• Training

  FAAC to continue supporting Taiwan training range

  31st July 2018

  Arotech’s FAAC has received a $1.9 million contract to continue software support and improvement efforts for the Taiwan training range, Arotech announced on 27 July. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ANS CR selects AirMap UTM system

  9th August 2018

  AirMap’s UTM system has been selected by the Air Navigation Service of the Czech Republic (ANS CR) to bring situational awareness and authorisation services to …

• Digital Battlespace

  Altamira receives RF contract from AFRL

  12th July 2018

  Altamira Technologies has received the US Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) $24.6 million distributed radio frequency sensing (DRS) contract to provide next-gen radio frequency (RF) …

• Naval Warfare

  Brisbane drives improvement in AWD programme

  5th August 2018

  The second of three new Hobart-class air warfare destroyers (AWDs) has been delivered to the Royal Australian Navy. A spokesperson from South Australian shipbuilder ASC …

• Digital Battlespace

  Taiwan hacker conference proves unnerving

  31st July 2018

  The 2018 Hacks in Taiwan Conference (HITCON) was disturbing. After being founded in 2005, the 14th HITCON was held from 27-28 July at the Taipei …

• Land Warfare

  Taiwan to order M1A2 Abrams

  13th July 2018

  Taiwan has decided to order 108 M1A2 Abrams tanks plus ammunition from the US. These MBTs will equip two armoured battalions in the northern sector …

• Special Operations

  SOF seeks enhanced ground SIGINT designs

  27th July 2018

  United States Special Operations Command has released a combined special notice / RfI describing a planned demonstration under which the command will explore new designs …

• Digital Battlespace

  Comtech to continue BFT-1 support

  20th July 2018

  Comtech Mobile Datacom has had a contract option exercised for the US Army’s Blue Force Tracking-1(BFT-1) programme, the company announced on 17 July. BFT-1 is …

• Defence Helicopter

  FAA approves all-glass cockpit for MD 530F

  13th July 2018

  The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved MD Helicopters’ advanced, all-glass cockpit for the MD 530F (type certified 369FF) helicopter. The new single-engine all-glass type …

• Naval Warfare

  Terma’s Scanter 6002 for RAN OPVs

  1st August 2018

  Terma Singapore and Saab Australia have signed an agreement for the Scanter 6002 radar for the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Sea 1180 Offshore Patrol Vessels …

• Training

  Farnborough 2018: Engines running on new Czech jet trainers

  9th July 2018

  Work on the three brand new Aero L159T2 advanced jet trainers for the Czech Air Force is now well underway and the first jet was …

• Military Logistics

  Airbus trials automatic air-to-air refuelling

  13th July 2018

  Airbus Defence and Space has performed an automatic air-to-air refuelling trial of a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT), the …

• Defence Notes

  Farnborough 2018: Carter leads charge on interoperability

  13th July 2018

  Four weeks in to his new role, Chief of the Defence Staff, Gen Sir Nick Carter was adamant that the nation must ensure profound interoperability …

• Military Logistics

  HII receives LPD 30 advance procurement contract

  8th August 2018

  Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $165.5 million, cost-plus-fixed-fee advance procurement contract from the US Navy to provide long-lead-time material and …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Textron demonstrates simulated manned-unmanned teaming capability

  2nd August 2018

  Textron Systems has successfully integrated and demonstrated manned-unmanned teaming capability via its Synturian control and collaboration technology and Textron Aviation Defense’s Scorpion jet, Textron announced …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS 39E/F Gripen [Brazil]

  Background In 2016, Gripen’s Project and Development Center was opened in Sao Paulo to allow Sweedish and Brazillian engineers to work together in the Gripen ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Data links

  Data links | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390 [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirement The aircraft deliveries were scheduled to start by the end of 2016 and continue over a period of ten years. However,  the first ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-130H Replacement [Sweden]

  Programme Background Requirements Sweden has five C-130H aircraft (designated Tp-84) and one KC-130H. Two C-130Es bought in the 1960s have retired, but the six H ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Chile]

  Methodology Unit cost In 2024, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired one Hermes 900 for 50 million reais ($9.14 million), giving each drone an estimated ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  H145M [Brazil]

  Background  Brazilian leadership announced in February 2022 that the Sabre Mil Mi-35M Hind-E attack helicopters were being retired from active service. This decision came as a ...

