• Digital Battlespace

  BATS-D authorised for use by partner forces

  27th August 2018

  Viasat’s Battlefield Awareness and Targeting System-Dismounted (BATS-D) handheld Link 16 radio has been authorised by the National Security Agency (NSA) for use by international military …

• Defence Notes

  China furious at Britain for South China Sea sail-by

  6th September 2018

  China lashed out at Britain on 6 September for sending a warship close to disputed islands in the South China Sea, where Beijing has built …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lithuanian IFVs to get SitaWare Frontline

  16th August 2018

  Systematic’s SitaWare Frontline C2 solution has been selected for integration across the Lithuanian land forces’ fleet of future armoured vehicles, the company announced on 9 …

• Naval Warfare

  A Five Eyes ship on the horizon?

  27th July 2018

  With final proposals submitted for the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) project, the Lockheed Martin-led Combat Ship Team is bullish about the prospects of another Type …

• Naval Warfare

  Back to the drawing board for Type 31e project

  24th July 2018

  While the UK continues to pop the champagne over its Australia success with BAE Systems' Type 26 design win, the programme for the smaller Type …

• Defence Helicopter

  Overhaul of AAF’s first Mi-17V-5 complete

  8th August 2018

  Slovakian aircraft repair company Trenčín (LOTN) has completed the general overhaul of the first Afghan Air Force (AFF) Mi-17V-5 helicopter, the Slovak Ministry of Defence …

• Special Operations

  Sig Sauer to deliver SOF carbine upgrade

  15th August 2018

  Sig Sauer has been tasked by the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to deliver Suppressed Upper Receiver Group (SURG) technology to force components in order …

• Special Operations

  SOF seeking strategic transporter system

  28th August 2018

  The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is seeking a transporter system for strategic movement of its three “Sealion” Combatant Craft Heavy (CCH) platforms. Interest in …

• Naval Warfare

  Denmark requests SM-2 Block IIIA standard missiles

  2nd August 2018

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale of up to 46 standard missiles, SM-2 Block IIIA all-up rounds, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Whole lotta love for the Lakotas from US Army

  6th September 2018

  The US Army’s acquisition of the Airbus UH-72A Lakota continues to go from strength to strength as yet another order for more of the aircraft …

• Defence Notes

  Farnborough 2018: First RAF P-8A Poseidon delivery confirmed

  17th July 2018

  The RAF’s first of nine Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft will be delivered to the service in November 2019, with its second aircraft following …

• Defence Helicopter

  UN to begin medevac helicopter process

  13th August 2018

  Beginning on 30 August, the UN is to open a formal tender process for the procurement of two SAR/medevac helicopters for its Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission …

• Digital Battlespace

  Elbit Systems EW suites for Israel's corvettes

  10th August 2018

  Elbit Systems has received an $85 million contract from the Israeli Ministry of Defense to supply electronic warfare (EW) suites for the Israeli Navy Sa'ar …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ManTech receives UAS systems technical support contract

  7th August 2018

  ManTech has received a four-year $45 million task order from the US Air Force Installation Contracting Agency to provide technical upgrades for next generation UAS …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG transfers HC-130J to Kodiak

  28th August 2018

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) transferred an HC-130J Super Hercules long range surveillance aircraft, CGNR-2009, to Air Station Kodiak, Alaska, on 21 August 2018. Originally …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  PC-21 (Project Air 5428) [Australia]

  The new PTS, including aircraft, flight training simulators and learning environments is being acquired from a single capability contractor, Team 21, which consists of Lockheed ...

• Transport, Transport/tanker aircraft

  Project Air 7404 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement Australia is thinking ahead to an enlarged transport fleet to replace the current C-130Js. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was the second ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A (Project Air 6000 Phase 2A/B) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) took delivery of 18 F-35A aircraft as of March 2020 and the remaining aircraft are expected to ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (5-6) [Australia]

  Background Four Contracted Units In the summer of 2020, Northrop Grumman announced that the Australian Government provided $333 million for three MQ-4C Tritons and associated GCS. ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Medium Range Air Defence [Australia]

  Background Faced with a growing threat from China and a vast land and sea territory to protect, Australia is seeking to establish a medium-range ground-based ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (13-14) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [Australia]

