• Air Warfare

  FIA 2026: Raytheon UK offers Red Kite as ‘high-low mix’ weapon for RAF

  21st July 2026

  Raytheon UK has unveiled Red Kite, a sovereign precision weapon built on the Stormbreaker airframe, betting on digital engineering to deliver affordable stockpile mass for the Royal Air Force.

• Air Warfare

  US Air Force CCA programme to achieve multiple milestones in the coming months

  1st October 2026

  The US Air Force is preparing to select mission-autonomy software, fire a missile from the FQ-42 Vengeance and test both CCA designs alongside crewed fighters at 2026 Emerald Flag.

• Naval Warfare

  Eurosatory 2026: Red Cat eyes South American market for USV-led EEZ surveillance

  18th June 2026

  Success with the US Army’s Black Widow programme may have strengthened Red Cat’s international position, but executives believe the next growth opportunity lies in uncrewed surface vessels.

• Air Warfare

  US Air Force seeks avionics upgrades for ageing T-38 Talon as T-7A Red Hawk delays persist

  29th July 2026

  The USAF is looking for commercial avionics solutions to improve the T-38 Talon’s reliability, readiness and flight safety as continued T-7A Red Hawk delays increase the likelihood that the legacy trainer will remain in service longer than planned.

• Air Warfare

  USAF’s T-7A Red Hawk programme progresses with low-rate production to start in 2026

  7th May 2026

  The T-7A Red Hawk advanced trainer for the US Air Force reaching Milestone C is the first step towards production for the first batch of 14 aircraft, with training expected to start by 2028.

• Air Warfare

  July air forces review: Farnborough steals the headlines as programmes develop

  30th July 2026

  The biannual Farnborough International Airshow 2026 was the backdrop in July for scores of deals, partnerships and announcements, including developments in the multinational next-generation Global Combat Air Programme and the UK’s $486 million trainer aircraft requirement.

• Air Warfare

  FIA 2026: Boeing cements partnership to pitch T-7 Red Hawk for UK trainer requirement

  22nd July 2026

  BAE Systems, Boeing and Saab have signed a teaming agreement to advance their partnership on a next-generation pilot training offer for the UK, based on the T-7 Red Hawk.

• Air Warfare

  The new generation of defence companies emerging from the US UAV boom

  16th October 2026

  As the Pentagon accelerates procurement of low-cost, lethal UAVs through its Drone Dominance Program, emerging suppliers will need to demonstrate manufacturing capacity, supply chain resilience and reliability.

• Land Warfare

  NATO boosts uncrewed usage and shifts on concept of operations based on lessons learned from Ukraine

  12th May 2026

  The war in Ukraine remains a focus of procurement, concepts of operation, tactics and training for NATO countries. The Crystal Arrow Exercise in Latvia, ongoing until 15 May, is a reflection of this.

• Land Warfare

  US Army pursues commercial routes to modernise cannon and mortar manufacturing

  16th October 2026

  Watervliet Arsenal’s digital manufacturing push opens opportunities for industry as the US Army modernises cannon production and its wider Organic Industrial Base.

• Land Warfare

  NATO’s Crystal Arrow factors in Ukrainian UGV lessons as European interest grows

  19th May 2026

  One goal of NATO’s Exercise Crystal Arrow was to identify the potential uses of uncrewed ground vehicles – as seen on the Ukrainian battlefield – and put platforms into the hands of users.

• Air Warfare

  FIA 2026: KAI to offer T-50 jet trainer to UK Royal Air Force

  27th July 2026

  Another contender for the Royal Air Force's future Hawk trainer replacement programme has emerged, with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) putting forward its T-50 as a proven solution that could be manufactured in the UK.

• Air Warfare

  Singapore Airshow: Red Cat ramps up portfolio development amid “key” APAC opportunities

  5th February 2026

  In the wake of its 1,842% year-on-year revenue increase in Q4 2025, Red Cat sees mass opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region as the company eyes an ongoing production increase and market growth.

• Land Warfare

  ARX Robotics expands in UK following British Army backing for uncrewed platforms

  30th April 2026

  Following an order from the British Army, ARX Robotics has begun manufacturing autonomous ground platforms in the UK. Christopher Foss examines the company's growing range of systems.

• Air Warfare

  New E-3 and T-38 awards expose US Air Force legacy fleet dependence

  1st September 2026

  Contracts for E-3 aircrew training through August 2029 and supplies for the T-38 engine until December 2028 reflect issues with replacement and retirement plans across the USAF inventory.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - micro

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) (Tranche 2) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an organic, ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-X / T-7A Red Hawk [USAF]

  Background On 27 September 2018, it was announced that the Boeing-Saab team had been awarded a contract for the programme. The initial contract was worth $813 million ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Edge 130 [US]

  Programme Background First Order As reported by Shephard, In October 2024, the US Customs and Border Protection force submitted a $1.6 million order to acquire Edge ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Teal 2 (Customs and Border Protection Force) [US]

  Programme Background First Order Global News Wire reported that Red Cat had filled an order for 54 Teal 2 units from the US Customs and ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 [Nigeria]

  Programme Background Rumours On 11 October 2021, Bello Matawalle, the Governor of Zamfara State, stated that several companies had signed an MoU with the Nigerian Government. ...

