• Uncrewed Vehicles

  New threat, new solutions - anti-UAS systems

  25th August 2016

  As DARPA moves to announce an RfI on the development of counter-UAS systems, attention is ever more fixated on the struggle to prevent access to …

• Defence Notes

  Thales pulls up stakes in Hanwha

  16th August 2016

  Hanwha Techwin will take over Thales’ 50% stake in the Hanwha Thales joint venture, according to a filing to the Korea Exchange on 29 July. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Between a rock and a hard place

  10th August 2016

  In the face of domestic insurgency and an increasingly belligerent China, updating or replacing military helicopter fleets in the Philippines has become a matter of …

• Defence Helicopter

  India to upgrade dilapidated Ka-28s

  2nd August 2016

  India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a contract with Rosoboronexport on 29 July to upgrade ten of its Kamov Ka-28 helicopters, of which only four …

• Defence Helicopter

  UK gets final upgraded Merlin Mk2

  1st August 2016

  The UK Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) Merlin Capability Sustainment Programme (MCSP) has marked a significant milestone with the handover of the final upgraded Merlin Mk2 …

• Land Warfare

  Night-vision advances for US armour

  29th July 2016

  The US Army is looking to enhance the ‘eyes’ of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle and M1 Abrams tank with high-definition infrared technology that will allow …

• Naval Warfare

  Philippines awaits new cutter and frigates

  26th July 2016

  Documents were signed at Coast Guard Base Alameda, California on 21 July to hand over a decommissioned Hamilton-class cutter to the Philippine Navy (PN).  Boutwell …

• Training

  Farnborough 2016: Cubic pushes live but looks to LVC

  8th July 2016

  Cubic Global Defense will be using this year’s Farnborough International Airshow to highlight its capabilities in the live combat air training environment that has, at …

• Digital Battlespace

  Japan to receive Leonardo SIT-422/5J

  14th July 2016

  Leonardo-Finmeccanica is to supply its SIT-422/5J interrogator to the Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) under a deal announced on 12 July. The SIT-422/5J will …

• Defence Helicopter

  Farnborough 2016: AW149 is now a butterfly with sting

  13th July 2016

  Leonardo Helicopters is debuting an armed configured variant of its AW149 multirole military helicopter at the Farnborough International Airshow FIA (FIA 2016). James Wang, senior VP of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Farnborough 2016: Evo selected in Middle East

  13th July 2016

  The Falco Evo has been selected by two countries in the Middle East, including one Arab Gulf state, both of which already operate the legacy …

• Defence Helicopter

  Farnborough 2016: Combat to support Apache begins

  11th July 2016

  With the UK Ministry of Defence confirming it is buying new AH-64E Apaches essentially off-the-shelf from Boeing, its domestic defence industry is now scrambling to …

• Training

  Farnborough 2016: Leonardo unveils dual-role M-346 (video)

  11th July 2016

  Newly re-branded aerospace manufacturer Leonardo has unveiled a dual-role variant of its M-346 trainer aircraft at the Farnborough Airshow, which can be used for both …

• Defence Helicopter

  Farnborough 2016: T129 nears full weaponisation

  13th July 2016

  The Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) T129 ATAK attack helicopter is expected to be fully weaponised by the end of the year after final qualification tests …

• Training

  Farnborough 2016: T-X – more than just the aircraft

  13th July 2016

  The US Air Force T-X programme, the replacement of the venerable T-38 advanced training aircraft, is a major target for four international consortia. Raytheon has …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 3A [Kuwait]

  Programme Background The capability packages granted to Kuwait will include the integration of Storm Shadow and Brimstone and other air-to-surface weapons, the integration of a ...

• LRSS

  Programme Background The LRSS programme will meet the Canadian Army's need for a long-range on-the-move digital surveillance system mounted on the LAV 6.0 8x8 armoured ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  MH-139 (UH-1N Huey Replacement)

  Other bidders included Sikorsky with HH-60U offer and Sierra Nevada with upgrading offer of UH-60As to UH-60L configuration.In February 2018, Leonardo filed a protest to ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-73 Advanced Helicopter Training System - AHTS (TH-57 Replacement)

  Contenders for the competition included the Leonardo single engine TH-119 – a military variant of the AW119Kx – and Bell’s newly upgraded single engine 407GXi. ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW189 - Egypt

  Leonardo and Egypt have never officially confirmed the order and it was not mentioned by the manufacturer when it released full-year FY2019 financial results in ...

