• Special Operations

  Global SOF 2018: “Risk perception” impacts European SOF aviation development

  26th February 2018

  One of the challenges encountered in the ongoing development and expansion of special operations aviation elements across many regions involves differences in “risk perception” that …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MUM-TX ready for fielding on Apache Echo models

  2nd March 2018

  Enhanced manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) capabilities are set to be deployed by the US Army as soon as 2020 with the fielding of its AH-64E Apache …

• Defence Notes

  Chinese railgun puts US on notice

  22nd March 2018

  China is fond of magic-bullet weapons, whether they are anti-ship ballistic missiles such as the DF-21D, hypersonic glide vehicles or anti-satellite weapons capable of blinding or …

• Military Logistics

  GE Aviation FMS approved

  21st February 2018

  GE Aviation has received approval for its flight management system (FMS) from Boeing's KC-46 tanker programme. The approval results from an amended type certification awarded …

• Defence Helicopter

  Playing the Ace card with the Austrian Armed Forces

  8th March 2018

  Despite setbacks with contracts and the adjustment of onboard tech, Ace Aeronautics, manufacturers of the Ace Deck VL 60 avionics suite, is not only confident …

• Training

  Russian Navy trains for in-flight refuelling

  21st February 2018

  Russian Navy pilots have carried out in-flight refuelling training with the Su-30 SM aircraft for the first time, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced on …

• Defence Notes

  32 die in Russian plane crash at Syria base: defence ministry

  6th March 2018

  A Russian transport plane crashed on landing at the Hmeimim airbase in Syria Tuesday, killing all 32 on board, Russia's defence ministry said.There were 26 …

• Training

  Milestone for L-39NG jet trainer project

  2nd March 2018

  Known for its development of fast-jet training aircraft, Czech Republic aircraft manufacturer Aero Vodochody has taken a major step towards the first flight of its …

• Special Operations

  Global SOF 2018: AFSOC revitalises 6th SOS

  21st February 2018

  The recently released US National Defense Strategy has added emphasis to ongoing Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) efforts to revitalise its 6th Special Operations …

• Training

  CAE provides RPA training to UAE

  26th February 2018

  CAE Maritime Middle East (MME) is delivering training for United Arab Emirates (UAE) Air Force RQ-1E remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) aircrew, the company announced on …

• Defence Helicopter

  For US Army aviation Chinook comes out winner, other fleets ramp down

  23rd February 2018

  US Army leaders have billed their FY19 budget request as a jumping-off point for the FY20 budget, one they say will contain major changes to …

• Defence Helicopter

  China’s ‘Black Hawk’ set to enter PLA service

  23rd February 2018

  After a small flurry of helicopter images appeared on the Chinese internet this week, the Z-20 medium helicopter is thought to be approaching low-rate initial …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  More WASPs for US Army

  19th February 2018

  Drone Aviation has delivered new multi-mission, tactical Winch Aerostat Small Platform (WASP) systems to the US Army. The delivery was made under a contract awarded …

• Digital Battlespace

  EO/IR Special Report: Hensoldt expands Asia footprint

  20th February 2018

  When Airbus Group took the decision to concentrate on its core aviation-related business lines, a number of divisions were cut free to fend for themselves.  …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Singapore Airshow 2018: Airbus demonstrates first flight of Skyways UAV

  13th February 2018

  Airbus Helicopters has successfully demonstrated the first flight of its Skyways UAV at the National University of Singapore, the company announced on 8 February. During …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Loyal Wingman UCAV [French Air Force]

  Programme Background Rafale F5 Companion During a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the French Strategic Air Forces (FAS) at Saint-Dizier Air Base in October 2024, France's Minister of ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook-Saudi Arabia- Contracted

  The helicopters will increase the Royal Saudi Land Forces Aviation Command's interoperability with the US and advance the development of the country's heavy-lift helicopter capability.

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook [U.S Army]

  As the Army's only heavy-lift helicopter, the CH-47F Improved Cargo helicopter is an essential component of the Army's Multi-Domain Battle framework. The CH-47F and MH-47G ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale (1-12) [Serbia]

  Programme Background Timeline The military aviation capabilities of the Serbian Armed Forces have been actively expanded — and Belgrade was confirmed to be negotiating with ...

• Trainer

  T-6C [Thailand]

  Programme Background The contract is for 12 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II advanced military training aircraft, ground-based training systems for pilots and maintenance professionals, a mission ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Rafale (1-12) [Serbia]

  As President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed in April 2022, Serbia is planning to buy 12 Rafale fighters from Dassault Aviation. A contract worth almost $3 billion ...

