• Defence Helicopter

  Jordan’s AH-1F/S Cobra avionics upgraded

  11th June 2018

  Northrop Grumman and Science and Engineering Services (SES) have upgraded the avionics system on the Royal Jordanian Air Force’s AH-1F/S Cobra attack helicopters, Northrop announced …

• Naval Warfare

  UDT 2018: New sonar for Australian submarines

  20th June 2018

  Thales will support efforts by Australia to upgrade systems and capabilities of the Collins class submarines as part of an overall A$542 million ($400 million) …

• Naval Warfare

  China launches two new destroyers

  6th July 2018

  The Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company in Liaoning Province simultaneously launched two Type 055 destroyers, a new class destined for the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), …

• Defence Notes

  Trump forcing Europe to deepen defence integration

  21st June 2018

  Uncertainty over US President Donald Trump's commitment to the NATO alliance requires European nations to bolster efforts to forge a common defence policy, France's Defence …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Raytheon to develop LOCUST prototype

  29th June 2018

  Raytheon has received a $29.68 million contract from the Office of Naval Research to develop a Low Cost UAV Swarming Technology (LOCUST) prototype. The LOCUST …

• Defence Notes

  Opinion: Who are the real victors in the Qatar embargo dispute?

  28th June 2018

  In early June, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman reportedly threatened to take military action against Qatar if the country installed a Russian S-400 missile air defense …

• Defence Notes

  RAF strikes positive tone with F-35B Lightning arrival

  7th June 2018

  Known as The Dambusters, no 617 Sqn delivered the first four F-35B Lightning II to RAF Marham, Norfolk on the evening of 6 June.Their arrival from Marine …

• Special Operations

  Britain begins West Africa deployment in support of France

  14th June 2018

  The first troops from a 100-member British contingent to be deployed alongside French counter-terrorism forces in West Africa have arrived in the region along with …

• Training

  FAAC to modernise Combat Convoy Simulators

  19th June 2018

  Arotech's FAAC has received a contract to modernise the US Marine Corps’ (USMC) Combat Convoy Simulators (CCS). The contract is worth up to $28.9 million …

• Defence Notes

  France brings back national service

  28th June 2018

  The army general in charge of bringing back national service in France said on 28 June that he would try to make it appealing for …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bulgarian military helicopter crashes during exercise

  12th June 2018

  A Bulgarian military helicopter crashed during a training exercise on 11 June evening near the southern city of Plovdiv, killing two of the three men …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Navy sets sights on ageing OH-58 upgrade

  28th June 2018

  The US Naval Air Systems Command is calling for prospective industry parties to put forward their bids to upgrade the avionics suite of its ageing Bell OH-58 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Rafael demonstrates Protector USV to NATO

  13th June 2018

  Rafael Advance Defense Systems has demonstrated the capabilities of the Protector USV against naval swarm threats for NATO forces. The demonstration, which included a simulated firing …

• Defence Notes

  Taiwan F-16 fighter jet crashes, killing pilot

  4th June 2018

  Taiwan’s air force said the pilot of an F-16 fighter jet was killed after his plane crashed on 4 June in the mountains at the …

• Defence Notes

  Ex-spy chief to head Australia inquiry into special forces

  11th June 2018

  Australia's former spy chief is to conduct the third inquiry into the nation's special forces in two years, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) confirmed on …

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 ...