• Light attack

  M-346 Procurement (1-24) [Nigeria]

  Programme Background On 9 December 2023, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Chief of Air Staff Marshal Amao said the country expects delivery of 54 new ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  SW4 Puszczyk Replacement [Poland]

  Programme Background  In 2002, Poland order 47 SW4 training helicopters from Italian manufacturer Leonardo; as of Spring 2025, the Ministry of Defence is looking to ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Maritime Operations Helicopters

  The three maritime operations helicopters will be used for logistics and personnel transport, alongside transportation of PASKAL naval special forces in operations in the area. ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Project Proteus [UK]

  Project Proteus is an RN and Leonardo effort to design and develop an uncrewed helicopter demonstrator that could provide an innovative alternative to existing crewed ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Project Proteus [UK]

  Project Proteus is an RN and Leonardo effort to design and develop an uncrewed helicopter demonstrator that could provide an innovative alternative to existing crewed ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  New Exploration and Escort Helicopter (NEES) (Phase II) [Italy]

  Programme Background Phase I In 2017, the Italian government signed a contract with Leonardo to replace its fleet of AW129 Mangusta attack helicopters with the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme [Italy]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that the Italian, British and Japanese components of GCAP are tracked in separate entries. Programme Timeline 2019: In September 2019, the UK and Italian ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 TTH Qatar

  The NH90 helicopter programme is managed by NH Industries, a joint-venture owned by Airbus Helicopters (62.5%), Leonardo (32%), and Fokker (5.5%). In September 2019, Qatar ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AW139 [Greece]

  Programme Background Reportedly, during a December 2023 meeting of the Greek Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) proposed the purchase of 14 ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AW139M (1-7) [Algeria]

  Programme Background In 2016, Leonardo partnered with the Algerian National Defence Ministry to establish a second international production line for AW139 helicopters. By March 2025, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  IVCS

  The Integrated Voice Communications System (IVCS) is a shipboard communications system that combines naval telephones and intercom equipment into one system. It consists of terminals, ...

• Land: battle management systems

  MFoCS

  Mounted Family of Computing Systems (MFoCS) is a modular family which is designed to integrate existing FBCB2, future JBC-P and WIN-T capability into a modular ...

• 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 ...

• EO/IR systems

  Arrowhead M-TADS/PNVS IR Receivers

  The DRS provides the integrated forward-looking-IR receivers for the Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight (M-TADS) and the Modernized Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-PNVS) for Lockheed ...

• Data links

  JTT-NG

  The Joint Tactical Terminal - Next Generation (JTT-NG) is a small form factor Integrated Broadcast Service (IBS) transceiver produced by Leonardo DRS. It provides situational ...

• Data links

  Joint Tactical Terminal

  Leonardo's Joint Tactical Terminal (JTT) family of products provides Integrated Broadcast Service (IBS) capability to air, land and naval platforms. According to the manufacturer, over 1,200 ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  Multi-Mission Hemispheric Radar

  RADA’s Multi-Mission Hemispheric Radars (MHR) are S-band, software-defined, pulse-Doppler AESA radars. The radars have beam-forming capabilities and advanced signal processing, which can provide for various ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - MLDS, Air: Defensive Systems - Laser Warning Receivers

  LIMWS

  BAE Systems is leading the US Army’s Limited Interim Missile Warning System (LIMWS) initiative. This is intended to enhance the missile protection provided to US ...

• Land: RWS

  RIwP

  The Reconfigurable Integrated-weapons Platform (RIwP) is a modular remote weapons station designed by Moog to counter a wide spectrum of threats ranging from enemy infantry ...

• Land: NVGs

  Leonardo DRS ENVG III/FWS-I

  The US Army has selected industry teams to meet its Enhanced Night Vision Goggle III and Family of Weapon Sight-Individual (ENVG III/FWS-I) programme goals of ...

• TCTS Inc-II

  Collins Aerospace (formerly Rockwell Collins) and Leonardo DRS have been selected by the USN to supply an encrypted, next-generation tactical training system for its Tactical ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Joint Battle Command - Platform

  Joint Battle Command - Platform (JBC-P) is a networked mission command information system designed for the US Army and USMC. It can provide real-time blue ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  AN/SPQ-9B

  The AN/SPQ-9B is a multi-purpose naval surface search and fire control radar manufactured by Northrop Grumman. It is a TWS system and detects sea-skimming missiles on the ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems, Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  SI-8649A/PF PicoFlexor Transceiver

  The PicoFlexor Transceiver is a miniature tactical software-defined radio (SDR) platform manufactured by Leonardo DRS. It integrates a transmitter with a high-performance SIGINT superheterodyne receiver in ...

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  Initial Maneuver - SHORAD

  Unveiled at AUSA 2019, Initial Maneuver Short Range Air Defense (IM-SHORAD) is a multipurpose platform, based on the Stryker IFV, which moves and maneuvers in ...