• Defence Helicopter

  US Transportation Command issues contract modifications

  9th August 2019

  Three companies have been awarded contact modifications by the US Transportation Command to provide airlift support for the US Central Command Area of Responsibility in …

• Training

  VRSG software integrated into USAF T-1A trainer fleet

  14th August 2019

  MetaVR's Virtual Reality Scene Generator (VRSG) has been integrated into the US Air Force’s T-1A Jayhawk twin-engine jet trainer fleet, part of an embedded training …

• Military Logistics

  ThyssenKrupp invests in logistics sites

  21st August 2019

  ThyssenKrupp Materials Services, the distribution and service provider of the ThyssenKrupp Group, is investing some €70 million in the modernisation and expansion of its European …

• Naval Warfare

  Erapsco awarded USN sonobuoy contract

  19th August 2019

  An Ultra Electronics and Sparton DeLeon Springs joint venture (JV) has been awarded a contract worth up to $1.04 billion for the manufacture of sonobuoys …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE awarded DARPA contract for space machine learning

  15th August 2019

  BAE Systems has been awarded a US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) phase 2 contract to develop machine learning capabilities to help the US …

• Military Logistics

  Construction begins at RAF Lakenheath

  17th July 2019

  Construction has begun on facilities that will be home to two US F35 squadrons at RAF Lakenheath. The site will include the construction of a …

• Military Logistics

  NAVAIR trials wireless hangars

  12th August 2019

  US Naval Air Systems Command has carried out a pilot study with Marine Corps Systems Command, installing wireless capability in eight marine corps hangars. The …

• Land Warfare

  Thales continues Lithgow Arms investment

  25th July 2019

  Thales' investment at its Australian Lithgow Arms facility continues with a $1.8 million honing machine added to the site's rifle production line. The new equipment …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE launches new intelligence automation centre

  20th August 2019

  BAE Systems has launched a new Robotic Operations Center (ROC), which will be used to customise and deploy suites of software robots that automate high-volume, …

• Defence Notes

  Bulgaria’s fighter purchase on hold

  24th July 2019

  The Bulgarian Parliament has ratified the deal for the purchase of eight new-build Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 70 fighters for the Bulgarian Air Force (BuAF). …

• Training

  Buckley AFB gets VRSG-equipped F-16C simulators

  18th July 2019

  MetaVR’s Virtual Reality Scene Generator (VRSG) is set to enter use at Buckley Air Force Base (AFB) for pilot training, the company announced on 16 …

• Defence Helicopter

  AAR to support RNLAF Chinooks

  16th July 2019

  AAR will support the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) CH-47 Chinook fleet under a contract announced on 9 July.The contract will see AAR perform maintenance, …

• Special Operations

  SOF seeks low-cost armor-piercing ammo

  21st August 2019

  The US military is seeking industry help to identify or develop low-cost armor-piercing ammunition in a number of calibers of particular interest to United States …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon GPS systems certified

  8th August 2019

  Raytheon has received security certification for new GPS modules and receivers from the Global Positioning Systems Directorate, the company announced on 8 August. The new …

• Naval Warfare

  First RAF P-8A flies

  16th July 2019

  The first P-8A Poseidon being built for the Royal Air Force (RAF) has completed its first flight.The aircraft will now transfer out of Boeing Commercial …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Data links

  Data links | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390 [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirement The aircraft deliveries were scheduled to start by the end of 2016 and continue over a period of ten years. However,  the first ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-130H Replacement [Sweden]

  Programme Background Requirements Sweden has five C-130H aircraft (designated Tp-84) and one KC-130H. Two C-130Es bought in the 1960s have retired, but the six H ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Chile]

  Methodology Unit cost In 2024, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired one Hermes 900 for 50 million reais ($9.14 million), giving each drone an estimated ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  H145M [Brazil]

  Background  Brazilian leadership announced in February 2022 that the Sabre Mil Mi-35M Hind-E attack helicopters were being retired from active service. This decision came as a ...

