• Land Warfare

  Insight: US continues to court Turkey over air defence

  4th January 2019

  Turkey kicks off 2019 facing a geopolitically defining issue with the choice between two air defence systems, one from Russia and one from the USA. …

• Digital Battlespace

  General Dynamics LTE hotspot hoping for EvO top spot

  17th December 2018

  General Dynamics UK (GDUK) is hoping its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network will be integrated into the future Evolve to Open (EvO) open architecture …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DJI introduces smart remote controller

  10th January 2019

  DJI has launched a new smart remote controller that allows pilots to fly its newer model UAS without using a smartphone or tablet, the company …

• Defence Notes

  100th Su-35 fighter produced in Russia

  20th December 2018

  Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation has announced the production of the 100th Su-35 fighter. This was marked at a handover ceremony of the final batch of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Ukraine buys Turkish Bayraktar TB2 UAVs

  16th January 2019

  Ukraine has placed an order for Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 Male class UAV systems. This was revealed by the country’s president Petro Poroshenko on 12 January.  …

• Naval Warfare

  Israel Shipyards looks to Shaldag and Saar for market breakthrough

  8th January 2019

  Although the naval arm of Israel's military is the smallest of its services, recent hydrocarbon finds have focused interest in securing industrial assets inside its …

• Digital Battlespace

  Dassault signs Rafale F4 development contract

  14th January 2019

  French manufacturer Dassault Aviation has signed a Rafale F4 standard development contract with the French Armed Forces, which will offer the platform a host of …

• Land Warfare

  Iron Fist Light proceeds to Phase II

  2nd January 2019

  The US Army Requirements Oversight Council has decided to proceed with IMI Systems’ Iron Fist Light (IFL) active protection system (APS) for its Bradley Fighting …

• Training

  Hypoxia-response training for Spanish Air Force

  11th December 2018

  Indra, in partnership with iAltitude, is developing a new flight trainer for simulating low-oxygen conditions that air force pilots may encounter during high-altitude flight. The …

• Training

  Robinson R44s delivered to Poland

  20th December 2018

  Robinson Helicopter has delivered two R44 Raven II helicopters to its distributor, PHU Polinar of Poland. PHU Polinar handed the aircraft over to the Polish …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  RT LTA secures SkyStar 180 order in India

  2nd January 2019

  RT LTA Systems has been selected to provide its SkyStar 180 aerostat system, together with a small tactical UAS, to a state police service in …

• Military Logistics

  US Army seeks new cold weather glove designs

  7th January 2019

  The US Army’s Product Manager for Soldier Clothing and Individual Equipment (PdM SCIE) is exploring domestic products, suppliers and manufacturers of a potential Cold Weather …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2018: Rockwell Collins launches Griffin-2

  26th November 2018

  Rockwell Collins has launched the latest version of its Griffin integrated visual display system designed for fast-jet pilot training. Griffin-2 features a non-faceted, 360° field-of-view, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ecoSUB in AUV trials

  8th January 2019

  The ecoSUB AUV has been successfully trialled in the North Sea off Orkney during a marine robot demonstrator mission co-ordinated by the National Oceanography Centre …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  PAE ISR to participate in RASP-B programme

  7th December 2018

  PAE ISR has been selected by the US Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate to participate in the Robotic Aircraft Sensor Program – …

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 ...