• Defence Notes

  Combat air set to play the fall guy in UK defence review

  6th March 2020

  As high-profile budget difficulties tie the UK government to making tough, long-term procurement decisions across air, land and sea domains, the RAF’s combat air plans …

• Air Warfare

  Collins Aerospace & Lockheed Martin complete U-2 Dragon Lady sensor upgrades

  18th February 2020

  Collins Aerospace and Lockheed Martin completed flight testing of an upgraded Senior Year EO Reconnaissance System (SYERS) sensor on the US Army’s U-2 fixed-wing aircraft. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  France's DGA tests nEUROn in operational contexts

  24th February 2020

  The French DGA has completed a new flight test campaign of the nEUROn stealth combat drone technology demonstrator. Carried out in cooperation with Dassault Aviation, …

• Training

  VT MAK updates VR software

  11th March 2020

  MAK Technologies (also known as VT MAK) has released two new software updates for its VR-Forces and VR-Engage products, after the company won two major contracts. VR-Forces is a …

• Naval Warfare

  Lockheed Martin to make more USN Trident II D5 missiles

  20th March 2020

  The USN on 19 March awarded Lockheed Martin a $601.33 million contract modification to produce Trident II D5 ballistic missiles and support deployed systems. Lockheed …

• Naval Warfare

  FFG(X) programme fails to adhere to sustainment guidance

  26th March 2020

  The USN’s FFG(X) programme could suffer the same sustainment cost overruns during the service lifetime of the type as has been found for previous classes of warships, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sea Venom design delay raises Wildcat capability questions

  5th March 2020

  The anti-ship weapons capabilities of the RN AW159 Wildcat have been dealt a blow with confirmation that the new MBDA Sea Venom missile has suffered from design …

• Land Warfare

  Turkey to deploy S-400 next month

  6th March 2020

  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed that Turkey will begin deploying the S-400 air missile defence system from April 2020. His comments were made during …

• Air Warfare

  Airbus to temporarily suspend non-essential activity

  30th March 2020

  Airbus has suspended most activities across its Commercial, Defence & Aerospace and Helicopters divisions in Spain until 9 April. Security, IT and engineering support will …

• Land Warfare

  India’s small-arms shopping spree slowly revs up

  28th February 2020

  The Indian Army is edging closer in its quest for modern infantry small arms to replace an ageing inventory of more than 40 weapon types. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Ivory Coast loses another Mi-24

  23rd March 2020

  The Ivory Coast has lost its second Russian-made Mi-24 attack helicopter aircraft after it crashed at Felix Houphouet Boigny Airport near the capital, Abidjan. The …

• Naval Warfare

  USN shines a light on laser incident in Pacific

  2nd March 2020

  The US Navy claimed on 28 February that one of its maritime patrol aircraft has been targeted by a laser fired from a Chinese destroyer. …

• Defence Notes

  Industry at odds on Canada’s Future Fighter delay

  28th February 2020

  Two of the three industry competitors involved in Canada’s Future Fighter Capability Project (FFCP) have said they did not ask decision-makers for an RfP submission …

• Training

  Inzpire delivers in Estonia

  24th March 2020

  Following two EW courses previously delivered on behalf of the European Defence Agency, UK-based Inzpire has just completed a further two-week EW course held at …

• Air Warfare

  Nigeria to take delivery of JF-17 Thunder aircraft

  19th February 2020

  Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), confirmed on 15 February that the air force will receive an …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Latvia]

  Programme Background In August 2018, the Latvian government approved the acquisition of four UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters. The UH-60Ms are intended for both military and ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Light Attack/Trainer Aircraft - Ghana

  In 2013, the Chief of Ghana Air Force stated that A-29 is their preferred platform and this position was also submitted to the Government. In ...

• Transport

  C-130J - USAF

  Programme Background The C-130J Super Hercules is a four-engine turboprop transport aircraft developed by Lockheed Martin to replace aging C-130 variants. The US and FMS ...

• Trainer

  PC-21 [France]

  Programme  Background The French Air and Space Force has chosen Dassault Aviation and Babcock to provide between nine and 13 Pilatus PC-21 aircraft for Phase ...

• Bomber

  B-21 Raider (USA)

  Programme Background The US DoD is developing a new long-range bomber called the B-21 Raider, previously known as LRS-B. At least 100 units are expected ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-2E Replacement - Greece

  The average unit cost is estimated to be around $12 million based on the Czech Republic's $48.5 million deal for the purchase of four L-39NG ...

• Trainer

  Trainer Aircraft (1-12) [Vietnam]

  Programme Background After years of operating Russian-built military equipment, Vietnam is more willing to procure US-supplied equipment following the lifting of the arms embargo in ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawks [Greece]

  Programme Background In October 2023, Greece submitted a formal request to acquire 49 Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters as replacements for the Army's Bell UH-1s after launching ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 (Jordan)

  Programme Background Requirement The Jordanian Air Force has a requirement for training helicopters that are to be used in the King Hussein Air College. The country ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Huey II

  The last announced contract, valuing at $19 million, was awarded to Bell by US Army to supply Lebanon Air Force with there furnished Huey IIs ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA)

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA)

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

• Data links

  Data links | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA)

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA)

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA)

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: EO/IR – Jamming Systems

  AN/AAQ-45

  Leonardo’s AN/AAQ-45 Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasures is designed to equip rotorcraft. The system is being installed on Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk medium-lift utility helicopters used ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  J/ALQ-8

  Like Israel, Japan elected to outfit its McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F-15J/DJ combat aircraft with an indigenous self-protection system. This takes the form of Mitsubishi Electric’s J/ALQ-8 ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  FAB-T Force Element Terminal

  The Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals - Force Element Terminal (FAB-T FET) is a nuclear-hardened SATCOM solution designed for airborne applications. Produced by Raytheon, ...

• 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.

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  25mm PGU-23/U

  The 25mm PGU-23/U is a medium-calibre training round manufactured by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems. The US Air Force utilises it with its AC-130 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 ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Warrior Systems

  General Dynamics Mission Systems is prime contractor and system integrator for the US Army’s Warrior soldier systems, which include Air Warrior, Future Force Warrior, Land Warrior ...

• Air: mission management systems

  TBMCS

  Theater Battle Management Core Systems (TBMCS) is a US joint C2 integrated BMS used to plan and execute air campaigns in theatres of operations worldwide. ...

• Trainer

  King Air trainer

  Textron / Beechcraft King Air trainers are a family twin-engine aircraft based on King Air 90, 100, 200 and 350 utility aircraft. The King Air ...

• Trainer

  T-6A/B Texan II

  The T-6 Texan II is a single-engine trainer aircraft, which was developed from the Pilatus PC-9 to meet the training requirements of USAF and USN ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  30mm PGU-13B High Explosive Incendiary

  The 30mm 30mm PGU-13B High Explosive Incendiary (HEI) is a medium-calibre munition manufactured by Northrop Grumman. The US Air Force uses the PGU-13B HEI with ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-4 Phantom II family

  The F-4 Phantom II is a two-seat multirole fighter developed originally by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) to meet USN interceptor requirements. It soon became a unified ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: UAS radar

  Lynx

  The Lynx (AN/APY-8) is a synthetic aperture radar manufactured by General Atomics. It is designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance for manned and unmanned aircraft. According to ...

• 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: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/ALQ-213(V) DAC

  Terma’s AN/ALQ-213(V) electronic warfare management unit is used extensively on General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon series combat aircraft around the world. The AN/ALQ-213(V) is ...