• 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 …

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2018: Finnish land modernisation rolls on

  4th June 2018

  Sharing a border of over 1,300km with Russia - as well as a turbulent history - Finland is once again finding itself in a precarious …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ECA develops sampler system for ROVs

  8th June 2018

  ECA Group has developed a 1000m depth rated core sampler recovery system for light duty ROVs, the company announced on 6 June. The system, mounted …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Russia banking on drone cash transport

  8th June 2018

  Sberbank, a large Russian Bank, is set to be the launch customer for Russian Helicopters’ new VRT300 VTOL UAV. The bank intends to use the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Eurosatory 2018: FLIR adopts ambitious growth strategy

  4th June 2018

  Soldier modernisation programmes pursued by militaries around the world offer lucrative opportunities for producers of advanced sensing solutions. Providing essential technology for both modern soldier …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Eurosatory 2018: Nexter reveals weaponised robot (video)

  5th June 2018

  Nexter has teamed up with Milrem to develop a UGV with a 20mm weapon system integrated onto the tracked platform.  This is the first time …

• Digital Battlespace

  China’s ‘sloppy’ American spy

  22nd June 2018

  The US Justice Department (DOJ) issued a felony complaint against Ron Hansen, a former US intelligence officer, on 2 June, alleging he worked for Chinese …

• Military Logistics

  Marine Corps seeks lighter machine gun ammo

  1st May 2018

  The US Marine Corps is exploring industry capabilities to provide a new lightweight .50 Caliber cartridge that will offer weight savings over currently fielded cartridges.The …

• Military Logistics

  QinetiQ agrees EMALS contract

  7th June 2018

  QinetiQ North America (QNA) has agreed a contract to deliver control hardware and software for the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and the Advanced Arresting …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  L3 MAS, IAI partner for Canadian RPAS

  4th June 2018

  L3 MAS has partnered with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to form Team Artemis, to jointly offer the Artemis UAS for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s …

• Defence Helicopter

  Nigeria takes its second pair of Hinds

  11th May 2018

  The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has taken delivery of two more Russian Helicopters Mi-35 Hind newly-built, night-capable attack helicopters.The aircraft were airlifted to Makurda Air …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UMS, QinetiQ partner for Canadian market

  30th May 2018

  UMS Skeldar has partnered with QinetiQ Target Systems to offer joint platforms and solutions for Canadian maritime UAS programmes. The new partnership will work to …

• Naval Warfare

  Seventh Astute class submarine build underway

  1st May 2018

  After the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) approved the Astute class submarine boat seven contract in March, BAE Systems has confirmed to Shephard the build …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army completes LTLM II airborne testing

  8th June 2018

  The US Army has completed the final phases of airborne testing for the Laser Target Locator Module (LTLM II). The ruggedised LTLM II is designed …

• Defence Notes

  New Zealand to reset defence posture, says defence minister

  19th June 2018

  New Zealand is expected to focus its defence policy towards the Pacific and reassess its defence procurement plans under new proposals from Defence Minister Ron …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  XQ-58A Valkyrie [USMC]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 30 December 2022, the US DoD announced that it had awarded Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems a $15.52 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) [Japan]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that GCAP's Japanese, British and Italian components are tracked in separate entries. Programme Timeline 2020: The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency of Japan issued ...

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS-39C/D Gripen Replacement [Czech Republic]

  Programme Background Requirements The Czech Republic Air Force operates 14 Gripens (12 JAS 39C and two JAS 39D variants) under a lease agreement that runs ...

• Fighter - electronic warfare

  Jamming and Escort Electronic Attack Aircraft (luWES) [Germany]

  Programme Background According to earlier reports, Berlin had earlier decided to procure 15 EA-18G Growlers over the Eurofighter Typhoon ECR concept, which is expected to be ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Multirole Fighter [Turkiye]

  Programme Background Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Turkey had already paid $1.4 billion into the programme, while its defence industry has ploughed significant ...

• Fighter - multirole

  TF-X Kaan Next Generation Fighter [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement Geopolitical factors have spurred aircraft development in Türkiye. With its removal from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter project following the Russian S-400 ...

• Trainer

  Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements The RAAF is seeking a future solution that provides a ‘relevant, adaptable, affordable and safe LIFTS out to 2050’ for training pilots ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Eurofighter Typhoon First-Batch [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement The Turkish Air Force has operated two main fighter platforms, the F-16 and F-4, for several decades. As older F-16 airframes and ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Data links

  Data links | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A [Denmark]

  Programme Background  Denmark joined the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program in 2002 during the System Development and Demonstration phase and has influenced technical elements ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A (1-60) [Italy]

  The 2019 and 2020 budget contained significant funding for the F-35 programme: €690 million ($775 million) in 2019 and €859 million ($962 million) in 2020, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  F-35 Training System

  BAE Systems is involved in F-35 Lightning II Training System design and sustainment, working with prime contractor Lockheed Martin. BAE Systems leads the instructional systems ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers, EW test systems

  Model 527

  The Model 527 radar signal simulator is used for end-of-runway and walk-around radiated RWR testing to verify the operational status of the aircraft and its ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  AN/ALE-55 FOTD

  The ALE-55 Fibre Optic Towed Decoy (FOTD) is a high-powered electronic off-board countermeasure that works with an aircraft’s onboard EW equipment to defeat radiofrequency (RF) threats. It ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  SPEAR-EW

  The SPEAR-EW missile, developed by MBDA in collaboration with Leonardo, is an air-to-surface weapon designed to perform Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) missions. This ...

• EW test systems

  A2PATS

  Advanced Architecture Phase Amplitude and Time Simulator (A2PATS) is a real-time EM test environment simulator for military platforms and installed systems, designed to deliver mission ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  HAPS / PHASA-35

  The High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) is a solar-electric Persistent High Altitude Solar Aircraft (PHASA-35).  Produced by BAE Systems and Prismatic, the platform is designed to provide a persistent, ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-81

  AN/APG-81 is operating in the X-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar designed by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems for the F-35 “Lightning” all-weather ...

• Fighter - multirole

  MiG-35

  The MiG-35 (NATO reporting name Fulcrum F) is a multirole fighter, the latest variant of the MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter family.  The production of the MiG-35 ...

• EO/IR systems

  F-35 Lightning II Advanced EOTS

  The F-35 Lightning II Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) is a sensor that combines targeting forward-looking IR (FLIR) and IR search and track (IRST) capabilities for ...

• Fighter - multirole, Fighter - naval

  F-35B

  The F-35B Lightning II is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft with short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capability. The USMC is the main customer for the F-35B, ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35I Adir

  The F-35I Adir is an F-35A Lightning II variant customised to meet the requirements of the Israel Defense Forces to replace the F-16 fleet in ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  F-35 Gen III HMDS

  The F-35 Gen III helmet-mounted display system (HMDS) is provided by a joint venture between Elbit Systems of America and Rockwell Collins, developed for the F-35 ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/ALQ-178V(5)+

  The AN/ALQ-178(5)+ is an internally mounted self-protection system designed and developed by Aselsan and BAE Systems for the Turkish F-16C fighter aircraft. The system comprises ...

• Air-to-surface missiles, Anti-ship missiles

  JSM

  The Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is a multi-role version of the Naval Strike Missile. Norway funded the programme to develop and produce the JSM for the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A

  The F-35A Lightning II is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft with CTOL capabilities. It is a multinational programme led by the US DoD, bringing together ...