• Defence Notes

  Congress unveils FY18 US defence spending bill

  22nd March 2018

  US lawmakers are rushing to pass a $1.3 trillion spending bill before the end of 23 March to avoid another government shutdown and the US …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  China explores unmanned tank technology

  22nd March 2018

  CCTV-7, a Chinese state-owned military channel, recently showed television footage of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) testing an unmanned Type 59 medium tank. Described as …

• Military Logistics

  Indian Army needs money for tank ammo

  15th March 2018

  Deficiencies and obsolescence of weapons and ammunition do not auger well for the Indian Army, according to a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence report submitted …

• Military Logistics

  DIMDEX 2018: Services key for Boeing’s future aspirations

  13th March 2018

  Boeing will look to its services business to more than triple its income over the next five years, which could see the company look to …

• Land Warfare

  Singapore allegedly acquires Leopard 2A7 tanks

  20th March 2018

  The Singapore Army could have quietly taken delivery of a dozen Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) Leopard 2A7 MBTs between 2016 and 2017, according to the Stockholm …

• Defence Notes

  US military secretaries tout S&T collaboration

  13th March 2018

  Every week to two weeks, the US military secretaries are meeting for breakfast to discuss ways they can become more integrated and share insights into …

• Training

  Italian Air Force receives eighteenth M-346

  5th March 2018

  Leonardo has delivered the eighteenth M-346 trainer aircraft to the Italian Air Force, the company announced on 27 February. The delivery of the aircraft took …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Opportunity knocks for GA's drones

  20th February 2018

  With the potential easing of export restrictions of technology sensitive to the US missile technology control regime and a growing demand for long-endurance UAVs, General …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Elistair launches Orion UAS

  7th March 2018

  Elistair has launched a tethered UAS called Orion, the company announced on 2 March. Designed for semi-persistent aerial surveillance and telecommunications relay, the Orion UAS …

• Defence Helicopter

  Netherlands seeks Apache upgrade FMS

  21st February 2018

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale to the Netherlands of an Apache helicopter upgrade package, the Defense …

• Defence Helicopter

  UK helo engine support wanted

  19th February 2018

  Leonardo Helicopters is seeking an engine support provider for the UK Ministry of Defence’s Merlin and Apache helicopters. Bids are being invited for the £1.1-£1.4 …

• Defence Helicopter

  For US Army aviation Chinook comes out winner, other fleets ramp down

  23rd February 2018

  US Army leaders have billed their FY19 budget request as a jumping-off point for the FY20 budget, one they say will contain major changes to …

• Training

  USAF plans T-X base roll-out

  23rd February 2018

  The US Air Force (USAF) has detailed where it will begin the roll out of the Advanced Pilot Trainer (T-X) aircraft when it enters service …

• Defence Helicopter

  New Spike missile being integrated on IAF's Apache helicopters

  20th February 2018

  The Israeli Air Force (IAF) is equipping its AH-64 Apache helicopters with the Rafael Spike LR2, a new fifth-generation variant of the missile family. Brig …

• Land Warfare

  Indian Army buying more BMP-2s, updating tank fleet

  22nd February 2018

  India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved the acquisition of 156 BMP-2/BMP-2K IFVs on 20 February, which will be licence-produced by the state-owned Ordnance Factory Board …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Apache Adjacent UAVs [Australia]

  Background Requirement As reported by Shephard from the Australian International Airshow 2025, Australia requires a platform to support the manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) alongside the repoed 29 Apache AH-64E ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  MUM-T Drone [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events ...

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

  KF-21 Loyal Wingman [South Korea]

  Programme Background KF-21 Boramae Crewed Fighter The Republic of Korea’s Air Force (ROKAF) plans to acquire the KF-21 Boramae fighter, replacing F-4E Phantom II and F-5E/F fighters in the ...

