• Defence Notes

  South Korea accepts two bids for KF-X fighter

  10th March 2015

  Two companies have submitted bids for South Korea’s US$7.9 billion programme to develop and procure a locally-build fighter. The project suffered a slight hiccup when …

• Defence Helicopter

  Thales and Lockheed lock horns over Crowsnest

  23rd February 2015

  The two manufacturers competing for the Royal Navy’s (RN) new helicopter-based early warning radar system have submitted their bids to the UK Ministry of Defence …

• Land Warfare

  US approves GaN-based AESA Patriot sensor export

  23rd February 2015

  Raytheon has received approval from the US government for the export of Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Patriot sensors based on Gallium Nitride (GaN), to …

• Military Logistics

  West: USN tests magnetic logistics tracker

  12th February 2015

  A new logistics tracking system that employs magnetic field technology was tested by the US Naval Expeditionary Forces in a pilot programme in December 2014. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop radars for Taiwan F-16s

  5th February 2015

  Northrop Grumman will provide 142 APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) systems to Lockheed Martin for Taiwan Air Force F-16s, the company announced on 2 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon AESA radar completes flight test

  15th January 2015

  The Raytheon APG-79(V)X AESA radar system has successfully completed its first flight test, the company announced on 12 January. With this flight test, the system …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales’ NS100 radar selected by the Netherlands

  18th December 2014

  Thales will supply its NS100 dual-axis multi-beam surveillance radar to the Royal Netherlands Navy under a contract with the Netherlands Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) announced …

• Digital Battlespace

  I/ITSEC: USAF to simulate new EW technologies

  26th November 2014

  The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Sensors Directorate is looking to simulate new electronic warfare (EW) technologies to verify their value in an increasingly intertwined …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon flight tests EW prototype solution

  25th November 2014

  Raytheon has conducted a demonstration of its prototype solution for the technology development phase of the US Navy’s Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) programme at the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales unveils Searchmaster ‘5-in-1’ (video)

  5th November 2014

  Thales launched its new Searchmaster multirole surveillance radar with active electronic scanning antenna (AESA) technology at the Euronaval exhibition in Paris. Speaking to Shephard Media, …

• Digital Battlespace

  TRS-4D radar to equip Freedom Variant LCS

  30th October 2014

  The US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme's adaptable Freedom variant ships will be equipped with the Airbus Defense and Space (D&S) TRS-4D naval radar, …

• Land Warfare

  Northrop Grumman to begin G/ATOR LRIP for USMC

  29th October 2014

  Northrop Grumman will begin low-rate initial production (LRIP) of AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) systems under a $207 million contract from the US Marine …

• Military Logistics

  AAD2014: Boeing markets 737 C-40A Combi transporter

  19th September 2014

  Boeing intends to remain in the airlift market after the closure of its C-17 production line through the international sale of its C-40A Combi transport …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman selected for DARPA AESA programme

  11th September 2014

  Northrop Grumman will conduct work to develop and demonstrate advanced wideband digital antenna technology for next generation radio frequency (RF) sensors using active electronically scanned …

• Land Warfare

  MHR radar system deployed on Israel-Gaza border

  10th September 2014

  The RADA Electronic Industries Multi-Mission Hemispheric Radar (MHR) system has contributed to border protection during Operation Protective Edge on the Israel-Gaza border, the company announced …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  IAR-99 Replacement (Romania)

  On 29 August 2017, Leonardo announced that the IAR-99 trainer technology demonstrator (TD) will be fitted with company's Vixen 500E AESA radar. The Vixen 500E AESA ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey (USN)

  Programme Background Requirement According to USN FY2023 Budget Estimate documentation, the V-22 programme provides an aircraft to meet the amphibious and vertical assault needs of ...

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  MQ-8C Fire Scout (USA)

  Programme Background Timeline According to the Naval Air Systems Command, having first ordered the MQ-8B in 2009, the UAV has become a pillar of the ...

