air assault, general support, command and ...

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

  Beyond Vision Drones [Portugal]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 14 February 2023, Beyond Vision announced that it had been awarded a €600,375 contract for the acquisition of "6 Mulittoror ...

• ISR/special mission

  King Air 350ER -Canada

  Programme Background Canadian Special Forces was looking to procure ISR aircraft to support their missions both overseas and domestically.  There were few Canadian suppliers to sell ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Submarines Procurement [Malaysia]

  According to the Royal Malaysian Navy 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, the Navy wants to acquire two more submarines between 2031 and 2035. Shephard estimates ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Submarines Procurement [Malaysia]

  According to the Royal Malaysian Navy 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, the Navy wants to acquire two more submarines between 2031 and 2035. Shephard estimates ...

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

  Gray Eagle 25M (13-20) [US National Guard]

  Background Requirement In FY2021, the National Guard Association of the United States (NGUAS) announced that it was "critical" that it fielded the MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended Range (ER). The ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Major networking projects

  ACT

  Allied Command Transformation (ACT) is leading at strategic command level the transformation of NATO’s military structure, forces, capabilities and doctrine. It is working to enhance ...

• Loitering munitions

  Trypillian SSG

  Manufactured by Trypillian, a British-Ukrainian start-up, the Trypillian SSG is an autonomous, deep-strike loitering munition, designed to operate in GNSS-denied environments.  Trypillian states that it is an asymmetric ...

• Light UGVs

  D-21-11

  Unveiled in January 2024, the D-21-11 is a 4x4 wheeled UGV from Brave1. The Ukrainian vehicle features a flatbed that can host various equipment, such ...

• Loitering munitions

  Backfire

  The Backfire is a Ukrainian fire-and-forget loitering munition. The catapult-launched system is GPS-guided, meaning it is resistant to radio-electronic interference. Reportedly, its lack of real-time ...

• Medium UGVs

  Ironclad

  The Ironclad is a Ukrainian 4x4 UGV developed by Roboneers, a technology incubator that solicits ideas and pairs them with potential investors. Fitted with a ShaBlya ...

• Ultra-light UGVs

  Ratel S

  The Ratel S, sometimes also called the Medoed or Honey Badger, is a Ukrainian kamikaze UGV that can be armed with a TM-62 anti-tank mine or two 82mm ...

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

  Vampire

  The Vampire is a hexacopter drone developed by the Ukrainian company Skyfall. It can carry and drop various types of ammunition on the enemy. In ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  DRTS

  The Digital Range Training System (DRTS) was developed under a 2011 contract to provide an immersive training environment for US Army vehicle crews. Training includes ...

• Loitering munitions

  Hornet IV

  Unveiled in September 2025, the Hornet IV is a development of the MQM-178 target drone designed for attack missions. Kratos and the National Chung-Shan Institute ...

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

  EVO Max 4T

  The EVO Max 4T is an in-development rotary-wing ISR drone from Autel Robotics. According to Autel, the drone has advanced autonomous technology, giving it a strong ...

• Air: aerial targets

  MQM-178 Firejet

  The MQM-178 Firejet is a target drone manufactured by Kratos Defence.  It performs a variety of end-to-end weapons-release training roles, including surface-to-air and air-to-air.

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  Live Training Systems-Range Instrumentation

  End-to-end, networked, live training communications systems providing live training range products, communications infrastructure and instrumented participant voice, video and data communications. These include range voice, ...

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

  Nomad (Group 4/5)

  In October 2025, Sikorsky unveiled the Nomad family of drones. The family can be scaled from a small Group 3 UAV to a Group 4/5 system with ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  USN T-44C Training Services

  In late 2013, CAE USA received a contract to provide the USN with comprehensive T-44C aircrew training services at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. CAE USA ...

• Data links

  CLIP

  Common Link Integration Processing (CLIP) is a software product that performs data transformation and processes protocols for dissimilar communications formats. It meets requirements for common ...