• Defence Notes

  Analysis: Mexican defence industry

  20th October 2016

  Mexico has been developing and producing its own weapon systems since the early 20th century and went through phases of building its own aircraft, armoured …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  China explores military UGV designs

  20th October 2016

  A special UGV trial, named Conquer Obstacle 2016, was recently held in China, the PLA Daily has publicised.  The aim of the unmanned ground system challenge was to …

• Land Warfare

  Jumping in the Leopard pool

  20th October 2016

  The Netherlands signed an agreement with Germany on 13 October to combine some of their Leopard 2 main battle tank forces. It will also transfer …

• Training

  CAE details training contracts

  19th October 2016

  CAE has been awarded defence contracts worth over CAD$100 million for training and support services to military customers, it announced on 18 October. Under two …

• Digital Battlespace

  ALIAS flies Cessna

  19th October 2016

  Aurora Flight Sciences’ Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) has flown a Cessna Caravan aircraft in a demonstration flight, the company announced on 17 October. …

• Naval Warfare

  Euronaval 2016: Narwhal 20mm gun on display (video)

  19th October 2016

  French armament specialists Nexter is displaying its Narwhal 20mm remotely-operated naval weapon at this year's Euronaval exhibition in Paris. There are two variants on display, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Osprey radar for MQ-8C Fire Scout

  19th October 2016

  The US Navy has selected Finmeccanica's Osprey AESA radar for its newly-upgraded Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter, the company announced on 17 October. Under the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Nuri cockpit upgrade gets green light

  19th October 2016

  The upgrade of Sikorsky S-61A-4 Nuri helicopters of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) took a major step forward, as revealed in a Heli-One press …

• Naval Warfare

  Euronaval 2016: Thales AUSS expands unmanned roles (video)

  19th October 2016

  At this year's naval extravaganza that is Euronaval, held in Paris, Thales took the opportunity to unveil one of its newer products, the Autonomous Underwater …

• Naval Warfare

  Euronaval 2016: French FTI and export version unveiled (video)

  18th October 2016

  The design for the planned 4,000t Frégate de Taille Intermédiaire (FTI) for the Marine Nationale was unveiled at Euronaval on Tuesday, the latest and expected …

• Naval Warfare

  Euronaval 2016: Kazakhstan OPV signing expected soon

  18th October 2016

  German shipbuilders Abeking and Rasmussen are looking to sign a formal contract for a 60m OPV with Kazakhstan by the end of this year or …

• Naval Warfare

  Euronaval 2016: MBDA brings Simbad to life (video)

  18th October 2016

  After recent events in the Middle East that has seen an increase in the use of anti-ship missiles by militant groups, missile specialists MBDA is …

• Defence Helicopter

  Helitech 2016: Helitune and Leonardo in tune for onboard systems

  18th October 2016

  Helitune’s onboard rotor blade tracker, RT-TipTrak, has been selected as the standard blade tracker for installation on AW189 and AW169 aircraft.  Designed for internal or …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Aeryon introduces new UAS payloads

  18th October 2016

  Aeryon Labs has introduced an integrated UAS onboard computing platform called Vector, designed for real-time video processing, the company announced on 12 October. Vector is …

• Defence Helicopter

  Upgraded Mi-28N starts first flight trials

  18th October 2016

  A prototype of a modernised Mi-28 combat helicopter has begun flight testing at the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, Russian Helicopters announced on 13 October. The …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  OC-135B Replacement [USA]

  Programme Background The modification and Treaty Certification works include Digital Visual Imaging System kits, design and development for mission system integration (structural design, interphone communications systems, ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Light Combat Helicopter (India - Air Force)

  Programme Background Requirement India's requirement for light attack helicopters capable of operating at high altitudes became apparent during the 1999 Kargil War. Originally planned to reach ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Light Combat Helicopter (India - Army)

  Programme Background Requirement India's requirement for light attack helicopters capable of operating at high altitudes became apparent during the 1999 Kargil War. Originally planned to reach ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Orlan-10 [Russian Navy]

  Background Frigate Augmentation Before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the country planned to augment its Admiral Gorshkov class frigates with indigenously developed Orlan-10 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munition [Switzerland]

