• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2018: Show preview (video)

  1st May 2018

  The team is in Denver for this week's AUVSI Xponential 2018 - UV editor Richard Thomas explains the prospective themes to what promises to be an Xciting …

• Defence Helicopter

  Greece fires warning shots at Turkish helicopter

  10th April 2018

  Greek soldiers fired warning shots at a Turkish helicopter after it approached the small island of Ro, which marks their border in the Aegean Sea, …

• Naval Warfare

  Insight: China breaks promises and militarises South China Sea reefs

  3rd May 2018

  News has emerged from a US television network, likely leaked by US intelligence sources, that China has installed two missile types onto three of its reclaimed …

• Defence Helicopter

  DefExpo 2018: Boeing helicopter deliveries on track for India

  12th April 2018

  The first of 22 Boeing AH-64E Apaches for the Indian Air Force (IAF) entered the production line at the company’s Mesa facility in the US …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2018: Second-gen HAPS could secure com networks

  4th May 2018

  Discussions taking place between unmanned systems manufacturer UAVOS and a number of unnamed third-parties could see a proof of concept demonstration for secure communication networks …

• Defence Helicopter

  DefExpo 2018: India approves Ka-226T configuration

  11th April 2018

  On the opening day of the DefExpo exhibition in Chennai, India approved the technical configuration of the 200 Kamov Ka-226T helicopters that it will buy …

• Land Warfare

  US prepares for interim air defence on Stryker in 2020

  9th April 2018

  Industry is preparing to pitch prototypes for the US Army's interim Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) programme, with plans to integrate technology onto a Stryker …

• Naval Warfare

  China plans live-fire exercise in Taiwan Strait

  12th April 2018

  China announced plans on 12 April to hold live-fire naval drills in the narrow strait separating the mainland from Taiwan, an act that could ratchet …

• Military Logistics

  USAF tests fire trucks in cold weather

  5th April 2018

  The US Air Force’s (USAF) fire service has tested the discharge systems of firefighting agents on the force's fire trucks, the USAF announced on 3 …

• Training

  Aero Vodochody, IAI sign agreement

  26th April 2018

  Aero Vodochody and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) have signed a partnership agreement concerning technical and marketing cooperation for light attack and training aircraft, AERO Vodochody …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sea-Air-Space 2018: USMC says CH-53K 'not a zero risk proposition'

  9th April 2018

  Despite Pentagon reports of development and testing challenges, the CH-53K King Stallion helicopter is on track to meet initial operational capability in 2019, according to …

• Military Logistics

  Aviall joins AHRLAC team

  3rd May 2018

  Boeing subsidiary Aviall will lead the supply chain management for the production of the Advanced High-Performance Reconnaissance Light Aircraft (AHRLAC) developed by Paramount Group, the …

• Defence Notes

  Greek fighter pilot killed in crash after Turkish intercept mission

  12th April 2018

  A Greek fighter pilot died on 12 April when his plane crashed in the Aegean whilst returning from a mission to intercept Turkish jets, officials …

• Defence Notes

  US military pilots injured by Chinese lasers

  4th May 2018

  Chinese nationals have on multiple occasions shone military-grade laser pointers at US pilots operating out of the American base in Djibouti, the Pentagon said on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Predator-series RPAs hit flight hour milestone

  4th May 2018

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ (GA-ASI's) Predator-series family of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), has reached five million flight hours, the company announced on 9 April.The family …

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 ...