• Defence Notes

  China's water dragon takes to the air

  29th December 2017

  China’s first large-scale amphibious aircraft took its maiden flight from the Jinwan Civil Aviation Airport, Zhuhai, in China’s southern Guangdong Province on 24 December . The …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army pushes forward with Lakota

  10th January 2018

  The US Army is progressing with plans to buy up to 35 new Airbus UH-72A Lakota aircraft for pilot training.  The move comes after legal …

• Naval Warfare

  Patria to upgrade Finnish FACs

  27th December 2017

  The Finnish Defence Forces’ Logistics Command is set to sign a contract with Patria Aviation for the upgrade of the Hamina-class fast attack missile craft …

• Military Logistics

  Embraer’s KC-390 achieves IOC

  28th December 2017

  Embraer’s KC-390 military transport and aerial refuelling aircraft has achieved initial operational capability (IOC) with the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), the company announced on 20 …

• Defence Notes

  Analysis: US Navy must face Chinese ambitions

  8th January 2018

  A new US Congressional Research Service (CRS) report lays out the groundwork needed for the US Navy (USN) to face China’s growing naval power in …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Vigilant Aerospace secures TFO funding

  21st December 2017

  Vigilant Aerospace has secured investment from Kluz Ventures through its commercial unmanned aircraft and robotics fund, The Flying Object (TFO). TFO makes investments into US …

• Digital Battlespace

  Qatar to acquire additional Rafale aircraft

  13th December 2017

  Qatar Emiri Air Force has signed an agreement with Dassault Aviation to acquire an additional 12 Rafale omnirole combat aircraft.The new aircraft will join the …

• Defence Notes

  South Korea boosts spending, ISR and retaliatory measures

  11th December 2017

  South Korea has created new units – including an ISR formation and a special forces decapitation brigade – in response to the threat from its …

• Training

  Elbit, Babcock partner for ASDOT

  12th December 2017

  Babcock International and Elbit Systems have entered into a partnership to pursue the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) next generation ‘aggressor air’ capability under the …

• Military Logistics

  RNZN begins two-year tanker capability gap

  18th December 2017

  The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) retired its solitary tanker, HMNZS Endeavour, at Devonport Naval Base on 15 December. This leaves the navy without a …

• Training

  EDA conducts helicopter tactics discussion

  5th December 2017

  The European Defence Agency (EDA) recently held its eighth Helicopter Tactics Symposium in Rijen, the Netherlands. Organised under EDA’s Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP), the symposium …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Kittyhawk launches flight profiles for UAS

  8th December 2017

  Kittyhawk has introduced flight profiles, a new feature for its UAS management platform, the company announced on 5 December. The new feature is designed to …

• Military Logistics

  First KC-46A delivery inches closer

  6th December 2017

  The first KC-46A tanker aircraft scheduled for delivery to the US Air Force (USAF) has successfully completed its first flight and airborne testing, Boeing announced …

• Special Operations

  US Army outlines $1 billion in SOF training opportunities

  7th December 2017

  Last week’s I/ITSEC exhibition in Orlando, Florida, featured updates on training programmes across the armed services. As the US Army Project Manager for Instrumentation, Targets and Threat …

• Defence Helicopter

  Ukrainian MoD completes heli rocket-firing testing

  12th December 2017

  The Ukrainian MoD has completed a test campaign firing new rockets from its two new transport/combat helicopters types, the Mi-8MSB and Mi-2MSB, which, in turn, …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Loyal Wingman [France]

  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

  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: 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: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  AN/ZPY-1 STARLite

  The AN/ZPY-1 Small Tactical Radar-Lightweight (STARLite) is a synthetic aperture radar/ground moving target indication (GMTI) sensor for UAVs and manned platforms that support tactical operations. ...

• 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

  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: 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: 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. ...