• Defence Notes

  Type 26 construction to begin in 2017

  8th November 2016

  Construction of the Royal Navy’s Type 26 Global Combat Ships will begin with first steel cut in summer 2017, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  A9-E AUV demos side-looking sonar

  8th November 2016

  ECA Group has demonstrated its interferometric side-looking sonar on an A9-E autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) during early trials of the European Smart and Networking Underwater Robots …

• Training

  RAF receives A400M cargo hold trainer

  7th November 2016

  The British Royal Air Force (RAF) has taken delivery of an A400M Cargo Hold Trainer – Enhanced (CHT-E) from Rheinmetall and Airbus Defence and Space, Rheinmetall …

• Defence Helicopter

  IAI supplies V-280 Valor components

  4th November 2016

  Israel Aerospace Industries' (IAI) Golan Industries and Lahav divisions are providing seating systems and nacelles for the Bell Helicopter V-280 Valor tilt-rotor aircraft, Textron announced …

• Digital Battlespace

  GovSat secures NATO AGS space segment

  8th November 2016

  GovSat has been awarded a contract by NATO to supply the satellite communications (SATCOM) space segment to the Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) programme.  A public-private …

• Defence Helicopter

  Afghans MD 530F proving worth, says NATO

  8th November 2016

  The MD530F Cayuse Warrior light attack helicopter has been cited as one of the improvements in the Afghan national defence and security forces (ANDSF) over …

• Defence Helicopter

  Singapore selects H225M and CH-47F

  7th November 2016

  Singapore’s Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) selected the Airbus Helicopters H225M Caracal and Boeing CH-47F Chinook as part of Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) efforts to …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus DS continues SATCOM work with UK

  10th November 2016

  With a mere six years until the end of Skynet, the UK’s sovereign satellite communications capability, attempts are being made to ensure continuing capacity. The UK …

• Digital Battlespace

  STC radio moves past review

  10th November 2016

  The Harris RF-335M radio completed its Critical Design Review in October and will be modified further with new capabilities before its introduction into service. RF-335M …

• Land Warfare

  Indo Defence 2016: Hopes for light artillery expansion

  6th November 2016

  French defence manufacturer Nexter expects further orders for its LG1 light artillery gun in Indonesia. The company has already delivered 20 to the Indonesian Marines. …

• Defence Notes

  Indo Defence 2016: ASEAN defence spending on the rise

  27th October 2016

  It is becoming clear that Southeast Asia is expanding its influence in the global defence industry. Recent data suggests that the upward trend in military …

• Digital Battlespace

  Sentinel radar upgrade due

  11th November 2016

  The urgency to upgrade the radar fitted on the UK RAF Sentinel R Mk1 ground surveillance aircraft is building. UK MoD funding for the Integrated …

• Defence Notes

  Zhuhai 2016: Chinese space programmes reveal military strike capability

  4th November 2016

  There is doubt about China’s peaceful exploration of the final frontier, as it now appears the Klingons are in charge of the Long March (LM) …

• Land Warfare

  Belgian army battalions fire first Spikes

  4th November 2016

  Operators from Belgian army manoeuvre battalions fired their Spike anti-tank missiles for the first time on 27 October on the Bergen-Höhne training area in northern …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Insitu eyes unsegregated opportunities

  4th November 2016

  Insitu is exploring the potential to conduct commercial beyond line of site (BLoS) operations in the US, following the successful flights last year with a …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  DELI [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Speaking to Shephard at SAHA Expo 2022, a spokesperson stated that the platform was expected to enter into service with the Turkish Armed ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Akinci [Libya]

  Programme Background 2022 Reports In October 2022, various Libyan media outlets reported that the country was eyeing a possible procurement from Baykar, possibly the Akinici ...

• Transport

  C-130J [Vietnam]

  Programme Background Requirement Vietnam’s interest in acquiring the C-130J reflects a broader effort to modernise its air transport fleet, which was previously dominated by Russian ...

