• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Japan secures Global Hawks and eyes Avengers

  21st November 2018

  Tokyo has committed money as part of its order of three RQ-4 Global Hawk HALE UAVs, with the US DoD announcing on 19 November an …

• Digital Battlespace

  ELTA receives new orders

  11th December 2018

  ELTA Systems has received contracts totalling over $60 million from an unnamed customer in Asia to supply advanced multi-mode radars and an EW protection system. …

• Defence Notes

  European allies say still more to do against IS after US Syria pullout

  20th December 2018

  Britain has insisted 'much remains to be done' in fighting the Islamic State group in Syria, amid reports on Thursday that it was not given …

• Defence Helicopter

  NHIndustries signs NH90 support contract

  18th December 2018

  NHIndustries has signed a through life support (TLS) contract with the NATO agency, NAHEMA, for NH90 helicopter support. NAHEMA acts as contracting authority on behalf …

• Military Logistics

  France orders final tranche of A330 MRTTs

  19th December 2018

  Airbus Defence and Space has received an order from the French Defence Procurement Agency to supply a final tranche of three A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport …

• Digital Battlespace

  AOC 2018: Mosaic warfare in the spotlight

  4th December 2018

  Mosaic warfare, a move away from rigid formations and monolithic platforms, will provide long term benefits such as rapid innovation and greater impact, it emerged …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Navy launches nanosatellite

  26th November 2018

  The US Navy has launched a nanosatellite, designed to extend the range of ultra-high frequency (UHF) communications into the polar regions, from Vandenberg Air Force …

• Defence Notes

  Cambodian PM says no China naval base being built

  19th November 2018

  Cambodia will not allow foreign military bases on its soil, premier Hun Sen said 19 November, swatting away US concerns about a possible Chinese naval …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2018: Esterline launches TREALITY RP-X

  26th November 2018

  Esterline Simulation Visual Systems (SVS) has added to its TREALITY range of rear-projection domes with the introduction of the RP-X, a new offering that is …

• Naval Warfare

  Croatian Navy receives patrol vessel

  19th December 2018

  The Croatian Navy has received a new inshore patrol vessel, Omiš, in a ceremony in Split on 7 December. The vessel, built by Croatian company …

• Digital Battlespace

  Cohort acquires Chess Technologies

  18th December 2018

  Cohort has acquired a majority stake in Chess Technologies, a UK-based integrated fire control and tracking systems provider for military vehicles and naval ships. Chess …

• Digital Battlespace

  Indo Defence 2018: SSVC’s MiPlayer communicating without connectivity

  12th November 2018

  UK-based SSVC is showcasing for the first time in Asia-Pacific its MiPlayer and is garnering interest in the broadcasting service system across the region and …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2018: MQ-9 training contract won by CTI

  19th November 2018

  Memphis, Tennessee-based Crew Training International Inc (CTI) has been awarded the US Air Force’s firm-fixed-price contract for the MQ-9 Contract Aircrew Training and Courseware Development …

• Land Warfare

  Northrop expands Arizona facility

  17th December 2018

  Northrop Grumman’s Innovation Systems in Mesa, Arizona, has completed the expansion of its Bushmaster medium calibre cannon production facility. The new 36,000sq ft facility doubles …

• Defence Notes

  NATO to meet Ukraine minister amid Azov stand-off

  29th November 2018

  NATO foreign ministers will address the stand-off between Ukraine and Russia in the Sea of Azov at a meeting next week with their Ukrainian counterpart, …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  PC-21 (Project Air 5428) [Australia]

  The new PTS, including aircraft, flight training simulators and learning environments is being acquired from a single capability contractor, Team 21, which consists of Lockheed ...

• Transport, Transport/tanker aircraft

  Project Air 7404 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement Australia is thinking ahead to an enlarged transport fleet to replace the current C-130Js. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was the second ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A (Project Air 6000 Phase 2A/B) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) took delivery of 18 F-35A aircraft as of March 2020 and the remaining aircraft are expected to ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (5-6) [Australia]

  Background Four Contracted Units In the summer of 2020, Northrop Grumman announced that the Australian Government provided $333 million for three MQ-4C Tritons and associated GCS. ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Medium Range Air Defence [Australia]

  Background Faced with a growing threat from China and a vast land and sea territory to protect, Australia is seeking to establish a medium-range ground-based ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (13-14) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [Australia]

  Background Older Efforts On 23 April 2021, the US State Department's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) approval announcement revealed that Australia had requested to buy up ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Project Air 7003 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

• OPVs

  Arafura Class (Project SEA 1180) (1-6) [Australia]

  Programme Background Australia's new class of Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), the Arafura-class, will replace the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) fleet of Armidale and Cape-class patrol ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-28 Ghost Bat [Australia]

  Background Goal As stated by the Head of Air Force Capability, Air Vice-Marshal Robert Denney, in March 2022, the Ghost Bat will be an "operational system ...

