• Defence Notes

  Australia goes on spending spree

  26th February 2016

  Australia plans to spend some US$140.5 billion over the next decade ‘to fund investment in support of the future force,’ and bring the defence budget …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Singapore Airshow: Airbus experiments with UAV deliveries

  23rd February 2016

  The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has signed an MoU with Airbus Helicopters to conduct a parcel delivery experiment in Singapore. The signing took …

• Defence Helicopter

  Singapore Airshow: Airbus prioritises Aussie Tiger problems

  20th February 2016

  Airbus Helicopters is making the Australian Army’s troubled Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) programme a top priority, the company insisted at the Singapore Airshow. Philippe …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UK orders Zephyr 8s

  19th February 2016

  The UK's decision to acquire the Airbus Defence and Space solar-powered Zephyr 8 high-altitude pseudo-satellite (HAPS) craft has been formalised with an order for two …

• Defence Helicopter

  Singapore Airshow: Boeing lays out regional opportunities

  18th February 2016

  Boeing Defense, Space & Security is bullish about prospects for military rotorcraft sales in the Asia-Pacific region, with Indonesia emerging as a potential buyer for …

• Military Logistics

  Philippines, Mali C295 developments

  17th February 2016

  Airbus Defence and Space has delivered the third and final C295 medium transport aircraft to the Philippines Air Force, it announced on 16 February. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Singapore Airshow: Bell positioning AH-1Z for Australia

  17th February 2016

  BAE Systems Australia and Bell Helicopter signed an agreement at the Singapore Airshow on 16 February to chase military helicopter opportunities in Australia. Under the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  EDA launches ERA project

  12th February 2016

  The European Defence Agency (EDA) and an Airbus Defence and Space-led consortium have launched the Enhanced RPAS Automation (ERA) project to integrate Remotely Piloted Aircraft …

• Defence Helicopter

  Singapore Airshow: Asia revs up helo engine buys

  11th February 2016

  The demand for new helicopter engines in Asia is on the rise, despite the global rotorcraft market currently being in the grips of a downturn. …

• Training

  Singapore Airshow: New Indonesian simulator ready

  10th February 2016

  Following on from the Australian Government’s decision to gift four of their retired C-130H aircraft to the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) in 2011, a subsequent …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UK confirms Zephyr purchase

  3rd February 2016

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) will invest in two Zephyr High Altitude Pseudo Satellites (HAPS) in a deal worth £10.6 million. The contract will …

• Military Logistics

  France green lights four C-130Js

  3rd February 2016

  France has finally confirmed its purchase of four Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules aircraft as part of a foreign military sales (FMS) deal with the …

• Digital Battlespace

  SpaceDataHighway: no longer science fiction

  1st February 2016

  The SpaceDataHighway programme has reached a significant milestone with the first EDRS-A relay satellite launched into geostationary orbit on 30 January. The satellite will now …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus and Mahindra strengthen partnership

  27th January 2016

  Airbus Helicopters and Mahindra Defence announced further solidification of their ‘Make in India’ partnership on 24 January. This followed an initial MoU signed in July …

• Defence Helicopter

  Oil and gas saga hits Airbus orders

  26th January 2016

  The flatlining oil price continues to depress the helicopter market, Airbus Helicopters reporting a mere two orders for its H225 heavy-lift aircraft in 2015, a …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Data links

  Data links | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  At IDEX 2025, two representatives from Airbus discussed the details behind a potential bid from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The A-400M ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow-On [USA]

  Programme Background In March 2019, Airbus stated that it expected orders from the US Army for between 12 and 15 UH-72A helicopters. In March 2020, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H145M [Spain]

  Programme Background  In May 2025, Spain announced the National Helicopter Plan as part of the country's wider effort to rearm in response to American pressure. ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Sistema RPAS Táctico de Altas Prestaciones (SiRTAP) [Spain]

  Background MoU In 2017, it was announced that Spain and Colombia were jointly developing a MALE UAV to meet the ISR requirements of both countries’ ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | VSR-700: Navy Aerial Drone System (SDAM) [France]

  The French Navy required a ship-based rotary-wing UAV as part of its Navy Aerial Drone System programme, known in French as Systèmes de Drone Aérien de la ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | VSR-700: Navy Aerial Drone System (SDAM) [France]

  The French Navy required a ship-based rotary-wing UAV as part of its Navy Aerial Drone System programme, known in French as Systèmes de Drone Aérien de la ...

