• Naval Warfare

  Royal Marines transformation programme shows early signs of progress

  9th April 2024

  The UK’s Royal Marines have taken significant strides in the first year of a decade-long transformation programme focusing on advanced communications, distributed operations and enhancing its capabilities.

• Training

  Three A-29 Super Tucanos find new home at US Air Force Test Pilot School

  14th October 2024

  Embraer’s light attack aircraft were selected by Edwards Air Force Base to join its test pilot school, following their abandonment by US Air Force Special Operations Command.

• Air Warfare

  Romania receives three more F-16 fighters from Norway

  22nd April 2024

  Romania has continued to marking progress in its efforts to modernise its air force and replace its Soviet-era MiG-21 fighters.

• Land Warfare

  UK increases Ukraine support

  10th September 2024

  The UK is leading the International Fund for Ukraine (IFU) which has already supplied a range of uncrewed systems and other equipment to the Ukraine with the country now committed to the supply of air defence missiles.

• Defence Notes

  Dutch MoD targets two more frigates as part of future defence plans

  6th September 2024

  The latest defence memorandum from the Dutch government has suggested that funding would be increased, with the procurement of more frigates, F-35s and Leopard 2A8s expected.

• Training

  Australia’s ‘Top Gun’ exercise in Top End reaches unprecedented scale in face of Chinese military build up

  24th July 2024

  Fast-jet exercise focuses on interoperability and cooperation between allies amid growing regional security concerns in the Asia-Pacific region.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Marines to be quipped with new snowmobiles

  3rd April 2024

  The Royal Navy purchased the vehicles from Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) for more than £10 million (US$12.6 million).

• Naval Warfare

  Netherlands ties Naval Group into Walrus submarine replacement

  12th September 2024

  The new submarines have been scheduled for delivered from the 2030s onwards.

• Land Warfare

  Latest UK Army Warfighting Experiment urban exercise underway

  13th November 2024

  The series of exercises focuses on war fighting in the urban environment with the intention of aligning experimentation to tactical functions and integrating them all during a final experiment.

• Air Warfare

  NGAD’s demise ‘grossly exaggerated’ as US Air Force continues to re-evaluate programme

  6th November 2024

  The Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) programme has been on pause since July 2024 following a re-evaluation of the technology and concept by the US Air Force.

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed Martin bags $3.2 billion US Air Force contract for JASSM and LRASM

  1st October 2024

  Lockheed Martin will supply the missile systems to the militaries of Japan, Finland, Poland and the Netherlands, with work carried out at Lockheed Martin’s facilities in Orlando until mid-2032.

• Air Warfare

  Spain fortifies air defences with more NASAMS

  22nd April 2024

  Spain began the advancement of its air defence capabilities with the initiation of the NASAMS modernisation programme.

• Air Warfare

  US Air Force aiming to have CCA operational by end of the decade

  18th November 2024

  By making “tough choices”, the US Air Force’s CCA programme has continued to move forward with Increment 2 on the horizon.

• Air Warfare

  Gray Eagle UAS makes first ship-to-shore journey

  14th November 2024

  The Gray Eagle short take-off and landing (STOL) UAS has a different engine, wings, control surfaces and landing gear to earlier Gray Eagles, and is a production variant of the demonstrator Mojave UAS.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Navy looks to OPV dry dock activities in Asia-Pacific

  15th August 2024

  The UK Royal Navy is expanding its Indo-Pacific logistics network, with HMS Spey and HMS Tamar set to undergo dry dock servicing in the region, while the force continues its long-term deployment for operations and defence engagement in the region.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Additional FLIT-LCA [Malaysia]

  The Royal Malaysian Air Force is planning to acquire Fighter Lead-In Training - Light Combat Aircraft (FLIT-LCA). This will provide an interim solution for the ...

• Data links

  Data links | Additional FLIT-LCA [Malaysia]

  The Royal Malaysian Air Force is planning to acquire Fighter Lead-In Training - Light Combat Aircraft (FLIT-LCA). This will provide an interim solution for the ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Additional FLIT-LCA [Malaysia]

  The Royal Malaysian Air Force is planning to acquire Fighter Lead-In Training - Light Combat Aircraft (FLIT-LCA). This will provide an interim solution for the ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Additional FLIT-LCA [Malaysia]

  The Royal Malaysian Air Force is planning to acquire Fighter Lead-In Training - Light Combat Aircraft (FLIT-LCA). This will provide an interim solution for the ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Additional FLIT-LCA [Malaysia]

  The Royal Malaysian Air Force is planning to acquire Fighter Lead-In Training - Light Combat Aircraft (FLIT-LCA). This will provide an interim solution for the ...

