• Air Warfare

  New Medium Helicopter competition remains “sensitive”, says UK MoD

  13th December 2024

  This statement comes as concerns were raised by union workers at Leonardo’s Yeovil site about the ongoing timeline of the UK’s New Medium Helicopter programme.

• Air Warfare

  Iraq orders Airbus H225M helicopters

  9th September 2024

  The new helicopters will join Airbus H125, H135 and H145 aircraft already in Iraqi service and replace older Mi-17s.

• Air Warfare

  Angola receives first Airbus C295

  31st July 2024

  The first of three aircraft ordered is in transport configuration with the remaining aircraft to be configured for maritime patrol.

• Training

  NSPA and Airbus sign mission simulator contract for MRTT fleet at Farnborough

  24th July 2024

  The A330 MRTT simulator is expected to make simulator training easier and more regulator for both pilots and refuelling operatives.

• Air Warfare

  Analysis: UK government goes on decommissioning spree to balance defence budget

  21st November 2024

  UK defence secretary John Healey has announced the cancellation and decommissioning of naval and air force platforms to enable the government to “re-invest money in the armed forces” ahead of the upcoming Strategic Defence Review.

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus awarded $2.27 billion contract for next gen German satellite system

  5th July 2024

  The new-generation Airbus satellites are based on the Eurostar Neo platform and will weigh around 6,000kg.

• Air Warfare

  Embraer KC-390 puts on a show for the Mexican Air Force

  6th August 2024

  The KC-390 demonstrator was en route to Brazil after a display at the Farnborough Airshow in the UK.

• Air Warfare

  NATO’s Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability moves ahead with development contracts

  26th July 2024

  The Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability (NGRC) programme is a transnational effort across NATO to replace a range of helicopters which are expected to begin retiring from the mid-2030s.

• Digital Battlespace

  The space defence dilemma: Commercial vs. dedicated military systems

  20th September 2024

  During a recent space defence event in London, discussions turned to militaries’ growing dependence on commercial satellite systems and how it has fostered an environment for operating space assets that is becoming ever more hostile.

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales selected for Syracuse satellite communications terminals for French vehicles

  15th July 2024

  The Syracuse 4B communications satellite, developed by Airbus and Thales Alenia Space, was launched last year, bolstering secure military satellite communications for the French Armed Forces. Thales has now been selected to provide terminals for vehicles.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  How Airbus’s UH-72 Unmanned Logistics Connector is revolutionising USMC logistics

  18th June 2024

  Unveiled in early 2024, the UH-72 Logistics Connector is a pivotal component of the Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC), aimed at addressing the logistics needs of the US Marine Corps (USMC).

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Eurodrone offers boost to European defence industry

  15th June 2024

  Joint European project to create MALE UAV has led to major job generation and offered a significant supply chain boost to the continent’s defence industry.

• Land Warfare

  MBDA announces new VSHORAD system at Farnborough International Airshow 2024

  23rd July 2024

  The VSHORAD supersonic single-operator interceptor air defence system was unveiled at Farnborough.

• Air Warfare

  Airbus enters race for unmanned Wingman support fighters

  4th June 2024

  Designs for unmanned support aircraft for fighter jets are advanced with Boeing’s MQ-28A Ghost Bat beginning development in 2013 and making its first flight in February 2021 and Airbus’s effort will need to advance quickly to keep up.

• Air Warfare

  FIA 2024: Looking to sixth-generation fighters and the New Medium Helicopter programme

  18th July 2024

  Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) 2024 is the even-year event where the biggest and the best present their efforts, and while the possibility of a roll-out or surprise curtain reveal remain slim, there are big programmes still being competed for.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Data links

  Data links | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow On

  Programme Background In March 2019, Airbus stated that it expected orders from the US Army for between 12 and 15 UH-72A helicopters. In March 2020, ...

• Transport

  A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  Programme Background At IDEX 2025, two Airbus representatives shared insights into a possible offer from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

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

  Sistema RPAS Táctico de Altas Prestaciones (SiRTAP) [Spain]

  Background MoU In 2017, it was announced that Spain was jointly developing a MALE UAV with Colombia to meet the ISR requirement of both armed ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT Follow-On [NATO]

  Programme Background Following operations in Libya and extensive analyses by the European Defence Agency (EDA), it was agreed at the NATO Summit in 2012 that ...

• Transport

  A400M (Kazakhstan)

  Programme Background In September 2021, it was announced that Kazakhstan ordered two Airbus A400M aircraft. According to Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, ‘The A400M ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M - France

  Programme Background In April 2021, the French government signed a deal for the purchase of eight H225M Airbus helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of SA330 ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT [Singapore]

  In February 2020, Airbus and the Singapore government announced an agreement to collaborate on the development of an A330 Smart Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). One Singaporean ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

• Data links

  Data links | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

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

  Eurodrone [Spain]

  Programme Background Inception (Stage One) The European MALE RPAS programme was launched in September 2016. Germany, Spain, France, and Italy negotiated and agreed, in collaboration ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  MQ-72C Lakota Connector

  The MQ-72C Lakota Connector is an uncrewed version of Airbus' UH-72B, primarily designed to provide contested logistics in austere expeditionary environments. Airbus has partnered with L3Harris, Shield AI, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Flexrotor

  Flexrotor is a VTOL small UAS manufactured by Aerovel. It can integrate different types of payloads, including electro-optical systems and advanced sensors, to suit customers’ ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  H145

  The light, twin-engine EC145 began as an initiative to increase the cabin size of the BK 117 C1 aircraft, involving Kawasaki of Japan and Airbus ...

• Major networking projects

  Skynet 6 SATCOM

  Skynet 6 is designed to replace Skynet 5. The PFI contract for Skynet 5,  held by Paradigm Secure Communications and Airbus DS, ends in 2022. As ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAS

  The Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAV, or cargo copter, is a rotary-wing cargo-carrying platform that Airbus is developing. The platform has yet to be formally named. The ...

• Transport

  C295

  The C295 is the largest member of Airbus Defence and Space’s family of medium tactical airlifters and surveillance aircraft. It is a development of the ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H175M

  The Airbus H175M is the military variant of the H175 and works to fill a gap in the H175 helicopter family, as well as offer ...

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

  Wingman

  The Wingman is an Airbus concept drone unveiled at ILA Berlin in June 2024. The loyal wingman-type fixed-wing UAV is designed to accompany crewed fighters, ...

• Helicopter engines

  LTS101

  The LTS101 was first certified in 1975. Since then, over 2,100 engines have been delivered to customers worldwide, logging over 11 million service hours. The ...

• Air: mission management systems

  Helionix

  The Helionix digital avionics suite was developed from the need for a more powerful avionics system with greater functions and computing capacity, alongside a user-friendly interface. ...

• Military helicopters - light/training, Military helicopters - multirole

  H135M

  The H135M (formerly known as the EC635 and also designated as H135) is a light utility variant of the EC135 twin-engine, multipurpose 3t helicopter. In ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  A400M Training

  Thales is the principal training provider for the Airbus A400M with a contract to provide FFSs and flat-panel trainers. Four A400M FFS and two flat-panel ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H215M

  The H215M (formerly the AS532 ALe) is the most recent addition to the Cougar family.  It is a medium-weight (9t-class), twin-engine helicopter, combining the AS532's ...

• Transport

  A400M Atlas

  Developed to meet European military airlift requirements, the A400M Atlas combines tactical and strategic/logistic mission capabilities. The platform's cargo hold is designed to carry outsize ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H145M

  The H145M (formerly known as the EC645 T2) is the military version of the H145 medium-sized (3.7t) helicopter (covered in a separate entry). It is ...