  Background Older Efforts On 23 April 2021, the US State Department's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) approval announcement revealed that Australia had requested to buy up ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Project Air 7003 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

• OPVs

  Arafura Class (Project SEA 1180) (1-6) [Australia]

  Programme Background Australia's new class of Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), the Arafura-class, will replace the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) fleet of Armidale and Cape-class patrol ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-28 Ghost Bat [Australia]

  Background Goal As stated by the Head of Air Force Capability, Air Vice-Marshal Robert Denney, in March 2022, the Ghost Bat will be an "operational system ...

• Loitering munitions

  Mission Talon Strike [Australia]

  Background Request for Tender (RFT) On 19 May 2025, the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA), an agency aimed at streamlining defence invocation for the Australian Defence ...

• Military UAS - small

  VTOL UAV [New Zealand]

  Background Defence Capability Plan (DCP) In April 2025, the New Zealand government published the DCP, a document that is essentially a blueprint for what procurements ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - small

  DEF129 (Tactical UAS) [Australia]

  Programme Background Programme Announcement The Australian Army announced the Project Land 129 Phase 3 programme in 2017. This announcement led to the release of an industry ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Harpii Szpon (Loyal Wingman) [Poland]

  Background Market Evaluation On 6 November 2023, speaking at the IQPC International Fighter Conference (IFC) 2023 in Madrid, Major General Cezary Wiśniewski, the Deputy General Commander of the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Air-5416 Project Echidna

  Air-5416 Project Echidna was an initiative launched in 2001 by BAE Systems for the Australian DoD. Its goal was to overhaul the self protection systems ...

• Trainer

  King Air trainer

  Textron / Beechcraft King Air trainers are a family twin-engine aircraft based on King Air 90, 100, 200 and 350 utility aircraft. The King Air ...

• 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. ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  RAAF Hawk Mk 127 FMS

  Under subcontract to BAE Systems, CAE is designing and manufacturing three Hawk Mk 127 full-mission simulators (FMS) for the Royal Australian Air Force that will ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Wanderer

  The Wanderer is a low-altitude, low-cost, long-endurance UAV produced in-house by the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) Jericho Disruptive Innovation Group and the Australian Government's Defense Science ...

• Light attack

  Hawk 200

  The Hawk 200 is a single-seat light attack iteration of the Hawk 100 (see separate entry) and Advanced Jet Trainer or AJT (see separate entry). ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-28A Ghost Bat

  The MQ-28A Ghost Bat is a loyal wingman-type, Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), MALE fixed-wing drone being developed by Boeing Defence Australia. Its development began in ...

• Military - USVs

  Bluebottle

  Bluebottle is a persistent, autonomous, uncrewed surface vessel from Ocius Technology in service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF). In ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  Predator Mission Trainer (PMT)

  The CAE Predator Mission Trainer (PMT) is an integrated platform that combines the features of CAE's UAS mission trainer with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' Predator-specific ...

• Maritime patrol

  Challenger 604

  Bombardier Challenger CL-604 MPAs are in service with the Royal Danish Air Force and the Korea Coast Guard. The first of three Danish aircraft entered ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Phantom 4 (Series)

  Designed for aerial photograph applications by DJI, the Phantom 4 series of UAVs includes the Phantom 4 Pro, Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, Phantom 4 Advanced ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Hawkei

  Thales Australia developed the 4x4 Hawkei for the Australian Army's Land 121 Phase 4 Protected Mobility Vehicle – Light (PMV-L) project.  The prototype was unveiled in ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  AN/ALR-2001

  BAE Systems’ AN/ALR-2001 Electronic Support Measure (ESM) is thought to be based on Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Elta Systems division’s EL/M-8382 ESM. The AN/ALR-2001 is ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  AGM-88E AARGM

  The AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) is a supersonic, medium-range, air-launched tactical missile compatible with US and allied strike aircraft. Designed to upgrade the AGM-88 ...

• Military UAS - mini

  M Solar-X

  First revealed in August 2020, in February 2024, at its symposium, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) showcased the M Solar-X. This solar-powered fixed-wing drone was ...