• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Black Hornets create buzz in Australia

  29th May 2018

  The Australian Army marked the onset of ‘widespread proliferation’ of the FLIR Systems Black Hornet 3 micro-UAV on 23 May, as the programme progressed from …

• Naval Warfare

  BAE Systems commits to Aussie steel

  24th April 2018

  BAE Systems Australia will source steel from two Australian companies should it be successful in its bid for the Royal Australian Navy's SEA 5000 programme. …

• Defence Helicopter

  First Enstrom 480B-G for Lom Praha breaks cover

  7th June 2018

  The first of six Enstrom 480B-G helicopters on order by Lom Praha appeared at the Pardubice Airshow in the Czech Republic on 2 June ahead …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Eurosatory 2018: Warmate fires in combat exercise

  6th June 2018

  Polish Armed Forces conducted first combat use exercise of Warmate loitering munitions in late May this year.  The exercise took place at the Nowa Deba …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: Naval Special Warfare enhances surface craft lethality

  28th May 2018

  While traditionally used to support infiltration and exfiltration of US Naval Special Warfare (NSW) elements, USSOCOM’s maritime surface mobility craftare now being explored as possible …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Coast Guard ultimately selects ScanEagle for cutters

  7th June 2018

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) has finally announced that the Insitu ScanEagle will be used to fulfil the small UAS requirement for its National Security …

• Defence Helicopter

  Outgoing USCG commandant leaves behind warning

  12th May 2018

  In his final days as the US Coast Guard commandant, ADM Paul Zukunft is not shying away from divisive topics that plague today's turbulent political environment.  …

• Digital Battlespace

  New equipment for Indian armed forces

  30th May 2018

  India’s Defence Acquisition Council has approved the procurement of equipment worth more than $1.02 billion for the Indian armed forces, the Indian MoD announced on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UK investment for unmanned MCM continues

  26th May 2018

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) intends to extend its support contract for its Royal Navy UUVs beyond the six months it agreed upon earlier …

• Military Logistics

  US Army attacks cold feet

  27th April 2018

  At the same time that soldiers in Pacific Command are evaluating new tropical climate boot designs, US Army planners are also addressing potential future footwear and …

• Training

  DART-550 trainer completes maiden flight

  30th May 2018

  Diamond Aircraft Industries’ DART-550 trainer aircraft has completed its first flight, the company announced on 24 May. During the flight, the aircraft completed a basic …

• Training

  Malaysia finally commissions two training ships

  3rd May 2018

  The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) formally commissioned two Samudera-class training ships on 26 April, five years past their targeted induction year of 2013. Both 75.9m …

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems, Milrem to support Estonia’s CV9035

  20th April 2018

  BAE Systems and Milrem LCM have signed a long-term agreement to support Estonia’s fleet of CV9035 infantry fighting vehicles, BAE Systems announced on 17 April. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Chemring wins orders from UK MoD

  23rd April 2018

  Chemring Group has won contracts worth £23 million from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), the company announced on 19 April. The orders cover countermeasures …

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2018: Serbia starts firing trials of Aleksandar

  4th June 2018

  Serbian company Yugoimport has commenced initial firing trials of their latest Aleksandar 155mm/52cal self-propelled (SP) artillery system. This is being marketed with two 155 mm/52cal …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 - multirole

  Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Timeline In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. However, Germany's defence export ban to Saudi ...

• 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 Japan

  In 2019, Japan requested to be an official partner in the F-35 programme, but this request was rejected by the Pentagon. The F-35 Joint Strike ...

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 - 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 ...