• Defence Notes

  China intimidates Philippine reconstruction on Thitu Island

  8th February 2019

  The Philippines has been constructing a new beaching ramp on Thitu Island in the South China Sea, a move that has drawn firm resistance from …

• Defence Notes

  Singapore picks US F-35 fighter jet over Europe, China rivals

  18th January 2019

  Singapore has chosen the F-35 warplane to replace its ageing fighter jets, opting for the US aircraft over European and Chinese models, the defence ministry …

• Air Warfare

  Saab makes statement of intent on Tempest

  15th February 2019

  Saab is not ruling out potential involvement in major European future combat jet programmes with the company strongly hinting that it favours the British-led Tempest …

• Digital Battlespace

  IDEX 2019: Hensoldt to show new sensor solutions

  15th February 2019

  Hensoldt is set to appear at 2019’s International Defence Exhibition (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi to present its new PrecISR airborne multifunction radar, in addition to …

• Digital Battlespace

  EASA ETSO approval for Curtiss-Wright Fortress recorders

  19th February 2019

  Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions has received European Technical Standard Order (ETSO) approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for its Fortress family of flight data …

• Defence Notes

  Raytheon’s JPALS flies in desert demo for US military

  23rd January 2019

  Raytheon’s Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) has been demonstrated to US services in Yuma, Arizona on 16 January, Shephard has learnt. The trial flight …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Aero India 2019: IAI displays new loitering munition

  21st February 2019

  Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Mini Harpy has made its international debut at Aero India 2019 in Bengaluru,  and the company has said that there is …

• Defence Notes

  Singapore hedges its bets with F-35 decision

  22nd January 2019

  Catching few by surprise, Singapore’s Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen announced in a terse statement on 18 January that his country had identified the F-35 …

• Defence Helicopter

  West 2019: Marines highlight MV-22B enhancements

  18th February 2019

  The United States Marine Corps aviation community utilised last week’s West 2019 gathering in San Diego, California to highlight some of the new software and …

• Naval Warfare

  Myanmar announces coast guard plans

  4th February 2019

  The Myanmar government has announced that it will create a coast guard to help monitor the nation’s 2,080km-long coastline and to protect the country’s EEZ. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Serbia purchases Mi-35Ms and Mi-17V-5s

  18th January 2019

  Russia has received an order to supply seven Mi-35 and three Mi-17V-5 helicopters to Serbia, with delivery planned for completion in 2019. This agreement has …

• Defence Notes

  Indian defence budget to rise… but not by enough

  7th February 2019

  On 1 February, the Indian government announced a FY2019/20 interim defence budget amounting to INR3.019 trillion ($42.7 billion), excluding pensions, the highest ever figure in …

• Digital Battlespace

  Hensoldt radars for German corvettes

  18th February 2019

  Hensoldt will deliver its TRS-4D Rotator naval radar and MSSR 2000 ID friend-or-foe identification system (IFF) for the second batch of the German Navy’s K130 …

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2019: Hanwha’s Tigon 6x6 heads for Middle East demos

  21st February 2019

  Although South Korean Hanwha’s display centred on the gigantic tracked K9 155mm/52cal self-propelled howitzer it could be its 6x6 that is garnering attention in the …

• Military Logistics

  Raytheon to support MQ-9 Reaper sensors

  17th January 2019

  Raytheon has received a $59.2 million contract to provide contractor logistics support for sensors on the US Department of Defense's MQ-9 Reaper UAS, the company …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS 39E/F Gripen (Brazil)

  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 development ...

• 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 (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 ...

• 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 ...

• Transport

  C-130 Replacement [Greece]

  Programme Background Requirement The existing C-130 fleet of the Hellenic Air Force has faced operational readiness issues, with only one or two airframes in service at ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Undisclosed European Country]

  Background Various Contracts On 18 November 2024, Elbit Systems announced it had awarded various contacts with a combined $335 million to an undisclosed European country. ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering munitions [Brazilian Navy]

  Background Growth Acceleration Plan (PAC) As reported by Shephard, in August 2023, the Brazilian government announced plans to invest BRL 52.8 billion ($10.6 billion) in new ...

• Military helicopters - attack, Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-35M Replacement [Brazil]

  Programme Background The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) High Command sprung a surprise on 10 February 2022 when it issued a document stating that its fleet ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• EO/IR systems, Land: unattended sensor/surveillance systems, Sea: ship surveillance and fire control systems

  SHAPO

  SHAPO is a multi-sensor, gyro-stabilised observation payload. It is intended for UAVs, helicopters, light aircraft, patrol boats, aerostats, airships, armoured vehicles and masts. Sensors include a ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Simulator Support Services

  Elbit Systems provides simulator support services such as contractor logistics support, training, manuals and spare parts. The latest integrated data environment is employed for visibility ...