  Background Announcement In a February 2023 interview with Swiss news outlet CH-Media, Swiss army chief Thomas Süssli stated that the country was considering acquiring loitering munitions ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  Lightweight Marine Air Defence Integrated System [US]

  Background The US Marine Corps' (USMC) Lightweight Marine Air Defence Integrated System (L-MADIS) supports deployed Marine Expeditionary Units with non-kinetic C-UAS capabilities and a shoulder-fired surface-to-air weapon for ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Shahed-171 (ANSU-200) [Venezuela]

  Background Independence Day Parade Venezuela operates the ANSU-200, a UAV with many visual similarities to the Shahed-171, which Defence Insight believes is a domestically produced ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  S-400 [India]

  Background India is modernising its air defence by procuring  S-400 LRSAM systems (Triumf Missile System), which are planned to be used by the Air Force.  The fifth system ...

• Destroyers

  Canadian Surface Combatant/River Class (1-3) [Canada]

  Background Requirements Fifteen frigates are being procured to replace the Royal Canadian Navy's 12 ageing Halifax-class frigates and the now-retired Iroquois-class destroyers with next-generation surface ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Ground Master 403 Radar [Egypt]

  Background In 2020, Egypt ordered four of France-based Thales Ground Master 403 radars, the mobile member of their GM400 radar family.  At least one of the ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

• Data links

  Data links | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Mangart 25 [Slovenia]

  Background Mangart 25 originated from a Slovenian national development project for a lightweight remotely controlled air-defence system. The development contract was signed with Valhalla Turrets ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: aerial targets

  Lakshya

  The Lakshya is an aerial target developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for training fighter pilots in air-to-air combat or ground-based air ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  StreamCaster Mini 4210

  The StreamCaster Mini 4210 (SM4210) is a single-channel data radio (SCDR) that can create MANET mesh networks. It is currently in use with the US ...

• Air: mission management systems

  FireStorm

  FireStorm is an integrated targeting and mission management system for air-to-ground operations such as close air support, ground targeting and call for fire. It is ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AW129

  The AW129 Mangusta (Mongoose, service designation) is a tandem two-seat, twin-engine attack helicopter originally developed for the Italian Army and subsequently developed into a multirole combat ...

• Air: mission management systems

  CMA-9000

  The CMA-9000  Flight and Radio Management System (FMS/RMS) is manufactured by the Canadian firm CMC Electronics. It is designed for a wide range of commercial, ...

• Air: aerial targets

  Chukar III

  The Chukar III, based on Northrop Grumman’s BQM-74E developed for the USN, is a high subsonic aerial jet target for export customers.

• Sea: weapon training, Military - USVs

  Sprite

  The Sprite is a USV developed by QinetiQ and designed for live-fire training exercises. 

• Air: aerial targets

  Banshee Whirlwind

  Originally made by Meggitt Target Systems, a company QinetiQ acquired in 2016, the Banshee is an aerial target and the first drone in the Banshee series.  ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  Badger UGV-T

  Badger is a remotely controlled, lightly armoured, all-terrain vehicle designed to exercise anti-armour combat systems. No permanent installations are required; Badger is transportable to and ...

• Sea: weapon training, Military - USVs

  Albatros-T

  The Aselsan Albatros-T is a high-speed, unmanned, surface-target boat manufactured by Aselsan. It is designed to be used as a moving target in shooting drills.

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Integrated Avionics Suite

  Northrup Grumman's Integrated Avionics Suite is an open architecture mission equipment package, which can be deployed on a number of rotorcraft platforms. It consists of ...

• Air: aerial targets

  DO-SK6

  The DO-SK6 is a modular design tow body adaptable for various functions.

• Naval: RF/IR/acoustic decoys

  Integrated Decoy System

  Rafael's integrated ship-defence decoy system features real-time decoy deployment, fixed and/or rotating launchers and a computerised decoy controller that can be integrated with a ship’s ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Integrated Combat System

  The Integrated Combat System (ICS) is a combat management system being developed for the US Navy. The project, currently led by Lockheed Martin, aims to ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Kuwait Air Force F/A-18 TOFT

  L3Harris Technologies has delivered two F/A-18C Tactical Operational Flight Trainers (TOFTs) built for the Kuwait Air Force (KAF). The high-fidelity TOFTs replace the KAF’s F/A-18 ...