• Defence Notes

  Taiwan's Tsai seeks $11 billion defence budget as China threat grows

  6th August 2018

  Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen said on 6 August that she is seeking to ramp up spending on the armed forces, as relations with China deteriorate. …

• Military Logistics

  Saab to provide SDS for RAF’s Typhoons

  30th July 2018

  Saab has been selected by BAE Systems to develop a new pyrotechnic smart self-protection system for the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft to defeat radar- and IR-guided …

• Military Logistics

  AEgis receives ATHELA contract

  3rd August 2018

  AEgis Technologies has received a $29 million contract for Advanced Technologies for High Energy Laser Applications (ATHELA), the company announced on 30 July. Awarded by …

• Defence Helicopter

  Dutch raise concern over UN medevac helicopters

  1st August 2018

  The Dutch MoD is currently in talks with the UN to resolve rotary operational issues in Kidal, Mali including reliability issues with the peacekeeping organisation's …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy’s USS Charleston completes acceptance trials

  3rd August 2018

  The US Navy’s Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS Charleston has successfully completed acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico, NAVSEA announced on 31 July. …

• Defence Helicopter

  BAE to upgrade Doppler navigation systems

  3rd August 2018

  BAE Systems has been selected by the US Army to provide touch screen computer display units (CDU) as an upgrade to the company’s ASN-128 Doppler …

• Training

  Kratos receives BQM-167A contract

  25th July 2018

  Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has received a one year contract to provide its BQM-167A jet powered aerial target systems to the US Air Force, …

• Naval Warfare

  Hercules to fill Philippines maritime patrol gap

  27th July 2018

  The Philippine Air Force’s (PAF) plan to buy two long-range patrol aircraft may have stalled, but the capability gap will be partially filled by a …

• Special Operations

  Report calls for "Whole of Government" approach

  7th August 2018

  The US administration has been called upon to establish a National Political Warfare Center (NPWC) to provide a more optimized “Whole of Government” approach to …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop delivers first GaN G/ATOR system to USMC

  31st July 2018

  Northrop Grumman has delivered the first AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) that incorporates advanced high power and high efficiency gallium nitride (GaN) antenna technology to …

• Defence Notes

  French arms exports halved in 2017

  2nd July 2018

  French defence exports fell sharply last year in the absence of major deals to sell new Rafale fighter jets, with Middle Eastern clients again making …

• Naval Warfare

  Philippines enters the missile age

  10th August 2018

  The Philippines fired a missile for the first time in its history from aboard a Multipurpose Assault Craft (MPAC) Mk 3 vessel on 9 August. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USAF receives BACN-equipped Global Hawk

  25th July 2018

  Northrop Grumman has delivered an EQ-4B Global Hawk UAS fitted with the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) to the US Air Force fleet, the company …

• Naval Warfare

  Saab receives additional Sea Giraffe AMB contract

  29th July 2018

  Saab has received an additional order from the US Navy to supply the Sea Giraffe AMB Multi Mode Radar (MMR) for the US Coast Guard’s …

• Military Logistics

  USAF orders AAR 463L cargo pallets

  26th July 2018

  AAR Mobility Systems has received $25.3 million in task orders from the US Air Force to produce and repair 463L cargo pallets, the company announced …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• ISR/special mission, Maritime patrol

  C295 MPAs/MSAs [Spain]

  Programme Background Required to replace Spain's existing P-3M Orion fleet set to reach OSD in the mid-late 2020s, Airbus' C295W has been selected as the replacement ...

• Loitering munitions

  Deluge (First batch) [France]

  Background Unveiling MBDA unveiled a scale model of the One-Way Effector (OWE), later named the Deluge, at the Paris Air Show 2025. As Breaking Defence reported at the ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-390 [Portugal]

  Programme Background Leadership from the Portuguese Air Force and Embraer signed a contract for a sixth C-390, with the option for ten additional aircraft for ...

• Loitering munitions

  Deluge (Additional batches) [France]

  Background Unveiling MBDA unveiled a scale model of the One-Way Effector (OWE), later named the Deluge, at the Paris Air Show 2025. As Breaking Defence reported at the ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-390 Options [Portugal]

  Programme Background Leadership from Embraer and the Portuguese Air Force formalised a contract that includes 10 aircraft options that can be utilised by any NATO ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  French MALE UAVs [France]

  Background Requirements The French Ministry of the Armed Forces wishes to develop a French MALE offering comparable to the MQ-9 Reaper, which would, it is hoped, promote ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye [France]

  Programme Background Saab and the French Defence Procurement Agency signed an MoU at Paris Air Show 2025 for the firm purchase two GlobalEye aircraft and the ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [French Air Force]

  Background Rafale F5 companion During a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the French Strategic Air Forces (FAS) at Saint-Dizier Air Base in October 2024, France’s Minister of ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-390 [Lithuania]

  Programme Background The Lithuanian Armed Forces confirmed the selection of the C-390 as the Air Force's new military transport aircraft during Paris Air Show 2025. ...

