• Defence Notes

  COVID-19 propels reforms in Indian defence production

  19th May 2020

  Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced more measures to boost self-sufficiency in defence production, among them raising from 49% to 74% the foreign direct investment …

• Air Warfare

  General Atomics to work on French Reapers

  14th September 2020

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has been awarded a maximum $27.8 million FMS contract from the US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. The deal covers …

• Land Warfare

  Poland opens tender for armoured recovery vehicles

  10th September 2020

  Focused on improving the mobility of its ground troops, the Armament Inspectorate of the Polish MoD is running a €428,000 ($506,000) tender to procure 29 …

• Air Warfare

  Cost considerations and politics drive USAF choice for LRSO

  29th April 2020

  The US Air Force’s selection recently of Raytheon Technologies as sole-source contractor on the Long Range Stand Off (LRSO) programme, ahead of a concept solution …

• Air Warfare

  Egypt and Jordan to receive Sidewinder motors

  11th September 2020

  FMS customers will receive a combined total of more than 800 rocket motors for the AIM-9M Sidewinder short-range AAM, under a $21.01 million contract for Northrop …

• Digital Battlespace

  EU seeks single airborne system for communications, radar and electronic defence

  20th May 2020

  Indra has been selected to lead a European R&D; project to combine radar, communications and electromagnetic (EM) spectrum defence in a single system for fighters …

• Digital Battlespace

  DoD looks beyond AlphaDogfight

  10th September 2020

  The DoD intends to conduct real-world dogfights between AI-controlled aircraft and crewed fighters in 2024. Speaking on 9 September during the DoD Artificial Intelligence Symposium …

• Digital Battlespace

  NZ network-enablement project continues apace

  9th September 2020

  New Zealand continues to progress its four-phase Network Enabled Army (NEA) programme, with the first tranche on track to reach fruition next year. At the …

• Air Warfare

  RUAG prepares to make Gripen E/F payload suspensions

  10th September 2020

  RUAG Aerostructures is ready to begin serial production of payload suspension pylons for the Saab Gripen E/F, following final airworthiness test acceptance in late August. This is …

• Defence Notes

  India gets ready to absorb external supply shocks

  8th April 2020

  Indian defence SMEs are gearing up to accommodate a slew of orders from domestic clients plus international OEMs looking to reduce the risk of sourcing …

• Naval Warfare

  RDA works on ASW systems for USN

  9th September 2020

  RDA Inc has received a $19.98 million cost-plus-fixed-fee order from the US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, for continued R&D; of systems for ASW …

• Land Warfare

  Lithuania refreshes sidearms inventory

  11th September 2020

  Heckler & Koch (H&K;) is to provide an undisclosed number of SFP9-SF Paddle pistols to the Lithuanian Armed Forces, under a €1.57 million ($1.86 million) …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Northrop integrates more systems on MQ-8C

  9th September 2020

  Northrop Grumman obtained an $11.64 million order from US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on 8 September, to provide non-recurring engineering for qualification testing and …

• Air Warfare

  Raytheon embarks on AMRAAM software updates

  10th September 2020

  Raytheon has been awarded a contract worth up to $125 million to improve the AIM-120 AMRAAM system. The deal, awarded by the Air Force Life …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Łukasiewicz - PIAP introduces new EOD mobile robot (sponsored)

  9th September 2020

  Łukasiewicz - PIAP has launched PIAP Patrol®, a new EOD mobile, medium-sized tracked robot designed for CBRN detection and reconnaissance and counter-IED purposes. Because of …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Chinese UAVs [Bangladesh]

  Background Request for Proposals (RFP) In 2023, as reported by Shephard at the time, the Bangladesh Army released a 106-page tender document to gather information ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Jackal [Taiwan]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 14 September 2023, Jon Parker, CEO And Chief Examiner at Flyby Technology, announced on LinkedIn that the company had signed ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Tactical Short-Range UAVs (Taiwan)

  Programme Background Long-Held Desire Alongside other branches of the Taiwanese military, the ROCA is trying to incorporate more uncrewed systems into its force structure. During the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Multirole Fighter (Taiwan)

