• Land Warfare

  GDLS to upgrade 100 more Abrams

  31st July 2018

  General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) has received a delivery order from the US Army to upgrade 100 more M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks to M1A2 …

• Naval Warfare

  USS Montgomery completes trials

  25th July 2018

  The US Navy’s Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS Montgomery has successfully completed combat system ship qualification trials, the navy announced on 17 July. During …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems delivers IFF antenna to US Navy

  30th July 2018

  BAE Systems has delivered its 150th OE-120 Identification Friend-or-Foe (IFF) antenna to the US Navy, the company announced on 25 July. The antenna will be …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Boeing plans new R&D centre in Massachusetts

  3rd August 2018

  Boeing plans to open the new Boeing Aerospace and Autonomy Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the company announced on 1 August. The agreement makes Boeing the …

• Defence Helicopter

  India’s first Apache, Chinook helicopters complete inaugural flights

  31st July 2018

  Boeing has successfully completed the first flights of AH-64E Apache and CH-47F (I) Chinook helicopters which will be delivered to India in 2019, the company …

• Naval Warfare

  USS Gerald R Ford enters post-shakedown

  26th July 2018

  The US Navy’s USS Gerald R Ford has begun (CVN 78) its post-shakedown availability/selected restricted availability (PSA/SRA) period in Newport News, Virginia, NAVSEA announced on …

• Digital Battlespace

  Systematic to enhance Danish artillery systems

  9th July 2018

  Systematic has received a contract from the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (DALO) to deliver a new fire support capability for the Danish Army’s …

• Training

  Farnborough 2018: UK looks to future ACMI system

  23rd July 2018

  The UK is making some major investments in its air combat training capabilities with programmes such as the Defence Operational Training Capability – Air (DOTC-A), …

• Naval Warfare

  Russia finally commissions Admiral Gorshkov frigate

  1st August 2018

  The long-delayed commissioning of the first ship of Project 22350 for the Russian Navy (RN) was reported on 28 July during a ceremony at Severnaya …

• Naval Warfare

  China launches two new destroyers

  6th July 2018

  The Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company in Liaoning Province simultaneously launched two Type 055 destroyers, a new class destined for the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Fourth wind tunnel test of MQ-25 completed

  2nd August 2018

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has completed the fourth wind tunnel test of its MQ-25 design, the company announced on 31 July. MQ-25 is the …

• Military Logistics

  Cobham receives pilot life support system contract

  23rd July 2018

  Cobham has received a contract from the US Navy's Office of the Secretary of Defense, Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) programme, to develop an autonomous pilot …

• Land Warfare

  Qatar increases Russian cooperation with defence purchases

  26th July 2018

  Qatar has purchased Russian-made small arms and anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and continues negotiations for the purchase of the Almaz-Antey S-400 Triumph long-range surface-to-air missile …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  GA-ASI maximising MQ-25 fuel capacity offload

  9th July 2018

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has developed an integrated fuel tank structure to maximise fuel offload for the proposed MQ-25 unmanned aerial refueling aircraft for …

• Land Warfare

  Bradley gets stereo vision system

  5th July 2018

  The US Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC), working with Honeywell Aerospace, has installed a prototype helmet‐mounted stereo vision system into a …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  OC-135B Replacement [USA]

  Programme Background The modification and Treaty Certification works include Digital Visual Imaging System kits, design and development for mission system integration (structural design, interphone communications systems, ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Light Combat Helicopter (India - Air Force)

  Programme Background Requirement India's requirement for light attack helicopters capable of operating at high altitudes became apparent during the 1999 Kargil War. Originally planned to reach ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Orlan-10 [Russian Navy]

  Background Frigate Augmentation Before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the country planned to augment its Admiral Gorshkov class frigates with indigenously developed Orlan-10 ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Light Combat Helicopter (India - Army)

  Programme Background Requirement India's requirement for light attack helicopters capable of operating at high altitudes became apparent during the 1999 Kargil War. Originally planned to reach ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munition [Switzerland]

  Background Announcement In a February 2023 interview with Swiss news outlet CH-Media, Swiss army chief Thomas Süssli stated that the country was considering acquiring loitering munitions ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  Lightweight Marine Air Defence Integrated System [US]

