• Training

  Kratos wins $16 million Australian UH-60M Black Hawk trainer contract

  31st October 2023

  The contract has covered three different UH-60 Black Hawk trainers that will be used by the ADF Rotary Wing Aircraft Maintenance School in Queensland.

• Training

  Preparations begin for German deployment exercise to its eastern border

  9th November 2023

  Blue Lightning has been described as a test for forces facing a possible Article 4 case of NATO under which ‘the territorial integrity … or security of one of the partners is threatened’.

• Training

  EU counter-IED exercise begins with 12 countries and 1,000 personnel

  7th November 2023

  Bison Counter 23 will include observers from Sweden, Latvia, Romania and the US, and has followed on from similar exercises in 2013, held in the Netherlands, 2016 (Sweden) and 2021 (Italy).

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed rolls out first Belgian F-35 but software hitch delays homecoming

  11th December 2023

  Lockheed Martin has unveiled Belgium’s inaugural F-35, however, Technology Refresher 3 (TR-3) software setbacks have kept the fighter in the US which has impacted deployment and training plans.

• Digital Battlespace

  How Advanced Systems are Transforming NATO’s Approach in a Data-Dense Battlespace

  2nd November 2023

  There is a fundamental shift in how battles are managed – a shift driven by data. From optical systems to the communications space, to manufacturing and beyond, RTX is supporting NATO and its allies in the modern, digital battlespace.

• Digital Battlespace

  UK MoD’s new cybersecurity requirements present industry challenges

  3rd November 2023

  The Secure by Design approach means capability owners and delivery teams are accountable and responsible for delivering systems that are cyber secure.

• Training

  Indian coast guard to get new training ship

  25th October 2023

  The Indian MoD has finalised a contract with state-owned shipbuilder Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders for the construction of a dedicated training ship for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).

• Land Warfare

  Latvia makes its largest defence investment in air defence system

  13th December 2023

  Latvia and Estonia have committed to purchasing Diehl IRIS-T SLM medium-range air defence systems with the system set to provide a substantial boost to Latvia’s air defence capabilities.

• Defence Notes

  US Army seeks 'fundamental transformation' to face future threats

  25th September 2023

  ‘The army is really undergoing its most fundamental transformation in 40 years. We are moving away from the system that we designed in the 80s’, Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth has claimed,

• Training

  Canada welcomes allies for counter-explosive exercise

  3rd November 2023

  Exercise Ardent Defender, an annual counter-explosive exercise held in Canada focusing on contemporary operating environments such as eastern Europe, has concluded.

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed Martin joins radar research consortium ahead of Finland’s F-35 procurement

  22nd November 2023

  Lockheed Martin and VTT will lead a consortium of Finnish defence and technology companies to develop signals intelligence technologies for the F-35 and other defence applications.

• Training

  Ukrainian Navy participate in Exercise Joint Warrior in UK

  26th October 2023

  The Ukrainian Navy has joined 10 nations involved in a major multinational exercise in waters off Scotland.

• Land Warfare

  Australia signs US$2.6 billion deal for 129 Redback IFVs from Hanwha Defense Australia

  8th December 2023

  The Redback IFVs for the Australian Defence Force will be made in a facility currently under construction in Geelong, Victoria.

• Digital Battlespace

  US DoD updates approach to the threats and benefits of AI

  3rd November 2023

  The first DoD AI Strategy, published in 2018, and revised DoD Data Strategy, published in 2020, are two foundational documents that matured the department's data-centric structures to increase the efficacy of fielding modern AI-enabled capabilities.

• Training

  Boeing T-7A Red Hawk arrives at Edwards to begin testing

  10th November 2023

  The US Air Force awarded Boeing a $9.2 billion contract for the T-7A Red Hawk advanced trainer and supporting equipment in 2018.

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 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 ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Submarines Procurement Programme [Saudi Arabia]

  The Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) is in the process of a fleet transformation plan which, so far, has seen the procurement of corvettes from ...

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 ...

• 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, ...

• 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.

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...