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

  Hermes 900 (5) [Brazil]

  Background First three batches (2014-2024) Across three purchases, Defence Insight estimates that Brazil has acquired five Hermes 900 UAVs. In 2014, Elbit reported supplying one ...

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

  Hermes 900 (1-4) [Brazil]

  Background First batch (2014) In 2014, Elbit reported supplying one Hermes 900 UAV to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). The drone is called the RQ-900 in Brazilian ...

• Maritime patrol

  C295 add-on [Brazil]

  Programme Background  In 2014 Brazil signed a contracted for two additional C-295 SAR platforms with the option to acquire one additional platform. In 2018, reports ...

• Transport

  C-130 Replacement [Greece]

  Programme Background Requirement The existing C-130 fleet of the Hellenic Air Force has faced operational readiness issues, with only one or two airframes in service at ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Undisclosed European Country]

  Background Various Contracts On 18 November 2024, Elbit Systems announced it had awarded various contacts with a combined $335 million to an undisclosed European country. ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air-to-surface missiles

  MAR-1

  The MAR-1 is a Brazilian air-to-surface anti-radiation missile (ARM) developed by Mectron in collaboration with the Aerospace Technology and Science Department (DCTA) of the Brazilian ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  EMB-312 Tucano

  The EMB-312 Tucano (Brazilian designation T-27) is a trainer and light attack aircraft developed by Embraer to meet the training requirements of the Brazilian Air ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  TPTS

  Tactical Procedures Training Simulators (TPTS), operating with SWARM software, can be used to provide most core training elements to pilots or offload training tasks from ...

• Guided munitions

  SMKB (Smart-MK-Bomb)

  The Smart-MK-Bomb, or the SMKB, is a precision guidance kit developed by Mectron and designed to turn Mk 82 and Mk 83 bombs into guided munitions.

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

  Condor

  The Condor, or Atobá XR, is an in-development MALE-class UAV from Stella Technologia.  The development of the multi-role is tied to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), which has ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Albatroz Vortex

  The Albatroz Vortex from Stella Tecnologia is a development of the company's Albatroz UAV.  The key differentiator is that the Vortex is fitted with an ATJR ...

• Trainer, Transport

  EMB-121 Xingu

  The EMB-121 Xingu is a twin-turboprop light transport and advanced multi-engine trainer aircraft developed by Embraer based on the EMB-110 Bandeirante. Its maiden flight was ...

• 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 ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390/C-390 Millennium

  The KC-390 is a high-wing, twin-turbofan, T-tail design intended to meet the needs of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) for a tanker/transport aircraft. Developed and ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Arkhe Mission & Combat

  Launched in 2017, Atech's Arkhe Mission & Combat solutions offer a variety of solutions enabling operator to conduct missions from planning to execution and debriefing. It ...

• Fighter - air superiority

  F-5E/F Tiger II

  The F-5E (single-seat)/F (twin-seat) Tiger II is an air superiority fighter developed by Northrop Grumman based on the original F-5 Freedom Fighter. Production of the ...

• EO/IR systems, Land: unattended sensor/surveillance systems, Sea: ship surveillance and fire control systems

  SHAPO

  SHAPO is a multi-sensor, gyro-stabilised observation payload. It is intended for UAVs, helicopters, light aircraft, patrol boats, aerostats, airships, armoured vehicles and masts. Sensors include a ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Saber M60

  The Saber M60 is a low-altitude air-defence radar developed by the Brazilian Army's CTEx (Army Technology Centre) in collaboration with Bradar, part of Embraer Defence ...

• EO/IR systems

  Skyward

  The SkyWard system is an advanced Infrared Search and Track (IRST) solution developed for next-generation airborne platforms, including 5th-generation fighter aircraft.  Designed with modularity in ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  RBS 70 system

  The RBS 70 was developed in the 1970s to meet the Swedish Army’s requirement for a low-cost, easy-to-use MANPADS which could function in extreme climatic ...