• Corvettes

  Steregushchy Class (Project 20380) (11-18)

  Programme BackgroundThe Steregushchiy class (Project 20380) corvettes are designed to operate in littoral combat zones and engage with enemy ships and submarines. The multi-role missions ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) (Tranche 2) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Data links

  Data links | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Hangor Class Submarines [Pakistan]

  Programme Background Timeline Chinese media first reported that the Pakistan Navy had agreed to buy eight modified Type 039B submarines in April 2015. The contract ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  T-15 Armata (Contracted)

  Programme Background The first contract for 132 Armatas was signed by the Russian MoD in 2015. This will comprise sufficient T-14, T-15 heavy IFV and ...

• Tanks

  T-14 Armata (Contracted)

  Programme Background The first contract for 132 Armatas was signed by the Russian MoD in 2015. This will comprise sufficient T-14, T-15 heavy IFV and ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Horizon 3 - Submarines Procurement Programme [Philippines]

  Programme Background Requirements The Philippines began its Future Submarine Acquisition back in 2015. The Philippines has no experience in operating submarines, but there is a ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 (Turkey)

  Programme Background  Selection The Turkish Armed Forces are purchasing large numbers of UAVs from Turkey's domestic defence industry to perform ISTAR missions and provide troops ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• H160

  Airbus Helicopters unveiled a full-scale model of the H160 medium twin rotorcraft on 3 March 2015 at Heli-Expo. The utility helicopter, the first to be ...

• EO/IR systems

  Skybox

  The Skybox allows gimballed camera systems developed for small UAVs to be integrated on the nose of manned helicopters. It accommodates cameras such as DJI’s ...

• EO/IR systems

  OWLS

  Observation Wide-area Low-altitude Sensor (OWLS), demonstrated at Heli-Expo 2015, is a two-axis micro gimbal imager that combines a night vision sensor and an image-stabilised enclosure. ...

• Helicopter engines

  RR300

  The RR300 combines new design methodologies with the legacy of the M250 engine to produce a new engine family for the small rotorcraft market. Intended ...

• Air: mission management systems

  TM-100 Map and Video Management system

  Trakka Systems introduced a new TM-100 Map and Video Management system at HAI Heli-Expo 2017 in Dallas. The augmented reality mapping system with metadata video and audio ...

• EO/IR systems

  Geodetic photomapping and monitoring payload and blind zone cameras

  Heliatica unveiled a geodetic mapping and monitoring payload with Geoscan at Heli-Expo 2017. The system is designed to fit two Sony DSC-RX1 (24MP resolution) cameras ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  6XX

  Publicly unveiled at Heli-Expo in March 2017, the MD Helicopters 6XX is the next evolution in the MD 500 series and is a redesigned, single-engine ...

• Multipurpose missiles

  LAHAT

  The Laser Homing Attack (LAHAT) is an Israeli, semi-active, laser homing guided, low-weight, ATGM. It was designed to be fired from 105mm and 120mm tank guns.

• Tiltrotors

  AW609

  The Bell/Agusta BA609 became the first tiltrotor designed for the civilian market to fly in March 2003. In June 2011, Leonardo announced that it had ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  525 Relentless

  Bell Helicopter announced in February 2012 that it was developing the Model 525 Relentless. The Relentless features an ARC Horizon flight deck, including the Garmin ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Bars-8

  Following on from the 7t Bars-6 4x4 multipurpose armoured vehicle, Bogdan developed the 10t Bars-8 4x4 multipurpose armoured vehicle which was unveiled at the September ...

• Land: RWS

  AU-220M

  The AU-220M unmanned turret, developed by TsNII Burevestnik, a subsidiary of Uralvagonzavod (UVZ), mounts a dual-feed 57mm automatic cannon and a PKTM 7.62mm coaxial machine ...

• Military helicopters - maritime, Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  S-92/H-92

  The H-92 is the military version of the commercial S-92. It has a stand-up cabin, higher gross weight, more power and new composite rotor blades. ...

• Military vehicle engines

  TCD 2015

  The TCD 2015 is a modern water-cooled four stroke diesel V-engine that is currently integrated on the RG41 armoured vehicle.

• P1AR Virtual Hoist SAR simulator

  Priority 1 Air Rescue demonstrated an operational model of its Virtual Hoist SAR simulator for the first time at Heli-Expo 2017 with a small, transportable ...