• Naval Warfare

  USN welcomes USS Vermont into service

  20th April 2020

  The USN has commissioned the USS Vermont into active service as the 19th Virginia-class fast attack submarine. Despite a cancellation of the usual public ceremony, the …

• Land Warfare

  India sees the light with Negev machine guns

  20th March 2020

  Delhi has signed an INR8.8 billion ($116.7 million) contract with Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) for thousands of light machine guns, it was announced on 19 …

• Naval Warfare

  Likely bidders break cover on UK Harpoon replacement

  17th April 2020

  Several vendors have confirmed their participation in the UK programme to replace the Royal Navy’s (RN’s) Harpoon 1C anti-ship missile (ASM) system. Known as the …

• Air Warfare

  India accelerates AMCA fighter development

  23rd July 2020

  The Indian Air Force (IAF) is working feverishly with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the Aeronautical Development Agency to develop the indigenous Advanced Multirole Combat Aircraft …

• Naval Warfare

  Crowley to carry on USN support ship maintenance

  27th July 2020

  Crowley Government Services is to continue providing maintenance for T-AGOS ocean surveillance ships and T-AGM missile range instrumentation ships, under a $24.07 million contract extension …

• Air Warfare

  Russia’s upgraded Tu-160 strategic bomber nears production

  30th April 2020

  Production of the Tupolev Tu-160M2 bomber is poised to begin, after Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on 7 April that the Kazan Aviation Plant …

• Defence Notes

  USMC must transform to compete with China

  14th May 2020

  The US Marine Corps has a long and storied history in the Pacific, but the rise of China’s military is forcing the corps to either react …

• Naval Warfare

  FREMM-derived design wins out in USN FFG(X) programme

  1st May 2020

  The decision by the USN on 30 April to award the contract for the build up to ten of the future FFG(X) guided missile frigates …

• Training

  Il-76 simulator exemplifies IRIAF self-sufficiency

  21st July 2020

  Iran claims to have made major progress in indigenous development of full flight simulator (FFS) systems, as it attempts to enhance its technological self-sufficiency in the …

• Defence Notes

  Sweden seeks to support security in Mali

  27th March 2020

  Sweden’s Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist has expressed interest in sending Swedish Armed Forces Special Forces to assist with operations in the Sahel region of West …

• Air Warfare

  USAF sets sights on Skyborg prototype by 2026

  24th July 2020

  Four companies have been selected to design a new autonomous UAV prototype called Skyborg for the USAF by July 2026. Boeing, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Four down, one to go for NATO AGS Force

  27th July 2020

  The fourth and penultimate RQ-4D UAV in the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) Force arrived at Sigonella Air Base in Italy on 26 July after a …

• Air Warfare

  F-16 modernisation FMS for Chile moves closer

  24th July 2020

  The US State Department has approved a possible FMS to Chile worth an estimated $634.70 million, for various items of equipment to support an F-16 …

• Air Warfare

  Russian Su-27 goes missing over Black Sea

  26th March 2020

  The Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed that at 20:10 on 25 March, a Russian Aerospace Forces Su-27 fighter jet disappeared from radar above the Black …

• Naval Warfare

  Russia to carry out second test-firing of hypersonic missile

  6th April 2020

  Russia is planning to carry out the second test-firing of its Tsirkon hypersonic missile in April or May 2020 according to Defence Ministry sources. The …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 TTH [France]

  Background In 2001, the French government made its first purchase of 34 NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopters, followed by a second order in 2013 for an ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Joint Light Helicopter (HIL) programme [France]

  Background The French Ministry of the Armed Forces has elected to bring the launch of the French Armed Forces’ HIL programme forward to 2021. The ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - mini

  Micro & Mini Drones (France)

  Programme Background RequirementOn 23 April 2021, an RfP was published by the Direction de la Maintenance Aéronautique (DMAé) to supply around 500 micro and nano drones for the ...

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  Mistral SHORAD [Romania]

  Background Romania signed a contract with the Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans of the French Republic within the "European Joint Acquisition of Mistral ...

• Loitering munitions

  Colibri: Short-range loitering munition (Contracted) [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated at a press conference in May 2022 that the General Directorate for Armament (DGA) ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 300 [France]

  Programme Background Plans to Purchase At Eurosatory 2022, Col. Arnaud Goujon, the French Army's chief of plans, told the media that the French Army was ...

