• Naval Warfare

  New Asian-built LPDs for Thailand and Myanmar

  11th September 2019

  Two neighbouring Southeast Asian countries are adding LPDs to their naval fleets and both are procuring them from Asian shipbuilders in different countries. There is …

• Land Warfare

  Asia second largest market for AAD systems in next decade

  25th September 2019

  In the next 10 years the Asia-Pacific region will be a highly dynamic market for artillery and air defence systems, according to Defence Insight’s soon …

• Defence Notes

  Is the US military beginning to put meat on its Asian bones?

  6th September 2019

  US politicians and senior military figures are effusive in affirming their commitment to partners and hangers-on in the Asia-Pacific region, but question marks always surround …

• Defence Notes

  DSEI 2019: Market for air defence set to skyrocket

  12th September 2019

  In a new forecast briefed on 11 September at DSEI, Defence Insight predicted that the market for air defence and artillery systems over the next …

• Defence Notes

  US, ASEAN kick off first joint naval drills

  2nd September 2019

  The US and ten Southeast Asian countries kicked off maritime drills on Monday, as part of a joint exercise extending into the flashpoint South China …

• Naval Warfare

  ​China cancels US ship port call amid tensions

  28th August 2019

  China has refused another planned port call by a US warship amid soaring tensions between the Pacific powers on trade, a US official said on …

• Defence Helicopter

  China finally signs AHL contract

  29th August 2019

  China and Russia, after a long passage of time, have finally signed a commercial contract to jointly develop the Advanced Heavy Lift (AHL) helicopter, a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US DoD seeks to boost small drone industry

  6th September 2019

  A new Pentagon initiative is aiming to stimulate the development of a domestic SUAS industry to rival China’s DJI, the world’s leading provider of such …

• Defence Notes

  Japan defence ministry seeks record budget

  30th August 2019

  Japan's defence ministry on 30 August requested a record $50.3 billion budget to fund purchases of fighter jets and missile defence as the country eyes …

• Digital Battlespace

  Podcast: Five Eyes Connectivity - SATCOM

  26th September 2019

  Welcome to Shephard Studio’s special series on Five Eyes Connectivity, sponsored by our partner Viasat.  Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more. In the Five Eyes Connectivity podcast …

• Naval Warfare

  TADTE 2019: Taiwan’s LPD scheduled for completion in 2022

  22nd August 2019

  The Republic of China Navy’s (ROCN) new LPD, being acquired under Project Hung Yun, began construction in May. The vessel will mark the start of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Chinese shipbuilder launches ‘combat-ready’ JARI USV

  23rd August 2019

  The No. 716 Research Institute of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) launched a long-awaited USV on 21 August, according to an announcement on the …

• Defence Notes

  US approves sale of 66 F-16 fighters to Taiwan

  21st August 2019

  The US State Department on 20 August approved the sale of 66 F-16 fighters to Taiwan, in a move expected to anger Beijing. Taiwan will …

• Defence Notes

  Japan firms up on F-35B orders

  19th August 2019

  Japan’s MoD formally approved the purchase of 42 Lockheed Martin F-35B short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) stealth fighters on 16 August. At that time, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Asian nations boost spy satellite capacities

  13th August 2019

  Asian countries continue to enhance their satellite constellations, with China, India and South Korea all making recent announcements in the space realm.  China, for instance, …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Ship-Bourne VTOL UAV [Singapore]

  Background Multi-Role Combat Vessel  The Republic of Singapore Navy will retire its six Victory-class corvettes and replace them with a new platform, the Multi-Role Combat ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  HT-100 (November 2023) [Undisclosed]

  Background Dubai Airshow 2023 At the Dubai Airshow 2023, EDGE Group announced that it had accepted an order for six HT-100 drones. The drones will ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Garmoosha [UAE]

  Programme Background First Contract In an interview with Shephard at the Dubai Airshow 2021, Faisal Al Bannai, CEO of EDGE, stated the development of the ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  S-70M Black Hawk [Indonesia]

