• Defence Helicopter

  Mi-26TV2 kicks-off flight testing

  28th August 2018

  The Mi-26T2V, a heavy helicopter for the Russian Army Aviation branch, was unveiled to the public for the first time at the Army 2018 defence …

• Digital Battlespace

  DARPA reviews satellite servicing robot design

  22nd August 2018

  DARPA has concluded the preliminary design review of a satellite servicing payload for its Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) programme. According to DARPA, results …

• Defence Notes

  Arms, investment and 'instructors': Russia boosts Africa role

  14th August 2018

  Touting military cooperation, arms deals and investment, Russia is making a comeback in Africa after years of inactivity and now aims to rival European countries …

• Defence Notes

  Venezuela denies Colombian claims of armed forces incursion

  23rd August 2018

  Venezuela has hit back at Colombia, branding as fake news, claims from its neighbour that helicopters and troops had violated its sovereignty in an illegal …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM looks to LTATV follow-on

  20th August 2018

  United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has officially initiated a requirement to acquire a V-22 internally transportable Light Tactical All Terrain Vehicle (LTATV). This LTATV …

• Naval Warfare

  Australia announces Hunter-class vessel names

  5th July 2018

  The Royal Australian Navy’s future guided missile frigates will be named the Hunter class with the first of these guided missile frigates to be commissioned …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SeeByte renews UK MASTT software licences

  24th July 2018

  SeeByte has renewed all SeeTrack and Neptune licences currently used by the Royal Navy’s Maritime Autonomous Systems Trials Team (MASTT), the company announced on 18 …

• Land Warfare

  Moog tests integrated MML equipment

  20th August 2018

  Moog has successfully completed the second phase of integration and testing on the Engineering Manufacturing Development configuration of the US Army's Multi-Mission Launcher (MML) . …

• Training

  Wescom Eyes MANPADS simulation

  13th August 2018

  Wescom Defence sees a growing market for its MANPADS simulator among military helicopter and other flight operators, with the systems currently in service with a …

• Digital Battlespace

  Applied Insight receives AFCENT contract

  24th July 2018

  Applied Insight has received a new task order to provide cybersecurity support to the US Air Force Central Command (AFCENT), the company announced on 18 …

• Military Logistics

  RAF’s 20th Atlas enters service

  17th July 2018

  The Royal Air Force’s (RAF) 20th A400M Atlas transport aircraft has formally entered into service following its handover at Brize Norton, the UK Ministry of …

• Training

  Leonardo supports Italian Air Force for Spartan Alliance

  23rd July 2018

  Leonardo recently supported the Italian Air Force’s participation in the ‘Spartan Alliance’ virtual air exercise, the company announced on 20 July. The exercise was held …

• Training

  US Army evaluates aviation training bids

  21st August 2018

  The US Army Aviation Center of Excellence (USAACE) is currently assessing responses for its Advanced Helicopter Flight Training Support (AHFTS) requirement. The contract is currently …

• Defence Notes

  Farnborough 2018: Business and the Brexit decision (video)

  15th July 2018

  With Brexit looming large, the prospect of its impact on the defence sector and the UK's place politically and militarily will likely dominate discussions during …

• Defence Notes

  EU moving anti-piracy headquarters to Spain

  30th July 2018

  European Union (EU) countries decided on 30 July to move the headquarters of the bloc's anti-piracy Atalanta patrols from London to the Spanish port of …

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 ...