• Special Operations

  Russia celebrates “SOF Day”

  22nd March 2018

  The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) celebrated the Special Operations Forces Day on 27th February with the disclosure of new video footage illustrating a series …

• Defence Helicopter

  UK to decide on MH-47G in 2020

  6th April 2018

  A decision on whether the UK chooses to replace or upgrade a number of its current Chinook fleet with newer MH-47G aircraft will be made …

• Defence Notes

  US to sell military aircraft to European allies

  5th April 2018

  The US on 4 April approved $4.7 billion in deals for US firms to sell jet fighters to Slovakia, military helicopters to Spain and armed …

• Training

  Simulation support success for Lockheed Martin team

  19th March 2018

  A Lockheed Martin-led team has been awarded a seven year, $3.53 billion contract to support the 300,000 fielded Training Aids, Devices, Simulators and Simulations (TADSS), including …

• Military Logistics

  DSA 2018: Thailand toys with Transformers

  11th April 2018

  The TR Transformer II 4x4 pickup passenger vehicle (PPV) is now being acquired by the Royal Thai Armed Forces, with an example appearing at Exercise …

• Training

  Ethiopian Air Force opens L-39 sim centre

  9th March 2018

  Considered by many as one of the best trained and equipped air forces in Africa, the Ethiopian Air Force (EAF) has just opened a new …

• 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. …

• Military Logistics

  USAF tests new HUD for C-17 Globemaster III

  14th March 2018

  The US Air Force's 418th Flight Test Squadron (FLTS) is completing testing on a new head-up display for the C-17 Globemaster III. The USAF is …

• Training

  UK MoD moves ASDOT forward

  16th March 2018

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has initiated a new phase in the Air Support to Defence Operational Training (ASDOT) programme with the down-select of …

• Defence Helicopter

  Insight: Latin spirit for helicopter footprints

  4th April 2018

  The South American region is one as rich in opportunities as any other for helicopter manufacturers and while political disruptions can affect defence procurement, civil …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Smart city integration key stage of unmanned journey

  13th April 2018

  While industries such as agriculture, energy and mining have embraced the use of drones the next stage of the unmanned journey will be integrating the …

• Naval Warfare

  CAMM 3-cell ExLS completes qualification trials

  9th April 2018

  MBDA and Lockheed Martin have completed qualification of MBDA’s Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM) from Lockheed Martin’s Extensible Launching System (ExLS) 3-cell standalone launcher following …

• Defence Helicopter

  Safran engines for Qatar’s new NH90s

  3rd April 2018

  Safran Helicopter Engines has been selected as the engine supplier for Qatar’s NH90 fleet, the company announced on 28 March. The 28 NH90 military helicopters …

• Naval Warfare

  Thomas Hudner completes builder's trials

  3rd April 2018

  The US Navy's future USS Thomas Hudner has successfully completed builder's trials, NAVSEA announced on 2 April. The vessel is being built by General Dynamics …

• Land Warfare

  Poland set to reap the benefits of being in the Patriot family

  3rd April 2018

  Poland’s planned purchase of the Patriot air and missile defence system significantly enhances the security picture in Eastern Europe, and brings operational, training and interoperability …

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 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 ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Polar Support Vessel [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirements In June 2020, the Brazilian Navy released a Request for Proposal (RfP) to procure a new Antarctic vessel to be manufactured in Brazil. The ...

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 - 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  RBS 70 system

  The RBS 70 was developed in the 1970s to meet the Swedish Army’s requirement for a low-cost, easy-to-use MANPADS which could function in extreme climatic ...