• Defence Helicopter

  Dubai Airshow 2017: FLIR continues to surveil Middle East

  15th November 2017

  FLIR Systems closed on order for its Ranger HDC multisensor surveillance system in the Middle East via a US company worth in the region of …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2017: AMPV for the modern soldier (video)

  13th October 2017

  BAE Systems displayed the general purpose variant of its Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) for the US Army at AUSA.  Mike Signorelli, deputy and VP strategy …

• Naval Warfare

  Sonardyne delivers Mini-Ranger 2 to Deep BV

  13th November 2017

  Sonardyne International has delivered two Mini-Ranger 2 Ultra-Short BaseLine (USBL) tracking systems and WSM 6+ mini transponders to Deep BV to support its inshore, harbour, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Dubai Airshow 2017: AVIC tight-lipped on presence

  14th November 2017

  Aviation Corporation of China (AVIC) has a strong presence of rotary and UAV models at the Dubai Airshow.     One of the small-scale models on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Iraq eyes possible Prion Mk3 purchase

  21st November 2017

  The Iraqi Ministry of Defence is in discussions with UK-based UAV manufacturer UAVE for the purchase of at least a dozen Prion Mk3 platforms. If purchased, the …

• Defence Notes

  NZDF hones skills with overseas mates in Southern Katipo

  16th November 2017

  Exercise Southern Katipo, the New Zealand Defence Force’s largest ever exercise in the series, was held over a six-week period in October-November. It put the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Sensofusion launches AIRFENCE 5.0

  13th November 2017

  Sensofusion has released AIRFENCE 5.0, an advanced counter-UAS radio frequency (RF) technology. The system is designed to protect militaries, airports, prisons and private companies from …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE ups aircraft cyber defences

  12th October 2017

  BAE Systems is developing cyber defence capabilities to help aircraft detect and mitigate cyber attacks in real time, the company announced on 9 October. The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Dubai Airshow 2017: UMS Skeldar soaring into Middle East

  16th November 2017

  UMS Skeldar will be conducting flight campaigns with its R-350 VTOL platform in the Middle Eastern region next year. A new enhanced version of the …

• Defence Notes

  Dubai Airshow 2017: Day one highlights (video)

  12th November 2017

  Rotary editor Helen Haxell runs through the highlights of the first day at the Dubai Airshow 2017 including the wide presence of UAVs from around …

• Land Warfare

  Russia receives new mortar, mine-clearing vehicles

  17th November 2017

  The Russian armed forces has received a batch of modernised 2S4 Tulpan self-propelled mortars, the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 13 November. The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Zephyr soars into the commercial market

  16th November 2017

  The Zephyr UAS is set to enter the commercial market at the end of 2018 as Airbus Aerial touts the platform as part of its commercial …

• Defence Notes

  Dubai Airshow 2017: Scorpion in the Arabian sand (video)

  14th November 2017

  Brett Pierson, flight test pilot at Textron Systems, takes Shephard  through the capabilities of the Scorpion and its light attack and ISR mission profiles.

• Training

  Lockheed T-50A completes 100 flights

  6th October 2017

  Lockheed Martin has successfully completed the 100th flight of the T-50A aircraft at its Greenville facility in South Carolina, the company announced on 4 October. …

• Defence Helicopter

  V-280 completes 75 degree conversion

  15th November 2017

  The Bell V-280 Valor prototype aircraft has successfully achieved controlled conversion from 95- to 75-degree pylon and back — allowing for full hover and low …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  XQ-58A Valkyrie [USMC]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 30 December 2022, the US DoD announced that it had awarded Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems a $15.52 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) [Japan]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that GCAP's Japanese, British and Italian components are tracked in separate entries. Programme Timeline 2020: The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency of Japan issued ...

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS-39C/D Gripen Replacement [Czech Republic]

  Programme Background Requirements The Czech Republic Air Force operates 14 Gripens (12 JAS 39C and two JAS 39D variants) under a lease agreement that runs ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Timeline In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. However, Germany's defence export ban to Saudi ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Multirole Fighter [Turkiye]

  Programme Background Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Turkey had already paid $1.4 billion into the programme, while its defence industry has ploughed significant ...

• Fighter - multirole

  TF-X Kaan Next Generation Fighter [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement Geopolitical factors have spurred aircraft development in Türkiye. With its removal from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter project following the Russian S-400 ...

• 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 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Eurofighter Typhoon First-Batch [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement The Turkish Air Force has operated two main fighter platforms, the F-16 and F-4, for several decades. As older F-16 airframes and ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Data links

  Data links | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A [Denmark]

  Programme Background  Denmark joined the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program in 2002 during the System Development and Demonstration phase and has influenced technical elements ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A Japan

  In 2019, Japan requested to be an official partner in the F-35 programme, but this request was rejected by the Pentagon. The F-35 Joint Strike ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  F-35 Training System

  BAE Systems is involved in F-35 Lightning II Training System design and sustainment, working with prime contractor Lockheed Martin. BAE Systems leads the instructional systems ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers, EW test systems

  Model 527

  The Model 527 radar signal simulator is used for end-of-runway and walk-around radiated RWR testing to verify the operational status of the aircraft and its ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  AN/ALE-55 FOTD

  The ALE-55 Fibre Optic Towed Decoy (FOTD) is a high-powered electronic off-board countermeasure that works with an aircraft’s onboard EW equipment to defeat radiofrequency (RF) threats. It ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  SPEAR-EW

  The SPEAR-EW missile, developed by MBDA in collaboration with Leonardo, is an air-to-surface weapon designed to perform Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) missions. This ...

• EW test systems

  A2PATS

  Advanced Architecture Phase Amplitude and Time Simulator (A2PATS) is a real-time EM test environment simulator for military platforms and installed systems, designed to deliver mission ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  HAPS / PHASA-35

  The High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) is a solar-electric Persistent High Altitude Solar Aircraft (PHASA-35).  Produced by BAE Systems and Prismatic, the platform is designed to provide a persistent, ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-81

  AN/APG-81 is operating in the X-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar designed by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems for the F-35 “Lightning” all-weather ...

• Fighter - multirole

  MiG-35

  The MiG-35 (NATO reporting name Fulcrum F) is a multirole fighter, the latest variant of the MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter family.  The production of the MiG-35 ...

• EO/IR systems

  F-35 Lightning II Advanced EOTS

  The F-35 Lightning II Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) is a sensor that combines targeting forward-looking IR (FLIR) and IR search and track (IRST) capabilities for ...

• Fighter - multirole, Fighter - naval

  F-35B

  The F-35B Lightning II is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft with short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capability. The USMC is the main customer for the F-35B, ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35I Adir

  The F-35I Adir is an F-35A Lightning II variant customised to meet the requirements of the Israel Defense Forces to replace the F-16 fleet in ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  F-35 Gen III HMDS

  The F-35 Gen III helmet-mounted display system (HMDS) is provided by a joint venture between Elbit Systems of America and Rockwell Collins, developed for the F-35 ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/ALQ-178V(5)+

  The AN/ALQ-178(5)+ is an internally mounted self-protection system designed and developed by Aselsan and BAE Systems for the Turkish F-16C fighter aircraft. The system comprises ...

• Air-to-surface missiles, Anti-ship missiles

  JSM

  The Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is a multi-role version of the Naval Strike Missile. Norway funded the programme to develop and produce the JSM for the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A

  The F-35A Lightning II is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft with CTOL capabilities. It is a multinational programme led by the US DoD, bringing together ...