• Defence Helicopter

  Two killed in US Army Apache crash

  7th April 2018

  Two US soldiers with an airborne combat brigade died when their Apache helicopter crashed during a routine training mission at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, the army …

• Military Logistics

  India seals contract for final C-17A

  5th April 2018

  India has finally inked a $262 million contract for the final ‘white tail’ Boeing C-17A Globemaster III transport aircraft, with notification occurring on 30 March. …

• Defence Notes

  MDA hopeful of missile defence investment boost

  18th April 2018

  The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is hoping for additional dollars to bolster directed energy and hypersonic weapons development, as well as space-based sensors to detect …

• Naval Warfare

  Taiwan's Tsai Ing-wen says island secure ahead of China drills

  17th April 2018

  Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen reassured residents on 17 April that the island was secure, a day before China is set to hold live-fire drills in …

• Defence Helicopter

  Seoul to begin search for naval helicopters

  27th April 2018

  The Republic of Korea Navy’s (ROKN) search for a dozen additional helicopters suitable for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) is set to begin in May, according to …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IXI EW, T-Worx partner for C-UAS technology

  26th April 2018

  IXI EW has entered into an agreement with T-Worx for integration of the IXI Dronekiller handheld counter UAS system onto the T-Worx Intelligent Rail (I-Rail) …

• Military Logistics

  New UK naval base comes online

  5th April 2018

  The UK officially opened its new naval support facility in Manama, Bahrain, on 5 March, the latest in a series of moves to boost its …

• Military Logistics

  Boeing receives DLA F/A-18 support contract

  30th April 2018

  Boeing has received a five-year $427 million contract from the US Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to provide and manage consumable material for F/A-18 depot maintenance, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2018: Keynotes explore significance of unmanned economy (video)

  1st May 2018

  With the focus on the unmanned economy dominating the first day of Xponential in Denver, the opening keynotes highlighted the range of potential benefits that …

• Training

  Inzpire delivers EDA Helicopter Tactics Course

  25th April 2018

  Inzpire has delivered a European Defence Agency Helicopter Tactics Course at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, Inzpire announced on 23 April. The three-week course was attended by crews …

• Defence Helicopter

  HMS Queen Elizabeth completes helo trials

  28th March 2018

  The Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, has returned to UK waters after completing Chinook and Merlin helicopter trials. The trials were carried out …

• Defence Notes

  Israel warns of attack if Russia air defences used in Syria

  24th April 2018

  Israel's Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on 24 April that his country would attack Russian S-300 air defence systems in Syria if they were used …

• Naval Warfare

  Seagull could be added to India's platform panoply

  20th April 2018

  Indian naval shipbuilder Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) signed an agreement with Israel’s Elbit Systems to produce Elbit’s Seagull USV vessel at the recently …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing partners with German industry for H-47

  30th April 2018

  Boeing has announced partnerships with ten German aerospace suppliers as it looks to strengthen its German industrial ties. Boeing, which is offering the H-47 Chinook …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris receives contract mod for EW jammers

  27th March 2018

  Harris Corporation has received a contract modification to supply the next production lot of electronic jammers to protect the US Navy and Australian F/A-18 Hornet …

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 ...