• Digital Battlespace

  Airborne pay-as-you-go ISR on offer

  2nd June 2017

  Thales has announced it will integrate its Searchmaster 400 radar on a Bombardier Dash 8 Q300 turboprop as part of a cooperation agreement with Canadian …

• Special Operations

  SOF goes cyber

  12th June 2017

  Details have emerged regarding a joint training exercise conducted by the US Army Cyber Command and Dutch Defence Cyber Command (DCC), aimed at developing a …

• Defence Notes

  Canada boosts defence spending by 70%

  8th June 2017

  The Liberal government in Canada is planning a 70% increase in defence spending under the long-awaited defence policy review (DPR) finally laid out on 7 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Construction of fifth SDTA CH-53K begins

  22nd June 2017

  Spirit AeroSystems has started assembly of the fifth System Demonstration Test Article CH-53K King Stallion helicopter for the US Marine Corps, the company announced on 19 …

• Defence Notes

  Rejoice, but bad news awaits for Type 26?

  3rd July 2017

  Seemingly timing the release to coincide with the Sunday papers, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 2 July that it had awarded BAE …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Keeper of the night (video)

  19th June 2017

  Unveiling the Nightwarden tactical UAS on the opening day of Paris Air Show 2017, Textron Systems revealed that a range of payload testing for the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: Sikorsky on track with CH-53K

  21st June 2017

  As Sikorsky’s CH-53K King Stallion enters production, company officials are confident that the US Marine Corps (USMC) Heavy Lift Replacement Programme is on track. With initial …

• Naval Warfare

  Croatia gets new inshore patrol vessels

  26th June 2017

  Earlier this month Croatian shipyard Brodosplit launched the first inshore patrol vessel (IPV) of the five-unit batch ordered by the country’s coast guard service. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: European helicopter procurement (video)

  16th June 2017

  Western European militaries are looking at new platforms to replace their existing fleets.  Shephard takes a look at the incumbent aircraft for Germany, Italy and …

• Digital Battlespace

  EW Europe: US explores high-power electromagnetics

  30th May 2017

  EW and cyber operations are increasingly considered part of a larger whole and in the foreseeable future could be joined by High Power Electromagnetic (HPEM) …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian achieves record flight

  31st May 2017

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ (GA‑ASI) MQ-9B SkyGuardian UAS has set a new company record with a flight endurance of more than 48 hours, the company announced on 25 May. …

• Military Logistics

  Boeing to continue P-8I support

  21st June 2017

  Boeing has received a three-year contract to continue its support for the Indian Navy's fleet of P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, the company announced on 19 June. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Eye spy a SpyRanger (video)

  16th June 2017

  Shephard recently attended a demonstration of the Thales-developed Spy'Ranger UAS, which has been selected by the French DGA to equip the country's armed forces. Pascal Secretin …

• Land Warfare

  New French Army rifle deliveries start

  31st May 2017

  The French armament procurement agency, the DGA (Direction Générale de l’Armement) has taken delivery of a first batch of new rifles. The first tranche of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Tight timeframe in Heron saga

  20th June 2017

  The unmanned systems arm of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is hopeful that a decision on the proposed lease of Heron TP medium altitude, long endurance …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Data links

  Data links | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390 [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirement The aircraft deliveries were scheduled to start by the end of 2016 and continue over a period of ten years. However,  the first ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-130H Replacement [Sweden]

  Programme Background Requirements Sweden has five C-130H aircraft (designated Tp-84) and one KC-130H. Two C-130Es bought in the 1960s have retired, but the six H ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Hermes 900 [Chile]

  Methodology Unit cost In 2024, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired one Hermes 900 for 50 million reais ($9.14 million), giving each drone an estimated ...

