• Defence Notes

  EDEX 2018: Weaponised jets proving a challenge for Egypt

  4th December 2018

  The Egyptian Air Force's fast jet fleet is being blighted by a hold-up on its desired weapon for the Dassault Rafale and the service has …

• Defence Notes

  Spain announces €7.3 billion defence spending plan

  14th December 2018

  Spain's government has given the green light for a €7.3 billion renewal of military equipment which it portrayed as ‘social spending’ that will create thousands …

• Defence Helicopter

  Safran to support Danish Arriel engines

  7th December 2018

  Safran Helicopter Engines is to support engines on the Royal Danish Air Force’s AS550 C2 Fennec helicopters, the company announced on 3 December.   Under …

• Digital Battlespace

  Russia to launch Sarmat ICBM production

  10th January 2019

  The Russian MoD is set to launch the RS-28 Sarmat super-heavy nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile (IBCM) in 2021. The first regiment of the Strategic Missile …

• Naval Warfare

  Russian Navy strengthens its littoral capabilities

  11th January 2019

  The Russian Navy commissioned two newly-built vessels for littoral operations at the end of 2018, the first being the lead Project 22800 Karakurt small missile …

• Digital Battlespace

  Japan to establish Space Monitoring Unit in 2022

  10th December 2018

  Japan’s MoD will establish a Space Monitoring Unit within the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) in FY2022, its mission to track space debris and hostile …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  RT LTA secures SkyStar 180 order in India

  2nd January 2019

  RT LTA Systems has been selected to provide its SkyStar 180 aerostat system, together with a small tactical UAS, to a state police service in …

• Defence Notes

  Russia deploys two bombers to Venezuela for exercises

  11th December 2018

  Two Russian long-range strategic bombers landed in Venezuela on 10 December for what the government said were air force exercises aimed at strengthening the defence …

• Land Warfare

  Insight: The lay of military land procurement in 2018

  28th December 2018

  Armoured vehicles, tanks and artillery pieces are creeping back to the front of modern warfare and near peer threats now dominate the security landscape many …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Insight: Industry and associations react to Gatwick drone incursion

  21st December 2018

  As Gatwick Airport begins to clear its backlog of flights caused by an unknown UAS threat earlier this week, the regulatory, legislative and security implications …

• Digital Battlespace

  Boeing delivers final upgraded AWACS to NATO

  27th December 2018

  Boeing has delivered the final E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft upgraded with avionics and a digital cockpit to NATO in Manching, Germany, …

• Defence Notes

  Kosovo tests Serbia with vote to build an army

  13th December 2018

  Kosovo will vote 14 December on whether to create its own army, in a heavily symbolic show of independence from Serbia that has inflamed tensions …

• Military Logistics

  Airbus to continue support for RAAF C-130Js

  27th December 2018

  Airbus has received an AUD$175 million contract extension to continue providing through life support (TLS) services for the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF's) fleet of …

• Land Warfare

  Slovakian military police receive new vehicles

  13th December 2018

  The Slovakian Ministry of Defence has handed over 21 new pick-up vehicles to the country's military police force. The vehicles have been procured under a …

• Training

  TH-119 performs successful first flight

  3rd January 2019

  Leonardo has successfully completed the initial flight test of the TH-119 IFR single engine training helicopter at its Philadelphia plant. The test flight included an …

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 [Chile]

  Methodology Unit cost In 2024, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired one Hermes 900 for 50 million reais ($9.14 million), giving each drone an estimated ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

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 - MALE

  Condor

  The Condor, or Atobá XR, is an in-development MALE-class UAV from Stella Technologia.  The development of the multi-role is tied to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), which has ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...