• Special Operations

  France augments SOF capabilities

  16th April 2021

  French SOF chiefs recognised a need to refresh equipment for operations on land, at sea and in the air.

• Defence Notes

  ABL supports Lockheed Martin space payload delivery

  6th April 2021

  ABL provides the RS1 vehicle and GS0 deployable system for payload launches.

• Special Operations

  French SOF awaits next VPS 2 batch

  28th April 2021

  An extra 35 special patrol vehicles were ordered for French SOF because of delays in the VLFS programme.

• Training

  QinetiQ boosts ETPS fleet with three more helicopters

  19th April 2021

  Two AW109S helicopters and one AW139 will reach initial operating capability in mid-2021 at the Empire Test Pilots’ School.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  New IMU - rugged, precise inertial sensing for the smallest platforms (sponsored)

  28th April 2021

  Silicon Sensing’s new DMU41 – the highest performing silicon MEMS IMU available today is also more than 40% smaller and lighter, with 50% lower power consumption.

• Defence Notes

  Lockheed Martin confident of meeting $25,000 F-35 flight hour target

  21st April 2021

  New sustainment plans could see Lockheed Martin reduce operating costs of the F-35 to $25,000 per flight hour.

• Air Warfare

  The F-35 for the UK – At the Heart of Aerospace Innovation (Studio)

  15th April 2021

  The UK's investment in the F-35B is a key driver of future aerospace innovation in the UK.

• Air Warfare

  Stratotanker pod upgrade points towards ABMS

  14th April 2021

  Modified KC-135s will play their part in developing a military Internet of Things for the US.

• Digital Battlespace

  SBIRS Geo-5 limbers up for launch

  26th March 2021

  The fifth and sixth satellites in the missile-warning constellation include a new modular combat bus.

• Digital Battlespace

  MDA extends STSS deal with Northrop Grumman

  23rd March 2021

  Comprising a pair of low Earth orbit satellites launched in 2009, STSS remains in service to provide missile defence data from space-based sensors.

• Digital Battlespace

  Podcast: Five Eyes Connectivity - Australia and New Zealand

  26th February 2021

  In this episode of the Five Eyes Connectivity podcast, we hear how two of the smaller militaries in the Five Eyes alliance – Australia and New Zealand – are responding to a rapidly-changing world.

• Air Warfare

  Finland’s HX contest heats up as final offers arrive

  30th April 2021

  Finnish decision-makers get ready to select a manufacturer to replace the country's F/A-18C/D fighter fleet.

• Defence Notes

  Irish DoD advised to increase peacekeeping protection capabilities

  8th April 2021

  Countering peacekeeping threats by investing in new capabilities should be central to long-term Irish defence ambitions, a source says.

• Air Warfare

  Controlling the Skies - Raytheon Enhances Air Dominance Solutions (video)

  18th March 2021

  Raytheon Intelligence & Space (RI&S) has deepened its focus on the air dominance market, enhancing its offerings in everything from radar to electronic warfare (EW).

• Air Warfare

  Rafale F3-R receives green light for operational duty

  19th March 2021

  Decision covers carrier-borne F3-R fighters and aircraft operating against ISIS.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Data links

  Data links | PC-7 MKX [France]

  Babcock International Group announced on 10 January 2025 a new 17-year contract worth $827.9 million to supply the French Air and Space Force and the French ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | PC-7 MKX [France]

  Babcock International Group announced on 10 January 2025 a new 17-year contract worth $827.9 million to supply the French Air and Space Force and the French ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | PC-7 MKX [France]

  Babcock International Group announced on 10 January 2025 a new 17-year contract worth $827.9 million to supply the French Air and Space Force and the French ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | PC-7 MKX [France]

  Babcock International Group announced on 10 January 2025 a new 17-year contract worth $827.9 million to supply the French Air and Space Force and the French ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Class 2 Tactical UAV (1-2) [Canada]

  Background Contrant Award As reported by Shephard in September 2025, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) purchased Class 2 UAVs, classed as tactical platforms in NATO taxonomy, ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Class 2 Tactical UAV (3-6) [Canada]

  Background Contrant Award As reported by Shephard in September 2025, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) purchased Class 2 UAVs, classed as tactical platforms in NATO taxonomy, ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [Türkiye]

  Turkey has become the second country to receive the new-generation A400M airlifter, with the first of ten aircraft handed over by Airbus Defence and Space ...