• Loitering munitions

  Mission Talon Strike [Australia]

  Background Request for Tender (RFT) On 19 May 2025, the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA), an agency aimed at streamlining defence invocation for the Australian Defence ...

• Military UAS - small

  VTOL UAV [New Zealand]

  Background Defence Capability Plan (DCP) In April 2025, the New Zealand government published the DCP, a document that is essentially a blueprint for what procurements ...

• 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 UAS - small

  DEF129 (Tactical UAS) [Australia]

  Programme Background Programme Announcement The Australian Army announced the Project Land 129 Phase 3 programme in 2017. This announcement led to the release of an industry ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Harpii Szpon (Loyal Wingman) [Poland]

  Background Market Evaluation On 6 November 2023, speaking at the IQPC International Fighter Conference (IFC) 2023 in Madrid, Major General Cezary Wiśniewski, the Deputy General Commander of the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Air-5416 Project Echidna

  Air-5416 Project Echidna was an initiative launched in 2001 by BAE Systems for the Australian DoD. Its goal was to overhaul the self protection systems ...

• Trainer

  King Air trainer

  Textron / Beechcraft King Air trainers are a family twin-engine aircraft based on King Air 90, 100, 200 and 350 utility aircraft. The King Air ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Australian Defence Force MRH90 Training

  As prime contractor for the ADF's MRH90 training programme, CAE has provided two MRH90 full-flight mission simulators (FFMS), training facilities and engineering and support services. ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  RAAF Hawk Mk 127 FMS

  Under subcontract to BAE Systems, CAE is designing and manufacturing three Hawk Mk 127 full-mission simulators (FMS) for the Royal Australian Air Force that will ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Wanderer

  The Wanderer is a low-altitude, low-cost, long-endurance UAV produced in-house by the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) Jericho Disruptive Innovation Group and the Australian Government's Defense Science ...

• Light attack

  Hawk 200

  The Hawk 200 is a single-seat light attack iteration of the Hawk 100 (see separate entry) and Advanced Jet Trainer or AJT (see separate entry). ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-28A Ghost Bat

  The MQ-28A Ghost Bat is a loyal wingman-type, Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), MALE fixed-wing drone being developed by Boeing Defence Australia. Its development began in ...

• Military - USVs

  Bluebottle

  Bluebottle is a persistent, autonomous, uncrewed surface vessel from Ocius Technology in service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF). In ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  Predator Mission Trainer (PMT)

  The CAE Predator Mission Trainer (PMT) is an integrated platform that combines the features of CAE's UAS mission trainer with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' Predator-specific ...

• Maritime patrol

  Challenger 604

  Bombardier Challenger CL-604 MPAs are in service with the Royal Danish Air Force and the Korea Coast Guard. The first of three Danish aircraft entered ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Phantom 4 (Series)

  Designed for aerial photograph applications by DJI, the Phantom 4 series of UAVs includes the Phantom 4 Pro, Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, Phantom 4 Advanced ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Hawkei

  Thales Australia developed the 4x4 Hawkei for the Australian Army's Land 121 Phase 4 Protected Mobility Vehicle – Light (PMV-L) project.  The prototype was unveiled in ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  AN/ALR-2001

  BAE Systems’ AN/ALR-2001 Electronic Support Measure (ESM) is thought to be based on Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Elta Systems division’s EL/M-8382 ESM. The AN/ALR-2001 is ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  AGM-88E AARGM

  The AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) is a supersonic, medium-range, air-launched tactical missile compatible with US and allied strike aircraft. Designed to upgrade the AGM-88 ...

• Military UAS - mini

  M Solar-X

  First revealed in August 2020, in February 2024, at its symposium, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) showcased the M Solar-X. This solar-powered fixed-wing drone was ...