• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Leonardo completes satellite-controlled European MALE-class UAS flight

  24th May 2018

  Leonardo has completed the first flight campaign to demonstrate satellite control of a European-built Medium Altitude Long Endurance class (MALE) UAS, the company announced on …

• Digital Battlespace

  EW Europe 2018: US Navy's EW modernisation continues

  31st May 2018

  The US Navy’s modernisation of its ageing electronic warfare equipment, including the acquisition of a new helicopter-borne EW pod, is continuing as the service attempts …

• Special Operations

  Orbit develops MPT 30 SATCOM terminal

  21st May 2018

  Orbit Communications Systems has developed a 12-inch Multi-Purpose Terminal (MPT 30) for airborne satellite communications, the company announced on 17 May. The MPT 30 terminal …

• Naval Warfare

  Timor-Leste to receive two patrol boats from Australia

  20th April 2018

  Australia will gift two new patrol boats to Timor-Leste under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project, the Australian Department of Defence announced on 19 April. The …

• Naval Warfare

  HMS Cattistock completes NATO deployment

  19th April 2018

  Royal Navy minehunter HMS Cattistock has completed a four month deployment in the Baltic Sea with Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1.The vessel took part …

• Defence Notes

  Britain backs French plan for European defence force

  5th May 2018

  Britain is backing a French plan to create a European military intervention force as a way to maintain strong defence ties with the EU after …

• Training

  AFGSC undertakes Kratos training

  3rd May 2018

  Kratos Defense and Security Solutions’ Kratos Aircrew Training Center (KATC) in Orlando, Florida, has conducted aerial gunnery training (AGT) for US Air Force Global Strike …

• Naval Warfare

  UK launches Submarine Delivery Agency

  25th April 2018

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has launched the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA), strengthening arrangements to support the UK’s submarine capability. The SDA will procure …

• Digital Battlespace

  AN/ALR-69A (V) receivers ordered by USAF

  2nd May 2018

  Raytheon has received an IDIQ contract from the US Air Force (USAF) to deliver the AN/ALR-69A (V) all-digital radar warning receiver, the company announced on …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: SOF community awaiting decisions on new attack helicopter

  29th May 2018

  On the road to developing the US Army's next-generation helicopter fleet, the special forces community is working with the larger service to help guide requirements …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AACUS enabled UH-1H completes first cargo delivery

  22nd May 2018

  Aurora Flight Sciences’ Autonomous Aerial Cargo/Utility System (AACUS) has successfully completed its first operational cargo delivery to the US Marine Corps (USMC), the company announced …

• Military Logistics

  JFD delivers submarine rescue system to RAN

  16th April 2018

  JFD has delivered new submarine rescue equipment to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), the company announced on 10 April. The new kit includes a hyperbaric …

• Defence Helicopter

  T129 Atak ready for Kazakh MoD’s fleet

  28th May 2018

  Kazakhstan is being considered as one of many potential export customers for the T129 Atak helicopter. The Turkish company expects that in the coming years …

• Digital Battlespace

  Zenoss to support USAF's DCGS

  30th April 2018

  Zenoss will provide software and services for the US Air Force’s Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) programme under a five-year contract announced on 25 April. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Insight: Weaponised hobby drones causing a headache for Mideast security

  4th May 2018

  On the evening of April 21 gunfire was heard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as a recreational drone was shot down by Saudi security forces as …

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 ...