• Loitering munitions

  Colibri: Short-range loitering munition (Uncontracted) [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated at a press conference in May 2022 that the General Directorate for Armament (DGA) ...

• OPVs

  OPV Procurement (1-2) [Montenegro]

  Programme Background Timeline During Euronaval 2024, the French Ministry of Armed Forces and Veterans announced that Montenegro signed a contract for the acquisition of two ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 (Special Forces) [France]

  Background In French service, advanced H225M Caracals with aerial refuelling capabilities are used by SOF units of the French Air Force (FAF) and French Army. ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (13-15) [France]

  Background In June 2020, The French government has pledged to buy new military heavy-lift helicopters and accelerate plans for naval drone, ISTAR and tanker aircraft programmes ...

• OPVs

  OPV 58 S [Senegal]

  Programme Background Senegal ordered three OPV 58 S patrol vessels on 17 November 2019. A procurement contract was signed between the Ministry of Armed Forces ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - mini

  UX11 (Ukraine Aid) [France]

  Programme Background First Batch On 6 September 2023, Sébastien Lecornu, the French Minister of Defence, announced Delair was providing Ukraine with more than 150 drones. ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  French MALE UAVs [France]

  Background Requirements The French Ministry of the Armed Forces wishes to develop a French MALE offering comparable to the MQ-9 Reaper, which would, it is hoped, promote ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  PLFS [France]

  Background The Sabre, then known as the Sherpa FS, was developed as a response to a 2014 requirement for three types of new vehicles to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Larinae: Medium-range loitering munition [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated at a press conference in May 2022 that the General Directorate for Armament (DGA) ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  Boreades

  Boreades is a modular anti-UAV system developed by CS. This suite combines multi-sensors and multi-effectors in order to enable the detection, identification and neutralisation of rogue ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  UAS 100

  The UAS 100 is an autonomous, three-engined platform, modular UAS manufactured by Thales in partnership with Issoire Aviation, Hionos and with the support of the ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Vespa-15

  The Vespa-15 is a first-person view (FPV) rotary-wing UAV manufactured by a Ukrainian company.  In May 2025, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Ukraine announced it ...

• Loitering munitions

  MX-10 Damocles

  The MX-10 Damocles is a quadcopter loitering munition from KNDS France and Delair. Unveiled at IDEX 2025, it features a 500g fragmentation payload. It is part ...

• Military UAS - small

  LEMUR

  LEMUR is a VTOL, fixed-wing UAV designed for long-endurance observation and reconnaissance missions. The aircraft is available with either an electric motor or an internal ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Tundra 2

  The Tundra 2 is a rotary-wing UAV from Hexadrone. It is described as a new, modular, plug-and-play, and multi-trade drone. Hexadrone's website states that the French Armed ...

• OPVs

  OPV 60

  The OPV 60 is designed to conduct surveillance missions in coastal and EEZ waters. The ship can be armed with a 40mm naval gun and ...

• EO/IR systems

  Euroflir 350

  The Euroflir 350 is an out-of-production gyro-stabilised optronic system. According to Safran, it is effective at long ranges, can track mobile targets, designate important areas for ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 TTH

  Developed as a multinational programme between France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, the European NH90 was designed to meet NATO requirements for multirole capability from ...

• Military UAS - small

  Lanner

  Unveiled at Eurosatory 2024, the Lenner is a modified variant of the Pengion C VTOL drone, specifically modified to meet the SDTL (Light Tactical Drone System) program ...

• Military helicopters - light/training, Military helicopters - multirole, Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  H160M

  Airbus is developing the H160M to meet the requirements of the French military for the Joint Light Helicopter (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger, or HIL) programme. It ...

• Land: handheld NV devices

  O-NYX

  The Thales O-NYX is a Ultra-Compact Night Vision Goggle used by the French armed forces. They have an enlarged field of vision to 51° compared ...

• Pistols

  Glock Pistol

  The Glock family of pistols have been in widespread service since the Glock 17 was selected for Austrian military and police service in 1982. The company's ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  TDS-FA/-TA/-H

  Thales’ TDS family is comprised of Radar Warning Receivers (RWRs) designed to equip a range of fixed-wing aircraft. The product series includes the TDS-FA designed ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Mistral 2

  MISTRAL is a man-portable, fully digital, heat-seeking missile designed to meet the requirements of all branches of the armed forces to defend against air threats. ...