• Military UAS - small

  Flexrotor [Phillipines]

  Background Horizon 3 In September 2024, Airbus offered the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) various military equipment, including the Flexrotor, A400M and H225M, to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Larinae: Medium-range loitering munition [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated at a press conference in May 2022 that the General Directorate for Armament (DGA) ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Super Galeb Replacement [Serbia]

  Programme Background Serbia is looking to replace their aged fleet of Super Galeb aircraft from Yugoslavia with a new trainer and light attack aircraft.  According ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Watchkeeper X (Contracted) [Romania]

  Background 2021 In mid-2021, the Romanian manufacturer Aerostar signed a collaboration with U-TacS to potentially produce the Watchkeeper X in Romania. U-TacS is a joint ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Watchkeeper X (Uncontracted) [Romania]

  Background 2021 In mid-2021, the Romanian manufacturer Aerostar signed a collaboration with U-TacS to potentially produce the Watchkeeper X in Romania. U-TacS is a joint ...

• Military UAS - small

  Aerosonde Mk 4.7 [Qatar]

  Background Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) At DIMDEX 2016, a QAR 54.7 million ($14.97 million) MoU between the Qatar Armed Forces and the US company Textron Systems for ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Displays

  LAD2008DA

  Produced by Psion DSP, LAD2008DA is a 20"x8" Large Area Display for full-glass cockpit applications. It was showcased during the 2022 Farnborough Air Show and the 2023 ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Wing Loong X

  The Wing Loong X, or WL-X, is a fixed-wing UAV developed by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). Debuted at the Paris Air Show ...

• Air: Displays

  RDU-4208 LAD

  ScioTeq RDU-4208 is a 20"x8" Large-Area Display. It features a fully redundant, high-resolution screen with multitouch support. Unveiled in 2022, it was also demonstrated in ...

• Air: aerial targets, Loitering munitions

  Super Simsek

  The Super Simsek (Süper Şimşek) is an improved version of the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) training drone turned loitering munition.  The drone has reconfigurable payload options ...

• EO/IR systems

  M-19 HD

  The M-19 HD multi-sensor, multispectral, HD observation and targeting payload was unveiled at the Paris Air Show in June 2015. It can incorporate up to ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Rotary Wing Cargo UAV

  Displayed at Paris Air Show 2023, the Rotary Wing Cargo UAV is a cargo-carrying and ISR drone manufactured by Turkish Aerospace (TAI). Powered by a ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Orbiter 5

  Unveiled at Paris Air Show 2023, the Orbiter 5 is a fixed-wing UAV from Aeronautics.  The multi-mission drone can host two payloads simultaneously, features autonomous flight and ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Stealth UCAV (nEUROn Successor)

  At the Paris Air Show 2025, Dassault Aviation showcased a stealthy UCAV, the successor of the nEUROn aircraft. A Safran M88 engine will power the ...

• Loitering munitions

  FWD-LM01

  The FWD-LM01 is a loitering munition unveiled by Flying Wedge Defence & Aerospace at the Paris Air Show 2025. The manufacturer states the drone is built for ...

• Loitering munitions

  SpyX

  The SpyX is a loitering munition from BlueBird Aero Systems. Unveiled at the Paris Air Show 2023, the munition offers autonomous electro-optical guided attack capabilities and ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  AeroForce 380

  The AeroForce 380 is a MALE fixed-wing drone. Based on the Milkor 380, it is tailored for maritime surveillance and Coast Guard missions. It can ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Strix 425

  The Strix 425 is a mini fixed-wing drone from EOS Technologie. The hand-launched platform can host a removable VTOL system and multiple payloads.  According to a company ...

• Military UAS - small

  LR2M

  The Long Range and Multi-Missions (LR2M) is a fixed-wing VTOL-capable small UAV from Aeronefs Services. Unveiled at the Paris Air Show 2025, the drone is suited to ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  Air Keeper

  Elbit Systems unveiled the Air Keeper, an airborne SIGINT and EW system for aircraft at the Paris Air Show 2015. Already operational, Air Keeper is ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  HeliSure

  Rockwell Collins HeliSure is a product line of situational awareness solutions for rotary-wing aircraft. It provides glass cockpit capabilities using commercial off-the-shelf equipment that can be ...