• Military Logistics

  AAR to support Ontic’s military MRO business

  22nd October 2018

  AAR has been appointed by Ontic as an authorised inventory management partner and exclusive distributor in support of its UK military maintenance, repair and overhaul …

• Naval Warfare

  Euronaval 2018: RN issues caution to politicos on HMS Queen Elizabeth

  22nd October 2018

  As HMS Queen Elizabeth goes full steam ahead with its sea trials a senior Royal Navy official urged caution to politicians keen to utilise the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus confident AI will dominate the future of air power

  7th November 2018

  Artificial intelligence (AI) and greater interoperability of airborne and ground based systems will soon dictate the way in which future air combat programmes unfold. That’s …

• Digital Battlespace

  Zhuhai Air Show 2018: Quantum radars, laser weapons and technology galore

  8th November 2018

  China likes to talk up its technological prowess, often in a peremptorily way, but at least there was evidence of the directions the country is …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Skeldar V-200 selected for ESMA contract

  3rd December 2018

  UMS Skeldar will supply two Skeldar V-200 UAS to Nordic Unmanned to fulfil a European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) framework contract valued at €14 million, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Egypt requests AH-64E helicopter FMS

  30th November 2018

  The US government has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale of ten AH-64E Apache attack helicopters to Egypt, the Defense Security Cooperation …

• Naval Warfare

  F-35 makes first SRVL on HMS Queen Elizabeth

  18th October 2018

  The first shipborne rolling vertical landing (SRVL) has been carried out by an F-35 Lightning fighter jet onboard the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier, HMS …

• Defence Helicopter

  SB>1 Defiant first flight slips as 'minor discoveries' mount

  12th December 2018

  A number of 'minor discoveries' found during initial ground tests on the SB>1 Defiant Propulsion System Test Bed (PSTB), have caused first flight of its sister …

• Defence Notes

  Russia deploys two bombers to Venezuela for exercises

  11th December 2018

  Two Russian long-range strategic bombers landed in Venezuela on 10 December for what the government said were air force exercises aimed at strengthening the defence …

• Military Logistics

  US looks to runway crater repair technologies

  5th December 2018

  The US military is conducting market research to identify commercially available technologies to support the US Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineer Research and Development Center …

• Land Warfare

  Poland requests HIMARS and related equipment

  5th December 2018

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers to Poland, …

• Defence Notes

  AOC 2018: Directed energy solutions for high-tech threats

  30th November 2018

  Directed energy (DE) weapons, such as high-energy lasers (HEL) and high-power microwaves, are possible solutions to higher technology asymmetric threats.  While the latter has been …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Endeavor reveals Scorpion UGV

  6th December 2018

  Endeavor Robotics has unveiled the design details and images of its Scorpion UGV, being developed for the US Army’s Common Robotic System-Individual (CRS-I) programme.  In …

• Naval Warfare

  Babcock completes Mk8 Mod 1 firing trials

  30th October 2018

  Babcock International has detailed progress on its five year contract with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to deliver an upgraded 4.5in Mk8 Mod 1 …

• Naval Warfare

  USS Detroit begins testing of SSMM

  5th December 2018

  The US Navy has begun initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E;) of the Surface-to-Surface Missile Module (SSMM) on Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS Detroit. The …

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 ...