• 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 …

• Land Warfare

  Chinese marines could have adopted 8x8 SPH

  27th March 2018

  It appears likely that the Marine Corps of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has adopted the PLL-09, an 8x8 SPH boasting a 122mm gun. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Estonia to assess UGV, UAS impact

  13th April 2018

  The Estonian Centre for Defence Investment has awarded a contract to a consortium of the Estonian Defence and Security Industry Innovation Cluster for its ‘Automated …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed, Cobham team for NGJ-LB competition

  12th April 2018

  Lockheed Martin and Cobham have partnered for the US Navy's Next Generation Jammer Low Band (NGJ-LB) competition, Lockheed announced on 10 April. The new system …

• Defence Helicopter

  HMLA-367 flies final AH-1W flight

  19th March 2018

  The US Marine Corps' Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367 (HMLA-367) has carried out its final flight of the AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter located at …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM outlines technical experiment

  8th April 2018

  The US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has released an RfI to support an upcoming Technical Experimentation (TE) event. The 4 April request outlined TE opportunities for …

• Defence Notes

  Congress unveils FY18 US defence spending bill

  22nd March 2018

  US lawmakers are rushing to pass a $1.3 trillion spending bill before the end of 23 March to avoid another government shutdown and the US …

• Military Logistics

  Boeing to continue support for RCAF’s Chinooks

  5th April 2018

  Boeing has received an amendment to an existing performance-based logistics (PBL) contract to provide lifecycle support for the Royal Canadian Air Force's (RCAF) fleet of …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM seeks aviation maintenance collaboration

  11th April 2018

  USSOCOM is seeking industry collaboration in the modernization of its aviation maintenance capabilities.  Interest in a possible collaborative effort was outlined in a 10 April …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Sea-Air-Space 2018: Riptide to test compact UUV for DARPA

  9th April 2018

  Riptide Autonomous Solutions will begin sea testing a new version of its deep rated UUV as part of a DARPA phase II Small Business Innovation …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Autonomous resupply effort concludes phase one

  12th April 2018

  The Defence Science Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has concluded phase one of its Autonomous Last Mile Resupply programme, QinetiQ announced on 9 April. The programme challenged …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australia details plans for unmanned surveillance

  17th April 2018

  A new High Altitude Sensor System (HASS) programme aims to harness new technologies for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) with the utilisation of unmanned technologies. …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM looks to new munitions capabilities

  23rd March 2018

  At roughly the same time that USSOCOM representatives announced the intent to increase acquisition quantities of both current Griffin and GBU-69/B Small Glide Munitions, the command’s …

• Defence Notes

  Germany says Syria did not eradicate chemical arsenal

  12th April 2018

  German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on 12 April that an alleged toxic gas attack blamed on Damascus showed that Syrian President Bashar al Assad's regime …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing pushing for Polish partnership

  16th April 2018

  Boeing is highly motivated to work with the Polish defence industry in line with the building and maintaining of the country's future fleet of attack …

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 ...

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

  Harpia

  Described as the UAV with the most onboard technology in Latin America, Harpia is a multifunctional fixed-wing Brazilian drone developed by Advanced Technologies Security & Defence.  The Uruguayan ...

• 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 ...