• Maritime patrol

  Maritime Patrol Aircraft Procurement [Italy]

  Programme Background In an appearance before the Italian parliament’s Foreign and Defence Affairs Committee on 14 July 2022, Italian Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Adm ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USN)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirement The USN wants to acquire carrier-capable loyal wingman drones. These drones will have a high level of autonomy, allowing them to work alongside crewed ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4 Triton (Announced/Contracted) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The MQ-4C Triton programme, developed under the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) programme, required an uncrewed system to provide persistent real-time intelligence, surveillance ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USMC)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The FVL-MS programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft utilised ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW101-Norway

  AgustaWestland is also providing initial support and training services, including spares at each of the operating bases and aircrew training. It will then provide performance ...

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

  MQ-25 Stingray (Selected) [USA]

  Programme Background Initial Requirments - Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) Despite the abovementioned goal, the programme did not begin with this in ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Blackwing (Second Batch) [USA]

  Programme BackgroundFirst Batch The Blackwing originated from a 2013 initiative to develop a low-cost submarine-launched UAS for the US Navy. Following successful tests with the ...

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

  Long Range/Long Endurance (LR/LE) [USMC]

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

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCAC 100 Class (SSC) [USN]

  Programme Background Timeline The major role of the SSC will be deployment from landing ships in support of USN and USMC operations and the transport ...

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

  Medium Range/Medium Endurance (MR/ME) [USMC]

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

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  Smart-L MM/N

  The Thales Smart-L MM/N is an AESA D-band next-generation Long Range Multi-Mission Radar for Air and Space Surveillance and Ballistic Missile Detection. It is based ...

• Fighter - multirole, Fighter - naval

  F-35C

  The F-35C Lightning II, also known as the F-35 carrier variant (CV), is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft in carrier configuration. It has larger wings and ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  MQ-8C Fire Scout

  The MQ-8C is a newer version of the Fire Scout and is based on a Bell 407 commercial helicopter. It offers a greater range, endurance and ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-79

  The AN/APG-79 is an agile beam radar with a solid-state digital array that scans at nearly the speed of light, enabling detection and tracking of ...

• Sea: surveillance system radar

  TRS-4D

  The TRS-4D C-band AESA multi-function air/surface radar is designed for dangerous, target-dense, blue waters and littoral environments. The TRS-4D is based on GaN AESA technology ...

• Fighter - electronic warfare

  EA-18G Growler

  The EA-18G Growler is a variant in the F/A-18 family of aircraft that combines the F/A-18F Super Hornet platform with a sophisticated electronic warfare suite. It ...

• Military - UUVs

  Snakehead LDUUV

  The Snakehead Large Displacement Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (LDUUV) is a US Navy (USN) Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (UUV) designed to be launched from submarine Dry Dock Shelters ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Vixen-1000E

  The Vixen 1000E is an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar designed for fighter and interceptor aircraft, incorporating a roll-repositionable antenna with a ±100º field ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Raven ES-05

  The Raven ES-05 is an AESA fire-control radar developed by Leonardo in close collaboration with Saab for the Gripen E/F. It features a repositionable AESA ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-63(V)2

  The AN/APG-63(V)2 is a significant radar upgrade for the U.S. Air Force F-15C aircraft. This upgrade replaces the mechanically-scanned antenna (MSA) with an AESA antenna,  ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Grifo E

  The Grifo-E is an advanced fire-control radar developed by Leonardo, featuring Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology for enhanced situational awareness. It employs Active Electronically Scanned ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  IAR-99 TD

  IAR-99 TD is an advanced trainer and light attack aircraft based on the IAR-99. It is being developed jointly by the Romanian National Institute for ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  MQ-8B Fire Scout

  The MQ-8B Fire Scout is a rotary-wing UAV that provides situational awareness and precision targeting support for the US Armed Forces. The MQ-8B Fire Scout, ...

• Military - UUVs

  Bluefin-HAUV

  The Bluefin Hovering AUV (HAUV) is a two-man system used for ship hull and infrastructure inspection, port and harbour security and MCM. Operators are able ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  RBE2

  The AESA RBE2 is the first AESA radar produced in Europe for combat aircraft. The active phased array replaces the passive array in the RBE2 currently ...