• Trainer

  PC-21 [France]

  Programme  Background The French Air and Space Force has chosen Dassault Aviation and Babcock to provide between nine and 13 Pilatus PC-21 aircraft for Phase ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

• Data links

  Data links | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | PAK-DA - Procurement - Russia

  Russian MoD is planning to procure PAK-DA strategic bomber aircraft to replace the existing Tu-95MS Bear-H fleet, about 65 examples of which are in service with ...

• Data links

  Data links | PAK-DA - Procurement - Russia

  Russian MoD is planning to procure PAK-DA strategic bomber aircraft to replace the existing Tu-95MS Bear-H fleet, about 65 examples of which are in service with ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | PAK-DA - Procurement - Russia

  Russian MoD is planning to procure PAK-DA strategic bomber aircraft to replace the existing Tu-95MS Bear-H fleet, about 65 examples of which are in service with ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• UAS: communication systems

  Airborne Broadband SATCOM

  ViaSat’s airborne SATCOM services offer worldwide access and a range of service levels, providing connectivity and performance options tailored to meet a variety of needs. ...

• Data links

  MIDS-LVT(2)

  ViaSat provides MIDS-LVT(2) terminals for Link 16 communications to ground-based platforms. MIDS-LVT(2) is designed to simplify installation in ground stations. This includes US Army PATRIOT ...

• Major networking projects

  Mobile SATCOM System

  ViaSat airborne broadband services provide beyond-line-of-sight mobile communications support to capacity-driven applications worldwide: over 2,500MHz of bandwidth, global Ku band with Ka overlays, DoD Gateway ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MIDS JTRS

  The MIDS JTRS is a four-channel radio designed to run the Link 16 waveform and up to three additional communication protocols, including the Airborne Networking ...

• Data links

  MIDS-LVT(1) (ViaSat)

  MIDS-LVT(1) adds Link 16 communications to airborne and maritime platforms. It provides all operational modes of the Link 16 waveform, and implements the required MIDS ...

• Data links

  Space CDL

  The Space Common Data Link (CDL) system provides a wideband data link capability adaptable to a variety of space-based applications. It consists of separate transmitter ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MD-1366 EBEM

  The US government selected the MD-1366 Enhanced Bandwidth Efficient Modem (EBEM) from ViaSat to set the DoD standard for high-speed, high-performance,flexibility and compatibility in a ...

• Naval: Radio and SATCOM

  RT-1829

  RT-1829(P)/S is a shipboard UHF SATCOM terminal. The equipment is Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) and NSA certified, and it has a ready Integrated Waveform ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  KG-255 X

  The NSA-certified ViaSat KG-255X combines Type 1 High Assurance Internet Protocol Encryptor (HAIPE) with the latest cyber defence technologies and visualisation software to allow secure ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  GAT-5518 Global Aero Terminal

  The GAT-5518 enables broadband in-flight connectivity services for commercial and government users on Viasat’s high-capacity satellite network. Capable of operating on the full ITU Ka-band ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Hawkeye III Lite

  L3Harris' Hawkeye III Lite is a Tri-band VSAT terminal that provides high-speed data communications for Internet, VPN and video transmission. Compatible with multiple modems and ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  KG-250XS

  Delivering 20Mb/s (aggregate) speeds, the ViaSat KG-250XS is a Type 1 inline network encryptor (INE) designed for telecommuting, flyaway kits, small UAVs and other dismounted ...

• Air: mission management systems

  SISP

  The Single Integrated Space Picture (SISP) provides net-centric C2 capabilities for space, says Lockheed Martin. It is a suite of applications and data designed to ...

• Data links

  STT KOR-24

  The STT KOR-24 is a dual-channel radio with Link 16 support. Dismounted warfighters and disadvantaged nodes can use the Small Tactical Terminal (STT) for merged air ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  GAT-5530 Global Aero Terminal

  The Viasat Global Aero Terminal 5530 is a second-generation hybrid Ka- and Ku-band SATCOM terminal that enables global broadband connectivity services for commercial and government ...