  Background The US Marine Corps' (USMC) Lightweight Marine Air Defence Integrated System (L-MADIS) supports deployed Marine Expeditionary Units with non-kinetic C-UAS capabilities and a shoulder-fired surface-to-air weapon for ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Shahed-171 (ANSU-200) [Venezuela]

  Background Independence Day Parade Venezuela operates the ANSU-200, a UAV with many visual similarities to the Shahed-171, which Defence Insight believes is a domestically produced ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  S-400 [India]

  Background India is modernising its air defence by procuring  S-400 LRSAM systems (Triumf Missile System), which are planned to be used by the Air Force.  The fifth system ...

• Destroyers

  Canadian Surface Combatant/River Class (1-3) [Canada]

  Background Requirements Fifteen frigates are being procured to replace the Royal Canadian Navy's 12 ageing Halifax-class frigates and the now-retired Iroquois-class destroyers with next-generation surface ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Ground Master 403 Radar [Egypt]

  Background In 2020, Egypt ordered four of France-based Thales Ground Master 403 radars, the mobile member of their GM400 radar family.  At least one of the ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

• Data links

  Data links | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Mangart 25 [Slovenia]

  Background Mangart 25 originated from a Slovenian national development project for a lightweight remotely controlled air-defence system. The development contract was signed with Valhalla Turrets ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: aerial targets

  Lakshya

  The Lakshya is an aerial target developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for training fighter pilots in air-to-air combat or ground-based air ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  StreamCaster Mini 4210

  The StreamCaster Mini 4210 (SM4210) is a single-channel data radio (SCDR) that can create MANET mesh networks. It is currently in use with the US ...

• Air: mission management systems

  FireStorm

  FireStorm is an integrated targeting and mission management system for air-to-ground operations such as close air support, ground targeting and call for fire. It is ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AW129

  The AW129 Mangusta (Mongoose, service designation) is a tandem two-seat, twin-engine attack helicopter originally developed for the Italian Army and subsequently developed into a multirole combat ...

• Air: mission management systems

  CMA-9000

  The CMA-9000  Flight and Radio Management System (FMS/RMS) is manufactured by the Canadian firm CMC Electronics. It is designed for a wide range of commercial, ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Chukar III

  The Chukar III, based on Northrop Grumman’s BQM-74E developed for the USN, is a high subsonic aerial jet target for export customers.

• Sea: weapon training, Military - USVs

  Sprite

  The Sprite is a USV developed by QinetiQ and designed for live-fire training exercises. 

• Air: aerial targets

  Banshee Whirlwind

  Originally made by Meggitt Target Systems, a company QinetiQ acquired in 2016, the Banshee is an aerial target and the first drone in the Banshee series.  ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  Badger UGV-T

  Badger is a remotely controlled, lightly armoured, all-terrain vehicle designed to exercise anti-armour combat systems. No permanent installations are required; Badger is transportable to and ...

• Sea: weapon training, Military - USVs

  Albatros-T

  The Aselsan Albatros-T is a high-speed, unmanned, surface-target boat manufactured by Aselsan. It is designed to be used as a moving target in shooting drills.

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Integrated Avionics Suite

  Northrup Grumman's Integrated Avionics Suite is an open architecture mission equipment package, which can be deployed on a number of rotorcraft platforms. It consists of ...

• Air: aerial targets

  DO-SK6

  The DO-SK6 is a modular design tow body adaptable for various functions.

• Naval: RF/IR/acoustic decoys

  Integrated Decoy System

  Rafael's integrated ship-defence decoy system features real-time decoy deployment, fixed and/or rotating launchers and a computerised decoy controller that can be integrated with a ship’s ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Integrated Combat System

  The Integrated Combat System (ICS) is a combat management system being developed for the US Navy. The project, currently led by Lockheed Martin, aims to ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Kuwait Air Force F/A-18 TOFT

  L3Harris Technologies has delivered two F/A-18C Tactical Operational Flight Trainers (TOFTs) built for the Kuwait Air Force (KAF). The high-fidelity TOFTs replace the KAF’s F/A-18 ...