• Defence Notes

  Pilot dies in Myanmar military plane crash

  3rd April 2018

  A Myanmar pilot died on 3 April after a ‘technical failure’ caused his military jet fighter to plummet into a paddy field in the centre …

• Defence Helicopter

  DefExpo 2018: India approves Ka-226T configuration

  11th April 2018

  On the opening day of the DefExpo exhibition in Chennai, India approved the technical configuration of the 200 Kamov Ka-226T helicopters that it will buy …

• Defence Helicopter

  ​USMC weighs up V-22 missile options

  3rd April 2018

  The USMC is considering placing forward facing missiles and rockets on its Bell-Boeing MV-22 Osprey fleet as it looks to bridge a current gap in escort capability. …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army’s 12th CAB receives three UH-60Ms

  22nd March 2018

  The US Army’s 1st Battalion, 214th Aviation Regiment, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) has received three UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters in Wiesbaden, Germany. The UH-60M …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  French DGA launches PEA MMT

  22nd March 2018

  Dassault Aviation and Thales are to carry out the French DGA's Man-Machine-Teaming preliminary advanced study programme (PEA MMT), Dassault announced on 16 March. The programme …

• Digital Battlespace

  Rapid Capability Office explores alternative PNT technologies

  4th April 2018

  The US Army Rapid Capability Office (RCO) has completed a demonstration of alternative position, navigation and timing (PNT) technologies, developed by industry, in simulated operating …

• Defence Helicopter

  Saudi Arabia requests continuation of MSS contract

  26th March 2018

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale to Saudi Arabia of continued maintenance support services (MSS), the Defense …

• Military Logistics

  Russia receives upgraded IL-76MD-M

  20th March 2018

  The Russian Air Force Aviation Complex in Zhukovsky, Moscow, has accepted the first serial Il-76MD-M upgraded transport aircraft, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced on …

• Defence Helicopter

  Lakota flies while Leonardo spies navy trainer

  21st March 2018

  Further to Leonardo's retreat over litigation procedures the company now turns its focus to opportunities with the US Navy while Airbus Helicopters remains dedicated to …

• Digital Battlespace

  AUSA Global: Army gleaning lessons learned from networking upgrades

  28th March 2018

  Soldiers within an 82nd Airborne Division Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) are testing out a series of short-term fixes for network and communications capabilities before …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army orders additional Lakotas

  13th March 2018

  Airbus Helicopters has received a contract to deliver 35 additional UH-72A Lakotas for the US Army, the company announced on 9 March. The contract is …

• Training

  L-39NG trainer development progresses

  19th March 2018

  Aero Vodochody’s L-39CW jet trainer has received type certification from the military aviation department of the Czech Republic Ministry of Defence, the company announced on …

• Military Logistics

  RFA Lyme Bay returns to fleet

  13th March 2018

  The Royal Fleet Auxiliary's (RFA's) Lyme Bay has been accepted back into the fleet after completing a refit, re-store and sea trials, the navy announced …

• Naval Warfare

  LCS coastal mine reconnaissance module tested

  20th March 2018

  The US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Mission Modules (MM) programme has completed developmental testing of the coastal mine reconnaissance (CMR) mission module onboard USS …

• Military Logistics

  DLA updating battery technologies

  21st March 2018

  The US Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is working with industry to update battery systems that power some of the US military’s key weapons systems, the …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [French Air Force]

  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 UAS - tactical

  RQ-7 Shadow [Italy]

  Background Contribution to NATO Italy deployed the RQ-7C Shadow 200 to Afghanistan as part of NATO’s Resolute Support mission. Task Group Fenice, based on the ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F CHINOOK [USA]

  Programme Background 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 ...

• Transport

  NAFSA Eagle [Nigeria]

  Programme Background The NAFSA Eagle programme addresses the NAF's desire to develop a light utility aircraft domestically to increase self-sufficiency and manufacturing capacity. The programme was first ...

• 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 ...

• 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 helicopters - attack

  Project Land 4503 [Australia]

  Programme Background The Australian Army has begun its search for a successor to the Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), with an RfI issued by the ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Z-10ME [Pakistan]

  Programme Background Requirement The Pakistan Army Aviation (PAA) has a requirement for attack helicopters that can operate in high altitudes, requiring the replacement of its ageing ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  A-29 [Nigeria]

  Earlier on 3 August 2017, the US State Department announced that it has approved a possible FMS of 12 A-29 Super Tucanos to Nigeria for ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) (MV-75 Cheyenne II) [USA]

  Programme Background US Army's Future Vertical Lift Programme The FLRAA is one of three strands of a broader army programme. The others are the Future ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1Z

  In issuing the Force Design 2030 report into the future direction of the USMC, the corps is attempting to steer the course of its development, ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-6C (Tunisia)

  Programme Background Requirement The Tunisian Air Force has a requirement for light aircraft in order to replace its ageing SF-206 and L-59T trainers. The country ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Project Land 2097 Phase 4 [Australia]

  Programme Background According to the RfI, under Project Land 2097 Phase 4, the selected helicopter must comprise a commercial or military off-the-shelf solution that is ...

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 - 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 ...

• 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 - 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. ...

• Trainer

  DA20-C1

  The DA20-C1 is a twin-seat trainer aircraft used to screen aviation candidates and prepare them for more advanced USAF flight school programmes. The aircraft is ...