• Transport

  A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  Background IDEX 2025 At IDEX 2025, two Airbus representatives shared insights into a possible offer from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT Follow-On [NATO]

  Programme Background Following operations in Libya and extensive analyses by the European Defence Agency (EDA), it was agreed at the NATO Summit in 2012 that ...

• Military helicopters - light/training, Military helicopters - multirole

  H135M [Spain]

  Programme Background Spain announced the National Helicopter Plan in May 2025 culminating in five contracts awarded to Airbus on 18 December 2025, including procurement programmes ...

• Transport

  A400M (Kazakhstan)

  Programme Background In September 2021, it was announced that Kazakhstan ordered two Airbus A400M aircraft. According to Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, ‘The A400M ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT [Singapore]

  In February 2020, Airbus and the Singapore government announced an agreement to collaborate on the development of an A330 Smart Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). One Singaporean ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M [France]

  Background In April 2021, the French government signed a deal for the purchase of eight H225M Airbus helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of SA330 Puma ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-72C Lakota Connector

  The MQ-72C Lakota Connector is an uncrewed version of Airbus' UH-72B, primarily designed to provide contested logistics in austere expeditionary environments. Airbus has partnered with L3Harris, Shield AI, ...

• Military UAS - small

  Flexrotor

  Flexrotor, or U030 Flexrotor, is a VTOL small UAS manufactured by Aerovel. It can integrate different types of payloads, including electro-optical systems and advanced sensors, to suit ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Wingman

  The Wingman is an Airbus concept drone unveiled at ILA Berlin in June 2024. The loyal-wingman-type fixed-wing UAV was explicitly aimed to accompany and augment ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAS

  The Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAV, or cargo copter, is a rotary-wing cargo-carrying platform that Airbus is developing. The platform has yet to be formally named. The ...

• Major networking projects

  Skynet 6 SATCOM

  Skynet 6 is designed to replace Skynet 5. The PFI contract for Skynet 5,  held by Paradigm Secure Communications and Airbus DS, ends in 2022. As ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  H145

  The light, twin-engine EC145 began as an initiative to increase the cabin size of the BK 117 C1 aircraft, involving Kawasaki of Japan and Airbus ...

• Transport

  C295

  The C295 is the largest member of Airbus Defence and Space’s family of medium tactical airlifters and surveillance aircraft. It is a development of the ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H175M

  The Airbus H175M is the military variant of the H175 and works to fill a gap in the H175 helicopter family, as well as offer ...

• Helicopter engines

  LTS101

  The LTS101 was first certified in 1975. Since then, over 2,100 engines have been delivered to customers worldwide, logging over 11 million service hours. The ...

• Air: mission management systems

  Helionix

  The Helionix digital avionics suite was developed from the need for a more powerful avionics system with greater functions and computing capacity, alongside a user-friendly interface. ...

• Military helicopters - light/training, Military helicopters - multirole

  H135M

  The H135M (formerly known as the EC635 and also designated as H135) is a light utility variant of the EC135 twin-engine, multipurpose 3t helicopter. In ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  A400M Training

  Thales is the principal training provider for the Airbus A400M with a contract to provide FFSs and flat-panel trainers. Four A400M FFS and two flat-panel ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H215M

  The H215M (formerly the AS532 ALe) is the most recent addition to the Cougar family.  It is a medium-weight (9t-class), twin-engine helicopter, combining the AS532's ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H145M

  The H145M (formerly known as the EC645 T2) is the military version of the H145 medium-sized (3.7t) helicopter (covered in a separate entry). It is ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M

  The medium-weight, 11t-class H225M (formerly known as the EC725) is the latest military Super Puma/Cougar family member.  Technical features include a modular design of mechanical ...