• Defence Notes

  Ireland to increase defence capital spending by more than half to $2 billion

  23rd July 2025

  Ireland has struggled to meet its defence needs in the face of historical underinvestment, current limited funding and its status as a neutral country. Flush with bonus but possibly unreliable tax receipts, the government has committed additional defence capital spending for the rest of the decade.

• Air Warfare

  US boosts missile buy with $7.8 billion in AMRAAM, JASSM and LRASM contracts

  4th August 2025

  Raytheon has been awarded a contract by the US Pentagon for Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and Lockheed Martin for Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) and Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM) munitions as global demand increases.

• Air Warfare

  Bell selected over Boeing to build DARPA SPRINT X-Plane

  11th July 2025

  The programme first began in 2023 with Bell and Boeing’s concepts progressing to Phase 1B, in which testing has been carried out over the last year.

• Air Warfare

  Union slams “self-sabotage” of UK government over Typhoon production

  8th July 2025

  The UK Ministry of Defence remains resolute that the Typhoon sits at the heart of the country’s air defence capabilities and is focused on the aircraft’s potential export orders, despite its continued focus on F-35 procurement.

• Air Warfare

  US Air Force A-10s to exit South Korea in favour of fourth- and fifth-gen fighter jets

  20th November 2024

  The US Air Force will transition away from its ageing A-10 aircraft in 2025, in favour of updating and enhancing its F-16, and introducing F-15EX and F-35 Lightning II jets in the region.

• Air Warfare

  Paris Air Show 2025: Boeing confirms “very early infancy” C-17 Globemaster III production restart discussions as European market opportunity looms

  17th June 2025

  The discussion of the C-17 comes off the back of Boeing’s focus on a growing European demand for defence equipment amid a growing threat on the continent.

• Naval Warfare

  Australian navy commissions two additional Austal-built patrol boats

  15th May 2025

  Despite bolstering its patrol fleet with new Evolved Cape-class vessels, the Royal Australian Navy’s offshore patrol vessel programme remains mired in delays, indecision and criticism over underwhelming capabilities.

• Air Warfare

  FCAS programme to launch Phase 2 by mid-2026, say French officials

  22nd May 2025

  Developed by France, Spain and Germany, the European 6th-generation combat air programme is progressing apace with new milestones expected by next year after delays to the programme.

• Air Warfare

  US approves additional $39 million JASSM-ER order for JASDF’s aircraft

  20th January 2025

  The contract for these additional missiles to equip its F-15J, F-35A and F-35B fighter jets follows its earlier request for 50 missiles in March 2024.

• Air Warfare

  First EPAWSS-equipped F-15E Strike Eagles arrive in the UK

  23rd January 2025

  The F-15 Eagle Passive/Active Warning and Survivability System programme has achieved its first major milestone after 11 years of development, with two jets arriving at RAF Lakenheath.

• Air Warfare

  DSEI 2025: The fighter market shift to Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T)

  15th September 2025

  Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) capabilities is set to become a market differentiator for fighter aircraft, allowing 4.5-5th generation platforms to remain relevant to the battlefield.

• Air Warfare

  Bulgaria’s first F-16 Block 70 takes flight

  29th October 2024

  Bulgaria has ordered a total of 16 F-16 Block 70 fighters, which will be delivered in two batches. Deliveries for the first lot are anticipated to commence in 2025.

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed secures more than $12 billion in contracts for F-35 production and TR-3 upgrades

  9th January 2025

  The contracts include a $678.4-million contract for F-35 modification kits, along with an earlier December 2024 contract worth $11.7 billion for the production and delivery of 145 F-35 Lot 18 aircraft.

• Air Warfare

  Trump offers F-35 to India, as US pledges to boost military sales by “billions”

  14th February 2025

  US President Donald Trump disclosed in a joint press conference with India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, that the US would look for opportunities to supply Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter aircraft to India as the country looks to modernise its fleet.

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed wins $8.7 million contract for Singapore F-16 upgrades

  21st January 2025

  The contract modification announced by the DSCA, will cover consolidated spares in support of Singapore’s F-16 upgrade programme.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  F-5E/F Adversary Trainer US Navy

  The F-5N is a single seat, dual engine supersonic land based fighter. It is designed to a service life of 9000 flight hours. The aircraft ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  On 12 April 2024, General João Cartaxo Alves, the Chief of Staff of the Portugese Air Force, revealed that Portugal would replace its fleet of F-16A/B ...

