• Defence Notes

  Romania boosts defence spending

  3rd August 2017

  Romania’s Supreme Defence Council (CSAT) has approved the Armed Forces Endowment Plan 2017-2026, as Bucharest vies to meet NATO’s 2% of GDP spending target, it was …

• Digital Battlespace

  General Dynamics unveils Hook3

  3rd August 2017

  General Dynamics has introduced a new Combat Survival Radio (CSR) designed to provide direct line-of-sight voice and two-way data communications to help combat search and rescue …

• Naval Warfare

  Germany to upgrade P-3C fleet

  3rd August 2017

  Germany will upgrade its eight-strong P-3C fleet in a five-year programme that will keep the aircraft at the backbone of the country’s maritime patrol capability …

• Training

  BAE delivers first Hawk trainers to Oman

  3rd August 2017

  BAE Systems has delivered the first Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers to the Royal Air Force of Oman, the company announced on 31 July. The two Mark …

• Defence Helicopter

  Brazil's Black Hawks clock-up 30,000 hours

  3rd August 2017

  The Brazilian Air Force has announced that in late July its UH-60L Black Hawk reached 30,000 flight hours. Since first beginning operations 11 years ago, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky refurbishing Black Hawks for Australian fire-fighting

  3rd August 2017

  Sikorsky Australia is to refurbish ten ex-US Army UH-60A Black Hawk helicopters for firefighting and disaster relief operations in Australia. The A$63 million contract announced …

• Military Logistics

  Boeing completes KC-46 electromagnetic testing

  2nd August 2017

  Boeing, the US Air Force and Naval Air Systems Command have completed electromagnetic testing for the KC-46air refuelling tanker, it was announced on 27 July. …

• Defence Helicopter

  German Army Tiger helicopter crashes in Mali

  2nd August 2017

  An Airbus Helicopters Tiger attack helicopter belonging to the German Helicopter Detachment (HELIDET) based in Gao, Mali, crashed South of Tabankort on 26 July according …

• Digital Battlespace

  Italy’s OPTSAT-3000 satellite launched

  2nd August 2017

  The Italian Ministry of Defence’s OPTSAT-3000 satellite has been launched from the Kourou European spaceport in French Guiana today, 2 August. The satellite was delivered by …

• Defence Helicopter

  Brazilian Army eyes new utility helicopters

  2nd August 2017

  The Brazilian Army is paving the way to launch an acquisition procedure to replace its incumbent fleet of Cougars and Black Hawks. The army currently operates …

• Special Operations

  SOCOM identifies experimentation opportunities

  2nd August 2017

  USSOCOM released a public notice on 25 July outlining its next planned round of Technical Experimentation (TE) activities. The semi-annual TE ‘events’ are one of …

• Defence Notes

  Reforms are needed for Vietnam’s military

  2nd August 2017

  Vietnam must begin serious modernisation and structural reform if it wants to hold its own against China’s growing control of the South China Sea and, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  European UAS moves forward, slowly

  1st August 2017

  The European MALE RPAS programme continues to move forward, albeit slowly, as the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) announced an agreement has been made …

• Defence Helicopter

  Chinook Block II moves forward

  31st July 2017

  Boeing has been awarded an engineering, manufacturing and development contract for the manufacture of three CH-47F Chinook Block II aircraft, the US DoD announced on …

• Digital Battlespace

  ViaSat to deliver SATCOM equipment to ADF

  31st July 2017

  ViaSat has been selected by Northrop Grumman as a partner in the delivery of a next-generation satellite communications (SATCOM) network to the Australian Defence Force …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• ISR/special mission, Maritime patrol

  C295 MPAs/MSAs [Spain]

  Programme Background Required to replace Spain's existing P-3M Orion fleet set to reach OSD in the mid-late 2020s, Airbus' C295W has been selected as the replacement ...

• Loitering munitions

  Deluge (First batch) [France]

  Background Unveiling MBDA unveiled a scale model of the One-Way Effector (OWE), later named the Deluge, at the Paris Air Show 2025. As Breaking Defence reported at the ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-390 [Portugal]

  Programme Background Leadership from the Portuguese Air Force and Embraer signed a contract for a sixth C-390, with the option for ten additional aircraft for ...

• Loitering munitions

  Deluge (Additional batches) [France]

  Background Unveiling MBDA unveiled a scale model of the One-Way Effector (OWE), later named the Deluge, at the Paris Air Show 2025. As Breaking Defence reported at the ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-390 Options [Portugal]

  Programme Background Leadership from Embraer and the Portuguese Air Force formalised a contract that includes 10 aircraft options that can be utilised by any NATO ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  French MALE UAVs [France]

  Background Requirements The French Ministry of the Armed Forces wishes to develop a French MALE offering comparable to the MQ-9 Reaper, which would, it is hoped, promote ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye [France]

  Programme Background Saab and the French Defence Procurement Agency signed an MoU at Paris Air Show 2025 for the firm purchase two GlobalEye aircraft and the ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [French Air Force]

  Background Rafale F5 companion During a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the French Strategic Air Forces (FAS) at Saint-Dizier Air Base in October 2024, France’s Minister of ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-390 [Lithuania]

  Programme Background The Lithuanian Armed Forces confirmed the selection of the C-390 as the Air Force's new military transport aircraft during Paris Air Show 2025. ...

