• Digital Battlespace

  AOC 2018: Threats shape EMSO

  29th November 2018

  The field of Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (EMSO) has become more complex in the past 20 years with changing threats which pilots and others need to …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2018: Marathon longevity for robotic targets

  27th November 2018

  Marathon Targets' autonomous robot targets are continuing to provide service to warfighters in live training environments more than a decade after their entry into the …

• Military Logistics

  USAF selects bases for B-21 Raider support

  21st November 2018

  The US Air Force has announced the air force bases that will provide testing and maintenance support for the B-21 Raider advanced bomber. Tinker Air …

• Defence Notes

  Lockheed bullish about F-16 delivery rate

  19th November 2018

  Further to a $1.2 billion deal between the US and the Royal Bahraini Air Force (RBAF) for 16 F-16 Block 70s aircraft; deliveries of these …

• Digital Battlespace

  AOC 2018: Lockheed's eyes set on digi over analogue contract

  27th November 2018

  Lockheed Martin this month successfully completed a system requirement review of the digital AN/ALQ-217 ESM system. The company is targeting an EMD contract in 2022 which …

• Digital Battlespace

  AOC 2018: Harris ready for ‘software defined’ EW era

  21st November 2018

  Electronic systems manufacturer Harris Corporation is set on embedding more powerful software to its existing technology portfolio in order to counter emerging airborne threats. The …

• Military Logistics

  USAF looks to expeditionary airfield lighting

  15th November 2018

  USAF is looking toward ‘next generation’ lighting capabilities to help establish future expeditionary airfields. Service interest in the capabilities was outlined in a recent ‘sources …

• Digital Battlespace

  Rockwell to deliver DIGAR to USAF

  15th November 2018

  Rockwell Collins has been selected by the US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center to provide its Digital GPS Anti-Jam Receiver (DIGAR) for airborne platforms, …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2018: USAF joins Red Flag Alaska from Japan

  19th November 2018

  Another milestone has recently been reached on the road to achieving a total I-LVC training environment, when for the first time two F-16 simulators from …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF orders Mini Crypto devices

  13th November 2018

  Viasat has received a low rate initial production order from the US Air Force to provide 1,000 National Security Agency-certified Mini Crypto devices. Viasat's Mini …

• Defence Notes

  Saab forecasts sales increase despite orders' dip

  15th November 2018

  Saab is confident its contribution to major defence programmes and its associated order potential will lead to the company delivering a 5% increase in sales …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australia selects MQ-9 Reaper

  16th November 2018

  The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9 Reaper has been selected for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) under Project Air 7003 Phase 1, Minister …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF prepares to counter international satellite threats

  7th November 2018

  The USAF Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) will attempt to out-muscle adversaries that have been ‘outpacing’ American space and SATCOM programmes, through a newly-designed …

• Training

  MILO Range Training Systems receives new orders

  29th October 2018

  Arotech's MILO Range Training Systems has received new awards totalling $2.5 million from the US Air Force (USAF). The ordered systems include the MILO Range Theater …

• Defence Helicopter

  Indo Defence 2018: Delivering the goods (Insight)

  31st October 2018

  Six years after placing an order for eight Boeing AH-64E Apaches in September 2012, the Indonesian Army received its final aircraft this year. The first …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9A Reaper [USAF]

  Background First order Following a development that began in 1998, in October 2002, the USAF ordered the first four MQ-9s of the production series. In ...

• Military UAS - mini

  RQ-20B Puma [USAF]

  Background Requirement According to Trace Stevenson, the AeroVironment (AV) Vice President and product line general manager, the USAF Security Forces required a small UAV to ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (USAF) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Baclground As of November 2020, the US DoD had signed 14 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) (Increment 1) [USAF]

  Background Requirements The programme’s requirements are based on the USAF’s belief that mass is necessary to compete effectively against an adversary in symmetrical warfare. However, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  Background In 2010, the USAF announced the replacement of the HH-60G with a new Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH), and in 2012, the request for proposals ...