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS 39E/F Gripen [Brazil]

  Background In 2016, Gripen’s Project and Development Center was opened in Sao Paulo to allow Sweedish and Brazillian engineers to work together in the Gripen ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Colombia]

  Methodology Unit cost In 2024, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired one Hermes 900 for 50 million reais ($9.14 million), giving each drone an estimated gross ...

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

  Hermes 900 (5) [Brazil]

  Background First three batches (2014-2024) Across three purchases, Defence Insight estimates that Brazil has acquired five Hermes 900 UAVs. In 2014, Elbit reported supplying one ...

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

  Hermes 900 (1-4) [Brazil]

  Background First batch (2014) In 2014, Elbit reported supplying one Hermes 900 UAV to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). The drone is called the RQ-900 in Brazilian ...

• Maritime patrol

  C295 add-on [Brazil]

  Programme Background  In 2014 Brazil signed a contracted for two additional C-295 SAR platforms with the option to acquire one additional platform. In 2018, reports ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Polar Support Vessel [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirements In June 2020, the Brazilian Navy released a Request for Proposal (RfP) to procure a new Antarctic vessel to be manufactured in Brazil. The ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air-to-surface missiles

  MAR-1

  The MAR-1 is a Brazilian air-to-surface anti-radiation missile (ARM) developed by Mectron in collaboration with the Aerospace Technology and Science Department (DCTA) of the Brazilian ...

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

  Harpia

  Described as the UAV with the most onboard technology in Latin America, Harpia is a multifunctional fixed-wing Brazilian drone developed by Advanced Technologies Security & Defence.  The Uruguayan ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  EMB-312 Tucano

  The EMB-312 Tucano (Brazilian designation T-27) is a trainer and light attack aircraft developed by Embraer to meet the training requirements of the Brazilian Air ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  TPTS

  Tactical Procedures Training Simulators (TPTS), operating with SWARM software, can be used to provide most core training elements to pilots or offload training tasks from ...

• Guided munitions

  SMKB (Smart-MK-Bomb)

  The Smart-MK-Bomb, or the SMKB, is a precision guidance kit developed by Mectron and designed to turn Mk 82 and Mk 83 bombs into guided munitions.

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Albatroz Vortex

  The Albatroz Vortex from Stella Tecnologia is a development of the company's Albatroz UAV.  The key differentiator is that the Vortex is fitted with an ATJR ...

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

  Condor

  The Condor, or Atobá XR, is an in-development MALE-class UAV from Stella Technologia.  The development of the multi-role is tied to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), which has ...

• Trainer, Transport

  EMB-121 Xingu

  The EMB-121 Xingu is a twin-turboprop light transport and advanced multi-engine trainer aircraft developed by Embraer based on the EMB-110 Bandeirante. Its maiden flight was ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Arkhe Mission & Combat

  Launched in 2017, Atech's Arkhe Mission & Combat solutions offer a variety of solutions enabling operator to conduct missions from planning to execution and debriefing. It ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390/C-390 Millennium

  The KC-390 is a high-wing, twin-turbofan, T-tail design intended to meet the needs of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) for a tanker/transport aircraft. Developed and ...

• Fighter - air superiority

  F-5E/F Tiger II

  The F-5E (single-seat)/F (twin-seat) Tiger II is an air superiority fighter developed by Northrop Grumman based on the original F-5 Freedom Fighter. Production of the ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M

  The medium-weight, 11t-class H225M (formerly known as the EC725) is the latest military Super Puma/Cougar family member.  Technical features include a modular design of mechanical ...

• EO/IR systems

  Skyward

  The SkyWard system is an advanced Infrared Search and Track (IRST) solution developed for next-generation airborne platforms, including 5th-generation fighter aircraft.  Designed with modularity in ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Saber M60

  The Saber M60 is a low-altitude air-defence radar developed by the Brazilian Army's CTEx (Army Technology Centre) in collaboration with Bradar, part of Embraer Defence ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  RBS 70 system

  The RBS 70 was developed in the 1970s to meet the Swedish Army’s requirement for a low-cost, easy-to-use MANPADS which could function in extreme climatic ...