• Air Warfare

  Kuwait receives four more Eurofighter Typhoons

  31st October 2023

  The Kuwait Air Force has taken delivery of four additional fighter jets from a fleet of 28 Tranche 3 Eurofighter Typhoons initially ordered back in 2016.

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2023: US Army Sentinel A4 air defence radar enters low-rate production

  9th October 2023

  The development, announced at AUSA 2023, has attempted to improve the US Army's ability to track a variety of threats including fixed and rotary wings, UAVs and cruise missiles.

• Land Warfare

  Germany orders PARM remote anti-tank weapon

  15th November 2023

  The PARM (Panzerabwehrrichtmine), a roadside anti-tank mine or effector, was originally triggered by a cable but has been upgraded to include more technologically advanced triggering mechanisms.

• Training

  DSEI 2023: Boeing and Red 6 partnership first to achieve successful AR integration on aircraft

  14th September 2023

  The partnership between Boeing and Red 6 has resulted in the successful flight testing of AR technology in a TA-4JA tactical aircraft, with plans to extend testing to the T-7 Red Hawk advanced trainer.

• Training

  Philippines joins ANNUALEX Indo-Pacific naval exercise as observer as tensions rise in the region

  13th November 2023

  Annual Exercise (ANNUALEX), a multinational naval exercise including participants from Australia, Canada, Japan and the US, started on 11 November and will involve 30 ships and 40 aircraft.

• Defence Notes

  I/ITSEC 2023: FY 2024 budget should not be approved this year, claim US lawmakers

  28th November 2023

  US congressmen also expect reductions in the Pentagon’s defence proposal for the next fiscal year.

• Air Warfare

  DSEI 2023: MBDA details CONOPS for Spear-EW stand-off jammer as MoD releases development funds

  13th September 2023

  Spear-EW, an airborne electronic warfare (EW) system under development by MBDA for use on the UK F-35 fleet, is set to receive additional funding for its rapid design phase from the MoD, the company has announced.

• Air Warfare

  Insight: How will the US Navy keep its EA-18G Growler EW aircraft flying until 2046?

  14th September 2023

  The carrier-based EA-18G Growler entered service in 2010 and is intended to remain in service until 2046. Shephard Defence Insight analyses the key operational technologies on the aircraft and the upgrade path needed to keep it flying and effective for another two decades.

• Air Warfare

  NATO nears end of multi-tanker air-to-air refuelling exercise in Canary Islands

  26th October 2023

  The 9th European Air Refuelling Training began on October 16 from Gando Air Base in Gran Canaria, Spain, and has involved air tankers from France, Italy and Spain.

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2023: Curtiss-Wright introduces new advanced components for military solutions

  25th October 2023

  VPX3-1262 and VPX3-6826 are SOSA-aligned products and feature ruggedisation technology for deployment in harsh, challenging environments.

• Training

  Iran demonstrates improved missiles and tests capabilities and practices as part of two-day exercise

  30th October 2023

  Iran has tested new weapons at the recently concluded Eqtedar 1402 exercise which focused on what the Iranian government described as ‘emerging threats’.

• Naval Warfare

  Future of the South African Navy looks bleak despite new ships entering service

  29th November 2023

  The commissioning of SAS King Shaka Zulu, a Multi-Mission Inshore Patrol Vessel, into the South African Navy masks serious problems for the service as fleet availability falls dangerously low and capability atrophies.

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed Martin conducts first flight of U-2 Avionics Tech Refresh programme

  28th September 2023

  Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works has successfully completed the first flight of the U-2 reconnaissance aircraft Avionics Tech Refresh (ATR) programme, an effort to upgrade the type's capabilities for the future battlespace.

• Training

  US marines and sailors engage in advanced training during Kuwait bilateral exercise

  11th October 2023

  The training focuses on sustaining and enhancing military capabilities, emphasising bilateral collaboration and sharing of tactics between US and Kuwaiti forces.

• Air Warfare

  GAO report reveals critical F-35 maintenance challenges impacting US fighter readiness

  3rd October 2023

  The US DoD is facing significant obstacles in achieving its sustainment goals for the fleet of approximately 450 F-35 fighters despite plans to expand the fleet to 2,000 over the next two decades.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  Background In 2010, the USAF announced the replacement of the HH-60G with a new Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH), and in 2012, the request for proposals ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15EX (2020) [USA]

  Programme Background The F-15EX is based on the 2-seat F-15QA (Qatar) configuration upgraded with USAF-only capabilities, including the Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS) ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  Long Range Air Defence [Belgium]

  Background In its Strategic Vision Defence 2025 Capability Investment Portfolio (CIP) document, Belgium announced that it has budgeted €1,981,590,000 ($2,287,101,638) for three long-range air defence systems. A decision is ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-Y tanker aircraft [USA]

  Programme Background The USAF is replacing its fleet of 396 KC-135 Stratotanker refuelling aircraft, built in the 1950s and 60s, and 59 KC-10 Extenders, which entered service ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) (Increment 1) [USAF]

  Background Requirements The programme’s requirements are based on the USAF’s belief that mass is necessary to compete effectively against an adversary in symmetrical warfare. However, ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15EX [USA]

  Programme Background The United States Air Force (USAF) was looking to procure 144 F-15EX fighter aircraft, including two RDT&E; configurations and six low-rate initial production aircraft. ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  US Air Force Air Base Defence Missile Defence [US]

  Background The US Air Force's (USAF) Air Base Air Defence Missile Defence (ABAD MD) programme is part of the Air Force Physical Security System and sits ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Teal 2 [USAF]

  Programme Background On 8 August 2023, Teal Drones announced it had received a $2.6 million deal for 172 Teal 2 UAVs, spare parts and training from ...