• Military UAS - small

  Flexrotor [Phillipines]

  Background Horizon 3 In September 2024, Airbus offered the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) various military equipment, including the Flexrotor, A400M and H225M, to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Larinae: Medium-range loitering munition [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated at a press conference in May 2022 that the General Directorate for Armament (DGA) ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Super Galeb Replacement [Serbia]

  Programme Background Serbia is looking to replace their aged fleet of Super Galeb aircraft from Yugoslavia with a new trainer and light attack aircraft.  According ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Watchkeeper X (Contracted) [Romania]

  Background 2021 In mid-2021, the Romanian manufacturer Aerostar signed a collaboration with U-TacS to potentially produce the Watchkeeper X in Romania. U-TacS is a joint ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Watchkeeper X (Uncontracted) [Romania]

  Background 2021 In mid-2021, the Romanian manufacturer Aerostar signed a collaboration with U-TacS to potentially produce the Watchkeeper X in Romania. U-TacS is a joint ...

• Military UAS - small

  Aerosonde Mk 4.7 [Qatar]

  Background Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) At DIMDEX 2016, a QAR 54.7 million ($14.97 million) MoU between the Qatar Armed Forces and the US company Textron Systems for ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Displays

  LAD2008DA

  Produced by Psion DSP, LAD2008DA is a 20"x8" Large Area Display for full-glass cockpit applications. It was showcased during the 2022 Farnborough Air Show and the 2023 ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Wing Loong X

  The Wing Loong X, or WL-X, is a fixed-wing UAV developed by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). Debuted at the Paris Air Show ...

• Air: Displays

  RDU-4208 LAD

  ScioTeq RDU-4208 is a 20"x8" Large-Area Display. It features a fully redundant, high-resolution screen with multitouch support. Unveiled in 2022, it was also demonstrated in ...

• Air: aerial targets, Loitering munitions

  Super Simsek

  The Super Simsek (Süper Şimşek) is an improved version of the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) training drone turned loitering munition.  The drone has reconfigurable payload options ...

• EO/IR systems

  M-19 HD

  The M-19 HD multi-sensor, multispectral, HD observation and targeting payload was unveiled at the Paris Air Show in June 2015. It can incorporate up to ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Rotary Wing Cargo UAV

  Displayed at Paris Air Show 2023, the Rotary Wing Cargo UAV is a cargo-carrying and ISR drone manufactured by Turkish Aerospace (TAI). Powered by a ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Orbiter 5

  Unveiled at Paris Air Show 2023, the Orbiter 5 is a fixed-wing UAV from Aeronautics.  The multi-mission drone can host two payloads simultaneously, features autonomous flight and ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Stealth UCAV (nEUROn Successor)

  At the Paris Air Show 2025, Dassault Aviation showcased a stealthy UCAV, the successor of the nEUROn aircraft. A Safran M88 engine will power the ...

• Loitering munitions

  SpyX

  The SpyX is a loitering munition from BlueBird Aero Systems. Unveiled at the Paris Air Show 2023, the munition offers autonomous electro-optical guided attack capabilities and ...

• Loitering munitions

  FWD-LM01

  The FWD-LM01 is a loitering munition unveiled by Flying Wedge Defence & Aerospace at the Paris Air Show 2025. The manufacturer states the drone is built for ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  AeroForce 380

  The AeroForce 380 is a MALE fixed-wing drone. Based on the Milkor 380, it is tailored for maritime surveillance and Coast Guard missions. It can ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Strix 425

  The Strix 425 is a mini fixed-wing drone from EOS Technologie. The hand-launched platform can host a removable VTOL system and multiple payloads.  According to a company ...

• Military UAS - small

  LR2M

  The Long Range and Multi-Missions (LR2M) is a fixed-wing VTOL-capable small UAV from Aeronefs Services. Unveiled at the Paris Air Show 2025, the drone is suited to ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  Air Keeper

  Elbit Systems unveiled the Air Keeper, an airborne SIGINT and EW system for aircraft at the Paris Air Show 2015. Already operational, Air Keeper is ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  HeliSure

  Rockwell Collins HeliSure is a product line of situational awareness solutions for rotary-wing aircraft. It provides glass cockpit capabilities using commercial off-the-shelf equipment that can be ...