  Programme Background Taiwan claims that Chinese fighter jets are often crossing into the island's air defence zone. The Republic of China Air Force is looking for options ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Mid-Shore Multi Mission Vessels [Canada]

  Canada is seeking to procure six Mid-Shore Multi Mission Vessels (MSMMVs) to replace its mid-shore science vessels as well as address existing capability gaps within the ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Mid-Shore Multi Mission Vessels [Canada]

  Canada is seeking to procure six Mid-Shore Multi Mission Vessels (MSMMVs) to replace its mid-shore science vessels as well as address existing capability gaps within the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Fighter Aircraft [United Arab Emirates]

  Programme Background Competitors and Bids Lockheed Martin On 25 September, the United Arab Emirates submitted a FMS request for the F-35A; the proposal was approved ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Invincible Class (Type 218SG) (5-6) [Singapore]

  In March 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Defence (Mindef) announced it would acquire two more submarines to complement its four Type 218SG Invincible-class submarines. Speaking to ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Invincible Class (Type 218SG) (5-6) [Singapore]

  In March 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Defence (Mindef) announced it would acquire two more submarines to complement its four Type 218SG Invincible-class submarines. Speaking to ...

• Frigates

  Type 054A/P (Pakistan)

  Programme Background Contracts Pakistan has ordered four frigates from China under the Type 054AP programme, which refers to the vessels being based on the Peoples ...

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

  Artillery UAV [Thailand]

  Programme Background Requirement & Replacement The Royal Thai Army (RTA) was understood to be seeking a new tactical UAV to replace four legacy Israel Aerospace Industries ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Data links

  Data links | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

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

  FH-95

  The FH-95, sometimes called the Feihong 95 or Flying Swan, is a UAV designed for EW, ISR and strike missions.  It is manufactured by Aerospace Times Feihong Technology Corporation ...

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

  CH-802

  The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation CH-802 is a fixed-wing micro air vehicle intended for short-range surveillance and tactical reconnaissance missions in support of ...

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

  CH-10

  The CH-10 is a tilt-rotor uncrewed aircraft unveiled by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC) in 2018.  The platform can take off and land on ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Dragon 10A

  The Loitering Dragon 10A is a tube-launched loitering munition from Norinco.  Similar in design to AeroVironment's Switchblade, the drone was displayed alongside its tube launcher at ...

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

  CH-805

  The CH-805 is known for its stealthy design and is used for target practice in air defence exercises and equipment testing. It is sometimes mentioned ...

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

  CH-4

  The CH-4 is a MALE UAV available in two variants, the CH-4A and CH-4B. The China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics developed the platform, which is manufactured ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CH-500

  The CH-500 is a small, coaxial, rotary-wing, multipurpose UCAV and is manoeuvrable due to its tandem, dual-rotor arrangement without a tail rotor – also making it ...

• Self-propelled missile systems

  Shahab Thaqeb

  Shahab Thaqeb is an Iranian-developed variant of China's HQ-7 short-range air defence system, itself a copy of  Thales' Crotale systems imported by China in the ...

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

  CH-6

  The CH-6, or Cai Hong 6 or Rainbow-6, is a UCAV unveiled by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) on 19 April 2021.  Shown ...

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

  Pegaz

  The Pegaz, or Pegasus, is a multi-role UCAV developed for the Serbian Armed Forces. It is being manufactured by Military Technical Institute Belgrade (MIT) in collaboration ...

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

  Caihong

  The Caihong (Rainbow), also known as the Cai Hong or CH, is a solar-powered HALE platform designed for near-space flight. It is suitable for military ...

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

  CH-5

  The CH-5 is a medium-altitude, long-endurance UAS designed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation to perform various military missions. Applications of the CH-5 include ISTAR, ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  AR-1

  The AR-1 is a Chinese air-to-surface missile specifically designed for deployment from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), notably the CH-3 and CH-4 series. Developed by the ...

• Anti-ship missiles

  C-801

  The C-801 is a Chinese subsonic anti-ship missile that served as the foundational design for many subsequent Chinese anti-ship missiles. It is the export variant ...

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

  CH-91

  The CH-91 has been designed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation for tactical missions such as battlefield reconnaissance, target location, artillery fire correction and damage ...