• Defence Notes

  Paris Air Show: Kenya close to ‘Longsword’ contract

  23rd June 2017

  L3 Technologies expects to receive a contract to supply 12 new AT-802L ‘Longsword’ light-attack aircraft to Kenya later this year, after an FMS case was …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Unmanned MCM capabilities showcased

  21st June 2017

  A complete unmanned mine counter measure (MCM) detect-to-engage mission has been demonstrated at the Belgium Navy’s North Sea Unmanned MCM Trials (BE NSU). The 11 …

• Training

  Paris 2017: Leonardo plays T-100 US content card

  20th June 2017

  One of three contenders for the USAF’s Advanced Pilot Training (APT) T-X programme, the Leonardo T-100 will be ‘an aircraft made in the US with …

• Digital Battlespace

  Australia to improve space-based ISR capabilities

  20th June 2017

  The Australian government is investing A$500 million ($380.78 million) to improve the country’s space-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, the Department of Defence announced …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Kraken’s AquaPix in mine warfare exercise

  13th June 2017

  Kraken Sonar Systems’ AquaPix synthetic aperture sonars (SAS) will take part in a mine warfare exercise to be conducted by the Belgium and Netherland navies …

• Defence Notes

  Paris Air Show: BTX focus on USAF competition

  12th June 2017

  Boeing believes there is a potential market of 2,000 aircraft for its Boeing T-X (BTX) trainer despite this the company remains focussed on its bidding …

• Defence Notes

  Amidst threats, Seoul eyes defence budget hike

  9th June 2017

  South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) has requested a record defence budget of KRW43.7 trillion ($38.7 billion) for next year. Although yet to be …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airborne pay-as-you-go ISR on offer

  2nd June 2017

  Thales has announced it will integrate its Searchmaster 400 radar on a Bombardier Dash 8 Q300 turboprop as part of a cooperation agreement with Canadian …

• Land Warfare

  Qinetiq, BAE team for electric drive tech

  1st June 2017

  Qinetiq and BAE Systems have teamed to market the E-X-Drive electric drive system for tracked combat vehicles in international markets. Qinetiq’s E-X-Drive transmission for tracked …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus selects new Skynet 5 channel partner

  30th May 2017

  Airbus Defence and Space has selected Planet Communications Asia Public (PlanetComm) as its newest channel partner for Skynet 5 military satellite communication services, the company announced …

• Digital Battlespace

  EW Europe: SMART-L MM radar family expanded

  30th May 2017

  Dutch radar specialists Thales Nederland has unveiled a land-based, mobile tactical variant of its new SMART-L MM long-range multi-mission radar system. The new radar designated …

• Digital Battlespace

  RAN MASTIS terminals set for upgrade

  30th May 2017

  BAE Systems Australia has received a four-year contract worth $30 million to upgrade maritime satellite communications terminals for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), the company …

• Naval Warfare

  Vietnam receives patrol boats from US

  24th May 2017

  The Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) took receipt of six patrol boats from the US on 22 May, with the US Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IMDEX Asia: Chinese USVs are working SCS

  22nd May 2017

  A new Chinese unmanned surface vehicle (USV) was unveiled by the Zhuhai-based Yunzhou Intelligence Technology at IMDEX Asia 2017 in Singapore. A large scale model …

• Defence Helicopter

  Lord placing bets on future

  18th May 2017

  Lord Corporation is a key contributor to the next-generation of rotorcraft through its participation in the build of both the Boeing-Sikorsky SB>1 Defiant and Bell …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) (MV-75 Cheyenne II) [USA]

  Programme Background US Army's Future Vertical Lift Programme The FLRAA is one of three strands of a broader army programme. The others are the Future ...

• Submarines: nuclear/attack

  SSN(X) Programme [USN]

  Background Requirements The CRS SSN(X) report states the USN is examining three broad design options for future submarines. One is based on the current Virginia-class ...

• Destroyers

  Next-Generation Large Surface Combatants (LSC) - DDG(X) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) is acknowledging a need to move away from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer design, which is slowly outgrowing. Flight III ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  X-Bat [Poland]

  Background Polish involvement Speaking in June 2026, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that Shield AI offered Poland a role in the X-Bat programme, with the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  TF-X Kaan Next Generation Fighter [Turkey]

  Background Requirement Geopolitical factors have spurred aircraft development in Türkiye. With its removal from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter project following the Russian S-400 air ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Sky Scout-X [Thailand]

  Programme Background At the Defence & Security (D&S;) 2019 show in Bangkok, RV Connex displayed a variant of this Sky Scout, the Sky Scout-X. This ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  AD(X) Destroyer Tenders [USN]

  Programme Background At Surface Navy 2026, General Dynamics NASSCO unveiled an internally developed concept, pitching a AD(X) Destroyer Tender to the USN. The destroyer tender ...

