• Defence Helicopter

  Sri Lanka eyes helicopter fleet modernisation

  13th July 2018

  According to local media reports, the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) harbours ambitions to acquire helicopters and UAVs worth up to LKR64.8 billion ($414.7 million). …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Lockheed to support TARDEC’s ExLF programme

  1st August 2018

  Lockheed Martin has been selected as the integrated systems developer for the US Army's Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) Expedient Leader Follower …

• Defence Helicopter

  India’s first Apache, Chinook helicopters complete inaugural flights

  31st July 2018

  Boeing has successfully completed the first flights of AH-64E Apache and CH-47F (I) Chinook helicopters which will be delivered to India in 2019, the company …

• Military Logistics

  HII cuts steel for US Navy’s LPD 29

  1st August 2018

  Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has begun fabrication of the 13th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock at Pascagoula, Mississippi with the cutting of the first 100t …

• Defence Notes

  PLA shows its skills in Hong Kong

  4th July 2018

  The Hong Kong Garrison of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) opened three of its camps to the public on 30 June and 1 July, allowing …

• Defence Helicopter

  Longbow receives FCR order

  25th July 2018

  Longbow will supply Longbow Fire Control Radar (FCR) hardware for the Apache AH-64E helicopter to the US Army under a $170.5 million contract.The hardware will …

• Defence Helicopter

  Luxembourg orders two H145M helos to boost security missions

  27th July 2018

  Airbus has received an order for two H145M light-twin multipurpose helicopters from the government of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg, with both aircraft to be used …

• Digital Battlespace

  QinetiQ to support delivery of BATCIS to UK

  30th July 2018

  QinetiQ has received a three year contract with options to extend for a further two years, worth up to £95 million ($124 million) to support …

• Training

  UFA delivers ATTower tower simulator to Fort Huachuca

  26th July 2018

  UFA has delivered its ATTower tower simulator to the US Army Fort Huachuca’s Libby Army Airfield, the company announced on 19 July. UFA was awarded …

• Land Warfare

  PAC-3 MSE sets distance record in intercept test

  30th July 2018

  Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptor has successfully intercepted an air-breathing threat (ABT) in a test at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, …

• Land Warfare

  Qatar increases Russian cooperation with defence purchases

  26th July 2018

  Qatar has purchased Russian-made small arms and anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and continues negotiations for the purchase of the Almaz-Antey S-400 Triumph long-range surface-to-air missile …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bell Boeing receives CMV-22B production contract

  5th July 2018

  Bell Boeing has received a $4.19 billion contract modification for the manufacture and delivery of V-22 aircraft for the US military and the government of …

• Training

  Plexsys to support NADTC 2.0 programme

  27th July 2018

  Plexsys Interface Products has received a subcontract from Aero Simulation (ASI) for the US Navy Aviation Distributed Training Center (NADTC) 2.0 programme, the company announced …

• Naval Warfare

  New Zealand becomes Poseidon’s next consort

  9th July 2018

  The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) will get four new Boeing P-8A Poseidon MPAs to enhance its surveillance capability, with the government approving the …

• Military Logistics

  Last AH-1W Super Cobra undergoes IMP

  2nd August 2018

  The Fleet Readiness Center Southwest (FRCSW) Site Camp Pendleton has put the last AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter for the Integrated Maintenance Program (IMP), the FRCSW …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Colombia]

  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 gross ...

• 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 ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Polar Support Vessel [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirements In June 2020, the Brazilian Navy released a Request for Proposal (RfP) to procure a new Antarctic vessel to be manufactured in Brazil. The ...

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 ...

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

  Harpia

  Described as the UAV with the most onboard technology in Latin America, Harpia is a multifunctional fixed-wing Brazilian drone developed by Advanced Technologies Security & Defence.  The Uruguayan ...

• 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 - 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...