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

  Air Launched Effect (ALE) [South Korea]

  Programme Background KF-21 Boramae Crewed Fighter The Republic of Korea's Air Force (ROKAF) plans to acquire the KF-21 Boramae fighter, replacing F-4E Phantom II and ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Air Launched Loyal Wingman [Japan]

  Programme Background Air-Launched Loyal Wingman As reported by Shephard, a 30 October 2020 contract awarded to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) meant the company would lead ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache [United Kingdom]

  According to the MoD, to further ‘guarantee value for money’ systems from the current Apache fleet such as the Modernised Target Acquisition & Designation System, ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache-Follow-On [Morocco]

  Programme Background Morocco has placed a request with the US government for AH-64E Apache attack helicopters. On 20 November 2019, it was announced that the ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  T129B [Philippines]

  Programme Background On 31 August 2019, it was announced that the Philippines National Defence Acquisition Decision Memorandum continues with the T-129 procurement. However, on 30 April ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache [Morocco]

  Morocco has placed a request with the US government for AH-64E Apache attack helicopters. On 20 November 2019, it was announced that the US State ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Project Land 4503 [Australia]

  Programme Background The Australian Army has begun its search for a successor to the Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), with an RfI issued by the ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Kruk / AH-64E Apache [Poland]

  Programme Background In May 2019, Wojciech Skurkiewicz, the Polish deputy defence, released some details on the helicopter programme. Part of Poland's broader defence modernisation plan, the tender ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache (Indian Air Force)

  Programme Background The Indian Army was originally granted co-ownership of the 22 Apaches by the Indian MoD. However, the IAF refused to cede them to ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache (Indian Army)

  It is a hybrid procurement, as was the 2015 Air Force one (see separate entry), employing both a direct commercial sale with Boeing and an ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache (South Korea)

  Programme Background Requirement The procurement decision is the result of the shift in South Korea's warfare concept focusing on the offensive manoeuvre rather than the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  MUM-T

  The Military Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) is a UAS in development by Korean Aerospace Industries. Showcased at Seoul ADEX 2021, the MUM-T can be launched from the ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Air Launched Effect (ALE)

  The Air-Launched Effect (ALE) is an in-development uncrewed platform from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). Shown at IDEX 2023, it is set to come in two variants, one ...

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

  Demogorgon

  In late October 2021, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) awarded Kratos Unnamed Systems Division an initial $17.68 million 12-month cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to develop an Off-Board Sensing ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  Arrow

  The Arrow is a supersonic prototype UAV developed by Singapore-based Kelley Aerospace. According to the manufacturer, the 16.8t prototype will be operated as a conventional UAV, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  Uncrewed Checkmate

  At the Dubai Airshow 2021, United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), the parent company of Checkmate manufacturer Sukhoi Design Bureau, announced its intention to manufacture an uncrewed version of ...

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

  Koios

  Manufactured by Callen-Lenz, the Koios is a small-UAS available in both a VTOL and non-VTOL variant.  Designed for the civil and military market, as standard, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  Defender

  The Defender is a jet-powered uncrewed escort aircraft built by GA-ASI. The primary goal of the UAV is to protect high-value airborne assets, such as refuelling ...

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

  Rotor Blown Wing

  In March 2025, Sikorsky unveiled an as-yet-unnamed tail sitter small UAV, referred to as the Rotor Blown Wing. The UAV can transition between helicopter and ...

• Land: handheld NV devices, Land: handheld day observation, surveillance and targeting systems, Weapon sights for night use (image intensifiers)

  MUM-14

  The Multi-Use Mini-Monocular (MUM-14) is a modular, passive NVD designed to maintain situation awareness in a range of low-light conditions, utilising a single Gen III ...

• Data links

  Micro TMA

  Thales Micro TMA is a high-rate datalink designed for uncrewed platforms and video streaming applications from aircraft. It provides command and control functions as well ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64D Apache Longbow

  The AH-64D Apache Longbow is an out-of-production attack helicopter that Boeing manufactured. Boeing delivered the first Apache Longbow in April 1997. From 2012, the Block III ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Apache Longbow Training System

  The Longbow Crew Trainer is the centrepiece of Boeing’s AH-64 Apache training. Pilots and other personnel use the high-fidelity flight simulator to practice aircraft procedures ...

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

  Gambit (Series)

  The Gambit Series are five UAV variants based around the Gambit Core, a common system containing the platform's hardware: landing gear, baseline avionics, chassis, and other essential functions.  ...

• Air: aerial targets

  BQM-34 Firebee

  The BQM-34 Firebee is an uncrewed aerial target system that the USAF and USN have used for more than 50 years. The primary mission of ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  WAH-64 Apache

  The WAH-64/AH1 Apache is a variant of the Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow, developed and built by Leonardo from 1996 to meet British Army requirements. One ...