• Training

  Pitfalls remain with giving Ukraine modern fighter jets

  11th May 2022

  It seems appealing to fast-track pilot training by conducting most flights on simulators and omitting certain procedures if the West were to give more modern aircraft for Ukraine’s air force, but it might prove challenging in practice.

• Defence Notes

  RUAG sells Australian subsidiary to ASDAM

  1st April 2022

  The latest divestment of a RUAG defence business aligns with the Swiss group’s strategy of focusing on the space domain and also dovetails with Australian aims to improve sovereign industrial capabilities.

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems to supply FMS Apache fleet with EW kit

  7th April 2022

  US Army brokers deal for BAE Systems to provide its Common Missile Warning System for a fleet of Apache attack helicopters.

• Air Warfare

  India to adopt JDAM ER for Tejas

  7th April 2022

  India will buy JDAM ER bomb kits from the US for the first time.

• Air Warfare

  Sweden contracts Saab for continued Gripen C/D support

  12th April 2022

  Saab has received another order from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration to keep its Gripen C/Ds in service until 2035.

• Defence Notes

  Turkish stance on expansion raises thorny issues for NATO (Opinion)

  8th June 2022

  With Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan putting national interests first in stating his objections, is there still a path for NATO to welcome two new members in Finland and Sweden?

• Naval Warfare

  USN offers three paths forward for future fleet

  28th April 2022

  At the high end, the USN’s plans could deliver a fleet of 367 vessels by 2032; however, the lowest alternative would only provide a fleet of 316 ships and submarines.

• Naval Warfare

  BAE Systems: Australian Hunters are ‘progressing very well’

  25th May 2022

  Flurries of criticism about Australia's future frigates have been growing in intensity, but BAE Systems has come out of its corner to counter the narrative.

• Air Warfare

  Romanian air defence weakened by groundings after Lancer and Puma crashes

  3rd March 2022

  Almost 60% of the Romanian fixed-wing combat aircraft fleet is grounded pending an investigation into the fatal crash of a MiG-21 Lancer on 2 March.

• Air Warfare

  Suspected collapse of Su-35 deal sees US agree Egyptian F-15 order

  18th March 2022

  Egypt looks set to acquire F-15 Advanced Eagle fighter jets as the Su-35 may be out of the picture.

• Land Warfare

  Philippine engineers receive mine detection vehicles

  13th April 2022

  The Philippines has received its first ever mine detection vehicles, but handheld mine detectors are proving more elusive.

• Land Warfare

  USMC orders more full-rate production ACVs

  28th March 2022

  BAE Systems Land & Armaments will produce 36 more ACVs for the USMC.

• Air Warfare

  Remarkable turnaround sees Germany pick F-35 and Eurofighter ECR

  15th March 2022

  Germany has decided it will buy both the F-35 and a Eurofighter electronic combat role aircraft, defying a proposal from the last government.

• Air Warfare

  China tests ‘mystery’ helicopter type, inducts Russian-built Mi-171s

  9th May 2022

  China claims first flight of 'innovative' new helicopter design, hinting at FVL-type technology developments for the long term. The PLA also continues to acquire Russian-built helicopters, with a recently disclosed order for the Mi-171Sh.

• Naval Warfare

  Mazagon launches final Kalvari submarine, explores XLUUVs

  21st April 2022

  The final Scorpene submarine for the Indian Navy has been launched, while the same shipyard is seeking partners for an XLUUV design.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  F-5E/F Adversary Trainer US Navy

  The F-5N is a single seat, dual engine supersonic land based fighter. It is designed to a service life of 9000 flight hours. The aircraft ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  On 12 April 2024, General João Cartaxo Alves, the Chief of Staff of the Portugese Air Force, revealed that Portugal would replace its fleet of F-16A/B ...

