• Training

  CAE to develop RAAF C-130J fuselage trainer

  8th April 2016

  CAE Australia has received a contract from Australia's Department of Defence to develop a C-130J Fuselage Cargo Compartment Trainer for the Royal Australian Air Force …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus tests HFI concept for Germany

  8th April 2016

  Airbus Helicopters has conducted the first testing phase of a research and technology study for a Hostile Fire Indication (HFI) concept for the German armed …

• Defence Helicopter

  New weapons for Thai AS550 C3e

  8th April 2016

  Shephard recently witnessed new 12.7mm FN Herstal HMP400 gun pods and FZ220 70mm rocket launchers fitted to Airbus Helicopters AS550 C3e (since being renamed H125M) …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales, Airbus receive French defence contract

  7th April 2016

  Thales and Airbus Defence and Space have received the GeoMaps contract to supply digital geographic data for the French Ministry of Defence’s mapping database, Thales …

• Military Logistics

  Japan’s C-2 aircraft enters service

  5th April 2016

  The Japanese Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) announced in March that its new Kawasaki Heavy Industries C-2 cargo aircraft had entered service. The JASDF planned the …

• Digital Battlespace

  DIMDEX 2016: Qatar orders satellite data receiving station

  3rd April 2016

  Airbus Defence and Space has received a contract from the Qatar Armed Forces (QAF) to provide a multi-mission direct satellite data receiving station and image …

• Defence Helicopter

  FIDAE 2016: Hard landing for Airbus in Latin America

  1st April 2016

  The tough economic conditions in Latin American has impacted all the main rotary-wing OEMs, not least Airbus Helicopters and its Brazilian subsidiary Helibras, which saw …

• Training

  Project Cerbére gathers pace

  1st April 2016

  The French Army has launched a major upgrade of its main line training sites under a project known as Cerbére (Cerberus). The service currently operates …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DIMDEX 2016: Qatar signs Aerosonde deal

  31st March 2016

  The Qatari Emiri Armed Forces signed an MoU with Textron Systems Unmanned System for an Aerosonde UAS system, valued at 54 million Qatari rials ($15 …

• Defence Helicopter

  DefExpo 2016: Foreign OEMS want to join Indian rotary club

  31st March 2016

  The Indian Armed Forces have tremendous helicopter needs, and foreign OEMs present at DefExpo 2016 were keen to join the action under the Buy and …

• Defence Helicopter

  FIDAE 2016: Carabineros marks AW139 milestone

  30th March 2016

  Chile’s national police force, the Carabineros de Chile, is celebrating a year with one of its new acquisitions, the Finmeccanica Helicopter Division AW139, at this year’s …

• Defence Helicopter

  FIDAE 2016: Chile to place helo order ‘this year’

  29th March 2016

  The Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aérea de Chile – FACH) is likely to place an order for several medium size helicopters later this year, according …

• Military Logistics

  FIDAE 2016: Chilean Army CN-235 gets a face lift

  28th March 2016

  The first aircraft in the Chilean Army’s fleet of three CASA CN-235-100M aircraft has completed a comprehensive upgrade of its flight deck avionics. Work has …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus to sell Defence Electronics

  21st March 2016

  Airbus Group has reached an agreement for the sale of its Defence Electronics business to KKR for around $1.23 billion, the company announced on 18 …

• Land Warfare

  Size matters in Nordic consolidation

  18th March 2016

  In a further move in the ongoing consolidation of the Nordic defence industry, Kongsberg has agreed to purchase 49.9% of vehicle manufacturer Patria from the …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Data links

  Data links | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow On

  Programme Background In March 2019, Airbus stated that it expected orders from the US Army for between 12 and 15 UH-72A helicopters. In March 2020, ...

• Transport

  A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  Programme Background At IDEX 2025, two Airbus representatives shared insights into a possible offer from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

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

  Sistema RPAS Táctico de Altas Prestaciones (SiRTAP) [Spain]

  Background MoU In 2017, it was announced that Spain was jointly developing a MALE UAV with Colombia to meet the ISR requirement of both armed ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT Follow-On [NATO]

  Programme Background Following operations in Libya and extensive analyses by the European Defence Agency (EDA), it was agreed at the NATO Summit in 2012 that ...

• Transport

  A400M (Kazakhstan)

  Programme Background In September 2021, it was announced that Kazakhstan ordered two Airbus A400M aircraft. According to Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, ‘The A400M ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M - France

  Programme Background In April 2021, the French government signed a deal for the purchase of eight H225M Airbus helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of SA330 ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT [Singapore]

  In February 2020, Airbus and the Singapore government announced an agreement to collaborate on the development of an A330 Smart Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). One Singaporean ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

• Data links

  Data links | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

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

  Eurodrone [Spain]

  Programme Background Inception (Stage One) The European MALE RPAS programme was launched in September 2016. Germany, Spain, France, and Italy negotiated and agreed, in collaboration ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  MQ-72C Lakota Connector

  The MQ-72C Lakota Connector is an uncrewed version of Airbus' UH-72B, primarily designed to provide contested logistics in austere expeditionary environments. Airbus has partnered with L3Harris, Shield AI, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Flexrotor

  Flexrotor is a VTOL small UAS manufactured by Aerovel. It can integrate different types of payloads, including electro-optical systems and advanced sensors, to suit customers’ ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  H145

  The light, twin-engine EC145 began as an initiative to increase the cabin size of the BK 117 C1 aircraft, involving Kawasaki of Japan and Airbus ...

• Major networking projects

  Skynet 6 SATCOM

  Skynet 6 is designed to replace Skynet 5. The PFI contract for Skynet 5,  held by Paradigm Secure Communications and Airbus DS, ends in 2022. As ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAS

  The Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAV, or cargo copter, is a rotary-wing cargo-carrying platform that Airbus is developing. The platform has yet to be formally named. The ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H175M

  The Airbus H175M is the military variant of the H175 and works to fill a gap in the H175 helicopter family, as well as offer ...

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

  Wingman

  The Wingman is an Airbus concept drone unveiled at ILA Berlin in June 2024. The loyal wingman-type fixed-wing UAV is designed to accompany crewed fighters, ...

• Transport

  C295

  The C295 is the largest member of Airbus Defence and Space’s family of medium tactical airlifters and surveillance aircraft. It is a development of the ...

• Helicopter engines

  LTS101

  The LTS101 was first certified in 1975. Since then, over 2,100 engines have been delivered to customers worldwide, logging over 11 million service hours. The ...

• Air: mission management systems

  Helionix

  The Helionix digital avionics suite was developed from the need for a more powerful avionics system with greater functions and computing capacity, alongside a user-friendly interface. ...

• Military helicopters - light/training, Military helicopters - multirole

  H135M

  The H135M (formerly known as the EC635 and also designated as H135) is a light utility variant of the EC135 twin-engine, multipurpose 3t helicopter. In ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  A400M Training

  Thales is the principal training provider for the Airbus A400M with a contract to provide FFSs and flat-panel trainers. Four A400M FFS and two flat-panel ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H215M

  The H215M (formerly the AS532 ALe) is the most recent addition to the Cougar family.  It is a medium-weight (9t-class), twin-engine helicopter, combining the AS532's ...

• Transport

  A400M Atlas

  Developed to meet European military airlift requirements, the A400M Atlas combines tactical and strategic/logistic mission capabilities. The platform's cargo hold is designed to carry outsize ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H145M

  The H145M (formerly known as the EC645 T2) is the military version of the H145 medium-sized (3.7t) helicopter (covered in a separate entry). It is ...