• ISR/special mission

  P-1 EW [Japan]

  Programme Background Requirement Japan has operated the EP-3, a COMINT/SIGINT/ELINT configuration of the P-3 Orion, since 1993. As of 2024, the Japanese MoD maintains that these aircraft ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  MH-139 (UH-1N Huey Replacement)

  Background  Competing bids In competition with the Boeing/Leonardo bid was Sikorsky with a HH-60U offer, and Sierra Nevada with an upgrading offer of UH-60As to ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-X / T-7A Red Hawk [USAF]

  Background On 27 September 2018, it was announced that the Boeing-Saab team had been awarded a contract for the programme. The initial contract was worth $813 million ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) (Increment 2) [USAF]

  Background Increment 1 In January 2024, during the first increment of the USAF’s CCA effort, the USAF awarded contracts to Anduril, Boeing, General Atomics (GA-ASI), ...

• AEW&C

  E-7A Wedgetail (1-2) [USA]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that this entry covers the two rapid-prototype E-7 aircraft, whose contract was signed in August 2024. A second programme entry covers the ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Electronic Warfare (EW) UAV [US Army]

  Background Army evaluations In May 2026, the US Army evaluated CX2’s Wraith rotary-wing UAV during Exercise Ivy Mass at Fort Carson. The evaluation was conducted in support ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15EX (FY2021-2025) [USA]

  Programme Background The United States Air Force (USAF) is looking to procure 239 F-15EX fighter aircraft, which is an increase from an original requirement of 144 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: maintenance simulators

  F-22 Training Devices

  TRU Simulation + Training F-22 MTD programme includes three training devices that provide USAF students at Sheppard AFB, Texas, with maintenance training on landing gear, ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  EX-3 Revenant

  The EX-3 Revenant is a developmental fixed-wing aircraft being developed by Exosonic. It is a Mach 1.2 supersonic UAV designed to be a 5th-generation representative, modular, autonomous ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  USAF KC-135 ATS

  The KC-135 Aircrew Training System (ATS) programme delivers initial qualification, requalification, continuation and upgrades training for USAF KC-135 aircrews, including pilots, co-pilots and boom operators. ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  T-1 Jayhawk

  FlightSafety operates and maintains T-1 training devices as part of its CLS contract. Air Education and Training Command uses these high-fidelity simulators and part-task trainers ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Air Combat Training

  Boeing has experience in delivering training for fixed-wing air combat platforms including F-15C/E, F-16, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G, F-22 and MV/CV-22.

• EW test systems

  JTE

  The Joint Threat Emitter (JTE) is a multi-threat, high-fidelity simulator with realistic ERP levels, which simulates single- and double-digit surface-to-air and anti-aircraft artillery radar systems. ...

• ISR/special mission

  EC-130H Compass Call

  The EC-130H is an EW aircraft based on the modified C-130H transport aircraft. It is used by the USAF to disrupt enemy command and control communications ...

• ISR/special mission

  EA-37B Compass Call

  The EA-37B (also known as EC-37B) is a Compass Call EW aircraft based on the commercial G550 platform. The USAF is now transitioning the EW capabilities previously ...

• EW test systems

  ELT A62

  ELT A62 product family deals with multiple sensors of EW equipment suites. ELT A62 is a training system for EW personnel that can be sea-, ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  T-38C Talon

  FlightSafety supports nearly 40 T-38 training devices as part of its contract for logistics support for the T-38. The T-38C is a converted T-38A/B that ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  KC-46A ATS

  FlightSafety supports the USAF aircrew training program for the KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft. The program delivers a multi-faceted training package to the USAF from design, ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  JPRWRS

  The Joint Portable Radar Warning Receiver Stimulator (JPRWRS) has been developed as a method of providing fixed- and rotary-wing aircrews with a low-cost, open-air threat ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  IFEWS

  The In Flight Electronic Warfare Simulator (IFEWS) is an autonomous onboard threat environment training and safety suite, capable of simulating the EW suite and a ...

• Subsystems: software, Subsystems: visual

  SimuSphere HD

  SimuSphere HD immerses fast jet pilots in a virtual training environment claimed to be equivalent to real-world flying missions. As part of L3Harris Technologies' HD ...

• Air: maintenance simulators

  C-17 Globemaster III MTS

  TRU Simulation and Training C-17 Maintenance Training System (MTS) supports training needs for this complex computerised aircraft. The MTS provides skill development for more than 1,100 ...