• Defence Notes

  Western air strikes in Syria illegal: German parliament experts

  20th April 2018

  The air strikes unleashed in Syria by Western allies in mid-April were a violation of international law, jurists at the German parliament said in a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ScanEagle 3 could push price point down for original platform

  18th May 2018

  Just two weeks after unveiling its ITAR-free ScanEagle 3 design at Xponential in Denver, Insitu made its first public flight of the new UAV at …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Raytheon to support UAS airspace test corridor

  8th May 2018

  Raytheon has been selected as a partner by Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research (NUAIR) in the development of a UAS-testing airspace corridor in New York …

• Military Logistics

  DSA 2018: Thailand toys with Transformers

  11th April 2018

  The TR Transformer II 4x4 pickup passenger vehicle (PPV) is now being acquired by the Royal Thai Armed Forces, with an example appearing at Exercise …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Russian MoD to receive Eleron-3 UAS

  11th May 2018

  The Russian Ministry of Defence is set to receive 30 Eleron-3 UAS in May 2018, it was announced on 7 May. Technical acceptance of the …

• Training

  Kratos expands Orlando training facility

  7th May 2018

  Kratos Defense and Security Solutions has expanded its military training and simulation facility in Orlando, the company announced on 2 May. The new facility adds …

• Land Warfare

  Australia requests M795 projectiles

  9th April 2018

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale of M795 projectiles to the Australian government, the Defense Security Cooperation …

• Digital Battlespace

  Czech Gripen combat, comms upgraded

  13th April 2018

  Saab's MS20 capability upgrade has been completed on the Czech Air Force’s Gripen fleet, the company announced on 11 April. The capability upgrade involved both …

• Land Warfare

  DSA 2018: Thai marines order 155mm SPHs from Israel

  11th April 2018

  The Royal Thai Marine Corps (RTMC) is acquiring new firepower to protect the country’s eastern border adjacent to Cambodia after a contract was signed to …

• Naval Warfare

  DSA 2018: China offers multirole ship design to Malaysia

  17th April 2018

  China is offering Malaysia a co-build option for the Royal Malaysian Navy’s requirement for a Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS), a design loosely based on a landing helicopter …

• Land Warfare

  DSA 2018: Malaysia buys LG1 howitzers

  19th April 2018

  The DSA 2018 exhibition in Kuala Lumpur witnessed a rarity on 19 April, an actual purchase contract, on this occasion for 18 LG1 Mk III 105mm …

• Defence Notes

  Insight: Will US Army's prototyping push help avoid embarrassing failures?

  8th May 2018

  Service leaders still twitch at the mere mention of the US Army's costly string of acquisition failures — from the ill-fated Comanche helicopter to the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Indian Ka-226T training programme prepared

  17th April 2018

  Russian Helicopters has developed a Ka-226T training programme tailored for the Indian Air Force and Army, the company announced on 11 April.The programme will see …

• Defence Helicopter

  UTAS components for CH-53K

  11th May 2018

  UTC Aerospace Systems (UTAS) will provide components for the US Marine Corps’ CH-53K King Stallion helicopter, the company announced on 9 May. The company will …

• Digital Battlespace

  IDEB 2018: Czech forces invest in advanced EW tech

  16th May 2018

  The Czech Republic is expanding its electronic warfare (EW) capabilities, investing in advanced jamming systems and next generation signal analysis technology as Russia continues to …

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 ...