• Data links

  Data links | F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  On 12 April 2024, General João Cartaxo Alves, the Chief of Staff of the Portugese Air Force, revealed that Portugal would replace its fleet of F-16A/B ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  On 12 April 2024, General João Cartaxo Alves, the Chief of Staff of the Portugese Air Force, revealed that Portugal would replace its fleet of F-16A/B ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  On 12 April 2024, General João Cartaxo Alves, the Chief of Staff of the Portugese Air Force, revealed that Portugal would replace its fleet of F-16A/B ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  On 12 April 2024, General João Cartaxo Alves, the Chief of Staff of the Portugese Air Force, revealed that Portugal would replace its fleet of F-16A/B ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16 Replacement [Portugal]

  Programme Background At the Portuguese National Defense Conference on April 22, 2025, General João Cartaxo Alves reaffirmed that the F-35A remains the sole viable successor ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Hawk Mk 165 Advanced Jet Trainer- Saudi Arabia

  The fleet will be used to train Saudi pilots before they transition to the Eurofighter Typhoon and F-15 in service with RSAF.  Under the Saudi-British Defence Cooperation Programme, ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Next Generation Fighter Aircraft (Vietnam)

  Programme Background Requirement The Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) operates an ageing fleet of Su-22 aircraft as well as Su-27s and Su-30s. According to expert commentary, ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement Turkish Air Force ordered 100 F-35A aircraft as a partner nation, however, the country was removed from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) [Japan]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that GCAP's Japanese, British and Italian components are tracked in separate entries. Programme Timeline 2020: The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency of Japan issued ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement Originally conceived as a replacement for the F-22, the PCA was designed to counter various air threats, including integrated air defence systems ...

• Fighter - multirole

  H-X Fighter Programme (Finland)

  Programme Background In June 2020, Finnish MoD announced that the Hornet fleet life extension programme is neither cost-effective solution nor sufficient in terms of Finland’s ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey (USN)

  Programme Background Requirement According to USN FY2023 Budget Estimate documentation, the V-22 programme provides an aircraft to meet the amphibious and vertical assault needs of ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Phoenix Ghost (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (21 April 2022) Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, on 21 April 2022, President Biden announced an $800 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: air combat simulators

  Air Combat Training

  Boeing has experience in delivering training for fixed-wing air combat platforms including F-15C/E, F-16, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G, F-22 and MV/CV-22.

• Training Services

  Boeing’s training systems and services provide a full range of training activities, including mission planning systems; aircrew and maintenance training devices; training centres; and training ...

• Fighter - air superiority

  F-22A Raptor

  F-22A Raptor is a fifth-generation stealth air superiority fighter with air-to-ground attack capability. It was developed by Lockheed Martin to meet the requirement of the USAF ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Collective Training

  Boeing has delivered and operates three USAF F-15C Mission Training Centers (MTCs), three F-15E MTCs and three F-16 MTCs. The F-22 platform was added into ...

• Subsystems: hardware

  Flight Simulation Products

  Bugeye Technologies (BT) manufactures simulated-grade flight grips, controls and avionic displays for fixed-wing, rotary-wing and unmanned crafts. BT's full line of products includes replicated control ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  DACTS

  The DRS Air Combat Training System (DACTS) has been delivered to military customers worldwide. Customised versions have supported coalition training for the US government and ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-77

  The AN/APG-77 is a low-probability-of-intercept fire control radar for the F-22 Raptor. It is designed to significantly improve capability in air-to-air combat, allowing the pilot ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-81

  AN/APG-81 is operating in the X-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar designed by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems for the F-35 “Lightning” all-weather ...

• Air: chaff, flare and decoy systems

  IRCM Flares

  Kilgore develops and manufactures a range of airborne IR decoy flares. These are compatible with most available dispenser systems. Standard flare products manufactured include: MJU-7A/B, ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/ALR-94

  BAE Systems’ AN/ALR-94 electronic countermeasures (ECM) system forms a key part of the self-protection suite of the US Air Force’s Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor combat ...

• EW test systems

  CRIIS

  The Common Range Integrated Instrumentation System (CRIIS) provides time, space and position information (TSPI) as well as systems evaluation data to support testing for a ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-83 SABR

  The AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) is an active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar being developed by Northrop Grumman using its own ...

• Data links

  Multifunction Advanced Data Link

  Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) is a Ku-band data link designed for fifth-generation aircraft. The directional, interflight system is integrated into all F-35 variants, allowing ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  25mm PGU-48/B

  The 25mm PGU-48/B is a medium-calibre armour-penetrating round manufactured by American Rheinmetall. The US Air Force uses the PGU-48/B with its F-35 aircraft.

• Fixed wing aircraft engines

  F100-PW-229

  The F100 family of engines, selected by 23 air forces globally, power all of the USAF's F-15 Eagles and a substantial proportion of the global ...