• Maritime patrol

  Maritime Patrol Aircraft [Malaysia]

  Programme Background In June 2019, The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has confirmed to Shephard that the government has given approval for the service to prepare ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Multi-Role Combat Aircraft [Malaysia]

  Malaysia’s Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) programme is part of a broader effort to modernise the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) under the Capability Development Plan ...

• Data links

  Data links | Multi-Role Combat Aircraft [Malaysia]

  Malaysia’s Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) programme is part of a broader effort to modernise the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) under the Capability Development Plan ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Multi-Role Combat Aircraft [Malaysia]

  Malaysia’s Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) programme is part of a broader effort to modernise the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) under the Capability Development Plan ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Multi-Role Combat Aircraft [Malaysia]

  Malaysia’s Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) programme is part of a broader effort to modernise the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) under the Capability Development Plan ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Multi-Role Combat Aircraft [Malaysia]

  Malaysia’s Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) programme is part of a broader effort to modernise the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) under the Capability Development Plan ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) (3) [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Malaysian Navy are in the process of a fleet transformation plan known as the 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, which ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Additional FLIT-LCA [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Malaysia released a RfI in early January 2019 seeking light combat aircraft capable of some air-to-air and full air-to-ground missions. The requirement is ...

• Corvettes

  New Generation Patrol Vessels Batch III (13-18) [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements Malaysia unveiled a plan in 2015 to restructure and recapitalise its navy. The plan is called the 15 to 5 Plan and ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  FLIT-LCA [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Malaysia released an RfI in early January 2019 seeking light combat aircraft capable of some air-to-air and full air-to-ground missions. The requirement is ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• 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). ...

• Subsystems: software

  SimuSphere HD-9

  SimuSphere HD-9 is an HD visual display solution that can be upgraded to trainers currently integrated with SimuSphere systems or as an option for a ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  ESP

  The Electronic Surveillance Payload (ESP) is a lightweight system providing capabilities for Electronic Support Measures(ESM)/ELINT operations. It is designed to operate as a standalone ESM ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  SISTELA

  Developed by the Naval Group's Malaysian division, the SISTELA Combat Management System supports diverse naval missions such as surface warfare and air defence. Developed for the ...

• Air-launched ASW torpedoes, Ship-launched torpedoes

  Sting Ray

  The Sting Ray Mod 1 is an air- and surface-launched, lightweight ASW torpedo. It can be deployed from frigates, helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft against ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Royal Malaysian Air Force F/A-18D TOFT

  In 2014, L3 Link (now L3Harris Technologies) delivered an F/A-18D Tactical Operations Flight Trainer (TOFT) to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF). The TOFT consists ...

• EO/IR systems

  Damocles

  Damocles is a multi-function pod designed to be compatible with existing and future weapon systems. It features a staring array detector, tracking systems, image processing, ...

• OPVs

  New Generation Patrol Vessel

  LUNAS unveiled the New Generation Patrol Vessel (NGPV) at DSA 2018. The NGPV is intended for the Royal Malaysian Navy's (RMN) New Generation Patrol Vessels ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Tactical UAV

  Unveiled at DSA 2022, the Deftech Tactical UAV is an indigenously developed platform based on the Aldura Mk1. The platform is aimed at the Royal Malaysian ...

• Corvettes

  Laksamana Class

  The Royal Malaysian Navy's Laksamana-class corvettes originated under an order placed with Fincantieri by the Iraqi government, but this was cancelled in the 1980s after ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  A330 MRTT Training Devices

  Under subcontract to Airbus Defence and Space, CAE has provided A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) training devices to the UAE Air Force and Royal Saudi ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  SETIS

  SETIS is Naval Group's integrated combat system designed initially for French Navy's FREMM-frigates. It is currently being used on Naval Group's Gowind-class corvettes. SETIS is ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/ALQ-126

  BAE Systems’ AN/ALQ-126 is an internally-mounted radar jamming system which is also available as a podded system designated as the AN/ALQ-164(V). The AN/ALQ-126 is fully ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  J/ALQ-8

  Like Israel, Japan elected to outfit its McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F-15J/DJ combat aircraft with an indigenous self-protection system. This takes the form of Mitsubishi Electric’s J/ALQ-8 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 ...