• Digital Battlespace

  EW Europe 2018: What to expect (video)

  6th June 2018

  Digital Battlespace editor, Grant Turnbull, takes a look at the new products and trends that will be discussed at this year's EW Europe in Lausanne, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australia trucks on with UGV trials

  15th June 2018

  The Australian Army is continuing its foray into UGVs, with Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne announcing on 13 June that Praesidium Global had won …

• Military Logistics

  China’s Y-20 conducts air delivery training

  10th May 2018

  China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has carried out airborne and air delivery training with the Y-20 heavy transport aircraft, China’s Ministry of National …

• Digital Battlespace

  GDIT receives USAF cloud services contract

  11th May 2018

  General Dynamics Information Technology has received a $9 million sole-source contract from the US Air Force (USAF) for Cloud Hosted Enterprise Services (CHES), the company …

• Defence Helicopter

  Tata delivers first AH-64 Apache fuselage

  8th June 2018

  Tata Boeing Aerospace has delivered the first AH-64 Apache helicopter fuselage from its facility in Hyderabad, India. The fuselage will now be transported to Boeing’s …

• Digital Battlespace

  EW Europe 2018: Patria revving up EW capabilities

  7th June 2018

  Finnish company Patria is probably best known for its work making highly-protected armoured vehicles, but it also has another lesser known specialisation in its repertoire; …

• Defence Notes

  Australian innovation hub contracts awarded

  16th May 2018

  Defence Innovation Hub contracts have been issued to three Australian companies for development of three new defence technologies, the Australian Department of Defence announced on …

• Defence Helicopter

  Eurosatory 2018: New sensor suite for NH90 special operations

  15th June 2018

  Shephard understands that a total ten NH90 aircraft will be outfitted with a new sensor suite for French Special Forces operations. A nose cone for …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: JSOC to reveal technology interest areas

  16th May 2018

  The US Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) has revealed a hit-list of technology interest areas due to be exploited over the course of 2018 in …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Eurosatory 2018: First autonomous flight for VSR700 imminent

  14th June 2018

  Airbus Helicopters is moving ahead with its VSR700 project with the first fully autonomous flight test scheduled for 2018, the company told Shephard at Eurosatory …

• Defence Notes

  US Air Force orders stand-down for safety review

  8th May 2018

  The US Air Force will ground all of its aircraft for a day while it conducts a safety review following a series of deadly accidents, …

• Defence Notes

  Boeing 1Q profits jump, lifts 2018 forecast

  25th April 2018

  Boeing reported a surge in Q1 profits on 25 April and lifted its full-year earnings forecast following a strong performance in commercial aviation and defence …

• Naval Warfare

  Rolls-Royce MT30 turbine for Japan’s new frigate

  23rd May 2018

  The Rolls-Royce MT30 marine gas turbine has been selected to power a new class of frigates for the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF), the …

• Digital Battlespace

  EW Europe 2018: ERA sees expanding role for passive sensors

  1st June 2018

  Czech sensor specialists ERA is seeing expanded uses for its VERA-NG passive radar technology beyond traditional EW functions, evolving to surveillance missions and utilisation in …

• Digital Battlespace

  PreTalen to continue to PANACEA development

  16th May 2018

  PreTalen has received a $23.9 million contract from the US Air Force to develop an automated platform that analyses wireless communication systems. Under the contract, …

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 ...

• 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 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 [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 ...

• 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 ...

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 ...