• Data links

  Data links | F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  On 12 April 2024, General João Cartaxo Alves, the Chief of Staff of the Portugese Air Force, revealed that Portugal would replace its fleet of F-16A/B ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  On 12 April 2024, General João Cartaxo Alves, the Chief of Staff of the Portugese Air Force, revealed that Portugal would replace its fleet of F-16A/B ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  On 12 April 2024, General João Cartaxo Alves, the Chief of Staff of the Portugese Air Force, revealed that Portugal would replace its fleet of F-16A/B ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  On 12 April 2024, General João Cartaxo Alves, the Chief of Staff of the Portugese Air Force, revealed that Portugal would replace its fleet of F-16A/B ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  Programme Background At the Portuguese National Defense Conference on April 22, 2025, General João Cartaxo Alves reaffirmed that the F-35A remains the sole viable successor ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Hawk Mk 165 Advanced Jet Trainer- Saudi Arabia

  The fleet will be used to train Saudi pilots before they transition to the Eurofighter Typhoon and F-15 in service with RSAF.  Under the Saudi-British Defence Cooperation Programme, ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Next Generation Fighter Aircraft (Vietnam)

  Programme Background Requirement The Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) operates an ageing fleet of Su-22 aircraft as well as Su-27s and Su-30s. According to expert commentary, ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) [Japan]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that GCAP's Japanese, British and Italian components are tracked in separate entries. Programme Timeline 2020: The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency of Japan issued ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement Turkish Air Force ordered 100 F-35A aircraft as a partner nation, however, the country was removed from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement Originally conceived as a replacement for the F-22, the PCA was designed to counter various air threats, including integrated air defence systems ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey (USN)

  Programme Background Requirement According to USN FY2023 Budget Estimate documentation, the V-22 programme provides an aircraft to meet the amphibious and vertical assault needs of ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Phoenix Ghost (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (21 April 2022) Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, on 21 April 2022, President Biden announced an $800 ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey [Japan]

  Programme Background Procurement Contracts The Japanese government is the first export customer of the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey, having ordered 17 helicopters from the US across ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: air combat simulators

  Air Combat Training

  Boeing has experience in delivering training for fixed-wing air combat platforms including F-15C/E, F-16, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G, F-22 and MV/CV-22.

• Training Services

  Boeing’s training systems and services provide a full range of training activities, including mission planning systems; aircrew and maintenance training devices; training centres; and training ...

• Fighter - air superiority

  F-22A Raptor

  F-22A Raptor is a fifth-generation stealth air superiority fighter with air-to-ground attack capability. It was developed by Lockheed Martin to meet the requirement of the USAF ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Collective Training

  Boeing has delivered and operates three USAF F-15C Mission Training Centers (MTCs), three F-15E MTCs and three F-16 MTCs. The F-22 platform was added into ...

• Subsystems: hardware

  Flight Simulation Products

  Bugeye Technologies (BT) manufactures simulated-grade flight grips, controls and avionic displays for fixed-wing, rotary-wing and unmanned crafts. BT's full line of products includes replicated control ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  DACTS

  The DRS Air Combat Training System (DACTS) has been delivered to military customers worldwide. Customised versions have supported coalition training for the US government and ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-77

  The AN/APG-77 is a low-probability-of-intercept fire control radar for the F-22 Raptor. It is designed to significantly improve capability in air-to-air combat, allowing the pilot ...

• Air: chaff, flare and decoy systems

  IRCM Flares

  Kilgore develops and manufactures a range of airborne IR decoy flares. These are compatible with most available dispenser systems. Standard flare products manufactured include: MJU-7A/B, ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-81

  AN/APG-81 is operating in the X-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar designed by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems for the F-35 “Lightning” all-weather ...

• EW test systems

  CRIIS

  The Common Range Integrated Instrumentation System (CRIIS) provides time, space and position information (TSPI) as well as systems evaluation data to support testing for a ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-83 SABR

  The AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) is an active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar being developed by Northrop Grumman using its own ...

• Data links

  Multifunction Advanced Data Link

  Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) is a Ku-band data link designed for fifth-generation aircraft. The directional, interflight system is integrated into all F-35 variants, allowing ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  25mm PGU-48/B

  The 25mm PGU-48/B is a medium-calibre armour-penetrating round manufactured by American Rheinmetall. The US Air Force uses the PGU-48/B with its F-35 aircraft.

• Fixed wing aircraft engines

  F100-PW-229

  The F100 family of engines, selected by 23 air forces globally, power all of the USAF's F-15 Eagles and a substantial proportion of the global ...

• Subsystems: visual

  SpectraView Front Projection Display System

  Designed to support a variety of training requirements, SpectraView systems provide cost-effective, scalable and flexible options for single, tandem and side-by-side seating configurations. Standard and ...