• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Black Hornets create buzz in Australia

  29th May 2018

  The Australian Army marked the onset of ‘widespread proliferation’ of the FLIR Systems Black Hornet 3 micro-UAV on 23 May, as the programme progressed from …

• Training

  First test flights of Mi-28UB

  10th July 2018

  The Russian Army Aviation has successfully completed the first test flights of the new Mi-28UB combat training helicopter, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced on …

• Military Logistics

  Farnborough 2018: Dual purpose for LM-100J flight demo

  17th July 2018

  Despite showcasing its civilian-spec LM-100J at Farnborough, manufacturer Lockheed Martin has said that the flight demonstrations serve to highlight the capabilities of the original military …

• Defence Helicopter

  Mi-35Ms en route to Kazakhstan

  19th June 2018

  A new contract covering four Mi-35M Hind attack helicopters has been signed between Russia and Kazakhstan. Its existence was officially confirmed on 29 May by …

• Defence Notes

  Farnborough 2018: Eurofighter to be testbed for Tempest

  17th July 2018

  As the UK eyes the development of a new fighter jet through the Team Tempest programme, the Eurofighter Typhoon is expected to be a testbed …

• Naval Warfare

  Vietnam starts building sub rescue vessel

  7th June 2018

  A keel laying ceremony has recently been held for the Vietnam People’s Navy’s first submarine rescue vessel.  The ceremony for the 4,000t ship took place …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  L3 MAS, IAI partner for Canadian RPAS

  4th June 2018

  L3 MAS has partnered with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to form Team Artemis, to jointly offer the Artemis UAS for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s …

• Digital Battlespace

  Cambridge Pixel radar technology for CMS 330

  13th July 2018

  Cambridge Pixel’s radar acquisition and display technology has been selected by Lockheed Martin Canada for integration with its naval Combat Management System (CMS) 330, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Farnborough 2018: US Army acquiring Coyote C-UAS

  17th July 2018

  As the threat of incoming, armed drones becomes increasingly prevalent, the US Army is moving out and acquiring Raytheon's Coyote UAS and the KRFS radar …

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2018: Arquus positions for future French 4x4 requirement

  12th June 2018

  Arquus, the new name for Renault Trucks Defense, is positioning itself for the future French VBAE (Armoured Engagement Assistance Vehicle) programme with its newly-developed Scarabee …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon signs Australian EW agreement

  30th May 2018

  Raytheon has signed a project agreement with Australia's Defence Science and Technology (DST) to collaborate on the development of advanced electronic warfare (EW) capabilities for …

• Defence Notes

  US, Chinese defence chiefs talk cooperation despite tensions

  27th June 2018

  US Defense Secretary James Mattis met his Chinese counterpart in Beijing on 27 June, aiming to find areas of cooperation despite a mounting military rivalry …

• Training

  Kratos delivers first production BQM-177A Subsonic SSAT

  12th July 2018

  Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has delivered the first production BQM-177A Subsonic Aerial Target (SSAT) to the US Navy, the company announced on 9 July. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales to continue Finland radar support

  5th July 2018

  The Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command has extended its radar support agreement with Thales for 2018-2023, the Finnish Ministry of Defence announced on 2 July. …

• Naval Warfare

  UDT 2018: Underwater scooter continues to evolve

  29th June 2018

  Stidd Systems is continuing the development of its diver propulsion device (DPD) having already sold 400 units to various NATO customers.The company is currently working …

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 ...