• Special Operations

  SOF munition enhancements explored

  8th March 2019

  United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) have successfully conducted initial testing of an enhanced variant of the Dynetics …

• Special Operations

  NSW seeks foreign weapons training

  26th February 2019

  US Naval Special Warfare Command representatives have announced the command’s intent to award a “Foreign Weapons course of instruction” (COI) contract, according to a 25 …

• Defence Notes

  Croatia cancels Israeli F-16 deal after Washington snub

  10th January 2019

  The Croatian MoD has cancelled a deal with Israel for the procurement of 12 F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft after the Trump administration failed to approve the order. …

• Naval Warfare

  Surface Navy 2019: US Navy looks to future fleet ambitions

  15th January 2019

  As the US Navy maps out a long term plan for its future surface fleet a service official said that the problematic Littoral Combat Ship …

• Defence Helicopter

  Avalon 2019: Rafael wants to Spike Australian helicopters and add SPICE

  1st March 2019

  Last August the Australian Army selected the Spike LR2 multipurpose missile for the Boxer 8x8 armoured vehicle under Land 400 Phase 2, and it has …

• Training

  ADECS 2019: PLA emphasises force-on-force training

  22nd January 2019

  The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is investing a lot of effort to improve the training of personnel, with the overarching goal to make combat training …

• Digital Battlespace

  Textron Systems, IMSAR integrate NSP-3 into Aerosonde

  21st February 2019

  Textron Systems and IMSAR have successfully demonstrated the capability of the NSP-3 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) integrated on the Aerosonde small UAS, Textron announced on …

• Land Warfare

  Bulgaria sets back wheeled armoured vehicle tender

  6th March 2019

  Despite continuous delay in Bulgarian tender for new armoured vehicles, a number of potential bidders have confirmed their commitment to the procurement programme. After failing …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  CAAS approves BVLOS operations of DroNet UAS

  28th February 2019

  ST Engineering has received authorisation from the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) to conduct beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) trials of its DroNet …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Avalon 2019: Kelpie chases service role in Australia

  26th February 2019

  The Kelpie multirole UGV, unveiled on 25 February at the Avalon Air Show, is expected to reach production standard in 2020. It will be developed …

• Defence Notes

  IAI launches Mini Harpy loitering munition

  22nd February 2019

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has unveiled a new tactical loitering attack missile called Mini Harpy, the company announced on 19 February 2019. The Mini Harpy …

• Land Warfare

  Lithuania receives additional missiles for Javelin

  22nd February 2019

  The Lithuanian armed forces have received additional missiles worth $20 million for the US-manufactured Javelin anti-tank defence systems, the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence announced …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy might retire aircraft carrier early

  5th March 2019

  The US DoD is considering cancelling the mid-life refuelling of the US Navy’s USS Harry S Truman (CVN-75, pictured), which would free up funding but force …

• Naval Warfare

  India to lease second Akula sub from Russia

  8th March 2019

  The Indian government reached a more than $3 billion agreement with Russia on 7 March regarding the lease of a third nuclear-powered attack submarine. However, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Russia bolsters its long-range EW capabilities

  18th January 2019

  The Russian MoD has reported the completion of the first deployment phase of a multi-level early warning (EW) radar network.  The four newly-commissioned long-range radar …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  XQ-58A Valkyrie [USMC]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 30 December 2022, the US DoD announced that it had awarded Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems a $15.52 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to ...

• 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

  JAS-39C/D Gripen Replacement [Czech Republic]

  Programme Background Requirements The Czech Republic Air Force operates 14 Gripens (12 JAS 39C and two JAS 39D variants) under a lease agreement that runs ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Timeline In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. However, Germany's defence export ban to Saudi ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Multirole Fighter [Turkiye]

  Programme Background Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Turkey had already paid $1.4 billion into the programme, while its defence industry has ploughed significant ...

• Fighter - multirole

  TF-X Kaan Next Generation Fighter [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement Geopolitical factors have spurred aircraft development in Türkiye. With its removal from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter project following the Russian S-400 ...

• Trainer

  Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements The RAAF is seeking a future solution that provides a ‘relevant, adaptable, affordable and safe LIFTS out to 2050’ for training pilots ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Eurofighter Typhoon First-Batch [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement The Turkish Air Force has operated two main fighter platforms, the F-16 and F-4, for several decades. As older F-16 airframes and ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Data links

  Data links | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A [Denmark]

  Programme Background  Denmark joined the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program in 2002 during the System Development and Demonstration phase and has influenced technical elements ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A Japan

  In 2019, Japan requested to be an official partner in the F-35 programme, but this request was rejected by the Pentagon. The F-35 Joint Strike ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  F-35 Training System

  BAE Systems is involved in F-35 Lightning II Training System design and sustainment, working with prime contractor Lockheed Martin. BAE Systems leads the instructional systems ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers, EW test systems

  Model 527

  The Model 527 radar signal simulator is used for end-of-runway and walk-around radiated RWR testing to verify the operational status of the aircraft and its ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  AN/ALE-55 FOTD

  The ALE-55 Fibre Optic Towed Decoy (FOTD) is a high-powered electronic off-board countermeasure that works with an aircraft’s onboard EW equipment to defeat radiofrequency (RF) threats. It ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  SPEAR-EW

  The SPEAR-EW missile, developed by MBDA in collaboration with Leonardo, is an air-to-surface weapon designed to perform Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) missions. This ...

• EW test systems

  A2PATS

  Advanced Architecture Phase Amplitude and Time Simulator (A2PATS) is a real-time EM test environment simulator for military platforms and installed systems, designed to deliver mission ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  HAPS / PHASA-35

  The High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) is a solar-electric Persistent High Altitude Solar Aircraft (PHASA-35).  Produced by BAE Systems and Prismatic, the platform is designed to provide a persistent, ...

• 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 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  MiG-35

  The MiG-35 (NATO reporting name Fulcrum F) is a multirole fighter, the latest variant of the MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter family.  The production of the MiG-35 ...

• EO/IR systems

  F-35 Lightning II Advanced EOTS

  The F-35 Lightning II Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) is a sensor that combines targeting forward-looking IR (FLIR) and IR search and track (IRST) capabilities for ...

• Fighter - multirole, Fighter - naval

  F-35B

  The F-35B Lightning II is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft with short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capability. The USMC is the main customer for the F-35B, ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35I Adir

  The F-35I Adir is an F-35A Lightning II variant customised to meet the requirements of the Israel Defense Forces to replace the F-16 fleet in ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  F-35 Gen III HMDS

  The F-35 Gen III helmet-mounted display system (HMDS) is provided by a joint venture between Elbit Systems of America and Rockwell Collins, developed for the F-35 ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/ALQ-178V(5)+

  The AN/ALQ-178(5)+ is an internally mounted self-protection system designed and developed by Aselsan and BAE Systems for the Turkish F-16C fighter aircraft. The system comprises ...

• Air-to-surface missiles, Anti-ship missiles

  JSM

  The Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is a multi-role version of the Naval Strike Missile. Norway funded the programme to develop and produce the JSM for the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A

  The F-35A Lightning II is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft with CTOL capabilities. It is a multinational programme led by the US DoD, bringing together ...