• Trainer

  Hawk Trainer Replacement [UK]

  Background The UK has outlined plans to replace the country's Hawk T1 and Hawk T2 trainers, allowing the aircraft to be retired. The Hawk T1 ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Golden Eagle (Ukraine Aid) [NATO Member]

  Programme Background 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the usage and effectiveness of micro and mini UAV platforms ...

• Loitering munitions

  Long-Range Attack Munition (LRAM) [USMC]

  Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to the ...

• Military UAS - small

  Penguin [Ukraine]

  Background Long-Standing Deal Red Wire announced in September 2025 that its wholly owned subsidiary, Edge Autonomy, had delivered additional aircraft from its Penguin uncrewed aerial system ...

• Loitering munitions

  Red Dragon [US Army]

  Methodology Unit cost Based on the loitering munition’s maximum speed and payload, and a Shephard model, the estimated gross and flyaway unit cost of the ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Akinci [Ethiopia]

  Programme Background On 15 November 2023, SavunmaSanayiST reported that Baykar had exported its Akinci drone to Ethiopia due to a photograph which showed the drone featuring an ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Akinci [Libya]

  Programme Background 2022 Reports In October 2022, various Libyan media outlets reported that the country was eyeing a possible procurement from Baykar, possibly the Akinici ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 [Mali]

  Programme Background Six Drones On 22 December 2022, Joseph Dempsey, a research associate at IISS, tweeted photographs showing a Baytraktar TB2 adorned with the Malian ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M-Forecast [Indonesia]

  Programme Background The TNI-AU currently relies on 17 Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules and L-100-30 aircraft, including five C-130Hs transferred from Australia. Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) is ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Light Attack/Trainer Aircraft [Serbia]

  Programme Background Serbia is looking to purchase around 20 light attack/trainer aircraft to replace its ageing Soko J-22 and G-4 trainer fleet in service. In ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Surface-to-air missiles

  HHQ-10 / FL-3000N

  The Hai Hong Qi-10 (Naval Red Flag-10), or HHQ-10 for short, is a Chinese naval surface-to-air missile. Its export version is the Flying Leopard 3000 ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Aleksandar Unifier

  The Aleksandar Unifier is an armoured 4x4 that was unveiled at a Serbian military parade to commemorate the Day of Serbian Unity, Freedom, and the National ...

• Military - USVs

  Voyager

  Voyager is an Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) built by US-based Saildrone. Voyager has been used by the US Navy (USN) and is one of three ...

• Subsystems: software

  Network Defense Trainer

  The Scalable Network Defense Trainer is an LVC simulation system for delivering realistic hands-on cyber training. It enables students to experience cyber attacks launched against ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-20 Avenger

  The MQ-20 Avenger, or Predator C, is a long-endurance UAS designed to perform high-speed, covert ISR and precision-strike missions over land or sea. The UAV is ...

• Naval: COMINT and ELINT systems

  Seal Family

  The naval ESM Seal family can provide: self-protection functions, with the capability to drive active ECM equipment (jammers) or passive ECM equipment (chaff/flares) automatically; tactical ...

• Military UAS - mini

  WingXpand

  Unveiled at the Special Operations Force Industry Conference in May 2022, the WingXpand is a fixed-wing platform manufactured by a company with the same name. Branded ...

• Weapon sights for day use

  Romeo Red Dot Sights

  The Romeo line of red dot sights are parallax-free and feature (MOTAC) motion-activated illuminated glass reticles. The dual reticle option, on select models, toggles between ...

• Laser pointers

  Lima Laser Sights

  Lima red and green laser fore grips are low-profile rail-mounted laser sights. The laser operates in momentary-on mode, with an additional continuous mode on the ...

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  81mm Infra-Red Illumination Mortar Bomb

  Austrian company Hirtenberger's 81mm Illumination-Infra-Red Mk5 (81mm ILL-IR Mk5) is an infra-red-light generating mortar bomb designed to provide illumination over a wide area.

• Military UAS - micro

  Fang

  Fang is a first-person view (FPV) UAS for precision strike roles. The drone is aimed to launch in Q2 2025. Developed by Red Cat, the drone ...

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  60mm Illumination - IR

  Austrian company Hirtenberger's 60mm Illumination - Infra-Red Mk2-S (60mm ILL-IR Mk2-S) is designed to illuminate a large area with infra-red light for a prolonged period.

• Multipurpose missiles

  Red Arrow 73

  The Red Arrow 73, also known as the HJ-73, was a copy of the Russian 9M14 Malyutka. The Red Arrow 73 was China's first-generation antitank ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Black Widow

  The Black Widow is a rotary-wing micro UAV from Red Cat. Unveiled at AUSA 2024, the AI-enabled drone is designed for instant ISR tasks and ...

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  120mm IR Illumination Mk2 Mortar Bomb

  Austrian company Hirtenberger's 120mm Infra-Red Illumination Mk2 (120mm IR-VIS Mk2) mortar bomb is to illuminate large areas with visible light for a prolonged period—the round works ...