  Programme Background On 23 August 2023, Lockheed Martin announced that Sikorsky had signed an agreement with PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) for a strategic partnership in ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye (1-3) [UAE]

  Programme Background The GlobalEye is a modification of Bombardier's Global 6000 jet aircraft fitted with the S-band Erieye Extended Range (ER) radar and mission system ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  HT-100 (January 2026) [Undisclosed]

  Background UMEX At UMEX 2026 in January, the company told reports, namely Breaking Defense, that it was set to deliver the UAV under a 661.19 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Hermes 900 [Singapore]

  Background Replacement Ahead of the Singapore Airshow 2024, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) outgoing chief, Major General Kelvin Khong, stated that the service would replace ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  QX-2 [Brazil]

  Background Four-Day Tour On 3 August 2023, EDGE Group announced that it had hosted a four-day delegation from the Brazilian Marine Corps (CFN), showing it ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  JERNAS-S [UAE]

  Background 2023 At the Dubai Airshow 2023, held in November, EDGE Group announced that the UAE Armed Forces had acquired 100 units of the Reach-S, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  S45 Baalam [Mexico]

  Background In service In 2021, it was reported that the S45 Baalam was in service with the Mexican Air Force, having achieved 4,000 flight hours ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Data links

  Data links | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  AR-2000

  Unveiled by the China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC) at the Dubai Air Show 2023, the AR-2000 is a large rotary-wing drone designed for ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  SW-1

  The fixed-wing SW-1 is designed to perform tactical ISTAR missions. It was displayed at the Airshow China exhibition in November 2012. 

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  TD220

  The TD220 is an electric, coaxial dual-rotor UAV manufactured by Zhong Hang Zhi (ZHZ). The aircraft, which debuted at the 2014 Singapore Airshow, is designed ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Sky Archer

  The Sky Archer is a short-endurance unmanned quadcopter designed for military use. It weighs 38kg and can reportedly carry two 50mm recoilless rocket launchers. 

• Transport

  Y-20

  Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation launched the development of the Y-20 strategic transport aircraft in 2006. The Y-20 incorporates a high-set wing, T-tail and rear cargo-loading ...

• Self-propelled missile systems

  Sky Dragon 12

  Norinco presented a model of the FK-1000 short-range SAM system at Airshow China 2012 and unveiled the newly-named Sky Dragon 12 at Africa Aerospace and ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Wing Loong 10

  The Wing Loong 10 is a HALE UAV, known as the WL-10 in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and formally known as the Cloud ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  WJ-500

  WJ-500 is a stealthy subsonic UAV with a low radar signature and the appearance of a cruise missile with very short mid-mounted control surfaces. It ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  WJ-600

  First revealed during the 2010 China Airshow, the WJ-600is a large-scale baseline UCAV manufactured by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation and is a maritime ...

• Military - USVs

  SeaFly-01

  The SeaFly-01 USV, developed by Beijing Sifang Automation, was showcased at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China in November 2016. It is designed for various ...

• Air: aerial targets

  TL-8

  The TL-8 is a target drone that can be used to simulate second- and third-generation fighters, cruise missiles and other targets in weapon testing and ...

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  TD10

  The TD10 is a developmental large unmanned helicopter with coaxial rotor blades. Its payload of five tonnes makes it ideal for troop and cargo transportation. ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CH-10

  The CH-10 is a tilt-rotor uncrewed aircraft unveiled by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC) in 2018.  The platform can take off and land on ...

• Fighter - multirole

  J-31/FC-31

  The J-31 (also known as the 'Falcon Eagle' in Chinese) is a fifth-generation multirole stealth fighter domestically developed by China. Its export variant is designated as ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Harrier III

  Aviation Industry Corporation of China is developing the Harrier III, which it described at the Zhuhai Airshow 2012 as a medium/high-altitude, medium-speed and long-endurance general UAV ...