• AEW&C

  E-7A Wedgetail (1-2) [USA]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that this entry covers the two rapid-prototype E-7 aircraft, whose contract was signed in August 2024. A second programme entry covers the ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-Y tanker aircraft [USA]

  Programme Background The USAF is replacing its fleet of 396 KC-135 Stratotanker refuelling aircraft, built in the 1950s and 60s, and 59 KC-10 Extenders, which entered service ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15EX (2025-2026) [USA]

  Methodology Units required Based off the FY2027 USAF budget request, between FY2025 and FY2026, the U.S. Air Force received funding for 40 F-15EX platforms. Congress ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-46A (USA)

  Programme Background The first five Low Rate Initial Production lots were contracted for a total of 67 aircraft for $10.94 billion. The initial contract signed ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-46A Add-On [USA]

  Background In July 2025, the former Chief of Staff for the US Air Force (USAF) Gen David Allvin confirmed that the USAF has authorised the procurement of ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  US Air Force Air Base Defence Missile Defence [US]

  Background The US Air Force's (USAF) Air Base Air Defence Missile Defence (ABAD MD) programme is part of the Air Force Physical Security System and sits ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  MH-139 (UH-1N Huey Replacement)

  Background  Competing bids In competition with the Boeing/Leonardo bid was Sikorsky with a HH-60U offer, and Sierra Nevada with an upgrading offer of UH-60As to ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (USAF) (Batch 2) [USA]

  Background According to the FY2021 USAF budget request documents, the USAF procured 103 JLTVs in FY2019, 146 in FY2020 and 142 in FY2021. In 2023, ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  Next-Generation Air-Refueling System (NGAS) [USA]

  Background The U.S. Air Force originally planned the KC-Y programme as a follow-on acquisition of an estimated 179 tankers to bridge the gap between the delayed ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-37A [USA]

  Programme Background The USAF was using C-20B transport aircraft, variant of civilian Gulfstream III, to provide worldwide airlift for DoD and government officials. With the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - HALE

  EX-3 Revenant

  The EX-3 Revenant is a developmental fixed-wing aircraft being developed by Exosonic. It is a Mach 1.2 supersonic UAV designed to be a 5th-generation representative, modular, autonomous ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Next Generation Survivor Radio

  The Next Generation Survivor Radio (NGSR) is a software-defined radio being developed by General Dynamics Mission Systems. It is expected to enter into service after June 2026.

• Air: aerial targets

  QF-16 FSAT

  The QF-16 Full Scale Aerial Target (FSAT) is an optionally piloted supersonic aerial target developed to replace the QF-4 in USAF service. Retired F-16 fighters are ...

• Major networking projects

  C2 ConstellationNet

  According to David Tillotson, director of C4ISR architecture AF/XI, in a report to Congress: 'The ConstellationNet is the communications network – air, space and terrestrial ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  USAF KC-135 ATS

  The KC-135 Aircrew Training System (ATS) programme delivers initial qualification, requalification, continuation and upgrades training for USAF KC-135 aircrews, including pilots, co-pilots and boom operators. ...

• Major networking projects

  DCGS 10.2 Upgrade

  Raytheon’s Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) Block 10.2 upgrade allows intelligence data to be posted to the network for immediate use by analysts and warfighters, ...

• Military UAS - mini

  SPX

  The SPX drone is a fixed-wing UAV manufactured by RapidFlight. It features a modular payload bay and is fitted with RapidFlight’s Common Avionics 2.0 modular interface. ...

• Combat Search and Rescue

  HC-130P/N

  HC-130P/N is a SAR aircraft developed as extended-range version of C-130 Hercules transport airframe to execute all weather personnel recovery operations from austere airfields and ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-10 Extender

  The KC-10 Extender is a tanker/transport aircraft developed for the USAF by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). It was derived from the company’s three-engine ...

• EW test systems

  JTE

  The Joint Threat Emitter (JTE) is a multi-threat, high-fidelity simulator with realistic ERP levels, which simulates single- and double-digit surface-to-air and anti-aircraft artillery radar systems. ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  R-HUD

  The Replacement Heads-Up Display (R-HUD) is a Primary Flight Reference system designed to replace legacy HUD units on C-17 aircraft. Manufactured by Elbit Systems of ...

• Air: mission management systems

  Flat Panel Control Indicator

  BAE Systems Flat Panel Control Indicator (FPCI) is designed to replace legacy Navigation Control Indicators in F-15C/D aircraft. It features a new AMLCD display and ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Wasp III

  Produced from 2007 until 2012, the Wasp III was a hand-launched UAV produced by AeroVironment. The platform was powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and featured two camera ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk

  The Global Hawk is a HALE UAV manufactured by Northrop Grumman. Primarily designed to carry ISTAR payloads, the platform has accumulated more than 200,000 flight hours ...

• Bomber

  B-2 Spirit

  The B-2 Spirit is a multirole stealth bomber manufactured by Northrop Grumman for the USAF. The Spirit is a flying wing aircraft, meaning that it ...