• Data links

  Data links | Rafale (1-12) [Serbia]

  As President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed in April 2022, Serbia is planning to buy 12 Rafale fighters from Dassault Aviation. A contract worth almost $3 billion ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Rafale (1-12) [Serbia]

  As President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed in April 2022, Serbia is planning to buy 12 Rafale fighters from Dassault Aviation. A contract worth almost $3 billion ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Rafale (1-12) [Serbia]

  As President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed in April 2022, Serbia is planning to buy 12 Rafale fighters from Dassault Aviation. A contract worth almost $3 billion ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Rafale (1-12) [Serbia]

  As President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed in April 2022, Serbia is planning to buy 12 Rafale fighters from Dassault Aviation. A contract worth almost $3 billion ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  SW-4

  The SW-4 is aimed at the basic and advanced pilot training, troop transport and ISR missions. Its Polish designation is Puszczyk. The SW-4s are based ...

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

  Akinci [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Erdogan Visit On 17 July 2023,  President Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Jeddah for the first stop of his Gulf tour. The following day, ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook-Saudi Arabia

  In addition to this, the request includes M134D mini-Guns, aircraft survivability equipment, infrared signature suppression system, fast rope insertion extraction system, extended range fuel system, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AW159 Philippines

  The AW159s arrived in Manila, but transported to Danilo Atienza Air Base in Cavite for reassembly. Subsequently they will be based there as part of ...

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

  ScanEagle 2 (Indonesia Aid) [US}

  Background Foreign Military Financing (FMF) The US first offered the Indonesia Military (TNI) a grant under Foreign Military Financing (FMF) that covered ScanEagle UAVs and ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  AN/ZPY-1 STARLite

  The AN/ZPY-1 Small Tactical Radar-Lightweight (STARLite) is a synthetic aperture radar and GMTI sensor for UAVs, manufactured by Northrop Grumman. It offers strip and spot synthetic ...

• Air: UAS radar

  AN/ZPQ-1 TESAR

  The Tactical Endurance Synthetic Aperture Radar (TESAR), developed by Northrop Grumman, is primarily designed for use on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) such as the Predator. 

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  GE Aviation Avionics

  GE Aviation's advanced avionics suite comes with a high performance software package installed on a number of civil and military aircraft. It's open architecture  platform ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  AR682R

  The AR682R has been developed to power UAVs which require up to 120bhp. It is based on the proven AR642 core that was designed to ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  AE50R

  The AE50R is an aviation gasoline single rotary engine with an output of 40.4kW. The engine is certified according to European Aviation Safety Agency Part ...

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

  Nighthawk

  Aviation Industry Corporation of China displayed its new Nighthawk UAV at the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in November 2012. Nighthawk is designed for tactical ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  German Army Aviation School

  CAE is the prime contractor for the German Army’s Night-Time Low-Level Flight Training Facility, commonly known as the German Army Aviation School, at Bückeburg. This ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  CH-47F CAT

  The CH-47F Chinook Avionics Trainer (CAT) is a high-fidelity hands-on training system that provides task training through the simulation of all avionics systems in integrated ...

• Snow Owl

  Snow Owl is a MALE UAV that was developed by Aviation Industry Corporation of China's Guizhou Aviation Aircraft Co. The UAV is claimed to have ...

• Air: mission management systems

  HERGIS

  The HERGIS C2 system provides network-centric warfare capabilities to German Army Aviation, integrating the service into the overall FüInfoSys Heer army C2 system. At all ...

• Trainer

  L-15/JL-10 Falcon

  The L-15 Falcon is a supersonic advanced jet trainer and light attack aircraft developed by Hongdu Aviation Industry Group, a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry ...

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

  PEN 55V

  The PEN 55V is a small rotary-wing cargo-carrying UAV manufactured by Pen Aviation. 

• Subsystems: software

  Terrain Databases

  With Terrain Databases generated by the Saab Digital Map Generation System, correlated geo databases are provided to aircraft systems, operational support systems, aviation training systems ...

• Air: mission management systems

  HawkEye 7200A

  The HawkEye 7200 is a portable tracking and SATCOM solution, designed for aviation, marine or mobile assets. The GNSS receiver provides continuous satellite-based tracking, autonomous ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Australian Defence Force MRH90 Training

  As prime contractor for the ADF's MRH90 training programme, CAE has provided two MRH90 full-flight mission simulators (FFMS), training facilities and engineering and support services. ...