• Defence Notes

  Stability in Iraq could hinge on rebuilding 'failed social contract'

  30th July 2018

  At a time when Iraqis are taking to the streets protesting a lack of basic services and jobs, a US military commander is warning that …

• Land Warfare

  Australia awards three defence contracts

  22nd June 2018

  The Australian Army, in partnership with the Defence Innovation Hub, has awarded three contracts worth a combined $2.2 million for the development of new defence …

• Defence Helicopter

  South Korea issues naval helicopter requirement

  11th July 2018

  On 14 June the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced the launch of its search for a second batch of naval helicopters – 12 in …

• Land Warfare

  China receives first batch of Russian S-400s

  31st July 2018

  The first S-400 Triumph surface-to-air missile systems for the People’s Liberation Army of China have been handed over in the second half of July, according …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army reveals plans for next Black Hawk procurement

  2nd August 2018

  The US Army Contracting Command has detailed its plans for acquiring ‘up to 510’ UH/HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, with a production contract to be eventually …

• Digital Battlespace

  GTT receives telecom services contract

  26th July 2018

  GTT Communications has received a contract from the Defensive Information Technology Contracting Organization (DITCO) to provide telecom services in Afghanistan, the company announced on 19 …

• Defence Notes

  Singapore outlines procurements for 2020 and beyond

  2nd July 2018

  Singapore’s Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) has outlined its equipment requirements to ensure the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) remain lethal beyond 2020-30. Defence Minister Ng Eng …

• Naval Warfare

  UDT 2018: BAE Systems introduces home-grown Archerfish launcher

  26th June 2018

  BAE Systems showcased its new launcher for the Archerfish mine neutralisation system at UDT in Glasgow. Although the company already delivers the solution to the …

• Naval Warfare

  Insight: China owns South China Sea

  30th July 2018

  The US appears to have lost the South China Sea permanently to China due to a failure by Washington to check China’s long-term strategy of  …

• Naval Warfare

  UDT 2018: New sonar for Australian submarines

  20th June 2018

  Thales will support efforts by Australia to upgrade systems and capabilities of the Collins class submarines as part of an overall A$542 million ($400 million) …

• Digital Battlespace

  Japan to spend billions on missile defence system

  30th July 2018

  Japan said on 30 July that it would spend around $4.2 billion over the next 30 years on installing and operating US radar systems to …

• Naval Warfare

  UDT 2018: RN platform numbers no longer a barometer for power

  27th June 2018

  Royal Navy (RN) officials have suggested that future military capability and power against aggressors will be expressed not through platform numbers but through a system of …

• Defence Helicopter

  India receives overhauled Mi-17-1Vs

  29th June 2018

  Russian Helicopters has delivered six overhauled Mi-17-1V helicopters to the Indian Border Security Force, the company announced on 27 June. The overhaul was carried out …

• Military Logistics

  Cobham receives pilot life support system contract

  23rd July 2018

  Cobham has received a contract from the US Navy's Office of the Secretary of Defense, Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) programme, to develop an autonomous pilot …

• Digital Battlespace

  Hensoldt delivers upgraded MIDS-LVT for testing

  26th July 2018

  Hensoldt has delivered upgraded Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) terminals to the German military for risk reduction testing, the company announced on 20 July.The Bundeswehr …

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 ...