• Fighter - multirole

  KF-X Development - South Korea

  In May 2018, Indonesia renegotiated the terms of the contract, with no details disclosed. At ADEX 2019, KF-X full-scale mockup and cockpit design were unveiled. ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Watchkeeper X (Contracted) [Romania]

  Background 2021 In mid-2021, the Romanian manufacturer Aerostar signed a collaboration with U-TacS to potentially produce the Watchkeeper X in Romania. U-TacS is a joint ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Watchkeeper X (Uncontracted) [Romania]

  Background 2021 In mid-2021, the Romanian manufacturer Aerostar signed a collaboration with U-TacS to potentially produce the Watchkeeper X in Romania. U-TacS is a joint ...

• Fighter - multirole

  IF-X/KF-X procurement [Indonesia]

  Programme Background At ADEX 2019, KF-X full-scale mockup and cockpit design were unveiled. The first prototype of the KF-21 fighter aircraft was rolled out in April ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Magni-X (UK)

  Programme Background On 12 January 2022, Elbit Systems UK announced it had been awarded a contract from the UK MoD's Defence Equipment & Support's Future Capability ...

• Fighter - multirole

  KF-21 procurement [South Korea]

  Programme Background At ADEX 2019, KF-X full-scale mockup and cockpit design were unveiled. The first prototype of the KF-21 fighter aircraft was rolled out in April ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  Kaori-X [South Korea]

  Background Origins Development of the Kaori-X began in 2010 under a project led by South Korea's Agency for Defence Development (ADD), with Korean Air Aerospace (KAL-ASD) ...

• Frigates

  FF(X) Frigate [USN]

  Programme Background The FFG(X) programme was first announced with a Request for Information (RFI) released by the US Navy in July 2017 with a plan for ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Patrol boats

  115 Defiant

  The Metal Shark 115 Defiant is a monohull patrol vessel designed and manufactured by Metal Shark. It is marketed as a platform for border patrol, police and ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  85 Defiant

  The 85 Defiant is a patrol boat by Metal Shark based on the proven Damen 2606 standardised patrol platform. Thirteen Near Coastal Patrol Vessel vessels ...

• Military - USVs

  NOMARS

  The No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) is a US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) effort to develop a first-of-its-kind large uncrewed surface vessel.

• Patrol boats

  PB40

  The PB(X) is a new generation of patrol boats from Metal Shark being built for the USN Expeditionary Combat Command's Coastal Riverine Forces (CRF). The ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  SB-1 Defiant

  The SB-1 Defiant is a Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) aircraft. Sikorsky and Boeing announced in February 2013 that they would submit a joint proposal ...

• Military - USVs

  Sharktech

  Sharktech is a UMV kit developed to be fitted to Metal Shark boats ranging in size from 4.9m to 91m. Metal Shark used ASV Global’s ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  PELE Ammunition

  Rheinmetall's Penetrator with Enhanced Lateral Effect (PELE) Ammunition is available in 20 mm x 102, 25 mm x 137, 27 mm x 145 and 30 mm ...

• Space: radar systems

  TerraSAR-X and ​TanDEM-X

  TerraSAR-X and the more advanced TanDEM-X (TerraSAR-X add-on for digital elevation measurement) are designed to operate closely together to generate an accurate 3D image of ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  FAPDS

  Rheinmetall's Frangible, Armour-Piercing, Discarding Sabot Ammunition (FAPDS) is designed to defeat hard and semi-hard targets and is available in 25 mm x 137, 27 mm x 145 ...

• Military UAS - small

  Rapier X-SkySAR

  The Rapier X-SkySAR is an Italian UAV designed by Sky Eye Systems for civil and military missions. As its name suggests, the UAV features an ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems, Land: unattended sensor/surveillance systems

  Spynel-X

  Spynel-X is a passive wide-area surveillance system with automatic intrusion detection and tracking capabilities. The sensor can perform 24/7 early human intrusion alerts over a ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  APFSDS-T Ammunition

  Rheinmetall’s APFSDS-T is available in 25 mm x 137, 30 mm x 173 and as ballistically matched practice ammunition.

• Loitering munitions

  OWL-X

  Unveiled at the Australia Air Show 2025, the One-Way Loitering (OWL) X, or OWL-X, is an Australian loitering munition. Unlike the other OWLs in InnovAero's portfolio, the OWL-X ...

• Land: air defence radar

  X-TAR

  The X-Band Tactical Acquisition Radar (X-TAR) is a fully coherent X-band radar designed for such applications as early warning for MANPADS and guns or tactical ...

• Light UGVs

  X Series

  The X Series is a family of UGVs developed by the UK's DCE. Utilising a modular design, the X Series can be configured for a ...