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS 39E/F Gripen [Brazil]

  Background In 2016, Gripen’s Project and Development Center was opened in Sao Paulo to allow Sweedish and Brazillian engineers to work together in the Gripen ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  H145M [Brazil]

  Background  Brazilian leadership announced in February 2022 that the Sabre Mil Mi-35M Hind-E attack helicopters were being retired from active service. This decision came as a ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Hermes 900 [Colombia]

  Methodology Unit cost In 2024, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired one Hermes 900 for 50 million reais ($9.14 million), giving each drone an estimated gross ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Hermes 900 (5) [Brazil]

  Background First three batches (2014-2024) Across three purchases, Defence Insight estimates that Brazil has acquired five Hermes 900 UAVs. In 2014, Elbit reported supplying one ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Hermes 900 (1-4) [Brazil]

  Background First batch (2014) In 2014, Elbit reported supplying one Hermes 900 UAV to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). The drone is called the RQ-900 in Brazilian ...

• Maritime patrol

  C295 add-on [Brazil]

  Programme Background  In 2014 Brazil signed a contracted for two additional C-295 SAR platforms with the option to acquire one additional platform. In 2018, reports ...

• Transport

  C-130 Replacement [Greece]

  Programme Background Requirement The existing C-130 fleet of the Hellenic Air Force has faced operational readiness issues, with only one or two airframes in service at ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air-to-surface missiles

  MAR-1

  The MAR-1 is a Brazilian air-to-surface anti-radiation missile (ARM) developed by Mectron in collaboration with the Aerospace Technology and Science Department (DCTA) of the Brazilian ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Harpia

  Described as the UAV with the most onboard technology in Latin America, Harpia is a multifunctional fixed-wing Brazilian drone developed by Advanced Technologies Security & Defence.  The Uruguayan ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  EMB-312 Tucano

  The EMB-312 Tucano (Brazilian designation T-27) is a trainer and light attack aircraft developed by Embraer to meet the training requirements of the Brazilian Air ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  TPTS

  Tactical Procedures Training Simulators (TPTS), operating with SWARM software, can be used to provide most core training elements to pilots or offload training tasks from ...

• Guided munitions

  SMKB (Smart-MK-Bomb)

  The Smart-MK-Bomb, or the SMKB, is a precision guidance kit developed by Mectron and designed to turn Mk 82 and Mk 83 bombs into guided munitions.

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Condor

  The Condor, or Atobá XR, is an in-development MALE-class UAV from Stella Technologia.  The development of the multi-role is tied to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), which has ...

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

  Albatroz Vortex

  The Albatroz Vortex from Stella Tecnologia is a development of the company's Albatroz UAV.  The key differentiator is that the Vortex is fitted with an ATJR ...

• Trainer, Transport

  EMB-121 Xingu

  The EMB-121 Xingu is a twin-turboprop light transport and advanced multi-engine trainer aircraft developed by Embraer based on the EMB-110 Bandeirante. Its maiden flight was ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M

  The medium-weight, 11t-class H225M (formerly known as the EC725) is the latest military Super Puma/Cougar family member.  Technical features include a modular design of mechanical ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390/C-390 Millennium

  The KC-390 is a high-wing, twin-turbofan, T-tail design intended to meet the needs of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) for a tanker/transport aircraft. Developed and ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Arkhe Mission & Combat

  Launched in 2017, Atech's Arkhe Mission & Combat solutions offer a variety of solutions enabling operator to conduct missions from planning to execution and debriefing. It ...

• Fighter - air superiority

  F-5E/F Tiger II

  The F-5E (single-seat)/F (twin-seat) Tiger II is an air superiority fighter developed by Northrop Grumman based on the original F-5 Freedom Fighter. Production of the ...

• EO/IR systems, Land: unattended sensor/surveillance systems, Sea: ship surveillance and fire control systems

  SHAPO

  SHAPO is a multi-sensor, gyro-stabilised observation payload. It is intended for UAVs, helicopters, light aircraft, patrol boats, aerostats, airships, armoured vehicles and masts. Sensors include a ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Saber M60

  The Saber M60 is a low-altitude air-defence radar developed by the Brazilian Army's CTEx (Army Technology Centre) in collaboration with Bradar, part of Embraer Defence ...

• EO/IR systems

  Skyward

  The SkyWard system is an advanced Infrared Search and Track (IRST) solution developed for next-generation airborne platforms, including 5th-generation fighter aircraft.  Designed with modularity in ...